Shahar Hechtlinger: The Psychology of Life's Most Important Decisions

Unraveling Behavior

In this episode, I sit down with Shahar Hechtlinger, a PhD candidate in Psychology, to explore transformative life decisions—choices that can change who we are, such as becoming a parent, changing careers, or moving to a new country. We discuss how much decision-making research focuses on idealized models but lacks insights into how people actually make these life-altering choices. We examine why the expected utility model—a traditional way of thinking about rational decisions—does not really work for these situations, largely because the future is uncertain and what matters to us can shift over time. Drawing on the work of philosopher L. A. Paul, we discuss how these experiences challenge conventional notions of rationality and require a different approach. Shahar Hechtlinger introduces a new conceptual framework from her research, offering simple strategies for navigating transformative life decisions, including imagining your ideal self, considering future regret, and taking incremental steps to manage irreversible choices. We also discuss findings from Shahar’s most recent study, showing that while people often rely on simpler strategies for themselves, they tend to recommend more complex approaches for others. This episode equips listeners with simple strategies and real-life examples to navigate transformative decisions, emphasizing the value of embracing uncertainty when facing life’s most significant choices.

The episode transcript is available at www.unravelingbehavior.org.

Timestamps

(01:03) Defining transformative life decisions and their significance

(04:26) Differentiating between descriptive and normative approaches in decision-making research

(06:21) Explaining the expected utility model and the challenge of uncertainty in decision outcomes

(10:25) Laurie Paul’s distinction between epistemically and personally transformative experiences

(14:16) Why transformative decisions conflict with the expected utility model

(16:50) Is deciding to remain childless a transformative decision?

(18:29) Key insights from Laurie Paul's appearance on the EconTalk podcast

(19:25) Linking Laurie Paul’s insights to Shahar Hechtlinger’s descriptive approach to transformative decision making

(21:03) Introducing a new conceptual framework for studying transformative life decisions

(24:43) Choosing from the perspective of the current self versus the future self

(28:00) The decision of Iranian athlete Saeid Mollaei to pursue his Olympic dream

(29:06) The minimax inaction regret strategy, illustrated by Jeff Bezos

(33:08) Minimizing irreversible consequences using the “testing the waters” strategy

(36:16) Christine Blasey Ford’s gradual disclosure of her identity

(38:44) Dealing with conflicting cues through a process of elimination

(42:51) Overview of Shahar’s empirical study on transformative life decisions

(45:36) The contrast between people’s use of simpler strategies and their recommendation of more complex ones

(49:37) How research on transformative life decisions can empower decision makers