Only 33% of U.S. employees report being engaged with their work, according to Gallup. When we think about how to fix this, most companies turn…

We spend large portions of our waking hours communicating with others. While the possibilities for conversation are seemingly endless, how often do we actually…

Watch out. If you’re an app developer, this is not a pretty graph. You might even stop reading, in what behavioral scientists call ‘The…

Behavior change is hard. And when it comes to our finances? It’s even harder. After all, the mental models around which we spend…

Starting a new workout or fitness routine is challenging, yet many are motivated to try, especially this time of year. It takes weeks to develop…

Looking for your latest fix of brilliant behavioral economics content? If you’ve already worked your way through the 10 Most Influential Behavioral Economics Books,…

The 10 Most Influential Behavioral Economics Books Economics believes that individuals make rational choices in a marketplace. Behavioral economics (BE) recognizes that that's unlikely. Whether…

Loneliness is a problem. And at Irrational Labs, we're working to solve it. And so is Irrational Labs CEO & Co-Founder Kristen Berman. Kristen addressed…

Would better employee wellness programs help make us healthier? Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) (e.g., cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders) are the leading causes…

Meet the Irrational Labs 3B Framework The list of behavioral economics principles for behavior change is long. Loss aversion, social proof— there are so…

Over 90% of people think a budget will help reduce their spending. Sadly, they are wrong. In theory, budgeting makes sense. If people know how…

Visualizing progress can be a powerful motivator to action. The goal of including progress bars, checklist, or completion meter in a flow is to keep…

Want to become a behavioral scientist? We know we’re biased — but we think it’s a great career choice. Behavioral science focuses on why…

I needed to shrink my husband, Paul—to make a miniature version that would capture his engaging personality, in app form, using behavioral design. Paul had…

If you’re at a tech company building a consumer product, you are likely measuring user engagement. Product managers, marketers, and designers are known to…

It was five minutes into Super Bowl 56 when Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor made the call to go for it on 4th and…

I’m pregnant. And I’m a behavioral scientist. Throughout pregnancy, there has been a lot to study — about my own behavior, my partner’s behavior, and…

Note: This post was originally published on April 8th. We’ve since updated it with an addendum on one way Class Pass is using behavioral science…

One Medical and Irrational Labs Work to Advance the Member’s Health Journey Meeting with a provider on a regular basis is associated with increased…

My lovely friend Kristen Berman hates wearing her contact lenses. In fact, she has wanted to get LASIK for some time. However, like the rest…

The behavioral scientists at Irrational Labs think about behavior change every day. We research it. We design it. We test it. We do this nine…

This project is a part of Duke’s Common Cents Lab. The Common Cents Lab is funded by the MetLife Foundation and supported by Blackrock…

Have you ever wondered why some apps and websites feel like they're almost reading your mind? This doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the work of…

People don’t always act rationally. We say one thing and do another. We even act against our best interests. The field of behavioral science studies…

Your customers (and you) are constantly looking around for cues on what to do and how to behave. Go to Palm Springs, a desert in…

The Science Behind the Science of Change: How the Duolingo App Approaches Language Learning On this episode of The Science of Change, host Kristen Berman…

The Science Behind the Science of Change The Science of Change is a new podcast hosted by behavioral scientist and co-founder of Irrational Labs, Kristen…

Working out is one of the best steps we could take for our mind and body. Regular exercise can dramatically improve heart health, help retain…

This week is all about transparency: how to build it, how it affects consumer behavior, and its potential benefits (and downsides). Notably, the papers use…

Have you ever met someone you liked and you enjoyed speaking with, but felt you didn’t quite come across the way you wanted to in…

Irrational Labs today announced it will partner with ING to bring behavioral insights to the forefront of design. ING is looking to nurture the innovators…

Irrational Labs today announced it will partner with NeuGen to increase accessibility of telemedicine services using behavioral science. Telemedicine has surged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic…

There’s more sugar in a bowl of Raisin Bran than a Snicker’s bar. It’s time to change our breakfast habits No one would give a…

In 2018, business-travel spending exceeded $1.4 trillion—and the pandemic erased almost all of it. Switching to video meetings saved Amazon alone $1 billion in 2020.…

By Kristen Berman, Deena Rosen, Evelyn Gosnell, & Richard Mathera With more than one-third of Americans saying they’re unlikely to take the COVID-19…

Today’s product and design leaders often rely heavily on the word of their customers when building their product road maps; whether it’s a customer survey…

Libby was new to backpacking. Her first trip was a 4-day trek through the Sierras with a good friend who was far more experienced. Before…

'Day 1': The One Thing You Should Do Right Do to Get Users to Stick With You Jeff Bezos coined the term Day 1 for…

A Q&A with Behavioral Scientist, Richard Mathera, on using behavioral economics interventions to transform transportation in an urban environment. No one likes being stuck in…

By Irrational Lab’s Dan Ariely, Kristen Berman, Evelyn Gosnell, Sara Dadkhah Lindsay Juarez, and Maritz Global Events’ Charlotte Blank, Russ Frey The “loneliness epidemic” was…

There is a general discomfort brewing around the increased use of our mobile devices. The word “smartphone addiction” has casually entered our lexicon, and…

Overweight since childhood, Kate Turner worked hard to get in shape, trying one exercise routine after another. But she would eventually tire of the…

Product developers and UX designers can all agree — reducing the number of steps in a sign-up flow is Product Design 101. Less friction translates…

Climate change, fake news, vaccines, sexual assault — the Behavioral Science & Policy Association conference didn’t shy away from the heavy topics du jour. More…

Companies are getting better and better at experimentation. They might not publish peer-reviewed papers, but they do take advantage of their access to thousands (or…

Josh Ly, guest author This post is brought to you by BE Bootcamp attendee Josh Ly from Livongo. As part of BE Bootcamp, students…

How should companies build behavioral science functions into their organizations? This is a hot topic nowadays, warranting a recent report by McKinsey on how companies…

  The Behavioral Science and Policy Association (BSPA 2018) annual conference is in the books and it did not disappoint. The BSPA 2018 conference…

We attended the Boulder Summer Conference on Consumer Financial Decision Making, and while all the presentations were great, we especially appreciated these four. A big…

We recently attend BSPA 2017, Behavioral Science and Policy Association’s conference in New York City. It’s an annual convening of policymakers, practitioners and scientists…

United Airlines. Uber. Wells Fargo. Each of these companies has experienced a torrent of negative press, with accompanying public outrage. Was each instance caused…

People get to pick their seats when flying Southwest Airlines. There is no assigned seating. Instead, they assign you a pre-determined order in which you…

In my last post I shared that my 10 person house is embarking on a journey to share our goals with each other, refine them…

This is embarrassing to admit. I study behavior and sometimes I struggle to change mine. Embarrassing but hardly surprising. Many therapists become therapists after years…

  Fitness trackers have come a long way from the clunky and unreliable plastic devices they once were. Today’s versions are well-designed, more accessible…

Before the dinner party, I wore heels about one day a week. After the dinner party, I now wear heels every day. What changed? How…

Photo by The Points Guy In the middle of August this year, an online link to the application of a new credit card leaked, and…

We all struggle with our goals, whether it’s to eat healthier, work out more often, or be more productive at work. After all, there are…

I just celebrated my birthday this Saturday. It was a familiar birthday scene, being surrounded by close friends at a nice restaurant. It did make…