Unraveling Behavior

In this episode, Almudena Claassen challenges the widely cited claim that people make over 200 mindless food decisions every day. She highlights the methodological limitations of the ‘200 decisions’ estimate and discusses how such figures can shape perceptions of eating behavior. Instead of relying on vague numbers, Almudena advocates for measuring food decisions in concrete situations. She highli...

In this episode, Ralph Hertwig, Director at our institute, makes the case for a major shift in how policy makers approach behavior-related challenges—whether it’s preventing dooring accidents, reducing math anxiety, or countering misinformation. Rather than relying on the common paternalistic strategy of nudging people without their awareness, Ralph Hertwig advocates for a more empowering and tran...

In this episode, I am joined by Simon Ciranka, a cognitive scientist and developmental psychologist, to explore why teens take risks. Dr. Ciranka explains that parts of the brain that pursue rewards develop early, while parts that control impulses develop later. This imbalance makes teens especially sensitive to rewards like positive feelings and experiences. We also discuss the role of environmen...

In this episode, I sit down with Shahar Hechtlinger, a PhD candidate in Psychology, to explore transformative life decisions—choices that can change who we are, such as becoming a parent, changing careers, or moving to a new country. We discuss how much decision-making research focuses on idealized models but lacks insights into how people actually make these life-altering choices. We examine why...

In this episode, I am joined by Tomás Lejarraga, a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of economics and psychology. We explore how birth order influences siblings' willingness to take risks. Our discussion begins by examining the long-held hypothesis that younger, laterborn children are more prone to taking risks than their older siblings. Dr. Lejarraga shares insights from a study on...

In this episode, I am joined by Lisa Oswald, a computational social scientist and expert on public discourse in online environments. We dive into an impactful study she coauthored in the journal Nature Human Behaviour , which examines the complex relationship between digital media and democracy. Our discussion covers how digital platforms can both empower political participation and contribute to...

Join Dr. Ana Sofia Morais on 'Unraveling Behavior' as she talks with leading researchers about the hidden patterns driving human behavior. Discover how people make decisions, how they handle risk, and how our environment and the online world shape our actions. New episodes are released every eight weeks. Available on all platforms, including YouTube !   Website: unravelingbehavior.org