Laurie Santos: A Monkey Economy as I
ational as Ours
Directions: Watch the TED Talk “A Monkey Economy as I
ational as Ours” by Laurie Santos (https:
www.ted.com/talks/laurie_santos_a_monkey_economy_as_i
ational_as_ours). After watching the video, answer the following questions. While there may not be one right answer to some of the questions, you will be graded on whether you answered the questions conscientiously, showing evidence of deeper reflection and critical thought.
1) For the first scenario posited by Dr. Santos (gaining money), what was your initial reaction/decision: play it safe or risk (be honest there isn’t a right answer)? Why did you choose that answer?
2) For the second scenario posited by Dr. Santos (losing money), what was your initial reaction/decision: play it safe or risk (be honest there isn’t a right answer)? Why did you choose that answer?
3) One of driving forces of i
ationality in humans is our preference to use relative terms instead of absolute terms to make decisions (see framing effect in the PPT for additional information). How can understanding this cognitive bias be important when presenting information/an idea to a supervisor whom you need buy-in from?
4) Loss aversion and escalation of commitment/sunk cost biases (see PPT for additional information) lead to poor decision making. What is an example from your life (can be work or personal) where this bias affected your decision making? How would you avoid making that same e
or again?
5) If these cognitive biases are difficult to overcome – what can you do to reduce their effects?