A few folks have asked me for book recommendations in the field of behavioral science. I tend to lean toward behavioral literature and research for practical application in socioeconomic development, and also toward behavioral (or cognitive) neuroscience. Here’s a short list of sources I’ve found relevant and useful over the years. I’ll keep this list … Read More
innovative things
if everyone is doing it
When everyone is doing something the same way, it might be a good time to try something different. The job market is tough right now. LinkedIn and social channels are flooded with stories of job seekers spending months and sometimes years looking for the next job. Hundreds of thousands of applications are going into ATS … Read More
Moonshots
We often start with the easy stuff. It feels productive—small wins, minimal risk, a sense of momentum—but in reality, it could be a distraction from tackling the harder challenges. As Astro Teller, Director of X (a Google company), said on Simon Sinek’s podcast, A Bit of Optimism, most people solve the easiest problems first because … Read More
Bicycle Commuting, Transportation Efficiency and Safety: A US Cities Perspective
This study investigates the relationship among the volume of bicycle commuters and the occurrence of traffic fatalities, per capita, in 30 U.S. cities. The analysis controls for automobile commuters, those who work from home, average annual rainfall, average temperature, and hours lost to traffic congestion. Through multivariate regression techniques, it is found that, per 150,000 … Read More
Research Proposal: Predicting and Reducing Impulse Behavior: Can biometric technology reduce impulse decisions, improve empathy, and reduce conflict?
When couples enter a conflict, their emotions can become escalated, often lending to self- protection and aggression, and even good partners can end up in intense fights that damage the relationship. Understanding this impulse, and learning how to calm down, to shift out of fight or flight mode, and connect, can help couples develop awareness, … Read More
Research: Taking Back Control: An Unconventional Approach to Information Disorder
Introduction In this paper, I provide a brief overview of media literacy programs that have been proposed or trialed thus far, whether through public education or in a experimental lab setting, examining the pros, cons, and barriers to implementation. I examine media literacy against the full taxonomy of mis/disinformation solutions, and propose strategies derived from … Read More
Research: Dear American Parents: Our kids are underperforming in school. What went wrong, and how can we fix it?
Introduction Dear American parents, Our kids are underperforming in school. For years, American students have lagged other developed nations in reading, science, and mathematics literacy. They are disengaged, disinterested, lack in direction and identity, and too often leave K-12 unprepared for college and the workforce. An outdated standards and academic achievement accountability system has conditioned … Read More
Research: Improving Academic and Life Outcomes for America’s Youth
Summary Roughly 49.5 million students attend public elementary and secondary schools in the United States, 3 million teachers educate America’s students each year, and the U.S. spent $682 billion on public elementary and secondary schools in the 2019–20 school year (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). Despite spending more than other OECD nations, the United … Read More