Why We’re All Likely Spreading Misinformation, and How to Stop
As the election approaches, it’s essential, and easy, to address this behavioral blind spot.
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The Behavioral Scientist is a non-profit digital magazine. We publish commentaries and conversations on current events, culture, and research.
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How Sight—Not Taste, Smell, or Touch—Became the Sense of the Supermarket
When it comes to buying food, sight has usurped all other senses. What are the consequences of relegating smell, taste, and touch to the sidelines?
It’s Time You Got Time Smart: A Q&A with Ashley Whillans
When it comes to time, we can be poor accountants. And we pay the price—in happiness, well-being, and our relationships. Ashley Whillans wants to help you change that.
What We're Reading
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James Randi, Magician Who Debunked Paranormal Claims, Dies at 92
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The New York Times -
The False Promise of Herd Immunity for COVID-19
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Nature -
Mental Toughness Is Overrated: A World Cup-Winning Coach Debunks Sport’s Most Sacred Trait
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The Correspondent -
Wisconsin Lines Up to Vote. How Long Did They Wait?
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The New York Times -
Colombia’s Lawmakers Are Debating How to Regulate Cocaine. Here’s What We Know About Decriminalization.
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The Washington Post
Featured
How Cape Town Used Behavioral Science to Beat Its Water Crisis
Changing behavior was the only choice to address the water shortfall and drought that almost turned the taps off in Cape Town.
Research Lead: Commute Nostalgia, Lessons from NASA, Nobel Winners, Crusaders, Cooperators and the Complicit, and More
The Research Lead is a monthly digest connecting you to noteworthy academic and applied research from around the behavioral sciences. Here are our picks for October 2020.
To Solve COVID-19, We Need to See It for What It Is: A Configuration Crisis
We have the necessary raw materials to deal with the pandemic—where we fail is in matching skills and resources to the problems they could fix.
Education Can’t Stop During the Pandemic—and Neither Can School-Based Research
Behavioral research in education is more essential than ever, as students deal with remote learning and a national reckoning with racism.
Time Confetti and the Broken Promise of Leisure
We have more free time than ever before, but it’s so sliced and diced that we feel more time poor than ever. Here’s how to notice and overcome the time confetti in your life.
Dispatches from the Behavioral Scientists Fighting Coronavirus in the Global South
A special collection of 15 dispatches showcasing the work of behavioral scientists around the globe as they battle the coronavirus.
Who Is Doing Applied Behavioral Science? Results from a Global Survey of Behavioral Teams
The results of a global survey of behavioral teams are in. Here’s how behavioral science is being deployed in organizations and governments around the world.
How Focusing on Individual Achievement Favors the Upper Class
The way we assess achievement disadvantages lower class students and workers. Here’s how we can make it more equitable.
