Jared Peterson
@jaredpeterson.bsky.social
Cognitive science | Naturalistic Decision Making | behavior change | jtpeterson.substack.com
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Jared Peterson
@jaredpeterson.bsky.social
· Nov 16
#introduction I'm an applied researcher interested in
- expert and rational decision making
- motivation and behavior change
- sensemaking and relevance realization
- philosophy of science and how context breaks our models
- AI
- What all this implies for science and industry (1/5)
- expert and rational decision making
- motivation and behavior change
- sensemaking and relevance realization
- philosophy of science and how context breaks our models
- AI
- What all this implies for science and industry (1/5)
Got a nice honorable mention from Experimental History🐐
September 16, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Got a nice honorable mention from Experimental History🐐
New article on context and the psychological paradigm, arguing that the boundaries we have put around "psychology" are in the wrong place. What we have dismissed as context is actually content.
jtpeterson.substack.com/p/rethinking...
jtpeterson.substack.com/p/rethinking...
Rethinking the Edges of the Mind – Part I
What is context? Why is it so hard to study? Can we redraw the boundaries of psychology so that context becomes content?
jtpeterson.substack.com
May 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
New article on context and the psychological paradigm, arguing that the boundaries we have put around "psychology" are in the wrong place. What we have dismissed as context is actually content.
jtpeterson.substack.com/p/rethinking...
jtpeterson.substack.com/p/rethinking...
Reposted by Jared Peterson
The behaviors, problems, and outcomes that impact your customers most usually don't happen inside your product. Listen to @jaredpeterson.bsky.social describe how #UX and #prodmgmt often neglect what happens outside the product.
www.productcoalition.com/p/behavioura...
www.productcoalition.com/p/behavioura...
Behavioural Science and Strategy Alignment
In this episode of the Product Coalition podcast, Jay Stansell interviews Jared Peterson, a behavioral scientist and co-founder of Nuance Behavior.
www.productcoalition.com
March 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The behaviors, problems, and outcomes that impact your customers most usually don't happen inside your product. Listen to @jaredpeterson.bsky.social describe how #UX and #prodmgmt often neglect what happens outside the product.
www.productcoalition.com/p/behavioura...
www.productcoalition.com/p/behavioura...
To those interested in the science of decision-making, here is a primer on the main schools of thought, the personalities behind them, and some resources for learning more.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The Many Schools of the Great Rationality Debate
A war of acronyms and personalities
substack.com
February 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
To those interested in the science of decision-making, here is a primer on the main schools of thought, the personalities behind them, and some resources for learning more.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Has anyone done a comprehensive analysis of factors that people think are, or think should be, ethically relevant when doing triage? eg likelihood of survival is relevant, some think "woman and children first", most think race is irrelevant, etc.
February 3, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Has anyone done a comprehensive analysis of factors that people think are, or think should be, ethically relevant when doing triage? eg likelihood of survival is relevant, some think "woman and children first", most think race is irrelevant, etc.
These price comparisons are getting out of control
January 28, 2025 at 10:17 PM
These price comparisons are getting out of control
Cognitive Turn people. Are any of you reading about Naturalistic Decision Making? Started reading *A Cognitive Theory of Reasoning and Choice* and thought, "this is just a math-y version of Dataframe Theory of Sensemaking, and Recognition Primed Decision-Making.
January 6, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Cognitive Turn people. Are any of you reading about Naturalistic Decision Making? Started reading *A Cognitive Theory of Reasoning and Choice* and thought, "this is just a math-y version of Dataframe Theory of Sensemaking, and Recognition Primed Decision-Making.
Newly published follow-up article to the #BehavioralScience framework tier list series I've been doing the past few months. Curious to hear your thoughts!
open.substack.com/pub/jtpeters...
open.substack.com/pub/jtpeters...
January 2, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Newly published follow-up article to the #BehavioralScience framework tier list series I've been doing the past few months. Curious to hear your thoughts!
open.substack.com/pub/jtpeters...
open.substack.com/pub/jtpeters...
