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Every episode
Choiceology with Katy Milkman
30 episodes
Coming Soon: A New Season of Choiceology
Aug 10, 2026 · 2 min
What happens to our judgment when we measure our success against others? How might the language we speak shape the way we save money and make health decisions? And why are our expectations about connecting with other people so often wrong? In the new season of Choiceology, host Katy Milkman explores the psychological forces that shape our decisions, relationships, and behavior. We'll relive a high-octane Formula 1 rivalry that threatened a championship, travel to an Alpine region where centuries…
A Depth of Trust
Ep 6 · Jun 1, 2026 · 36 min
Teamwork is an essential part of everyday life, at work, school, and home. But what allows some teams to thrive under intense pressure while others buckle? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore how candid cultures that invite ideas from every level of an organization can be the difference between failure and a miracle. Jonathan Franklin, an award-winning journalist based in Chile, tells the remarkable story of the 2010 San José mine collapse and rescue mission. Franklin's…
Death by Dashboard
Ep 5 · May 18, 2026 · 26 min
From stocks to fitness to video games, real-time performance data is available everywhere these days. Seeing desirable upward trends feels amazing. But when there's a drop, it can feel like the world is ending. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore what happens when we judge performance too much in the short term. Cora Kennedy takes us inside the world of collegiate esports, where constant performance data shapes how players think and compete—including Cora herself. We als…
A Comedy of Economic Errors
Ep 4 · May 4, 2026 · 31 min
Imagine you're cleaning out your grandmother's attic when you notice a floorboard that doesn't quite sit right. You pry it up—and find $10,000 hidden beneath it. It's a startling discovery, but also a window into another way of thinking about money. Your grandmother was likely part of a generation that lived through hard financial times—a depression, unemployment—and saved for a rainy day, even when times became good. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we're looking at how major e…
The Illusion of Number One
Ep 3 · Apr 20, 2026 · 33 min
Ranked lists are everywhere—top hospitals, best colleges, must-visit cities. A single number can influence what we notice, what we value, and the decisions we make. Yet behind these rankings are hidden assumptions, and they don't always reflect what matters most to you. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore how rankings shape attention, guide choices, and subtly steer behavior. Shriya Boppana shares how rankings shaped one of the biggest decisions of her life—and, years la…
When Sunk Costs Take Flight
Ep 2 · Apr 6, 2026 · 36 min
Have you ever bought a pair of shoes that never really fit, but you kept wearing them in hopes you’d break them in? All because you didn’t want to feel your money had gone to waste—even as you felt blisters forming? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore how focusing on past, irrecoverable costs can skew our judgment and future commitments. Bill Kolb takes us inside the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. He shares the story of “The Spruce Goose” seapl…
The Algorithm Advantage
Ep 1 · Mar 23, 2026 · 36 min
Every day, we face choices that could change outcomes in business, health, or life itself. Increasingly, computers are offering guidance. What happens when that advice clashes with human intuition? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore the high-stakes friction between human intuition and algorithmic guidance. Dean Oliver, a data scientist at ESPN and author of Basketball on Paperand Basketball Beyond Paper, tells the story of the 2008 Boston Celtics. Facing a crossroads on…
Coming Soon: A New Season of Choiceology
Mar 9, 2026 · 2 min
It's a new season of Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab. Each episode tells true stories involving high-stakes moments and explores the latest research to help you make better judgments and avoid costly mistakes. This season, we go underground to one of the most dramatic mining rescues in history and step onto the court during a pivotal Boston Celtics roster shakeup. We hear from leading researchers in psychology and behavioral economics, such as Richard Thaler, Amy Edmondson,…
Playing the Long Game: The Power of Self-Control
Ep 6 · Oct 20, 2025 · 34 min
As a special addition to this week's episode, you can see Katy's full sit-down interview with Angela Duckworth, where they also explore the relationship between self-control and grit. Watch or listen to their conversation on YouTube or Spotify. When your emotions flare or temptation calls, what does it take to hold back? Whether it’s resisting the urge to lash out or the pull of short-term pleasure in favor of long-term goals, self-control can be one of the hardest—and most important—skills we e…
Bonus: A Sit Down With Katy Milkman & Angela Duckworth
Oct 20, 2025 · 34 min
In this bonus addition of Choiceology, Katy Milkman sits down with psychologist and Grit author Dr. Angela Duckworth, a leading expert on self-control. She breaks down what science tells us about managing impulses, why willpower by itself falls short, and how simple environmental tweaks and practical strategies can help anyone delay gratification and make smarter choices. Katy and Angela's conversation is featured in the Choiceology episode "Playing the Long Game: The Power of Self-Control," now…
How Mindset Shapes Success
Ep 5 · Oct 6, 2025 · 35 min
