Episodes
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What if happiness is a skill we can learn? Dr. Laurie Santos, a Yale professor, cognitive psychologist, and host of the popular podcast The Happiness Lab, joins our host, Annie Duke, to explore the science behind happiness and why her course, “Psychology and the Good Life,” has become the most popular course in Yale’s 300-year history. Santos advocates for intentional decision-making and social connection as tools for improving mental well-being.
Key takeaways from this episode include the powerful effects of “time affluence” and “time famine,” how to use counterfactual thinking in positive ways and gain insight on how creating intentional happiness habits can lead to a more fulfilling life.
This is The Decision Education Podcast, where we explore the science of decision-making with a diverse range of experts and offer practical strategies to transform our understanding of the role decisions play in our lives.
Thanks to First Round Capital for supporting The Decision Education Podcast—empowering leaders to make choices that shape our future.
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Season 5 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in neuroscience, cognitive biases, entrepreneurship, and social connection. Host Annie Duke engages our guests in interesting discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age.
We’re thrilled to announce that this season of The Decision Education Podcast is sponsored by First Round Capital.
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Episodes manquant?
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What have we misunderstood about decision-making? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to discuss common misconceptions about decision-making and “System 1” and “System 2” thinking. Together, they discuss the significance of evaluating individual components before making judgments and uncover the surprising parallels between human cognition and modern Artificial Intelligence. Daniel shares a compelling analogy between perception and cognition, illustrating how cognitive shortcuts can lead us astray. Additionally, he sheds light on why new restaurants continue to open in seemingly “doomed” locations and the valuable lessons we can learn from studying the paths of those who went before us.
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Why do people sometimes become more entrenched in their beliefs when they are challenged? In this episode, David McRaney, science journalist and creator of the You Are Not So Smart podcast, book, and blog, joins us as we dive into the psychology of persuasion and explore how and why people change their minds. Together, we investigate the psychological need for connection and how, under certain circumstances, that need can lead people to gravitate toward extremist communities. We also consider ways to protect ourselves and others from such polarized thinking and practice active open mindedness. David discusses the challenges inherent in conversing with people who do not share our beliefs and why these discussions often don’t go as planned. We also share a powerful technique to change someone’s mind, including your own.
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Can giving advice actually be more valuable than receiving it? In this episode, Dr. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and world-renowned author, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to rethink the ways we work and learn. Adam discusses which type of people excel the most in the workplace: givers, takers, or matchers. Adam and Annie delve into how establishing “personal policies” can help us with decision-making in the workplace and how we can make workplaces more equitable. Adam explores why he believes the hallmark of true intelligence is the ability to rethink, unlearn, and be open to changing our minds when we encounter new information. He also provides a glimpse into the secrets of his Junior Olympic diving success, as featured in his latest book, Hidden Potential. Finally, Adam shares the surprising similarity between academic writing and performing magic tricks!
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Is more choice always better? Join us in conversation with Dr. Sheena Iyengar, a professor at Columbia Business School and an expert on choice, as we examine the complexities of choice overload, and discover why having less can sometimes lead to more. We'll explore the intricate psychology of decision-making, from understanding the reasons behind why we procrastinate making important choices to uncovering why we struggle to handle more than seven options when making a decision. In this episode, we'll also take a look at a powerful strategy that effectively reduces gender bias in hiring, and how our cultural backgrounds significantly influence our approach to decision-making. Dr. Iyengar also reveals her six-step process for fostering innovation, demonstrating that we don't always have to wait for the perfect option to arise – we can actively shape the options we desire. Finally, we'll discuss the pitfalls of brainstorming and uncover the surprising truth about the usefulness of those 'brilliant' thoughts that come to us in the shower.
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Do judges impose harsher sentences on Friday afternoons? In this episode, Dr. Cass Sunstein, law professor, former administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and co-author of Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education. They discuss the concept of noise, inconsistencies in human judgment that can arise even when people are presented with the same information. Annie and Cass talk about how we are more likely to believe things we hear repeatedly, even when they’re not true, and how “nudges” can positively influence our choices without us realizing it. Cass also sheds light on the surprising impact group polarization has on everyday decision-making, including the tendency of juries to impose harsher sentences collectively than any individual jurors would choose alone. This has big implications for the group decisions we make every day at work, at home, and in our families!
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Why do projects often take so much longer than expected? Join us in conversation with Dr. Woo-kyoung Ahn, Professor of Psychology at Yale and the author of Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better, to explore the thinking errors we make every day and discover powerful tools to mitigate them. Together, we delve into the reasons why job interviews can be misleading, why we tend to procrastinate, and more. Woo-kyoung offers valuable insights on how to improve our thinking, giving us practical ideas that we can apply in our daily lives, including some fun tips on how to make sure confirmation bias isn’t on the menu the next time we visit a restaurant.
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Do our brains trick us into thinking things are worse than they are? In this episode, Dr. Steven Pinker, experimental psychologist and world-renowned author, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to explore why we make irrational decisions and to share some useful tools to help improve our judgment. They discuss how our brains are wired for nostalgia and why we erroneously think that the world is getting worse. Steven also explains how expected value can be a useful decision-making tool. And finally, Steven and Annie discuss game theory and negative externalities, revealing what hockey players wearing helmets have in common with ordinary citizens trying to save the planet!
