Humans are complex. But behavioral science doesn’t have to be. These 5 simple principles can help you think like a behavioral scientist.
1
We all take mental shortcuts.
Humans evolved for cognitive efficiency. We do most things on ‘autopilot’ so we can save our conscious and deliberate processing for the most pressing tasks at hand. But because our capacity for deliberate processing is limited, we have self-control failures, cognitive biases, and short-sighted thinking.
2
Our emotions get the best of us.
While it’s possible for humans to make good complex decisions, weighing costs and benefits, we often act on emotions instead. Emotions tell us to approach things that feel good and avoid things that feel bad. They direct our behavior — even when they shouldn’t.
3
We’re egocentric.
Just like babies and teenagers, adult humans prioritize ‘the self’ over everything else. This is how we meet our basic needs like eating, sleeping, and feeling good. The flip side of this is that we interpret the world as we want it to be, not necessarily as it is. We believe we’re better off than we are, we’re overconfident about our futures, and we ignore things that make us feel bad.
4
We’re social.
Because we care so much about ourselves, we also care about how we’re doing compared to other people. We follow norms so we fit in and we seek out social relationships so we can feel good. As a result, we care deeply about what other people do, think is right, and what they think of us — even though we don’t like to admit it.
5
So, context matters.
Behavior is rarely driven by pure rational processes or internal attitudes and beliefs alone. Instead, we take mental shortcuts, defer to our emotions to guide our behavior, and mimic what other people do. As a result, our behavior is shaped by our environment — from the big picture to the smallest details — even when we don’t see it. In order to understand or influence behavior, we need to take context into account.