Hallgeir Sjåstad
@hallgeirsjastad.bsky.social
Professor of Psychology & Leadership at Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). I study decision-making, social life, and how people think about the future.
Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/hallgeir-sjastad/home
Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/hallgeir-sjastad/home
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Do people lie to benefit the in-group and harm the out-group?
In a new paper, we found that people lied 9% more to help in-group members than out-group members! This is evidence of coalitional dishonesty
Democrats & Republicans both lied anonymously to double in-group members earnings (N=5,230)
In a new paper, we found that people lied 9% more to help in-group members than out-group members! This is evidence of coalitional dishonesty
Democrats & Republicans both lied anonymously to double in-group members earnings (N=5,230)
October 13, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Do people lie to benefit the in-group and harm the out-group?
In a new paper, we found that people lied 9% more to help in-group members than out-group members! This is evidence of coalitional dishonesty
Democrats & Republicans both lied anonymously to double in-group members earnings (N=5,230)
In a new paper, we found that people lied 9% more to help in-group members than out-group members! This is evidence of coalitional dishonesty
Democrats & Republicans both lied anonymously to double in-group members earnings (N=5,230)
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Our new research finds that people are willing to cheat if it benefits their group — even when they gain nothing themselves.
"the risk of dishonesty in organizations is not limited to selfish acts...employees might bend rules to benefit their team or in-group members."
www.nhh.no/en/nhh-bulle...
"the risk of dishonesty in organizations is not limited to selfish acts...employees might bend rules to benefit their team or in-group members."
www.nhh.no/en/nhh-bulle...
We lie for those who are like us
Three experiments with more than 5,000 participants show that people are willing to cheat if it benefits their group — even when they gain nothing themselves.
www.nhh.no
September 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Our new research finds that people are willing to cheat if it benefits their group — even when they gain nothing themselves.
"the risk of dishonesty in organizations is not limited to selfish acts...employees might bend rules to benefit their team or in-group members."
www.nhh.no/en/nhh-bulle...
"the risk of dishonesty in organizations is not limited to selfish acts...employees might bend rules to benefit their team or in-group members."
www.nhh.no/en/nhh-bulle...
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Can the psychology of time help us understand climate change?
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
June 26, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Can the psychology of time help us understand climate change?
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
Can the psychology of time help us understand climate change?
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
June 26, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Can the psychology of time help us understand climate change?
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
In collaboration with my excellent PhD student Simen Bø, we have a new pre-print exploring the temporal psychology of climate hesitancy, and whether it is possible to increase actual climate support by varying the *timing* of incentives.
We have a new working paper, studying planning choices in the United States and Tanzania: "Just perfect days ahead?"
Documenting a robust best-case planning tendency, see below for details! Joint work with my last-year PhD student Simen Bø and Vincent Somville.
Documenting a robust best-case planning tendency, see below for details! Joint work with my last-year PhD student Simen Bø and Vincent Somville.
June 25, 2025 at 1:55 PM
We have a new working paper, studying planning choices in the United States and Tanzania: "Just perfect days ahead?"
Documenting a robust best-case planning tendency, see below for details! Joint work with my last-year PhD student Simen Bø and Vincent Somville.
Documenting a robust best-case planning tendency, see below for details! Joint work with my last-year PhD student Simen Bø and Vincent Somville.
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
A *null* result I'm very proud of!
Led by Rustam Romaniuc, 35 coauthors from all over France tested nudge interventions to boost voter turnout.
None worked, and we are possibly not surprised -- but a well-powered null result *is* a result!
Paper:
kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
Led by Rustam Romaniuc, 35 coauthors from all over France tested nudge interventions to boost voter turnout.
None worked, and we are possibly not surprised -- but a well-powered null result *is* a result!
Paper:
kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
June 15, 2025 at 10:21 AM
A *null* result I'm very proud of!
Led by Rustam Romaniuc, 35 coauthors from all over France tested nudge interventions to boost voter turnout.
None worked, and we are possibly not surprised -- but a well-powered null result *is* a result!
Paper:
kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
Led by Rustam Romaniuc, 35 coauthors from all over France tested nudge interventions to boost voter turnout.
None worked, and we are possibly not surprised -- but a well-powered null result *is* a result!
Paper:
kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
The Washington Post has written a new article about the modern underground waste system in Bergen (Norway), featuring our research on the effect of incentives vs. norm-nudges on actual recycling behavior.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solu...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solu...
Trash sucks: A Norwegian city uses vacuum tubes to whisk waste away
Bergen, Norway, has been building one of the world’s most advanced trash systems in its 955-year-old city center.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 12, 2025 at 5:39 PM
The Washington Post has written a new article about the modern underground waste system in Bergen (Norway), featuring our research on the effect of incentives vs. norm-nudges on actual recycling behavior.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solu...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solu...
To me, a thing that never gets old:
The feeling you get when launching a top-priority large-scale data collection, designed to test ideas and hypotheses you have spent months and even years developing.
