Behavioural Science Explained

We discuss the Behavioural Science concept,  Mere Exposure Effect , a phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus, even without conscious awareness, increases our preference for that stimulus. We cover The Decision Lab article about the effect in a business context and explain how it can be applied to marketing and product design. The second source, a research paper by Andy Martinez, examines...

We discuss the concept of reciprocity norms and their impact on social behaviour. The first text examines the role of reciprocity in functionalist theory, arguing that functionalism implicitly relies on reciprocity and that its rejection of the concept of “survivvals” obscures the significance of unequal exchanges. The second text discusses the influence of reciprocity norms on information-sharing...

We discuss the concept of  temporal discounting , which refers to the tendency for individuals to devalue rewards as the time delay to their receipt increases. The first source explores the connection between temporal discounting and the control of saccadic eye movements, suggesting that the brain considers both the value of a reward and the time required to obtain it when making decisions about h...

We explore the  social cognitive theory of organizational management  and its core element,  self-efficacy . The authors argue that traditional motivational and behavioural approaches to management have limitations and advocate for a broader perspective that incorporates the cognitive processes that individuals use to regulate their behaviour. They highlight the crucial role of  self-efficacy , or...

We discuss the concept of  commitment devices , which are mechanisms individuals use to restrict their future choices and promote self-control. The first source explores the theoretical foundations for commitment devices, focusing on models of  time-inconsistent preferences  and how these preferences lead to a demand for commitment. It further investigates the effectiveness of different types of c...

We discuss the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to understand and predict human behaviour. One source investigates the use of GPS navigation systems while driving and finds that factors like attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, navigation involvement, and information quality significantly influence drivers' intentions to use navigation. Another source anal...

We discuss the use of behavioural economics in marketing and business, explaining how understanding human psychology can lead to more effective strategies. The first source, "3 Applications of Behavioural Economics in the Real World", focuses on the Decision Lab's mission to empower individuals through evidence-based choices. The second source, "9 Eye-Opening Examples of Behavioural Economics in M...

We discuss the  affect heuristic , a cognitive bias that suggests people make decisions based on their emotional feelings towards a particular option, rather than through a rational, logical process. The texts investigate various facets of the affect heuristic, exploring its influence on judgments of risk and benefit, evaluability, and preference reversals. The research highlights how the affect h...

We discuss how individuals react to and incorporate health education materials into their lives through Cues to Action. The first study examined the reactions of Danish men to written health education materials concerning coronary heart disease, and the second text further investigated the interplay between knowledge and behaviour change, particularly focusing on the "backpack function" of knowled...

We discuss the effectiveness of using Motivation Crowding Theory to encourage pro-environmental behaviour. The first article, exploring motivation crowding around farmer incentives for riparian management, investigates whether financial incentives can undermine farmers' intrinsic motivation to protect wildlife habitats. The research found that farmers in Nova Scotia were already highly motivated b...

We discuss  behavioural activation , a therapeutic approach focusing on increasing engagement in positive and meaningful activities to combat depression and improve overall well-being. The discussion explores the theoretical underpinnings of behavioural activation, its historical development, its key principles, and practical strategies for implementation. They also delve into its effectiveness in...

We discuss  dual process theory , a framework that proposes human thinking operates through two distinct systems:  System 1 , which is fast, automatic, and often driven by intuition and heuristics, and  System 2 , which is slow, deliberate, and analytical. The sources delve into various applications of dual process theory across different areas of social cognition, including attitude formation, pr...

Behavioural Science concept Emotional Intelligence● Emotional Intelligence: Science and Myth (Matthews, Zeidner, and Roberts, 2004) : This book offers a critical analysis of Emotional Intelligence (EI), examining different models (ability, mixed, trait) and measures (performance-based, self-report). Behavioural Science: The book examines the theoretical basis of Emotional Intelligence from biologi...

The discussion examines confirmation bias, a cognitive bias that influences how people process information. The sources explore the manifestation of this bias in various contexts, from online searches to financial markets and social interactions. We investigates how people tend to select, interpret, and recall information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs, potentially leading to reinforceme...

We discuss the Behavioural Science concept, the Planning Fallacy through a chapter from "Heuristics and Biases", the tendency to underestimate the time needed to complete tasks. It argues that this bias occurs because people focus too much on  plans for success  and not enough on  potential obstacles . A paper titled "On De-bunking ‘Fake News’ in a Post-Truth Era", examines the...

We discuss the concept of  self-efficacy , a person's belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation. They explore the various factors that influence self-efficacy, including personal experiences, social models, verbal persuasion, and physiological states. We discuss the effects of self-efficacy on cognitive processes, performance, and mental and physical health. They further investi...

The discussion explores  sunk cost fallacy , a cognitive bias that leads individuals to continue investing in a failing endeavour because of past investments. The discussion examines the sunk cost fallacy in various settings, including car insurance, physical therapy education, real estate and decision-making in general. Part of the discussion also investigates the impact of emotional factors such...

We discuss 4 texts all exploring the  availability heuristic , a cognitive bias that describes our tendency to make decisions based on readily available information, even if that information is not representative of the larger picture. Each paper provides examples of this phenomenon across various fields, from personal decisions to professional settings. The papers highlight the advantages and dis...

The discussion covers two papers examining how customers respond to operational transparency in service contexts, but they do so using very different approaches. The first paper, "Creating Reciprocal Value Through Operational Transparency," looks at the impact of visual transparency on customer perceptions and employee performance in a university dining hall. The authors find that allowi...

The discussion covers three paper where anchoring effect is examined, a cognitive bias in which people over-rely on the first piece of information they receive, even when that information is irrelevant. The first source, a paper by Liu, Zhang, Qi, Guo, and Qi, examines the anchoring effect in online product pricing and develops a mathematical model to predict optimal pricing strategies based on co...

The discussion covers research presented in multiple papers examines the phenomenon of overconfidence, specifically, the tendency for people to overestimate their abilities and performance. We investigate the role of motivational and cognitive factors in driving this bias. We discuss that people holding a fixed mindset regarding intelligence are more likely to overestimate their performance compar...

The various papers explore the  status quo bias , a cognitive bias that causes people to favour maintaining their current state of affairs even when a change might be more beneficial. The first paper examines this bias in the context of decision making and how brain activity in the subthalamic nucleus is associated with rejecting the status quo when faced with difficult choices. The second paper e...

We discuss framing effect, a phenomenon where the way information is presented can influence people's choices, even if the underlying options are objectively equivalent through 6 papers. The first source explores the framing effect of online store price information presentation, demonstrating how different price frames can influence consumer purchasing decisions. The second source investigates...

The discussion covers Social Proof through various texts along with a focus on the concept of social proof and how it influences human behaviour. The piece in Decision Lab discuss social proof as a psychological phenomenon that describes how people tend to copy the actions of those around them, particularly in uncertain situations. The text from Farnam Street explores how social proof can be manip...

This discussion examines the concept of "loss aversion", arguing that bad events have a greater psychological impact than good ones. The discussion reviews evidence from a wide range of psychological domains, including impression formation, close relationships, emotion, learning, child development, social support, and feedback. A strong case is presented that negative experiences influen...