Consumed

The psychology of what we buy, how we choose, and why we need to make sense of it all.

Alain Samson Ph.D.

Why We Comply

Does the fear of sanctions make people follow social distancing rules?

COVID-19 and Applied Behavioral Science Ethics

Has the pandemic hastened a need for professional ethics in behavioral science?

Under Pressure: Good Behavior in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Behavioral science is sometimes accused of focusing on what people get wrong. During the COVID-19 pandemic, let’s also ask why and how people are getting it right.

Fake It Until You Break It

Putting on a happy face is unlikely to turn you into Joaquin Phoenix's "Joker." But faking your emotions can have profound effects on your thoughts and feelings.

5 Things You May Not Know About the Psychology of Gifts

How to decide what to give your family and friends this holiday season.

How Incentives Can Build Good Habits

Can money buy positive habits? Rewards can contribute to behavior change in four key ways.

Data Hazard: Irrelevant Information Contaminates Judgment

Anchoring is a psychological bias that can leave a lasting mark that's difficult to correct.

Making the Leap: From the Ivory Tower to the "Real World"

Are you thinking about transitioning from academia to practice as a behavioral scientist? Here are five challenges to prepare for.

Are You a Conflicted Consumer?

Find out what the pain of paying may mean to you—and why it matters.

Social Psychology v. Behavioral Economics: 3 Key Differences

The boundaries between behavioral economics and social psychology have become increasingly blurred in practice. What differences remain?

A Series of Independent Events II: Similarity Strikes Back

"Hot hands" and "fallacious gambles" with an interpersonal twist.

How Seizing the Moment Can Help Secure Your Financial Future

About to file your taxes? Make the moment count!

Digital Goods Valued Less Than Their Physical Counterparts

New research shows how much consumers value digital vs physical media.

What My Gym Membership Taught Me About Mental Accounting

When you think about money, think it through.

Costly Curves

The thin ideal turns big people into big spenders.

Information Avoidance in the Information Age

When ignorance is bliss: How much would you pay to avoid potentially threatening information?

Cheat to Keep or Cheat to Reap?

Are people more likely to behave unethically to avoid falling behind or to get ahead? New research has the answer.

Big Data Is Nudging You

Slow to hit the purchase button? Here’s how you may be nudged to buy.

Are You Sure You Want to Read This?

An uncertain world requires simple decision-making processes.

Aiming to Please (the Janitor): a Field Experiment

New insights on scoring in the men's room

Watching Waiters' Weights

When small differences carry heavy effects

5 Reasons We Don't Protect Our Privacy Online

You are probably concerned about the privacy of your information online, but do you act accordingly? Here's why you may not.

Making Sense of Common Sense

How understanding the taken-for-granted can enrich behavioral science

Behavioral Economics—An Exercise in Design and Humility

What's the state of your bad decision making? Read Dan Ariely's exclusive take on irrationality and its consequences.

The Credit Lunch

Using credit or debit cards is associated with more hedonic purchases. Are students more susceptible to this card payment effect?

Heavy Shifting

Resolved to go to the gym? Now help us solve a common problem at the gym.

How Impulsive Are You?

Did Black Friday prompt you to make an impulse purchase? Read this post and calculate your ‘dysfunctional impulsivity’ score.

The Price Feels Right

New evidence from the psychology of numbers turns prices (a)round

Adapt or Perish?

Human adaptability allows us to survive, but also takes away pleasure: "It's the hedonic treadmill, stupid!"

Retire the Selfie

Help your future self to more savings by connecting it with your present self. Or was that the other way around? It's not a temporal paradox, it's behavioral economics.

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