Stretching Theory

A yogi’s twist on decision science

Eva M. Krockow Ph.D.

Why We Find Meaning When It Isn’t There

Do you ever spot pictures in the clouds? Human brains are remarkably good at recognizing patterns. This is an evolutionary advantage, but it comes at a cost.

Why Now Is the Time for a Fresh Start

Ready to escape the hardship of 2020? Harness the Fresh Start Effect and make meaningful changes.

Why Three Doctors' Heads Are Better Than One

Is it possible to improve doctors' treatment choices? Group-based decision making may offer a novel way of boosting tricky medical judgments.

Is It OK to Throw Someone Under the Bus?

May you harm one person in order to save several others? Your cultural background is likely to influence your response.

Can Wearing Masks Lead Us to Take More Risks?

Can safety interventions such as compulsory face masks tempt people into relaxing other preventative behaviors? Risk compensation theory offers surprising insights.

What Makes for a Successful Name?

What's in a name? Its length, spelling, or meaning may affect the characteristics that people associate with it.

Should You Let the Dice Decide?

Struggling to make a choice? Rolling dice or flipping coins can offer surprising benefits to speed up the process.

Ignorance Is Bliss: Why People Avoid Bad News

Choosing to ignore potentially helpful information—even if unpleasant—seems irrational. So why do many people actively avoid bad news?

Why Do People Act Against Their Own Better Judgement?

Why would someone adopt protective health behaviours in one area while endangering their life in another? Cognitive dissonance theory may shed light on puzzling choices.

Is the Pandemic Making Us Kinder?

Have you benefitted from the kindness of others during the COVID-19 pandemic? The unique psychological properties of disasters could have prompted a sudden surge in altruism.

What Reality TV Can Teach Us About Human Cooperation

The surprising lessons of reality TV: "Too Hot to Handle" offers unexpected insights into human cooperation that are relevant to climate change.

Why You Shouldn’t Trust All Health Advice

It can be tempting to chase arbitrary health targets. But are you losing sight of the bigger picture?

Is an Action Bias to Blame for the Struggle to Stay Home?

Struggling to stay at home during a lockdown? Surprising research on cognitive biases explains why waiting for a crisis to pass can be just as tough as actively fighting it.

Is a Zero-Risk Bias Impairing Your Crisis Response?

Panic-buying, stealing, and hoarding of toilet paper is one of the more bizarre reactions to the outbreak of COVID-19. The "zero-risk bias" could help explain it.

Wisdom in Diversity

Are two heads really better than one? Research suggests that groups can outsmart individual decision-makers.

Can Yoga Make You Smarter?

Can bending into pretzel shapes actually sharpen the mind? Try these 7 poses and find out for yourself.

Harness the Cheerleader Effect to Boost Self-Esteem

Research explains why cheerleaders often appear so attractive, and how you can use this effect to your advantage.

Why Simple Problems Are Often the Hardest to Solve

Strategic prioritization and time management can go a long way in mitigating the effects of the deceptively simple "bike shed problem."

How to Become a Better Judge of Character

Do you ever feel misunderstood by other people? The "illusion of asymmetric insight" may be at the root of people's biased character judgements.

How to Overcome Regret

Is regret keeping you up at night? Here's how to reduce self-blame and make better decisions in the future.

3 Reasons to Ditch Gift Cards This Year

Searching for the perfect gift this Christmas? Good ideas are hard to come by, but gift cards are not the solution.

Is It Ethical to Ration Medication?

Should we put current patients at risk in order to save future generations?

There's More Than One Kind of Overconfidence

How can we tackle the common problem of overconfidence? Understanding its different origins is a first step.

What Is Your Social Value Orientation?

Do you like getting your fair share? Social Value Orientation may explain why.

Hairy Choices

Does a "bad hair day" drag you down? You're not alone. Here's what the science says about our hairy choices.

How to Become a Truthiness Detector

Are you worried about falling prey to urban legends and fake news? It could be worth examining a statement's truthiness.

Is It Time to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?

What can Kylie Minogue's song lyrics tell us about decision making? Surprising evidence for human uncertainty aversion suggests the need to step outside our comfort zone.

Why We Love Free Stuff Too Much

Do you pay too much when you pay nothing? While it is rational to minimise financial spending, people often overlook the hidden costs of seemingly "free" items.

How to Spot Trick Options

Have you been tricked by decoy options in the past? Anticipating regret could help you make better choices in the future!

Why Bright People Need "BS Detection Training"

In some cases, smart people may be particularly susceptible to deception. Three tips can help avoid reasoning errors.

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