I will be giving a TED talk this Friday, June 22nd, at TEDxBoston. The title of the talk is "Context is King," and it's about how context and expectations bias our perceptions of experiences and our choices. The blurb about the talk goes something like this:
Billboard charts, restaurant reviews, and word-of-mouth recommendations have been around for decades, but indicators of popularity and perceived quality have never been as pervasive as in our current environment. Economists traditionally assume that more information enables people to maximize their utility or happiness, but behavioral economists and social psychologists have identified a number of ways in which context and perceived social preferences systematically bias our choices and experiences in potentially unproductive ways. Being aware of the powerful effects our preconceived notions have on our actual experiences can help to mitigate our biases and lead to better choices.
Registration for the event is closed, but you will be able to watch via an online simulcast, and you can read all about the options for virtual participation here. My talk is only 6 minutes or so, and I am told that I go on sometime between 10:40 and 11am, so don't miss it!
Comments
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