20% anxiety, 80% curiosity!
The feeling you get when launching a top-priority large-scale data collection, designed to test ideas and hypotheses you have spent months and even years developing.
20% anxiety, 80% curiosity!
May 15, 2025 at 8:17 AM
To me, a thing that never gets old:
The feeling you get when launching a top-priority large-scale data collection, designed to test ideas and hypotheses you have spent months and even years developing.
20% anxiety, 80% curiosity!
The feeling you get when launching a top-priority large-scale data collection, designed to test ideas and hypotheses you have spent months and even years developing.
20% anxiety, 80% curiosity!
Today we had the great pleasure of welcoming back @jayvanbavel.bsky.social to NHH, who gave a seminar on social media and human morality!
Packed with interesting research questions, integrative ideas, the MAD model of moral contagion, and large-scale data from observational & experimental studies.
Packed with interesting research questions, integrative ideas, the MAD model of moral contagion, and large-scale data from observational & experimental studies.
May 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Today we had the great pleasure of welcoming back @jayvanbavel.bsky.social to NHH, who gave a seminar on social media and human morality!
Packed with interesting research questions, integrative ideas, the MAD model of moral contagion, and large-scale data from observational & experimental studies.
Packed with interesting research questions, integrative ideas, the MAD model of moral contagion, and large-scale data from observational & experimental studies.
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Incorrigible optimists, that’s what we are.
Research by @hallgeirsjastad.bsky.social et al finds that—even when we reflect on our past wellbeing levels and notice they’ve been steady—we believe in a brighter future for ourselves and our friends (but not for our enemies):
buff.ly/hSZBrxL
Research by @hallgeirsjastad.bsky.social et al finds that—even when we reflect on our past wellbeing levels and notice they’ve been steady—we believe in a brighter future for ourselves and our friends (but not for our enemies):
buff.ly/hSZBrxL
April 28, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Incorrigible optimists, that’s what we are.
Research by @hallgeirsjastad.bsky.social et al finds that—even when we reflect on our past wellbeing levels and notice they’ve been steady—we believe in a brighter future for ourselves and our friends (but not for our enemies):
buff.ly/hSZBrxL
Research by @hallgeirsjastad.bsky.social et al finds that—even when we reflect on our past wellbeing levels and notice they’ve been steady—we believe in a brighter future for ourselves and our friends (but not for our enemies):
buff.ly/hSZBrxL
Happy to share that we have a new paper on the causal effect of promises, just published in JEBO.
"Making a promise increases the moral cost of lying: Evidence from Norway and the United States."
Joint work w/ Mathias Eström, Kjetil Bjorvatn & Pablo Soto Mota.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
"Making a promise increases the moral cost of lying: Evidence from Norway and the United States."
Joint work w/ Mathias Eström, Kjetil Bjorvatn & Pablo Soto Mota.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
April 11, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Happy to share that we have a new paper on the causal effect of promises, just published in JEBO.
"Making a promise increases the moral cost of lying: Evidence from Norway and the United States."
Joint work w/ Mathias Eström, Kjetil Bjorvatn & Pablo Soto Mota.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
"Making a promise increases the moral cost of lying: Evidence from Norway and the United States."
Joint work w/ Mathias Eström, Kjetil Bjorvatn & Pablo Soto Mota.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
By focusing on substantive strategies and actionable guidance, rather than the flashiest new phrase, climate communicators may see greater success mobilizing the public.
It’s not about what we call it, but likely how we encourage people to tackle it. jayvanbavellab.substack.com/p/climate-te...
It’s not about what we call it, but likely how we encourage people to tackle it. jayvanbavellab.substack.com/p/climate-te...
Climate Terminology Does Not Matter
Our new paper finds that swapping out one climate term for another does not meaningfully change people’s stated commitment to fight climate change
jayvanbavellab.substack.com
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
By focusing on substantive strategies and actionable guidance, rather than the flashiest new phrase, climate communicators may see greater success mobilizing the public.
It’s not about what we call it, but likely how we encourage people to tackle it. jayvanbavellab.substack.com/p/climate-te...
It’s not about what we call it, but likely how we encourage people to tackle it. jayvanbavellab.substack.com/p/climate-te...
Our paper suggesting that people are "selective optimists" when predicting the future has now been published (EJSP).
Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
April 7, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Our paper suggesting that people are "selective optimists" when predicting the future has now been published (EJSP).
Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Here is my best guidance for action, rendered beautifully by the great John Lithgow. I first published these lessons more than eight years ago, in late 2016. They open the twenty chapters of "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century."
snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-les...
snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-les...
Twenty Lessons, read by John Lithgow
Key selections from On Tyranny, for viewing and sharing
snyder.substack.com
March 30, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Here is my best guidance for action, rendered beautifully by the great John Lithgow. I first published these lessons more than eight years ago, in late 2016. They open the twenty chapters of "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century."
snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-les...
snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-les...
I mostly post about research here, but since researchers also (can?) have a life outside work: Here is a glimpse from last night.
