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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Your perception of your future self affects how you value future outcomes

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Many choices in life reflect a tradeoff between the value of things in the present and in the future.   For example, if I buy a new compu...
Monday, September 26, 2011

It is easier and more satisfying to buy experiences than to buy stuff

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One of my kids has a tough time making choices.   If he has gift money to spend at the toy store, he’ll find three things he really likes...
Friday, September 23, 2011

Patience may be a virtue, but it is also really hard.

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My dog eats two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening.   She is trained to sit until the bowl is on the floor before she...
Monday, September 19, 2011

More information makes you more confident, if not more accurate.

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Confidence matters.   We are much more likely to act in situations when we are confident.   We make purchases based on confidence.   We a...
Thursday, September 15, 2011

The paradoxical effects of doing good

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As a kid, I can remember fighting with my brother over who got the larger piece of cake.   “Relax,” my dad would say, “it will even out i...
Monday, September 12, 2011

Democrats and Republicans really are polar opposites

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Yesterday was the 10 th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC.   For one day, Democrats and Republicans st...
Friday, September 9, 2011

Unrealistic optimism about problem drinking is dangerous.

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An important part of everyone’s self-concept is a sense of how we compare to others in our behaviors.   A common observation is that many...