Human Behaviour - Abhishek Chakraborty (Page 2)

You Are More Resilient than You Think

If we were asked how we would feel if we lost our job, or the person we love, we would feel devastated, and not without good reason. But the truth is that we blow it out of proportions when we imagine the aftermath of a traumatic event. We are surprisingly more resilient than we think.

What Games are You Playing?

We call everyone who invests money “investors” like they are cricket players. When you realise how wrong that notion is, you see how vital it is to identify what game you’re playing.

A Short Introduction to Behavioural Philosophy

A good way to live an intelligent life is having an emotional positioning to eliminate the sting of harm. Stoicism helps us achieve that. But it is hard to stick to a good discipline of mental write-off when things are going well. Yet that’s when one needs the discipline the most.

Pavlovian Conditioning: Understanding Coca-Cola’s Brand Strategy

In Pavlovian conditioning powerful effects come from mere association. The neural system of Pavlov’s dog causes it to salivate at the bell it can’t eat. And the brain of man yearns for the type of beverage held by the pretty woman he can’t have.

Why Punishments Don’t Always Work

Societal systems rely on threats and punishments to keep us in line. Despite that we keep on arriving late, spit in public, skip homework, and invest in the wrong places. Well, that’s because punishments have some inherent problems.

How to Design Effective Reward Systems

Rewards reinforce desired behaviour. Rewarding your dog makes him learn new tricks faster. Rewarding school kids for good grades motivates them to study harder. But rewards have to be varied in quantity and intervals to be truly effective.

Operant Conditioning: How to Incentivise and Reinforce Desired Behaviour

“If we don’t like the consequences of an action we’ve taken, we’re less likely to do it again. If we do like the consequences, we’re more likely to do it again.” According to the Operant Conditioning Theory, the strength of a behaviour is modified by its consequences, such as reward or punishment.

Why Compensation Systems Fail

If you’re trying to change a behaviour, reason will take you only so far. Sometimes the solution to a behaviour problem is simply to revisit incentives and make sure they align with the desired goal.