Reposted by Jared Peterson
Cool to see lots of ppl getting excited about “Science Goodreads”! (x.com/sanjehorah/s...)
Why it doesn’t exist yet is an interesting rabbit hole I went down a few years ago (which also resulted in me joining the @asterainstitute.bsky.social Open Science fellowship) >
Why it doesn’t exist yet is an interesting rabbit hole I went down a few years ago (which also resulted in me joining the @asterainstitute.bsky.social Open Science fellowship) >
December 30, 2024 at 1:46 PM
Cool to see lots of ppl getting excited about “Science Goodreads”! (x.com/sanjehorah/s...)
Why it doesn’t exist yet is an interesting rabbit hole I went down a few years ago (which also resulted in me joining the @asterainstitute.bsky.social Open Science fellowship) >
Why it doesn’t exist yet is an interesting rabbit hole I went down a few years ago (which also resulted in me joining the @asterainstitute.bsky.social Open Science fellowship) >
Kahneman would resist so long as he can't see it because wysiati
Thaler would resist so long as it is stored with the cashews
Zimbardo would write up how he resisted, but it would be fake
Freud would be torn, but Id would win
Mischel would pretend it was a picture of a ring, but would give in
Thaler would resist so long as it is stored with the cashews
Zimbardo would write up how he resisted, but it would be fake
Freud would be torn, but Id would win
Mischel would pretend it was a picture of a ring, but would give in
name a famous psychologist who would resist the One Ring
December 25, 2024 at 7:05 PM
Kahneman would resist so long as he can't see it because wysiati
Thaler would resist so long as it is stored with the cashews
Zimbardo would write up how he resisted, but it would be fake
Freud would be torn, but Id would win
Mischel would pretend it was a picture of a ring, but would give in
Thaler would resist so long as it is stored with the cashews
Zimbardo would write up how he resisted, but it would be fake
Freud would be torn, but Id would win
Mischel would pretend it was a picture of a ring, but would give in
Only someone as uninterested in the ring as Bombadil could resist the One Ring and throw it in Mount Doom. But such a person would never care enough to try. Basically, no one with main character energy could ever fulfill the quest.
Which is why it falls to the unlikeliest of creatures; hobbits
1/
Which is why it falls to the unlikeliest of creatures; hobbits
1/
December 25, 2024 at 4:58 AM
Only someone as uninterested in the ring as Bombadil could resist the One Ring and throw it in Mount Doom. But such a person would never care enough to try. Basically, no one with main character energy could ever fulfill the quest.
Which is why it falls to the unlikeliest of creatures; hobbits
1/
Which is why it falls to the unlikeliest of creatures; hobbits
1/
Reposted by Jared Peterson
In economics, editors, referees, and authors often behave as if a published paper should reflect some kind of authoritative consensus.
As a result, valuable debate happens in secret, and the resulting paper is an opaque compromise with anonymous co-authors called referees.
1/
As a result, valuable debate happens in secret, and the resulting paper is an opaque compromise with anonymous co-authors called referees.
1/
December 24, 2024 at 2:44 PM
In economics, editors, referees, and authors often behave as if a published paper should reflect some kind of authoritative consensus.
As a result, valuable debate happens in secret, and the resulting paper is an opaque compromise with anonymous co-authors called referees.
1/
As a result, valuable debate happens in secret, and the resulting paper is an opaque compromise with anonymous co-authors called referees.
1/
We did interviews with multiple people who refused to turn their camera on, responded with a delay, and even asked us to put the questions in the chat.
Super obvious they were using an LLM. But it shocked us. They thought they could get away with pretending to be a medic during a live interview!
Super obvious they were using an LLM. But it shocked us. They thought they could get away with pretending to be a medic during a live interview!
We’re collecting open-ended data on Prolific, and it has become clear to me that people are using chatGPT to answer the questions. This is so depressing. Like, is it really worth the time to copy and paste questions and answers instead of just…telling us what you think?
