Behavioural Science

  At a recent work event, I noticed something that reminded me why I became a behavioural neuroscientist: During a conversation in the morning, I asked a colleague about his evening plans -he mentioned hitting the gym as part of a long-term fitness program but was also open to joining us for drinks afterwards. As the day progressed, something interesting happened. Despite his initial plan to go to the gym, by 4 pm, he was enjoying a glass of wine 🍷 An hour later, we were enjoying happy hour in a bar, and though he still talked about the gym, he ordered an old-fashioned (or two?)  By 8 pm, we found ourselves in a restaurant having a Korean dinner -not the lightest meal before a workout. I asked about the gym plans again, and though he seemed optimistic, his certainty wavered a bit. Finally, around 10 pm, he hinted he might hit the gym, but it was uncertain. No need to state that he didn’t go 😂  This situation perfectly illustrates that when presented with two future options, we often