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Read more about the work we do and our interests across behavioural science, design and data science.

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The World’s Greatest Tortilla (and How to Make You Want Some Even More) The World’s Greatest Tortilla (and How to Make You Want Some Even More)

Imagine that you are on a weekend break in San Sebastián, a glorious city on the northern Atlantic coastline of Spain, famed for its wonderful restaurants and bars. In the heart of the old quarter of the city, there’s a bar that many people claim serves the best tortilla in the world. Naturally, you’d like...

Oct 16 2023 • 3 min read

Speaking Up as a Multiplayer Prisoner’s Dilemma Speaking Up as a Multiplayer Prisoner’s Dilemma

Imagine you work in an open office with other people. One day, you see one of your colleagues acting in a way you felt was inappropriate with another. You don’t know if others in the office judged the action the same way. You’re considering whether to speak-up about the incident. You can either speak-up or...

Sep 27 2023 • 4 min read

What Could Your Partner Do To Improve Your Relationship? What Could Your Partner Do To Improve Your Relationship?

If you’ve ever been in a long-term relationship, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to think of a few things your partner could do (or could have done) to improve the relationship. Perhaps they could listen more, for example, or be more attentive? At CogCo, we wanted to see whether our new platform –...

Sep 20 2023 • 3 min read

How Might We Motivate Employees? Answers from Economics and Psychology How Might We Motivate Employees? Answers from Economics and Psychology

Imagine that you founded a company a few years ago and now find yourself grappling with a difficult question: how might I continue to motivate my employees? You turn to your trusty co-founders: Erin (who has an economics background) and Paolo (who studied psychology at university). And you soon learn that they have very different...

Jul 10 2023 • 3 min read

What Does the TV Show Golden Balls Tell Us About Human Cooperation? What Does the TV Show Golden Balls Tell Us About Human Cooperation?

Imagine that you’ve been invited to become a contestant on Golden Balls, the game show that graced the screens of British televisions in the late 2000s. By far the most memorable part of the show, for those who remember it, was called Split or Steal. It was played by the final two participants, who had...

Jun 5 2023 • 3 min read

Goldilocks and The Three Lemonades Goldilocks and The Three Lemonades

Imagine that it’s a warm summer’s day and you decide to buy some lemonade from a stand in a park. Which option would you choose? We recently asked participants in an online study to make this choice. Most people (52%) chose the Medium. Around a third (34%) chose the Small, and just 14% chose the...

Mar 21 2023 • 4 min read

Setting Carbon Budgets: The Effect of Defaults and Social Reference Groups Setting Carbon Budgets: The Effect of Defaults and Social Reference Groups

Imagine that you just found out your monthly carbon footprint based on your everyday spending. Yep, there’s a tool for that. It’s called Cogo, and it works by providing you with information about your carbon emissions within your online banking app. Cogo’s aim is to help people to reduce their carbon emissions. And one way...

Mar 2 2023 • 4 min read

What Do People Think is a Fair Salary Increase in a Time of High Inflation? What Do People Think is a Fair Salary Increase in a Time of High Inflation?

Imagine that your country is currently experiencing an inflation rate of 10.5% (as it was in the UK in December 2022). The government decides to increase the salaries of public sector employees by 3.5%. Would you say that is fair? Now imagine exactly the same scenario, except that inflation is 7% (rather than 10.5%) and...

Jan 30 2023 • 3 min read

Can Online Checkout Design Influence Whether You ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’? Can Online Checkout Design Influence Whether You ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’?

Imagine that you are about to purchase a pair of shoes through an online retailer. You find a pair you really like and decide you want to buy them. You are offered a range of different ways to pay – including debit card, credit card and ‘buy now, pay later’ – each of which is...

Dec 12 2022 • 3 min read

Will England Get Knocked Out Of The World Cup On Penalties? Will England Get Knocked Out Of The World Cup On Penalties?

Imagine that the England men’s football team reaches the quarter finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Which of the following outcomes do you think is most likely: A) England get knocked out; B) England get knocked out on penalties; or C) England take a 1-0 lead, with Harry Kane scoring first, but get knocked...

Nov 28 2022 • 3 min read

What Really Makes People Happier Within Countries Over Time? What Really Makes People Happier Within Countries Over Time?

Imagine that you’ve been offered a job from two different companies. Company A pays £35,000 per year, while others at the same level within the company earn £38,000. Company B pays £33,000 per year, while others at the same level earn £30,000. Where do you think you would be happier? When researchers asked subjects this...

Nov 10 2022 • 3 min read