December 19, 2024 at 10:53 PM
We did interviews with multiple people who refused to turn their camera on, responded with a delay, and even asked us to put the questions in the chat.
Super obvious they were using an LLM. But it shocked us. They thought they could get away with pretending to be a medic during a live interview!
Super obvious they were using an LLM. But it shocked us. They thought they could get away with pretending to be a medic during a live interview!
Over the past couple months I have been doing a tier list of #BehavioralScience frameworks. It generated lots of really great discussion with many disagreements. Here is an updated and centralized resource for all the rankings.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Ranking Behavioral Science Frameworks
A tier list of various behavior change frameworks that are popular in the field of Behavioral Science.
substack.com
December 17, 2024 at 4:18 PM
Over the past couple months I have been doing a tier list of #BehavioralScience frameworks. It generated lots of really great discussion with many disagreements. Here is an updated and centralized resource for all the rankings.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
This is a really useful heuristic that I also use. For many academics, everything is a nail to be hit by their particular hammer. And if you criticize the hammer, the same defensive mechanisms are always present
All this is to say, the moment I can guess what someone’s response is to any form of criticism without the peculiarities of the criticism itself I kinda discount what it is they’re selling.
December 17, 2024 at 12:10 AM
This is a really useful heuristic that I also use. For many academics, everything is a nail to be hit by their particular hammer. And if you criticize the hammer, the same defensive mechanisms are always present
Does anyone have suggestions for feeds to follow that haven't been overtaken by politics? I came here to discuss research and philosophy, not for political platitudes and rage posting
December 8, 2024 at 3:44 PM
Does anyone have suggestions for feeds to follow that haven't been overtaken by politics? I came here to discuss research and philosophy, not for political platitudes and rage posting
Reposted by Jared Peterson
I just got the kids down for naptime so I wanted to take a second to point out two key problems (and a few areas of agreement) I see with this morning’s @emmagoldberg.bsky.social @nytimes.com article about effective altruism: 🧵
bsky.app/profile/nyt...
bsky.app/profile/nyt...
The New York Times (@nytimes.com)
Effective altruism, the recent trend in philanthropy, has been to look for the most bang for your buck. Maybe you don’t have to, Emma Goldberg argues.
https://nyti.ms/41GHinN
bsky.app
December 7, 2024 at 11:57 PM
I just got the kids down for naptime so I wanted to take a second to point out two key problems (and a few areas of agreement) I see with this morning’s @emmagoldberg.bsky.social @nytimes.com article about effective altruism: 🧵
bsky.app/profile/nyt...
bsky.app/profile/nyt...
This is a hard question because the way we (I?) think about BehEcon has changed so much
System 1/2 don't exist, but it's a useful distinction.
Biases aren't as systematic as we thought, and don't imply irrationality, but nevertheless represent true deviations from economic models
1/
System 1/2 don't exist, but it's a useful distinction.
Biases aren't as systematic as we thought, and don't imply irrationality, but nevertheless represent true deviations from economic models
1/
Which bits of behavioural economics have best stood the test of time?
December 3, 2024 at 3:02 AM
This is a hard question because the way we (I?) think about BehEcon has changed so much
System 1/2 don't exist, but it's a useful distinction.
Biases aren't as systematic as we thought, and don't imply irrationality, but nevertheless represent true deviations from economic models
1/
System 1/2 don't exist, but it's a useful distinction.
Biases aren't as systematic as we thought, and don't imply irrationality, but nevertheless represent true deviations from economic models
1/
Three formal arguments for why there cannot be a finite set of cognitive biases.
The lack of a finite set of biases is one reason I believe Heuristics and Biases cannot survive long term as a prescriptive paradigm. A paradigm of deviations must eventually collapse under its own weight.
The lack of a finite set of biases is one reason I believe Heuristics and Biases cannot survive long term as a prescriptive paradigm. A paradigm of deviations must eventually collapse under its own weight.
