Decision Making

Are Six Heads as Good as Twelve?: Psychologists show how justice is better served by larger juries.

Danger Ahead: Risk Communication Leads to Healthier Living: Psychological research shows efforts to change people's judgments about the risks associated with health-related behaviors can successfully change those behaviors.

Demonstrating the Power of Social Situations via a Simulated Prison Experiment: In 1971, a team of psychologists designed and executed an unusual experiment that used a mock prison setting, with college students role-playing prisoners and guards to test the power of the social situation to determine behavior. The research, known as the Stanford Prison Experiment, has become a classic demonstration of situational power to influence individual attitudes, values and behavior. So extreme, swift and unexpected were the transformations of character in many of the participants that this study -- planned to last two-weeks -- had to be terminated by the sixth day.

Have Your Children Had Their Anti-Smoking Shots?: Attitude inoculation dramatically reduces teenage smoking rates.

Looking for Sound Financial Advice? Look to Psychology: Behavioral economics helps people make better choices with their money, including saving for retirement.

Making Air Travel Safer Through Crew Resource Management (CRM): CRM has prevented accidents and saved lives in the aviation industry - and soon may save lives in hospital operating and emergency rooms.

Obeying and Resisting Malevolent Orders: Stanley Milgram's famous experiment highlights the powerful human tendency to obey authority.

Occupational Stress and Employee Control: Employee control over work can reduce stress and enhance motivation and growth. Several key findings have prompted employers to search for ways to give workers a greater sense of control, to improve health, productivity and morale.

Risky Business: Curbing Adolescent Sexual Behaviors with Interventions : Psychological research shows that comprehensive sex education and HIV prevention programs are effective in reducing high-risk sexual behavior in adolescents.

Shaping Pro-Environment Behaviors.... Certain Messages Work, Don't Work