Accidental behavioural economist koenfucius.substack.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvmh5v4bjp2fNew research suggests that whether we seek or shun challenges is strongly associated with how strong our belief in willpower is, reports @abmarkman.bsky.social : buff.ly/ZL0l60D16 Sep 2026 05:53 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmh5v4bjp2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvmg7jjazt2lComfort food is something we often crave for nostalgic reasons—because it takes us back to our (childhood) past. Unfortunately it is not always the healthiest, but that doesn’t have to be the case: buff.ly/KIsOIQ016 Sep 2026 05:36 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmg7jjazt2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvlgxxcr2u2f“Enough studies have been conducted on daycare that if there were large, lasting impacts on children, either positive or negative, we would probably know by now.” Beware Daycare Pseudoscience—both from the critics and from the fans: buff.ly/YfOhmGT15 Sep 2026 20:17 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvlgxxcr2u2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvlc65qvas2bResilience is less a matter of “bouncing back” after adversity, and more of adapting to a changed reality. Nine neuroscience findings can help: buff.ly/EBwBtoc15 Sep 2026 18:51 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvlc65qvas2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvl4znwrd22pIs there such a thing as a neutral choice architecture? And is any arrangement of the choice architecture not just a nudge, but really manipulation? @docgrawitch’s AI sidekicks explore the arguments—in both a 5-min and a (nearly) full-half hour version: buff.ly/GsBWyGc15 Sep 2026 17:19 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvl4znwrd22phttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvl2l2jy5q2fA ritual accompanying consumption of chocolate enhances the subjective enjoyment; more so when there’s a delay between ritual and consumption, and when the consumer themselves perform the ritual, research by Vohs et al suggests: buff.ly/wPUX7Om15 Sep 2026 16:35 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvl2l2jy5q2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvkvr7rxac2qWholesale adoption of remote working that leads to mental health issues and loneliness is much like other momentous decisions that turn bad—all instances of the same, shapeshifting trap. Because we don’t recognize this, we fall into it, time and again: buff.ly/sUC1TKM15 Sep 2026 15:09 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkvr7rxac2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvkj3birav2vWhich of two salespeople would prospective customers approach—the one with striking looks, or the pleasant but ordinary one? Contrary to common wisdom (and earlier research), the atttactive one doesn’t always have the edge. Here’s why: buff.ly/1sg07Dq15 Sep 2026 11:22 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkj3birav2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvkghan3ay2kAren’t poor people often poor because they make wasteful spending choices with handouts? No, research suggests—it is the cognitive toll of being poor that leads to bad decisions, and initiatives to reduce poverty should take this psychology into account: buff.ly/y4yKjFv15 Sep 2026 10:35 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkghan3ay2khttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvk6sb34552xNew research suggests a strict desire for social conformity and obedience to authority are strongly influenced by household upbringing, while a preference for group dominance stems more from personal experiences outside the home: buff.ly/HmlDfpQ15 Sep 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvk6sb34552xhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvjwoxzjbx26Automatic self-embellishment Research by Epley and Whitchurch suggests people are more likely to recognize an attractively enhanced version of their own face out of a lineup as their own, and to identify it more quickly in a lineup of distracter faces: buff.ly/NI2scZg15 Sep 2026 05:53 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvjwoxzjbx26https://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvjvqklq3s2vDamage to the spinal cord is hard to heal. New stem cell-infused, injectable nanorobots may be able to help nerve cells regenerate: buff.ly/Xka4Ku015 Sep 2026 05:36 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvjvqklq3s2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mviwizg7kq2aIs Cognitive Dissonance Theory the newest resident to join the social sciences’ Graveyard of Undead Theories? Christopher Ferguson combs through the latest evidence: buff.ly/ztvb2gN14 Sep 2026 20:17 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviwizg7kq2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvirp7gdde2qMight evolution have shaped support for redistribution? New research suggests fear of conflict and desire for equal outcomes predict support for government transfers, implying appeasing aggressors or enforcing conformity as a motive: buff.ly/x9Mw1hC via @psypost.bsky.social14 Sep 2026 18:51 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvirp7gdde2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvimks7zsr2lSchopenhauer has a hot take on the Fermi paradox (the apparent absence of any signs of alien life in the universe, despite its vast size): buff.ly/o1GQs3q14 Sep 2026 17:19 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvimks7zsr2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvik42pmv72lCreative