This week’s must-reads: Science Explains Why Uncertainty Is So Hard on Our Brain

In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. I hope you enjoy them!

Can We Please Stop Calling Everyone “Addicted”? (NirAndFar) It’s disrespectful, degrading, and disempowering.

How to Escape the Vicious Cycle of Distraction [AUDIO] (Podcast) People are always saying “there aren’t enough hours in the day” to get stuff done. And yet research suggests that the average working American has four hours of leisure per day.

‘Let them be kids!’ Is ‘free-range’ parenting the key to healthier, happier children? (The Guardian) Now more than ever, children are cooped up indoors and monitored 24/7. But how can they build confidence and social skills if adults never let them out of their sight?

This is Why Men Don’t Understand What Women Find Attractive (Refinery29) What happens when women look at men? What do women see?

Science Explains Why Uncertainty Is So Hard on Our Brain (Elemental) Decades of psychological research has shown that the human brain is uniquely vulnerable to uncertainty.

Why Is It So Hard to be Rational? (The New Yorker) The real challenge isn’t being right but knowing how wrong you might be.

Happy reading!

- Nir