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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist
@behscientist.bsky.social
1.4K followers 36 following 220 posts
Original, thought-provoking reports from the front lines of behavioral science. Learn more: https://behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Dec 17
A subscription for curious minds: Join our new subscription program, which includes a number of new initiatives for the year ahead:

- Print Edition #3 (coming Fall/Winter 2025)
- A ticket to our new conversation series: “Frontiers”
- And more...!

Join today: behavioralscientist.org/subscribe-be...
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · 8h
Happening Today! — How Can We Continue to Innovate in Behavioral Design? with Piyush Tantia

We'll speak with the former founding executive director and chief innovation officer at ideas42, about how we can continue to innovate in behavioral design. Full info: behavioralscientist.org/event-2025-f...
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · 4d
In this weekend’s read from the archive, @katiehoemann.bsky.social and @batjamesquita.bsky.social reveal how limited our study of emotion has been—and where we could look to correct that.
How Culture Shapes the Stories We Tell About Our Emotions - by Katie Hoemann & Batja Mesquita - Behavioral Scientist
The Hadza don’t talk about emotion the way psychologists were used to. To capture human emotion in all its richness, we have to broaden where and how we study it.
behavioralscientist.org
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
achronicvoice.com
A Chronic Voice @achronicvoice.com · 5d
" #Unpredictability tends to have a #negative valence, making it feel threatening or #stressful. But #social interaction can also surprise us with how good it makes us feel: lifting us from a bad #mood, helping us discover a new side of ourselves..": buff.ly/OTJCCQW

via @behscientist.bsky.social
The Art of Balancing Solitude and Connection - by Elizabeth Weingarten - Behavioral Scientist
Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people.
buff.ly
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
matt--coleman.bsky.social
Matt Coleman @matt--coleman.bsky.social · 9d
New article I wrote at Behavioral Scientist (@behscientist.bsky.social): I share the psychological research on "drop-in-the-bucket" thinking, how this tendency shows up when trying to make an impact, and what we can do about it.

Article: behavioralscientist.org/how-proporti...
How ‘Proportion Dominance’ Gets in the Way of Effective Giving - by Matthew Coleman - Behavioral Scientist
When it comes to helping others, it’s important to remember that it’s the size of the drop that matters, not the size of the bucket.
behavioralscientist.org
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
fleemanator.bsky.social
Katie Fleeman @fleemanator.bsky.social · 13d
“No one would ever ask a cardiac surgeon to stop an operation midstream because something supposedly more important popped up... yet we ask knowledge workers to do something similar multiple times a day because the immediate impact doesn’t seem onerous.” | via @behscientist.bsky.social
How to Rescue an Overloaded Organization - by Nelson P. Repenning and Donald C. Kieffer - Behavioral Scientist
Many leaders mistakenly believe that their organizations thrive under constant pressure. But overloaded systems are broken systems—to fix them, we must learn our way to the right amount of work.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · 11d
Your weekend read, from the archive:

Why are some cultures more emotionally expressive than others? One explanation, Ryan Hampton and @pniedent.bsky.social write, could be that overt emotion helped people overcome diverse linguistic and cultural barriers.
Ellis Island Echoes: The Emotional Legacy of Ancestral Diversity - by Ryan Hampton and Paula Niedenthal - Behavioral Scientist
Why are some cultures more emotionally expressive than others? One explanation could be that overt emotion helped people overcome diverse linguistic and cultural barriers.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · 18d
In this weekend’s read from the archive: People often think recycling is the place where they can have the greatest environmental impact. This misperception lets wasteful companies off the hook, write Patrick I. Hancock and Michaela Barnett.
Waste Waste... Don't Tell Me: Investigating the Bias Toward Recycling Over Reduction and Reuse - by Patrick I. Hancock & Michaela Barnett - Behavioral Scientist
For many people, recycling seems like the place where they can have the greatest impact on the waste stream. This misperception lets wasteful companies off the hook.
behavioralscientist.org
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
allanschoenberg.bsky.social
Allan Schoenberg ☕️ @allanschoenberg.bsky.social · 23d
“Cultivating solitude offers an opportunity and a gift, one that philosophers (Stoics in particular), poets, and artists have long recognized: the ability to create a revitalizing refuge that you can return to wherever and whenever” behavioralscientist.org/solitude-is-...
Solitude Is a Skill - by Elizabeth Weingarten - Behavioral Scientist
We all need different amounts of social time and alone time. If the solitary life comes less natural to you, what should you do?
behavioralscientist.org
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steve-holcombe.bsky.social
Steve Holcombe @steve-holcombe.bsky.social · 23d
"But when it comes to human behavior, it can often be more productive and compelling to ask questions that begin with how rather than why."

