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Why can you do the wrong thing while knowing the right one?

You mean to press “save” and press “delete” instead. That differs from deliberately choosing “delete” because you misunderstand what it does. Human-factors research distinguishes slips in carrying out an intention from mistakes in the plan itself. The distinction matters because knowing the correct rule does not prevent every wrong action.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How could a familiar routine pull an action away from what someone intended to do?
  • How could changing the surrounding cues help test whether an error comes from habit rather than a mistaken goal?

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Psychology

Can an option nobody wants change what people choose?

Choosing between two offers can feel different when a third appears beside them. A decoy is less attractive than one option on the relevant features, but its presence does not reliably change every decision.

5–7 min
Psychology

When a question reshapes a memory

After a car crash or a crime, the way an investigator phrases a single question can change what a witness remembers seeing. Research on eyewitness reports separates what someone originally observed from information introduced afterward, making question wording a crucial part of the evidence problem.

3–7 min
Why can you do the wrong thing while knowing the right one? | Speech Topic | speaking.app