How do we bridge the gap between the present and the future? In this episode, our host, Annie Duke, speaks with Bina Venkataraman, journalist, author, and science and technology policy expert , about the psychological, social, and institutional barriers to making long-term decisions. Drawing from Bina’s experiences in science communication, climate policy, and journalism, they discuss the difficulty of imagining the future and yourself within it, and how creative tools such as virtual reality an...
Feb 05, 2025•47 min•Season 5Ep. 6
What forces shape the choices we make? Seth Godin, renowned author, entrepreneur, and marketing expert, joins our host, Annie Duke, to explore the impact of societal and external pressures on decision-making, and the role of systems in shaping our choices. Godin shares his unique perspectives on the power of social identities and the significance of empathy in leadership. Together, they examine how both social identities and systems shape human behavior and discuss actionable ways to reclaim our...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Can optimism be both a strength and a weakness? Annie Duke welcomes cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Tali Sharot to explore her groundbreaking research on optimism bias, memory, decision-making, and human behavior. Tali shares how the brain processes information, the adaptive functions of optimism bias, and the impact of habituation on motivation. Key takeaways from this episode include the intricate relationship between memory and forecasting, the challenges of updating our beliefs, and practical s...
Jan 08, 2025•51 min•Season 5Ep. 4
How do you know a good founder when you see one? Annie Duke and Josh Kopelman, a co-founder and managing partner of First Round Capital, tackle this question by exploring the transition from gut feeling to quantifiable evaluation in venture capital. Together, they highlight First Round Capital's rigorous process for assessing startups and the role of understanding probability in enhancing decision quality. Key takeaways from this episode include the importance of making the implicit explicit, ad...
Dec 11, 2024•55 min•Season 5Ep. 3
What if the future you imagine is actually based on your memories? Annie Duke chats with neuroscientist and host of the Inner Cosmos podcast, Dr. David Eagleman, about how the surprising ways our brains process and interpret information influence the decisions we make. They tackle sensory hacks, decision quirks, and why “lashing yourself to the mast” could be your best bet against temptation. Key takeaways from this episode include the way simulating the future helps us combat temporal discounti...
Nov 26, 2024•47 min•Season 5Ep. 2
What if happiness is a skill we can learn? Dr. Laurie Santos, a Yale professor, cognitive psychologist, and host of the popular podcast The Happiness Lab , joins our host, Annie Duke, to explore the science behind happiness and why her course, “Psychology and the Good Life,” has become the most popular course in Yale’s 300-year history. Santos advocates for intentional decision-making and social connection as tools for improving mental well-being. Key takeaways from this episode include the powe...
Nov 13, 2024•57 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Season 5 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in neuroscience, cognitive biases, entrepreneurship, and social connection. Host Annie Duke engages our guests in interesting discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age. We’re thrilled to announce that this season of The Decision Education Podcast is sponsored by First Round Capital....
Nov 07, 2024•1 min
What have we misunderstood about decision-making? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow , joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to discuss common misconceptions about decision-making and “System 1” and “System 2” thinking. Together, they discuss the significance of evaluating individual components before making judgments and uncover the surprising parallels between human cognition and modern Artificial I...
Dec 20, 2023•59 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Why do people sometimes become more entrenched in their beliefs when they are challenged? In this episode, David McRaney, science journalist and creator of the You Are Not So Smart podcast, book, and blog , joins us as we dive into the psychology of persuasion and explore how and why people change their minds. Together, we investigate the psychological need for connection and how, under certain circumstances, that need can lead people to gravitate toward extremist communities. We also consider w...
Oct 25, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Can giving advice actually be more valuable than receiving it? In this episode, Dr. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and world-renowned author , joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to rethink the ways we work and learn. Adam discusses which type of people excel the most in the workplace: givers, takers, or matchers. Adam and Annie delve into how establishing “personal policies” can help us with decision-making in the workplace and how we can make work...
Oct 11, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Is more choice always better? Join us in conversation with Dr. Sheena Iyengar, a professor at Columbia Business School and an expert on choice , as we examine the complexities of choice overload, and discover why having less can sometimes lead to more. We'll explore the intricate psychology of decision-making, from understanding the reasons behind why we procrastinate making important choices to uncovering why we struggle to handle more than seven options when making a decision. In this episode,...
Sep 27, 2023•52 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Do judges impose harsher sentences on Friday afternoons? In this episode, Dr. Cass Sunstein, law professor, former administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and co-author of Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness , joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education. They discuss the concept of noise, inconsistencies in human judgment that can arise even when people are presented with the same information. Annie an...
Sep 13, 2023•52 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Why do projects often take so much longer than expected? Join us in conversation with Dr. Woo-kyoung Ahn, Professor of Psychology at Yale and the author of Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better , to explore the thinking errors we make every day and discover powerful tools to mitigate them. Together, we delve into the reasons why job interviews can be misleading, why we tend to procrastinate, and more. Woo-kyoung offers valuable insights on how to improve our thinking, giving us pract...
Aug 30, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Do our brains trick us into thinking things are worse than they are? In this episode, Dr. Steven Pinker, experimental psychologist and world-renowned author , joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to explore why we make irrational decisions and to share some useful tools to help improve our judgment. They discuss how our brains are wired for nostalgia and why we erroneously think that the world is getting worse. Steven also explains how expected value can be a...