behavioralscientist.org/the-power-of...
The Power of Asking ‘How?’ - by Rene Almeling - Behavioral Scientist
Humans love to ask, “Why?” But when it comes to our behavior, it can often be more productive and compelling to ask, “How?”
behavioralscientist.org
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
casbsstanford.bsky.social
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford @casbsstanford.bsky.social · 23d
When it comes to human behavior, it can often be more productive & compelling to ask questions that begin with how rather than why, writes fmr CASBS fellow @ralmeling.bsky.social in @behscientist.bsky.social

Read why (about how): behavioralscientist.org/the-power-of...
The Power of Asking ‘How?’ - by Rene Almeling - Behavioral Scientist
Humans love to ask, “Why?” But when it comes to our behavior, it can often be more productive and compelling to ask, “How?”
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · 25d
In this weekend’s read from the archive, Evan Nesterak interviews Nobel Prize winner @simonhrjohnson.bsky.social about the relationship between technological progress and prosperity, including how societies have made these choices in the past.
A Conversation with Simon Johnson about Technology and Prosperity - By Evan Nesterak - Behavioral Scientist
We speak with Nobel Prize winner Simon Johnson about the relationship between technological progress and prosperity, including how societies have made these choices in the past and what our decisions…
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
How can you rescue your overloaded organization?

Many leaders mistakenly believe that their organizations thrive under constant pressure. But overloaded systems are broken systems—to fix them, we must learn our way to the right amount of work.

behavioralscientist.org/how-to-save-...
How to Rescue an Overloaded Organization - by Nelson P. Repenning and Donald C. Kieffer - Behavioral Scientist
Many leaders mistakenly believe that their organizations thrive under constant pressure. But overloaded systems are broken systems—to fix them, we must learn our way to the right amount of work.
behavioralscientist.org
1
Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
"Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people."—Elizabeth Weingarten, The Art of Balancing Solitude & Connection
behavioralscientist.org/the-art-of-b...
The Art of Balancing Solitude and Connection - by Elizabeth Weingarten - Behavioral Scientist
Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people.
behavioralscientist.org
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Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.

Why We Spiral By Gregory M. Walton

behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/
Why We Spiral - by Gregory M. Walton - Behavioral Scientist
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 6
Your weekend read, from the archive: @michael.muthukrishna.com and Evan Nesterak explore whether energy is the sine qua non of understanding the human world.
Understanding Energy Is Essential to Understanding Ourselves: A Q&A with Michael Muthukrishna (Part 2) - by Evan Nesterak - Behavioral Scientist
The common constraint for all life is the ability to find and use energy, yet we take it for granted, says Michael Muthukrishna. In his new book, he makes the case that energy should be central in…
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 6
Americans Are Overworked. Could AI Change That? — AI promises to help us get more done in less time. It’s an opportunity to reverse the trend of American overwork, but powerful structural factors stand in the way.

behavioralscientist.org/americans-ar...
Americans Are Overworked. Could AI Change That? - by Juliet Schor - Behavioral Scientist
AI promises to help us get more done in less time. It’s an opportunity to reverse the trend of American overwork, but powerful structural factors stand in the way.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.

