Question Everything: The Power of Critical Thinking | Alex Edmans

Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Content provided by Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan, Kurt Nelson, and Tim Houlihan. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan, Kurt Nelson, and Tim Houlihan or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

1M ago 1:10:26

MP3•Episode home

How often do you question the 'facts' you encounter in everyday life?

This week, Alex Edmans, author of May Contain Lies, joins Kurt and Tim to question the world around us. They explore the significance of critical thinking and cognitive diversity, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives and evidence-based reasoning. They discuss the differences between facts and statements, the dangers of misleading inferences from evidence, and the impact of perception on communication.

Creating an environment where individuals can express their viewpoints freely is crucial. This includes fostering a culture where a devil’s advocate can provide critical feedback and considering alternative explanations to avoid confirmation bias in our everyday lives.

For a bit of fun (and for Tim too!), Alex explains his research on how music preferences can predict stock market trends and the challenge of separating emotional effects from fundamental factors. During their Grooving Session, Kurt and Tim encourage listeners to apply a scientific mindset when evaluating information and to promote cognitive diversity within their workspaces. Tune in to enhance your critical thinking skills, appreciate the nuances in decision-making, and learn how to foster a culture of scientific inquiry in your workplace and beyond.

Topics

[5:07] Intro and speed round

[9:30] The importance of critical thinking and avoiding confirmation bias

[16:37] Misinformation and how it’s presented

[27:56] How to evaluate scientific claims by checking sources

[33:08] The importance of cognitive diversity

[42:07] Using music to predict stock market trends

[49:26] Grooving Session: Overcoming biases to make informed decisions

Links

Alex Edmans ‘May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases - And What We Can Do About It’

Wason Selection Task

Sports Sentiment and Stock Returns

How Cognitive Biases Influence the Way You Think and Act

Musical Links

Earth, Wind, and Fire “September”

Fleetwood Mac “The Chain”

424 episodes

#Psychology #Science #Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan #Kurt Nelson #Tim Houlihan #Society #Social Sciences #On Covid19