Swimming with Sharks

April 8, 2018
News reports sometimes make it seem as if danger lurks around every corner. And while there's no doubt that risk is a part of life, do we worry more than we should?

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On this episode of Choiceology with Dan Heath, we examine a bias that affects the way you perceive both risk and reward. We trace how this bias may have helped your ancestors avoid lions lurking in the tall grass—but may also negatively affect your decisions around things like vacations and lotteries.

  • The episode begins with Ranie Pearce and her harrowing tale of adventure in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Ranie Pearce is an accomplished open water swimmer and a member of the South End Rowing Club.
  • You'll hear an experiment involving sharks—and something even more dangerous—at the Vancouver Aquarium in British Columbia.
  • And Dan Gardner explains the psychological roots of our common misperceptions about risk and reward. He is the author of Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear.

Choiceology is an original podcast from Charles Schwab.

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