Why We Spiral By Gregory M. Walton

behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/
Why We Spiral - by Gregory M. Walton - Behavioral Scientist
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
"Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people."—Elizabeth Weingarten, The Art of Balancing Solitude & Connection
behavioralscientist.org/the-art-of-b...
The Art of Balancing Solitude and Connection - by Elizabeth Weingarten - Behavioral Scientist
Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people.
behavioralscientist.org
2 1
behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Sep 5
How can you rescue your overloaded organization?

Many leaders mistakenly believe that their organizations thrive under constant pressure. But overloaded systems are broken systems—to fix them, we must learn our way to the right amount of work.

behavioralscientist.org/how-to-save-...
How to Rescue an Overloaded Organization - by Nelson P. Repenning and Donald C. Kieffer - Behavioral Scientist
Many leaders mistakenly believe that their organizations thrive under constant pressure. But overloaded systems are broken systems—to fix them, we must learn our way to the right amount of work.
behavioralscientist.org
1
Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
achronicvoice.com
A Chronic Voice @achronicvoice.com · Sep 2
“Here is the #conundrum: Without enough #AloneTime, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much #alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people.”: buff.ly/gV6Ewwm

via @behscientist.bsky.social
#solitude #human
The Art of Balancing Solitude and Connection - by Elizabeth Weingarten - Behavioral Scientist
Without enough alone time, I feel disconnected from myself. But too much alone time makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself, too—the part of me that comes alive when I’m with other people.
buff.ly
1 3
Reposted by Behavioral Scientist
jrborbolla.bsky.social
JR Borbolla @jrborbolla.bsky.social · Aug 21
Being concise is essential in business. I remember that when I was a medical resident, my chief told me, 'the ability to summarize is indicative of intelligence... and you talk too much.' I still struggle with my verbosity. 😊

behavioralscientist.org/when-writing...
When Writing for Busy Readers, Less Is More - Todd Rogers & Jessica Lasky-Fink - Behavioral Scientist
Want more people to read and respond to your messages? It’s simple. Write less.
behavioralscientist.org
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derekeb.bsky.social
Derek E. Baird @derekeb.bsky.social · Aug 19
"Negative spirals or feedback loops aren’t inevitable. In fact, there are small things we can do both for ourselves and for others to nip them in the bud—and prevent catastrophic outcomes months and years into the future."

behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/
Why We Spiral - by Gregory M. Walton - Behavioral Scientist
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Aug 30
In this weekend’s read from the archive, Evan Nesterak and @michael.muthukrishna.com plumb a sweeping “theory of everyone,” a possible key to advancing social and behavioral science.
Moving Behavioral Science from Alchemy to Chemistry: A Conversation with Michael Muthukrishna (Part 1) - By Evan Nesterak - Behavioral Scientist
Michael Muthukrishna wants to integrate the science of human beings, from genes to culture to our environments, into ‘a theory of everyone.’ Doing so, he says, is key to advancing social and…
behavioralscientist.org
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behscientist.bsky.social
Behavioral Scientist @behscientist.bsky.social · Aug 23
In this weekend’s read from the archive, Rory Sutherland makes the case that a little bullshit makes behavioral science better.
Is Everything BS? - by Rory Sutherland - Behavioral Scientist
BS (behavioral science) without creativity—indeed BS without a tiny little whiff of BS (meaning bullshit)—is actually suboptimal.
behavioralscientist.org
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casbsstanford.bsky.social
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford @casbsstanford.bsky.social · Aug 19
So great to read this excerpt from "Ordinary Magic: The Science of How We Can Achieve Big Change with Small Acts" in @behscientist.bsky.social

Greg Walton wrote most of the book as a 2022-23 CASBS fellow 😏

👉 behavioralscientist.org/why-we-spiral/
Why We Spiral - by Gregory M. Walton - Behavioral Scientist
Questions of who we are or what we’re worth can send us into a tailspin. But the very same processes that pull us down can propel us up, too.
behavioralscientist.org
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