Also: why do we procrastinate?
Why do so many promising solutions — in education, medicine, criminal justice, etc. — fail to scale up into great policy? And can a new breed of “implementation scientists” crack the code? To find out more, check out the podcasts from which this hour was drawn: “Policymaking Is Not a Science (Yet)” and No Stupid Question’s “How Should You Ask . . .
Also: how can you become a more curious person?
Also: does wisdom really come with age?
Also, what’s better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you’re good at?
The U.N.’s World Happiness Report — created to curtail our unhealthy obsession with G.D.P. — is dominated every year by the Nordic countries. We head to Denmark to learn the secrets of this happiness epidemic (and to see if we should steal them). To find out more, check out the podcasts from which this hour was drawn: “How to Be . . .
Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”?
Researchers are trying to figure out who gets bored — and why — and what it means for ourselves and the economy. But maybe there’s an upside to boredom?
Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences?
Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge?
Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”?
Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language?
Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to lasting change. We survey evidence from the London Underground, Major League Baseball, and New Year’s resolutions; we look at accidental fresh starts, forced fresh starts, and fresh starts that backfire. And we wonder: will the pandemic’s end provide the biggest fresh start ever? To find . . .
In this special crossover episode, People I (Mostly) Admire host Steve Levitt admits to No Stupid Questions co-host Angela Duckworth that he knows almost nothing about psychology. But once Angela gives Steve a quick tutorial on “goal conflict,” he is suddenly a fan. They also talk parenting, self-esteem, and how easy it is to learn econometrics if you feel like it.
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make?
Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep.
The state-by-state rollout of legalized weed has given economists a perfect natural experiment to measure its effects. Here’s what we know so far — and don’t know — about the costs and benefits of legalization. To find out more, check out the podcasts from which this hour was drawn: “Let’s Be Blunt: Marijuana Is a Boon for Older Workers” and No . . .
Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone?
Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity?
Also: how do you recover from a bad day?
Also: is short-sightedness part of human nature?
Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine?
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