Future-Minded

Intelligence

Scientists as Advocates: The Politicization of Science

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on July 14, 2022

How do you spot when someone is under the illusion that they are being objective? And why does it matter if the ones under the illusion are scientists?

How do you spot when someone is under the illusion that they are being objective? And why does it matter if the ones under the illusion are scientists?

Media

How Should We Approach the Problem of Misinformation?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on March 12, 2022

What should we be taking into account when considering our approach to the problem of misinformation? The work discussed here takes a look at a range of findings to answer this.

What should we be taking into account when considering our approach to the problem of misinformation? The work discussed here takes a look at a range of findings to answer this.

Media

Day-to-Day Manipulation Without Awareness

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on October 15, 2021

New studies provide a first-time look at folk beliefs of real-world personal experiences with respect to where and by how much we are manipulated without our awareness.

New studies provide a first-time look at folk beliefs of real-world personal experiences with respect to where and by how much we are manipulated without our awareness.

Environment

Combining Soft and Hard Interventions to Get Greener Eating

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on March 18, 2021

How do we encourage sustainable consumption? Nudges alone won't work; we need to look at combinations of interventions. When we do, we find that the impact can be dramatic.

How do we encourage sustainable consumption? Nudges alone won't work; we need to look at combinations of interventions. When we do, we find that the impact can be dramatic.

Unconscious

The Problem With Unconscious Bias Training Is....

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on December 3, 2020

What assumptions do we need to accept and reject if we want to make claims about unconscious bias?

What assumptions do we need to accept and reject if we want to make claims about unconscious bias?

Habit Formation

Why Nudges Fail More Often Than You Think

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on October 28, 2020

Learning from failure can be more valuable than learning from success. Here's how and why this applies to behavioral change.

Learning from failure can be more valuable than learning from success. Here's how and why this applies to behavioral change.

Unconscious

Implicit Attitude Test: What Is It Good For?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on September 28, 2020

Psychology provides useful measurement tools for examining behavior that are often adopted in the real world. The Implicit Attitude Test should not be one them.

Psychology provides useful measurement tools for examining behavior that are often adopted in the real world. The Implicit Attitude Test should not be one them.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Life Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on May 9, 2020

We have always been cautioned about how we interpret statistics—but in the times we live in now, we need to be more cautious than ever.

We have always been cautioned about how we interpret statistics—but in the times we live in now, we need to be more cautious than ever.

Can the social sciences provide useful insights to help determine what will happen now and post-COVID-19?

Motivation

Discover the Secret to Achieving Goals

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on February 24, 2020

Many times sticking to goals is hard, but our new study shows that there are simple tricks you can use to avoid making plans that are doomed to fail.

Many times sticking to goals is hard, but our new study shows that there are simple tricks you can use to avoid making plans that are doomed to fail.

Consumer Behavior

What We Believe About the Use of Psychology in Daily Life

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on December 24, 2019

A new study tells us what people think about how psychological research is exploited to control our behavior unconsciously.

A new study tells us what people think about how psychological research is exploited to control our behavior unconsciously.

Environment

Why Does Our Sense of Agency and Control Matter So Much?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on April 8, 2019

Why is taking back control, and asserting our sense of agency so important, particularly in a world that seems so uncertain? This piece provides a psychological take on this.

Why is taking back control, and asserting our sense of agency so important, particularly in a world that seems so uncertain? This piece provides a psychological take on this.

Environment

Greenlighting Greener Meals

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on April 4, 2019

How persuaded are people by food labelling? A recent study answers this question.

How persuaded are people by food labelling? A recent study answers this question.

Attention

Fast or Slow: Are We Suffering From Two-Mind Syndrome?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on November 29, 2018

Are there practical problems with thinking about the mind as divided in two (automatic vs. deliberate)? It seems that we might need to change our thinking about how we think.

Are there practical problems with thinking about the mind as divided in two (automatic vs. deliberate)? It seems that we might need to change our thinking about how we think.

Environment

Nudges: Knowing Where and When They'll Work

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on November 7, 2018

How do we make nudges work better, and for longer? By better characterizing the environment in which we want to improve the decisions people make.

How do we make nudges work better, and for longer? By better characterizing the environment in which we want to improve the decisions people make.

Empathy

Lower Status People Share Wealth More than High Status

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on October 19, 2018

When playing an economic game, a study shows that those that were assigned as "lower status" players were more likely to share their wealth than their "higher status" counterparts.

When playing an economic game, a study shows that those that were assigned as "lower status" players were more likely to share their wealth than their "higher status" counterparts.

Health

Is an Opt-Out Setup the Way to Increase Organ Donations?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on October 12, 2018

Can we solve the organ shortage by designing an automatic opt-out organ donation register?

Can we solve the organ shortage by designing an automatic opt-out organ donation register?

Aging

Nudge Fudge Leaves Policy Makers in the Dark

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on October 11, 2018

Using psychological techniques to help improve behaviour—from saving for retirement to eating more healthily—might be a good idea, but we still don't know how effective they are.

Using psychological techniques to help improve behaviour—from saving for retirement to eating more healthily—might be a good idea, but we still don't know how effective they are.

Cognition

Explaining Coincidences from a Cognitive Perspective

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on August 22, 2018

What is the psychology behind our experiences of coincidences? Essentially our experiences of coincidences are based on basic cognitive mechanisms that helps us navigate the world

What is the psychology behind our experiences of coincidences? Essentially our experiences of coincidences are based on basic cognitive mechanisms that helps us navigate the world

Consumer Behavior

Losing Our Conscious Mind?

Magda Osman, Ph.D. on August 13, 2018

What does it mean to believe that the unconscious drives what we do? Subliminal advertising is used as an example to discuss the problems with this belief.

What does it mean to believe that the unconscious drives what we do? Subliminal advertising is used as an example to discuss the problems with this belief.