Persuasion Articles of the Week

Same facts, two perspectives…

A high school student created a fake 2020 candidate. Twitter verified it.

Social Media companies find themselves in a tough spot. A “verified account” is viewed as an authority… but what if it’s a fake account? And what of the real accounts that aren’t verified? The selection process puts a question mark over the trustworthiness of our gatekeepers.

Why Detroit Residents Pushed Back Against Tree-Planting

Some 50 years after Detroit’s trees were cut down —either for law enforcement reasons or for Dutch Elms disease— the residents are wary to plant new trees. The history of trees in Detroit shows how people can have two vastly different understandings of the same set of facts, and how persuading people takes more than just telling them what’s good for them.

Lent me get comfortable

Self-restraint builds our resistance to outside attacks on our position and helps us to see the larger picture during times of difficulty.

Bloomberg Big Decisions with Richard Thaler (video)

Richard Thaler is a co-author of Nudge (PRL writeup here) and a professor of behavioral economics, exploring why people make decisions that may not appear rational.

The Weird Power of the Placebo Effect, Explained

The placebo effect can change your world, improve your health, heal your mental ills… and we’re just getting started.

A New Look at Prospect Theory

9:22pm

Saint Paul

 

Hey there. I was just thinking — PRL readers are the best.

This past weekend I emailed about Mindset and letting Reality flow—

“Don’t force a round peg into a square hole” kinda thing (actually it was exactly that).

Anyway, one Mr. Haris P. wrote back to agree:

Mindset is everything, you are right. When I get stressed I stop and think of the Prospect Theory that has been fascinating me since I first read it some years ago.  To make a long story short, we always judge situations comparing to something else (point of reference).


When I am stressful at work for example, I stop and think how is my life, what are the real things I value (family, friends and health basically). Suddenly all other issues seem unimportant and trivial. Everything has a solution (apart form health problems) so I should just carry on, find the strength and courage to face my hesitations and fears.


In a few words, I change the mindset and everything seems crystal clear.

Second off, I agree completely with Haris.

Perspective, framing, and contrast all help us to see the situation and get a handle on our emotions and mindset.

But backing up to First off… my immediate reaction was whoa. I hadn’t thought of Prospect Theory quite like that before. Continue reading “A New Look at Prospect Theory”