Most of us label ourselves early on as academic (or not), athletic (or not), or talented (or not). But even if you feel like you're lacking in natural talent or ability in certain areas, approaching new skills or challenges with openness, effort, and curiosity can take you farther than you might expect. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the stories we tell ourselves about our abilities—and how to create conditions that can shape our trajectories for growth and achievem…
Why Starting Over Hurts
Ep 4 · Sep 22, 2025 · 38 min
If you've ever gotten well into a project—maybe a DIY renovation—and then realized that you've taken the wrong approach, you probably know that it's very tempting to just stay the course. Starting all over again would be so painful, even if starting over is clearly the best option. Or maybe you've taken a wrong turn on a hike and only noticed it a mile later. You know the dread of going back. Even if turning around is the smartest option, there's a strong pull to just keep moving forward. In thi…
Teamwork That Works: What Great Teams Have in Common
Ep 3 · Sep 8, 2025 · 43 min
What makes an effective team? Talent? Skill? Discipline? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we're looking at some of the more surprising ingredients of successful teams, according to science. Teams where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You'll hear the story of the Kon-Tiki expedition—a harrowing journey across the Pacific Ocean led by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl. A journey made by a small band of adventurers who set out to understand ancient human migration.…
When It Feels Like Everyone's Watching
Ep 2 · Aug 25, 2025 · 37 min
We've all been there. Maybe you fumbled a line in a presentation. Or tripped on a shoelace. Or suffered a bad hair day. It can feel like the whole world is watching you—and judging you—in those embarrassing moments. But are people paying as much attention to you as you think? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore why we tend to blow our own missteps out of proportion. We go behind the scenes of some of the most consequential speeches of World War II. Speeches given by a ma…
How a Single Source of Information Can Seem Like Several
Ep 1 · Aug 11, 2025 · 29 min
You've probably been in situations where multiple friends recommend the same product. It must be great, if everyone is talking about it, right? But then you find out that those friends had all just seen the same product on a popular TV show. What seemed like independent recommendations really came from a single source. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we consider the consequences of missing out on the true source of information when we're exposed to that information through mult…
Coming Soon: A New Season of Choiceology
Jul 28, 2025 · 2 min
It's a new season of Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab. New episodes arrive every two weeks, so please follow us in your favorite podcasting app. Important Disclosures The comments, views, and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of Charles Schwab. Data contained herein from third party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable source. However, its accuracy, completeness or reliability cannot be gu…
Little Bits of Happiness: With Guests Sally Millington & Ellen Evers
Ep 6 · Jun 2, 2025 · 28 min
Were you the kind of kid who devoured all your Halloween candy in one sitting—or savored it daily until, somehow, it was Easter? And when it comes to bad news, do you prefer it all at once or with some time in between? Turns out, the way we bundle or separate life's highs and lows can influence our happiness. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we consider a mental accounting trick that can help maximize joy and minimize pain. You'll hear from Sally Millington of York, U.K., who se…
Cents & Sensibility: With Guests Melina Palmer & Devin Pope
Ep 5 · May 19, 2025 · 33 min
Would you pay more for a car with 29,999 miles than one with 30,000? The answer should be no—it's a negligible difference, after all—but research shows that people often do pay more than they should for cars that are just short of certain odometer thresholds. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at why a price or an age or a test score that falls just under a round number has an outsized impact on our decisions. We hear from Melina Palmer, author of The Truth About Pricing,…
Hooked on Streaks: With Guests Chloë Hamilton & Jackie Silverman
Ep 4 · May 5, 2025 · 31 min
Streaks have long been logged in the world of sports. And for tracking habits, like daily writing. But now apps encourage us to keep streaks going for just about anything. Messaging friends, learning new languages, meditating, exercising, you name it. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore the motivational power of streaks. And we look at ways to alleviate the demotivating effects of breaking a streak. We speak with journalist Chloë Hamilton, who wrote a story for The Guard…
Obstacle Illusions: With Guests Daniella McCahey & Tom Gilovich
Ep 3 · Apr 21, 2025 · 31 min
First-born children tend to believe that their parents were harder on them than their siblings are willing to grant. Football fans take disproportionate note of the challenging games on their team's schedules. We're wired to interpret our challenges as bigger than our advantages, even if the reality is more balanced. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we consider our tendency to focus more attention on our negative or challenging experiences than on our positive or easy ones. This…
The Reality Trap: With Guests Ken Adelman & Julia Minson
Ep 2 · Apr 7, 2025 · 38 min
