Bad Decisions

Carli from Melbourne gets us rolling with a listener question that's way too close to home.

We've got some big news from Dan and Dr Mel (OK fine, mainly just Dr Mel). What's happening? When? Why? How? Then what? Great questions. Invest the seven minutes (or three and a half at double speed) and all will be revealed.

Doesn't it seem strange that from the moment we're born, we're taught that following instructions is the right thing to do? In this episode, Mel and Dan discuss the authority bias, and why carrying around a clipboard could be the best thing you ever do.

Given the choice between two items, why do our brains try to convince us to choose the rarer one? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the Scarcity Bias, and why people line up for days to buy sneakers.

Ever stuck to your guns even though you knew deep down you were wrong? In this episode, Mel and Dan unpack the Commitment Bias and how to make sure your New Years Resolution actually sticks this time.

Dan shares some big news on the launch of the first ever Built on Behaviour Bootcamp.

Ever notice how novices tend to be highly opinionated, while those with more experience are a little less sure? In this episode, Mel and Dan unpack the Dunning-Kruger Effect, and why your social media feed is often so infuriating.

People and brands often go to great efforts to manage the impressions others form of them, but what if we stopped trying to be perfect, and instead owned our flaws? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the Pratfall effect, and why tripping up the stairs on your way to a presentation could be a winning strategy.

It might not always feel like it, but we’re wired with an inherent desire to cooperate and collaborate with others. That means when someone does us a favour, we can’t help but want to settle the score. In this episode, Mel and Dan consider how this social and emotional drive can direct people to pay for things they didn’t even know they wanted.

If information can help us make good decisions, why would we sometimes actively avoid it? In this episode, Mel and Dan discuss the ostrich effect, and how brands can overcome the tendency we have to bury our heads in the sand.

Turns out that one of the most ‘sure things’ in life, is people’s likelihood of picking a ‘sure thing’. In this episode, Mel and Dan look at how we make choices around risk, and why our desire to avoid uncertainty can sometimes end up costing much more.

Do you generally feel like you’ve got your life together, but sometimes wonder what the hell you’re doing? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the Barnum effect and why 'clairvoyant' could still be a promising career choice

Why is it that the baddies in cartoons are always so ugly? And why do we assume that handsome people are also going to be charismatic? In this episode, Mel and Dan look at why neat hair and a firm handshake are more important than we could ever imagine.

What is it that makes retro fashion take off, and is the Eurovision completely rigged? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore what happens when we see, hear or experience the same thing over and over again.

Everybody loves change, right? Hell no! And it’s not entirely our fault. In this episode, Mel and Dan explore why we'll often go to huge lengths just to make sure everything stays exactly the same.

We all know that empathy is in short supply, but we often don’t realise how hard it is to be empathetic towards our future selves. In this episode, Mel and Dan look at what happens when we try to make decisions for tomorrow based on how we feel today.

Why do we teach kids that it's all about the effort, when as adults, we're far more concerned about the outcomes. In this episode, Mel and Dan look at why 'quicker and easier' could be the exact opposite of what we really want.

Ever wondered why making the smallest faux pas can ruin your entire day? In this episode, Mel and Dan discuss the spotlight effect, and how it influences our perception of how much attention people are actually paying towards us (and our ads).

What happens when memories or tasks are unfinished, and why is it that they seem to stick in our heads? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the Zeigarnik effect and how we can use it to create stronger memories, stop procrastinating, and keep customers thinking about us long after our ads have run.

If you won the lottery, would you be happier? Although the answer may seem obvious, our perceptions of what’s important to us don’t always match the reality. In this episode, Mel and Dan consider how we can use the magic of the focusing illusion to capture consumers’ attention.

Social convention suggests that if you want to make a new friend, you should do something nice for them. But according to Ben Franklin, we’ve been doing it all wrong. In this episode, Mel and Dan explore how we can use non conventional techniques to gain our customers’ trust and loyalty forever more.

Would you enjoy your beef more if it was 75% lean or 25% fat? That’s weird. In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the framing effect - and how what we’re presented with is far less important than how it’s packaged.

You’ve just made your last three shots, won your last three hands or closed your last three deals. What do you think will happen next? In this episode, Mel and Dan explore the fallacy - and reality - of ‘catching fire’ in games, business and life.

Do you find that things always take longer than you thought? Are you always running late? What if we told you it was all because you’re an irrational optimist? Chances are, you wouldn’t change a thing. In this episode, Mel and Dan consider the planning fallacy, and how our optimistic view of the world makes us underestimate how long things will take, and how much they'll cost.

A hundred dollars is a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars, right? Well, no. Not according to our brains. In this episode, Mel and Dan explore how mental accounting influences the way we spend and save, and how brands can use this knowledge to make bank.