Behavioural science research
is often heavily contextualised,
studies examining specific
situations and particular aspects
of our thinking and behaviour.
This is necessarily so, as we
respond differently to different
environments and stimuli.
Nonetheless, there are a number
of more general conclusions that
we can draw. To illustrate, we now
summarise some examples of
behavioural science insights.
Two ways of thinking
Throughout history, the mind
has often been thought of as
comprising two modes of thought:
emotion and instinct on the
one hand, reason and rational
thought on the other. One of
the most influential models in
behavioural science is dual process
theory, which develops this view.
Kahneman’s influential work labels
these modes of thought System 1
(which approximates to intuition)
and System 2 (reasoning).
We rely on automatic intuitive
thinking for efficiency and not
to be overwhelmed by the
many decisions we make. This is
heuristics, or mental shortcuts. Life
without it would be impossibly
difficult, but it can also lead us
to false assumptions and errors
of judgement. Through reflective
thought, we can put a check on
and overcome such sub-optimal
thinking, but this takes conscious
effort and typically fails to happen.
Indeed, what we believe is
objective thinking is often our
attempts to confirm what we
already have decided instinctively.
Or, as Kahneman (2011, p103) puts
it, ‘System 2 is more of an apologist
for the emotions of System 1 than
a critic of those emotions.’ This is
why we are more susceptible to
bias and false assumptions than we
would like to believe. It also helps
us understand why habits can be
hard to break – our minds are
hardwired to follow the path of
least resistance.
An example of how badly mental
shortcuts can mislead us comes
through what has been labelled
the anchoring effect (Kahneman
2011), whereby completely
irrelevant information planted in
our minds can skew our decisionmaking.
Dan Ariely and colleagues
illustrated this by asking subjects
2