Aug 16, 2023•37 min•Season 4Ep. 3
How can we build an identity that withstands life’s curveballs? In this episode, Dr. Maya Shankar, Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to explore the art of building resilience. Together, they share valuable insights on adapting to change and making tough decisions—from knowing when to pivot in your career to finding new sources of meaning and purpose in the face of injury or other obstacles. Maya reveals in...
Aug 02, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Season 4 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in behavioral science, cognitive biases, choice overload, and making decisions in the workplace. Host Annie Duke engages our guests in fruitful discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age.
Jul 12, 2023•3 min
What drives bad financial decisions when a crisis hits? Morgan Housel, award-winning author and expert on the psychology of financial decision-making , joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the common flaw of only saving for situations we can imagine, why we should be wary of financial advice in the media, and the danger of expecting history to map the future. Morgan also shares a strategy to help us focus more on the things th...
Jul 20, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
How can celebrating failure make us more successful? Tenured Harvard Professor and former Chief Decision Scientist in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Jennifer Lerner , joins your host, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, Dr. Joe Sweeney, to discuss why most organizations reward leaders who continue investing time and money into projects that are underperforming and how to break this pattern. She also shares how leaders can terminate an initiative while maintaining the confidence of the...
Jul 06, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 6
How can we get better at receiving negative feedback? Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President at Ariel Investments and Chair of the Board of Starbucks, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about her journey to becoming one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” and a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy. Mellody and Joe discuss how to be courageous and patient in our investments and our careers, how organization...
Jun 22, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 5
What can we learn from ancient civilizations that can help us make better decisions today? Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and host of The Daily Stoic Podcast , joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about how Stoic philosophy can help us become more strategic decision-makers. Ryan and Joe discuss the critical role composure played in the Cuban Missile Crisis, how adopting an outside view can help navigate public relations disasters,...
Jun 08, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 4
How do the world’s most influential technology companies think about decision-making? Google’s Chief Decision Scientist, Cassie Kozyrkov, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the science of decision-making in data-driven organizations, the pitfalls and possibilities for incorporating AI into the decision-making process, and how computer programming is like a cross between LEGOs and magic spells. Cassie and Joe discuss her jour...
May 25, 2022•44 min•Season 3Ep. 3
How can we make our unintentional habits work in our favor? Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, and New York Times best-selling author, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the power of looking beyond binary choices, evaluating our own thinking, understanding our own “habit loops,” and building the most powerful habits of all - the ones that help us think more deeply. Charles also shares revealing insights into th...
May 11, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 2
How can we beat procrastination by doing more of the things we love? Dr. Katy Milkman, Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, celebrated author, host of the Choiceology podcast, and Alliance Advisory Council Member, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the power of nudges, the distorting lens of the present bias, and how she used a behavioral science hack to get herself to crave trips to the gym. Ka...
Apr 27, 2022•40 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Season 3 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in habits, Stoicism, decision intelligence, and behavior change. Dr. Joe Sweeney, your host, engages our guests in fruitful discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age. Tune in to listen!
Apr 18, 2022•3 min
How does embracing decision science lead to domination in the NBA? Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers and Co-founder of the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference , joins our guest host Annie Duke, to talk about his unique basketball mindset and key decision-making insights learned from working at the very top of the professional game. Daryl and Annie discuss the hidden Math of the basketball court, why teams should test radical strategies in every game, wh...
Dec 08, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 7
What can we learn from individuals who make life-and-death decisions in the most dangerous environments on the planet? Dr. Ken Kamler, Expedition Climber, Microsurgeon, and Extreme Medicine Doctor, joins our guest host Annie Duke, to talk about decision-making insights discovered on his perilous expeditions on Mount Everest, and to share his powerful account of the notorious 1996 Mount Everest Disaster. Ken and Annie discuss the importance of sticking to turnaround times on an ascent to save you...
Sep 08, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 5
What do the NFL’s most legendary general managers do when making tough decisions at the highest level? Michael Lombardi, former NFL general manager and three-time Super Bowl winner , joins our guest host Annie Duke, to talk about decision-making insights learned from 3 decades in the game, working alongside coaching and general manager legends Bill Walsh of the San Francisco 49ers, Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders, and Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, among others. Michael and Annie di...
Aug 25, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Does Rich Eisen’s suit slow him down in the 40 yard dash? Rich Eisen, NFL Network and The Rich Eisen Show Host , and Les Snead, General Manager of the Los Angeles Rams , talk with our guest host, Annie Duke about how to balance using analytics with intuition and past experience to make fast in-game decisions, how an NFL franchise can best work together and pool their judgments and information, and the influence of emotions on gut feelings. You’ll also hear about resulting bias and how many fans ...
Aug 11, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 3
How can we have better conversations with people who have different beliefs from us? Andrew Berry, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns and Alliance Board Member, joins our guest host Annie Duke, to talk about how decision-makers can benefit from getting comfortable with uncertainty, how the pandemic highlighted overconfidence and the illusion of control, what it means for general managers to have one foot in the present and one in the future, as well as three strategies to reduce bias. You’l...
Jul 28, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 2
How do we decide when to play it safe, and when to take the risk? Award-winning author, journalist, and professional poker player, Dr. Maria Konnikova , talks with our guest host, Annie Duke, about how poker parallels uncertainty in life, the hidden downside of avoiding risks, how to decide what to do next professionally, and how her fascinating career trajectory resembles a constellation more so than a straight line. She also reveals what you often need besides smarts and hard work to get where...
Jul 13, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 1