Is it ever possible to see the world objectively, as it is? Turn on the news, open social media, engage with that family member at Thanksgiving, and it appears to some the answer is yes. But what if our biggest blind spot is thinking we don't have a blind spot? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how we can easily be fooled into believing that our subjective experience of the world is objective, and believing that anyone who disagrees with us must be biased or wrong. We…
A Numbers Game: With Guests Linda Chang & Stephen M. Colbert
Ep 1 · Mar 24, 2025 · 30 min
Workplaces often rely on numerical ratings for performance reviews. Election debates focus on poll numbers and approval ratings. Your watch counts your steps in a day. Numbers increasingly influence our decisions. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at our very human tendency to fixate on digits even when words or graphs represent the very same information. Stephen M. Colbert writes about movies and the film industry and shares the heated story of when the DC Extended Unive…
Coming Soon: A New Season of Choiceology
Mar 10, 2025 · 2 min
It’s a new season of Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab. New episodes arrive every two weeks, so please follow us in your favorite podcasting app. Important Disclosures The comments, views, and opinions expressed in the presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of Charles Schwab. Data contained herein from third party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable source. However, its accuracy, completeness or reliability cannot…
A Hero's Journey: With Guests Ethan Gilsdorf, David Fajgenbaum & Kurt Gray
Ep 6 · Oct 21, 2024 · 40 min
Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Katniss Everdeen, the main characters of many great stories, they all have one thing in common: the shape of their journey. From answering the call to adventure, to undergoing tests of character and strengths, to triumphantly returning home forever changed. It's a classic narrative structure that's inspired countless tales from ancient myths to modern media. But it's not just great for entertainment. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how…
Rebel With a Cause: With Guests Francis Kelly & Christopher Bryan
Ep 5 · Oct 7, 2024 · 36 min
Most parents encounter resistance from their children. Perhaps when the kids are young and turning their noses up at vegetables, or when they're teenagers and balking at curfews or dress codes. So what's the best way to encourage good choices in the face of a rebellious kid? Or a rebellious adult, for that matter? In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the surprising ways that resistance to authority can be leveraged for positive change. During the mid 1990s, the "Truth" an…
On a High Note: With Guests Maurice Schweitzer & Matthew Polly
Ep 4 · Sep 23, 2024 · 38 min
Do you recall the best concert you ever went to? Best trip? Best meal? Chances are good that a few memories come to mind—maybe not every detail of the event, but perhaps a couple great moments. It can go the opposite way, too. Worst travel experience. Worst date. Our memory works in snapshots of particular parts of our experience. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at a predictable distortion in the way people remember experiences. And we’re doing it in part to honor a ver…
The Truth Is Out There: With Guests Tania Lombrozo & Toby Ball
Ep 3 · Sep 9, 2024 · 32 min
Your car breaks down. Must be because you skipped an oil change last month. Or your favorite team loses. Well, that was because of a bad call by a corrupt referee. In reality, many events involve multiple contributing factors. But we tend to gravitate toward single causes. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at our desire to explain things simply, even when the truth may be more complex. Where unidentified flying objects are concerned, there is rarely a simple answer. They'…
To Know What You Know: With Guests David Dunning & Andrew Flack
Ep 2 · Aug 26, 2024 · 28 min
In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the often-misunderstood and surprisingly common Dunning-Kruger effect with an interview featuring one of the researchers who first identified it, David Dunning. But we start with the story of Cecilia Jimenez, the humble Spanish grandmother and amateur landscape painter who took it upon herself to restore a fresco in her local church. The results made international headlines—and briefly made Ceclia Jimenez a household name—for all the w…
The Buddy System: With Guests Max Maeder & Rachel Gershon
Ep 1 · Aug 12, 2024 · 30 min
Pursuing a goal alone is convenient. Whether you're training for a marathon or aiming to read 20 books this year, it's convenient to move at your own pace and schedule. But having a gym buddy or a book club pal can make a bigger difference to your goal completion than you think. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the benefits of tandem goal pursuit in the context of training for a new Olympic sport: kite foiling. Max Maeder is a 17-year-old kite foiling athlete and many…
To Fight Another Day: With Guests Alex Imas & Mary Stockwell
Ep 6 · Jun 3, 2024 · 36 min
When you're facing loss—say, in a board game or during a sporting event or with a declining stock—it can be difficult to remember your true tolerance for risk. You're likely to seek risk more than you normally would. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at a tendency to seek risk in the face of losses when those losses aren't yet finalized, but how chalking up those losses and moving on can actually help you recalibrate your appetite for risk. During the American Revolutiona…
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