Points On the Board

Sports, psychology, and what it means for you.

Josh Gonzales M.A.

What Is Risk?

Risk applies to us as much as it does to football superstars.

Can You Measure the Mental Health of a Sports Team?

Can factors like trust be measured for a sports team? And if so, would it help?

Do People Who Disclose Mental Health Concerns Earn Less?

New research suggests people still hold a stigma.

Hooligans Aren’t Destroyers—They’re Protectors

Research shows fan violence is motivated by group commitment and not a need to destroy.

Neurotics Are Better at Faster Decisions

Research shows speed-accuracy trade-offs don’t occur for highly neurotic people, making them better at faster decisions.

An Alternative to the Hot Hand Effect?

Is the hot hand real, or are there alternatives? Research provides evidence for a winner effect.

Silence of the Klaw: Trauma and Emotional Processing

Teenage trauma may help explain Kawhi Leonard's lack of emotionality.

When Your First Choice Is Your Best Choice

Assume thinking through all your options leads to better results? Research actually shows that choosing the first option that comes to mind may be the better choice.

Are Advanced Analytics Even Real?

Do you know what "advanced analytics" are? You can use these same sports principles to improve your own life. Here's one way.

Does Happiness Increase Productivity?

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, two of the NBA’s most perplexing superstars, provide a window into the link between happiness and productivity.

The Day Bol Bol Fell

Bol Bol fell out of the first round of the 2019 NBA draft. His fall can be attributed to pervasive risk aversion.

The Psychology Behind Drafting Zion Williamson

In a world filled with risk, Zion Williamson provides the New Orleans Pelicans the perfect combination of potential and safety we all crave.

What It Takes to Be a Champion

Part 1: How the Toronto Raptors exemplified resilience in ways we can all learn from.

Making Super Bowl Decisions

The beauty in football, and any other sport, lies in what it can teach us about human behavior more generally.