December 1, 2024 at 11:28 PM
Three formal arguments for why there cannot be a finite set of cognitive biases.
The lack of a finite set of biases is one reason I believe Heuristics and Biases cannot survive long term as a prescriptive paradigm. A paradigm of deviations must eventually collapse under its own weight.
The lack of a finite set of biases is one reason I believe Heuristics and Biases cannot survive long term as a prescriptive paradigm. A paradigm of deviations must eventually collapse under its own weight.
Read that new Gigerenzer paper and really enjoyed it. Mostly agree with everything. The Cold War context was interesting and new to me.
But at some point it would be really nice if someone actually surveyed HB and FF researchers about what they actually believe
But at some point it would be really nice if someone actually surveyed HB and FF researchers about what they actually believe
November 29, 2024 at 3:11 PM
Read that new Gigerenzer paper and really enjoyed it. Mostly agree with everything. The Cold War context was interesting and new to me.
But at some point it would be really nice if someone actually surveyed HB and FF researchers about what they actually believe
But at some point it would be really nice if someone actually surveyed HB and FF researchers about what they actually believe
Very curious how others feel about the idea that trailing elipses are a dark pattern.
this context is important and missing from a lot of articles that cover bluesky / threads
- bluesky: $0 marketing spend
- threads: injects posts directly into instagram feeds with dark patterns (like trailing `...` instead of the full post) that incentivize users to download the app
- bluesky: $0 marketing spend
- threads: injects posts directly into instagram feeds with dark patterns (like trailing `...` instead of the full post) that incentivize users to download the app
November 29, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Very curious how others feel about the idea that trailing elipses are a dark pattern.
What percentage of published social psychology research do you believe reflects a true and justified insight?
By 'true,' I mean findings that accurately capture some aspect of human nature.
By 'justified,' I mean studies that are well-designed and methodologically sound.
(Ignore Gettier)
By 'true,' I mean findings that accurately capture some aspect of human nature.
By 'justified,' I mean studies that are well-designed and methodologically sound.
(Ignore Gettier)
November 23, 2024 at 1:57 PM
What percentage of published social psychology research do you believe reflects a true and justified insight?
By 'true,' I mean findings that accurately capture some aspect of human nature.
By 'justified,' I mean studies that are well-designed and methodologically sound.
(Ignore Gettier)
By 'true,' I mean findings that accurately capture some aspect of human nature.
By 'justified,' I mean studies that are well-designed and methodologically sound.
(Ignore Gettier)
New article on the misleading labels of Behavioral Science. In it I critique five labels that made the field popular; nudge, behavior change, empirically tested solutions, bias, irrationality. All misleading or narrowing in their own way
www.nuancebehavior.com/work/the-mis...
www.nuancebehavior.com/work/the-mis...
The Misleading Labels of Behavioral Science – Five Concepts to Better Understand
The Misleading Labels of Behavioral Science – Five Concepts to Better Understand. This article includes five important (but unpopular) opinions concerning five core concepts—not to discredit Behavior...
www.nuancebehavior.com
November 20, 2024 at 2:35 PM
New article on the misleading labels of Behavioral Science. In it I critique five labels that made the field popular; nudge, behavior change, empirically tested solutions, bias, irrationality. All misleading or narrowing in their own way
www.nuancebehavior.com/work/the-mis...
www.nuancebehavior.com/work/the-mis...
Reposted by Jared Peterson
It's taken many years, but chemistry is finally beginning to catch up with cutting-edge advances from psychological science.
November 19, 2024 at 12:01 PM
It's taken many years, but chemistry is finally beginning to catch up with cutting-edge advances from psychological science.
This is a good schelling point to rally around. And I'll add "reshare 1 thing" to the list
If you want this platform to succeed, my advice would be to post 1 thing and reply to 2 things.
I like aliveness, and content and interaction feel alive.
I like aliveness, and content and interaction feel alive.
November 19, 2024 at 2:05 PM
This is a good schelling point to rally around. And I'll add "reshare 1 thing" to the list