applied psychology can make the other guy, despite his superior technology, lose. Dave Trott’s anecdotal evidence takes us to pre-WWII motor racing at the Nurburgring: buff.ly/1R8f8r614 Sep 2026 16:35 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvik42pmv72lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mviflkuwhl2bResearch by Apostolou et al across 14 countries suggests that, among all strategies to become more attractive as a potential mate, improving ones looks is the one that stands out: buff.ly/R1O20O7 via coauthor @costellowilliam14 Sep 2026 15:14 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviflkuwhl2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvhymf4ou42jRemote working comes with some serious down sides, research suggests. ‘Well duh’, say many—hindsight bias is a wonderful thing. But isn’t this promise-to-disappointment a familiar pattern? So, how come we didn’t anticipate this? The shapeshifting trap: buff.ly/sUC1TKM14 Sep 2026 11:22 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvhymf4ou42jhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvhvycufua2bIf you make notes to avoid forgetting something—write it down, don’t type or tap it into a device, even if it’s faster. Here’s why that’ll serve you better: buff.ly/PqoFkXr14 Sep 2026 10:35 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvhvycufua2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvhoddezru2fSexual objectification—often seen as a matter of power and personality—can independently be increased by temporary states, particularly sexual arousal, even among men low in antisocial traits or high in empathy, new research by Wisman & Thomas suggests: buff.ly/DW7yM9r14 Sep 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvhoddezru2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvhg7zujlz2bThuiswerken blijkt toch niet het geanticipeerde mirakel te zijn. Achteraf ‘nogal wiedes’ dat het eenzaamheid in de hand werk. Maar hier is een weerkerend patroon, en toch zien we het niet aankomen. Vreemd, niet? ICYMI, De gedaantewisselende valstrik: buff.ly/WuZ3MHL14 Sep 2026 05:53 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvhg7zujlz2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvhfbnwcix2pWe can thank our near-extinction about 900,000 years ago—when 99% of our human ancestors were wiped out, leaving a mere 1280 breeding pairs—for our powerful brain: buff.ly/2bPDaOH14 Sep 2026 05:36 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvhfbnwcix2phttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvgg23i2di2aNew musical talent from Belgium. Dieter Boels, self-declared “engineering musician”, fuses acoustic instruments with electronics into serene, jazzy soundscapes. (In Belgium next Sunday 20th Sep? Pop over to Hoeilaart—free gig at 11am. Recommended!) buff.ly/vp48Btq13 Sep 2026 20:17 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvgg23i2di2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvgbabtzvn2lNeurotransmitters like serotonin and oxytocin reward us for social interaction with others, which stimulates us to form and maintain friendships: t.co/nhZAsTpGAe13 Sep 2026 18:51 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvgbabtzvn2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvg43rzd7q2jWorking remotely leads to loneliness and mental health problems? Well duh. Remote working is *not* the root cause? Well duh. Well duh—the typical reaction *after* the event when something obviously good turns bad. My post, The shapeshifting trap: buff.ly/sUC1TKM13 Sep 2026 17:19 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvg43rzd7q2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvfutd5frl2fReplication and extension by Bostyn et al supports earlier research suggesting people’s choices in hypothetical sacrificial dilemmas are strong predictors for choices in *actual* sacrificial dilemmas: buff.ly/1oH7ZEk13 Sep 2026 15:09 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvfutd5frl2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvfi5hj3du2lGeen van beide echtgenoten aan het altaar willen dat hun huwelijk later spaak loopt. Toch lijkt een scheiding erg op andere beslissingen die misgaan, maar dat zien we niet, en leren dus niet ze te vermijden. Mijn stukje—De gedaantewisselende valstrik: buff.ly/WuZ3MHL13 Sep 2026 11:22 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvfi5hj3du2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvf5ufhcgu2gThe trouble with ethical hypocrites @eschwitz identifies two reasons why ethicists who advocate moral principles without trying to live by them have a deficient understanding of what they recommend: •lack of practical insight •ignorance of consequences buff.ly/IhKDnyN13 Sep 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvf5ufhcgu2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvez4fkkns2lSurvey finds just over half of those who have one-night stands express regret • more when more intoxicated • women more than men—the difference strongly associated with their ability to achieve an orgasm—but only in heterosexual encounters buff.ly/mtgM5Gr13 Sep 2026 06:53 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvez4fkkns2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/koenfucius.bsky.social/post/3mvey5yx3fc2g“Gamey” meat is a concept that is hard to pin down—people use it in idiosyncratic ways (all the way to simply expressing like or dislike). But even the taste of actual game is not unambiguous and unequivocal. Here’s why it’s so complex: buff.ly/zRROMOe13 Sep 2026 06:36 +0000at://did:plc:6ok5fobuc4rdydi6sicbaxlo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvey5yx3fc2g