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Cognitive Science Can Improve Decision Making

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Aug 13, 2020

Foreword

This article is part of a series on cutting edge research that has the potential to create positive social impact. While the research is inherently specific, we believe that the insights gleaned from each piece in this series are relevant to behavioral science practitioners in many different fields. At TDL, we are always looking for ways to translate science into impact. If you would like to chat with us about a potential collaboration, feel free to contact us.

Introduction

As a socially-conscious applied research firm, TDL is interested in connecting cutting-edge research with real-world applications. To further this interest, The Decision Lab reached out to Michał Klincewicz, an assistant professor in Tilburg University in the Department of Cognitive Science, to learn more about his work on using video games to explore moral cognition and stimulate moral insight, as well as his use of machine learning to spot conspiratorial online videos.

As a socially-conscious applied research firm, TDL is interested in connecting cutting-edge research with real-world applications. To further this interest, The Decision Lab reached out to Michał Klincewicz, an assistant professor in Tilburg University in the Department of Cognitive Science, to learn more about his work on using video games to explore moral cognition and stimulate moral insight, as well as his use of machine learning to spot conspiratorial online videos.

In his research, Professor Klincewicz combines insights from social epistemology, data science, computational linguistics, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy to learn about what can make individuals better decision-makers. With the aforementioned disciplines, he combines a mix of empirical and theoretical thinking to create transformative technologies.

A full version of some of Michał’s studies are available here:

About the Authors

Michał Klincewicz

Michał Klincewicz

Tilburg University

Michał is a research scientist and assistant professor in the department of cognitive science and artificial intelligence at Tilburg University. His research involves moral enhancement with AI, the use of video games to investigate moral cognition, and the temporal dimension of cognition, including conscious perception, experience, dreams, and memory. Michał is also strongly interested in ethically problematic consequences of emerging technologies, such as autonomous weapon systems. Michał received his Ph.D. in philosophy in 2013 at City University of New York, Graduate Center.

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Julian Hazell

McGill University

Julian is passionate about understanding human behavior by analyzing the data behind the decisions that individuals make. He is also interested in communicating social science insights to the public, particularly at the intersection of behavioral science, microeconomics, and data science. Before joining The Decision Lab, he was an economics editor at Graphite Publications, a Montreal-based publication for creative and analytical thought. He has written about various economic topics ranging from carbon pricing to the impact of political institutions on economic performance. Julian graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management.

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