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How can we build an identity that withstands life’s curveballs? In this episode, Dr. Maya Shankar, Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to explore the art of building resilience. Together, they share valuable insights on adapting to change and making tough decisions—from knowing when to pivot in your career to finding new sources of meaning and purpose in the face of injury or other obstacles. Maya reveals insights from her time as a senior advisor at the White House, explains why sometimes the messenger is just as important as the message, and recounts the heart-stopping tale of a diver’s heroic rescue mission in Thailand. This episode is full of lessons that we can apply to our own decision-making!
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Season 4 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in behavioral science, cognitive biases, choice overload, and making decisions in the workplace. Host Annie Duke engages our guests in fruitful discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age.
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What drives bad financial decisions when a crisis hits? Morgan Housel, award-winning author and expert on the psychology of financial decision-making, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the common flaw of only saving for situations we can imagine, why we should be wary of financial advice in the media, and the danger of expecting history to map the future. Morgan also shares a strategy to help us focus more on the things that matter most to us.
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How can celebrating failure make us more successful? Tenured Harvard Professor and former Chief Decision Scientist in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Jennifer Lerner, joins your host, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, Dr. Joe Sweeney, to discuss why most organizations reward leaders who continue investing time and money into projects that are underperforming and how to break this pattern. She also shares how leaders can terminate an initiative while maintaining the confidence of their team, and how throwing “failure parties” may be the key to success. Jenn also shares a surprising insight about how feeling angry can make us unrealistically optimistic.
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How can we get better at receiving negative feedback? Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President at Ariel Investments and Chair of the Board of Starbucks, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about her journey to becoming one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” and a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy. Mellody and Joe discuss how to be courageous and patient in our investments and our careers, how organizations can put people first without compromising on profit, and how great leaders adapt when facing high-stake challenges and great uncertainty. Mellody shares insights from the COVID-19 pandemic when she advised Starbucks on supporting 440,000 employees across 83 countries, and worked with Chicago-based non-profit After School Matters to provide teens with urgently needed food and essentials. Mellody also shares a much-needed update to the idea that our children can “do anything.”
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What can we learn from ancient civilizations that can help us make better decisions today? Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and host of The Daily Stoic Podcast, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about how Stoic philosophy can help us become more strategic decision-makers. Ryan and Joe discuss the critical role composure played in the Cuban Missile Crisis, how adopting an outside view can help navigate public relations disasters, and, how although we don’t control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. Ryan also explains how even mighty emperors struggled to get out of bed in the morning. Then he shares motivating insights to help us stop hitting the snooze button and take on the day ahead.
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How do the world’s most influential technology companies think about decision-making? Google’s Chief Decision Scientist, Cassie Kozyrkov, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the science of decision-making in data-driven organizations, the pitfalls and possibilities for incorporating AI into the decision-making process, and how computer programming is like a cross between LEGOs and magic spells. Cassie and Joe discuss her journey from logging gemstones in Microsoft Excel as a child to founding the field of decision intelligence at Google, and the profound impact that Decision Education will have on our children's futures. Cassie also shares critical advice about asking ourselves the right question, in order to make the most rational decision.
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How can we make our unintentional habits work in our favor? Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, and New York Times best-selling author, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the power of looking beyond binary choices, evaluating our own thinking, understanding our own “habit loops,” and building the most powerful habits of all - the ones that help us think more deeply. Charles also shares revealing insights into the most common mistakes we all make - it’s not the ill-advised actions that cost us most dearly, but the missed opportunities that we fail to even see.
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How can we beat procrastination by doing more of the things we love? Dr. Katy Milkman, Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, celebrated author, host of the Choiceology podcast, and Alliance Advisory Council Member, joins your host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education, to talk about the power of nudges, the distorting lens of the present bias, and how she used a behavioral science hack to get herself to crave trips to the gym. Katy and Joe discuss the peculiarities of mental accounting, how she trains her students to critically examine scientific claims, and the power of rituals to help us unwind. Katy also shares a surprisingly easy strategy to guarantee that you'll choose the healthy option at a restaurant, not the unhealthy one you crave!
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Season 3 of The Decision Education Podcast unveils decision-making tips from experts in habits, Stoicism, decision intelligence, and behavior change. Dr. Joe Sweeney, your host, engages our guests in fruitful discussions where they unpack their decision toolkits and share how the world might look different if we practiced decision-making skills from a younger age. Tune in to listen!
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How does embracing decision science lead to domination in the NBA? Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers and Co-founder of the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, joins our guest host Annie Duke, to talk about his unique basketball mindset and key decision-making insights learned from working at the very top of the professional game. Daryl and Annie discuss the hidden Math of the basketball court, why teams should test radical strategies in every game, why so many teams overlooked the value of the 3-point shot for so long, and how rapidly adapting to rule changes is critical to gaining a competitive edge. Daryl also talks about what to do when facing an opponent that’s better than you, and reveals the surprising strategies which give you the best chance of still winning.
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