Behavioral Grooves Podcast Eight Years Grooving: The Psychology of Scams | Dan Simons and Chris Chabris (Republish)
Sep 25, 2025
Daniel Simons, a psychology professor known for his research on attention and memory, and Christopher Chabris, a decision sciences expert, dive into why we fall for scams. They discuss cognitive biases that make us vulnerable and highlight the importance of targeted skepticism. The duo also shares practical tips for spotting fraud in research and everyday life, emphasizing the value of admitting mistakes for building trust. Plus, they touch on the rise of scientific fraud and modern scam operations, all while keeping it engaging and informative.
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Pre-Register Methods To Reduce Bias
- Use registered reports: pre-register your methods and analyses before data collection to prevent story-driven publishing.
- Daniel Simons recommends review of methods first so studies are judged by design, not by desirable outcomes.
Match Sample Size To The Claim
- Appropriate sample size depends on the claim's generality and variability across people.
- Dan Simons notes small samples can be fine for stable perceptual functions but not for broad social claims.
Admit Mistakes To Build Trust
- Normalize admitting error: researchers should publicly state lost confidence in prior findings when warranted.
- Christopher Chabris urges valuing admissions of being wrong as a trust signal.
