Let’s solve a quick math problem. A bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? Ten cents, right? At least that’s what first came to mind for me when reading this first question in a series of three in the Cognitive Reflection Test. … Read more
Thinking back to your childhood, do you remember your parents ever asking you, “If all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” I know this fictional scenario was often presented to me when I argued to do something “because everyone else was doing it” but it didn’t often work very … Read more
“The orator persuades by means of his hearers, when they are roused to emotion by his speech; for the judgments we deliver are not the same when we are influenced by joy or sorrow, love or hate.” – Aristotle Can you think of a time when you believed something to be true, but in hindsight, … Read more
Have you ever made a mistake at work and then thought you were surely going to be fired? I was recently in a bind at work and my boss asked to have a meeting with me the following morning. I was positive I was going to get fired–or, at least get into big trouble. I … Read more
Do you often find yourself continuing on a path that doesn’t feel right, only because you’ve already invested so much time or money into it? You might strongly dislike what you’re doing, but you feel like you have to stay the course because you can’t imagine doing anything differently. If this sounds familiar, then you’re … Read more
I used to work for a naturopathic doctor who treated patients who were usually looking for a “last resort” solution to their health problems. We had plenty of interesting conversations in the office about the dangers of common foods, and lots of judgement was passed if you didn’t own the latest and greatest water purification … Read more
Let’s say you’re ready to learn a new hobby–and since your buddies seem to enjoy their poker nights, learning how to play this game will allow you to get in on the fun. But you’ve got some catching up to do when it comes to knowing how to strategize, so you decide to take some … Read more
When something good happens, people tend to think: “I worked so hard, I’m so talented, I did a great job!” But when things go wrong, people often start taking a mental account of any external factors that could be to blame. Can you think of a time when you were quick to take credit for … Read more
Let’s say you’re walking down the sidewalk near a busy street and you see someone who is texting and not paying attention to where they’re going. There is some space between the two of you, but certainly not so much that you wouldn’t be able to stop them from walking into traffic. As you see … Read more
It starts as children when we try to please and impress our parents. That need to please follows us to school as we try to impress our teachers and coaches–and ultimately to our adult lives as we go out of our way to please our bosses. And this isn’t only true for people who tend … Read more