The hottest Behavioral Psychology Substack posts right now

Cactusing happens when you stick to a decision even when the situation changes. It's like wanting nachos for a late-night snack then forgetting that you need a quick meal the next day.
People often hold onto past achievements or contexts that no longer apply. For example, judging NASA based on its past greatness rather than its current status can lead to outdated evaluations.
Recognizing when to change your decisions can open doors to new opportunities. Adapting to new situations can provide an advantage over those who don't adjust their thinking.

It's not all about willpower to achieve goals; changing your environment is crucial.
Setting your own goals is more effective than following others' goals.
Learning from failures, breaking down goals, and surrounding yourself with supportive people are key to achieving success.

Dating is mostly about meeting many people, where every date adds to your chances of finding someone special. The more dates you go on, the higher your chances, even if some don't go well.
Once you're in a relationship, keeping it strong requires attention to many factors. If one important part, like communication or attraction, isn't working, it can hurt the whole relationship.
In business or projects, success often relies on many connected steps. If one step fails, it can cause everything to fall apart, which makes planning and execution very important.

Social tipping points may not be as impactful as commonly believed
The idea of a committed minority of 25% causing rapid societal change could be overrated
Experimental evidence suggests that the 25% threshold for social tipping points is not highly applicable to real-world social issues

Make it easy for users to complete a desired action to increase the likelihood of them repeating it in the future. Reduce barriers for users to engage with your product or service.
Users value products more when they perceive effort or work behind the scenes. Consider implementing small delays or visual cues to show the process at work, enhancing user perception.
Adjust the learning curve in your product to match user progress, keeping them engaged by introducing new challenges or surprises over time. Changing the complexity of actions can help maintain user interest.

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People often join groups or movements for positive reasons, but they may leave due to internal issues that arise later on.
When someone changes their beliefs, returning to previous beliefs is complicated and often not the same as before.
Revisiting old beliefs or habits can be an active process rather than a passive one; it's about reaching back, not just slipping back into old patterns.

Large language models behave like beings rather than things, displaying strange characteristics.
Instructing models doesn't involve coding; it's about guiding their actions and understanding their behavior, akin to convincing a stubborn teenager rather than traditional engineering.
Similar to Isaac Asimov's fictional robots, large language models can interpret instructions in unforeseen ways, implying a need to humanize and understand them for effective interaction.

Invest in people, not just the business idea or market
Understanding the psychology and traits of founders is crucial for angel investors
Choosing the right team is key to the success of a startup

Metaphors shape how we think about emotions like anger. For example, saying we need to 'blow off steam' suggests that expressing anger can help relieve it.
Some people feel that expressing anger, like 'picking at a wound,' can make it worse over time. It may lead to more anger instead of helping to heal it.
Choosing a metaphor for anger depends on the person and situation. Both 'blowing off steam' and 'picking a scab' have valid points about handling anger, but they suggest different approaches.

We tend to choose conventional failure over unconventional success because it's easier to justify
Status-quo bias makes us stick with the current path even if it's not the best option
Readiness bias and lack of available models can hinder us from considering unconventional paths

Precrastination involves rushing to do things too early, which can lead to worse decisions, performance, and efficiency.
People precrastinate to free up mental resources, reduce worry, and increase immediate satisfaction.
To avoid precrastinating, prioritize tasks, question the decision to start immediately, and find alternative activities to focus on if postponing the task.