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
Think about the last time you made a decision. But not just any decision–one that involved a pretty significant trade-off one way or another. For me, it took me about five years to make the hard life decision to quit my very comfortable (yet unrewarding) job and go back to school to get my master’s … 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
There are different ways to make decisions. To arrive at a thorough, well-thought-out choice—especially when you’re bombarded with a ton of options, someone is trying to influence the outcome of your choice, or it is a matter that will affect your whole life—you need to forego subjective methods such as listening to your gut or … Read more