Attending Motorpsycho live in Bergen! One of my all-time favorite rock bands (experimental/prog/psychedelic).
Attending Motorpsycho live in Bergen! One of my all-time favorite rock bands (experimental/prog/psychedelic).
March 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I mostly post about research here, but since researchers also (can?) have a life outside work: Here is a glimpse from last night.
Attending Motorpsycho live in Bergen! One of my all-time favorite rock bands (experimental/prog/psychedelic).
Attending Motorpsycho live in Bergen! One of my all-time favorite rock bands (experimental/prog/psychedelic).
We are hiring in Marketing!
Two positions available: One tenured and one tenure-track. See job ad links in the reply below.
Two positions available: One tenured and one tenure-track. See job ad links in the reply below.
March 23, 2025 at 2:43 PM
We are hiring in Marketing!
Two positions available: One tenured and one tenure-track. See job ad links in the reply below.
Two positions available: One tenured and one tenure-track. See job ad links in the reply below.
In my experience, this approach generally works well in teaching too:
Think about the research question for a couple of seconds and make your prediction, before learning the results.
Think about the research question for a couple of seconds and make your prediction, before learning the results.
March 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM
In my experience, this approach generally works well in teaching too:
Think about the research question for a couple of seconds and make your prediction, before learning the results.
Think about the research question for a couple of seconds and make your prediction, before learning the results.
I will never understand how you can write a full paper about how you can best measure some construct with a certain scale, *without* including a complete list of specific items and instructions easily available in the paper.
March 14, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I will never understand how you can write a full paper about how you can best measure some construct with a certain scale, *without* including a complete list of specific items and instructions easily available in the paper.
A long-time favorite paper was accepted for publication today in EJSP:
"Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies."
Some good news in difficult times. I will share a longer post when published.
"Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies."
Some good news in difficult times. I will share a longer post when published.
March 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM
A long-time favorite paper was accepted for publication today in EJSP:
"Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies."
Some good news in difficult times. I will share a longer post when published.
"Self-serving optimism in well-being prediction: People believe in a bright future for themselves and their friends, but not for their enemies."
Some good news in difficult times. I will share a longer post when published.
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
Defunding the world’s leading scientific community is akin to a performing a prefrontal lobotomy on the nation—you are effectively severing the connections between the most innovative ideas and its citizens.
Cutting support for science harms everyone! www.powerofusnewsletter.com/p/a-national...
Cutting support for science harms everyone! www.powerofusnewsletter.com/p/a-national...
A National Prefrontal Lobotomy: The Costs of Cutting the Social Sciences
Issue 158: The long-term impacts of funding cuts threaten "social science for a safer world"
www.powerofusnewsletter.com
March 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Defunding the world’s leading scientific community is akin to a performing a prefrontal lobotomy on the nation—you are effectively severing the connections between the most innovative ideas and its citizens.
Cutting support for science harms everyone! www.powerofusnewsletter.com/p/a-national...
Cutting support for science harms everyone! www.powerofusnewsletter.com/p/a-national...
"Authoritarian leaders who restricted the press were more popular than those who permitted greater freedom. Where Internet access was narrower, and where Internet content was censored, support was also higher."
"But ratings fall when citizens recognize censorship."
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
"But ratings fall when citizens recognize censorship."
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
The Popularity of Authoritarian Leaders | World Politics | Cambridge Core
The Popularity of Authoritarian Leaders - Volume 72 Issue 4
www.cambridge.org
March 4, 2025 at 6:26 PM
"Authoritarian leaders who restricted the press were more popular than those who permitted greater freedom. Where Internet access was narrower, and where Internet content was censored, support was also higher."
"But ratings fall when citizens recognize censorship."
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
"But ratings fall when citizens recognize censorship."
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Hallgeir Sjåstad
American science is under attack. This includes everything from cuts to censorship.
This will likely have damaging consequences for fields ranging from medical science to agricultral from national defense to economics.
See this letter from the Director of the NIH: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/o...
This will likely have damaging consequences for fields ranging from medical science to agricultral from national defense to economics.
See this letter from the Director of the NIH: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/o...
February 20, 2025 at 7:53 PM
American science is under attack. This includes everything from cuts to censorship.
This will likely have damaging consequences for fields ranging from medical science to agricultral from national defense to economics.
See this letter from the Director of the NIH: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/o...
This will likely have damaging consequences for fields ranging from medical science to agricultral from national defense to economics.
See this letter from the Director of the NIH: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/o...
The last 4 weeks has already felt like 4 long years, and the 4 years ahead feels like an eternity -- currently heading in a very dangerous direction.
Even for those of us who often lean in an optimistic direction, that is the assessment. The US, and the World, is now changing fast. Backwards.
Even for those of us who often lean in an optimistic direction, that is the assessment. The US, and the World, is now changing fast. Backwards.
February 19, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The last 4 weeks has already felt like 4 long years, and the 4 years ahead feels like an eternity -- currently heading in a very dangerous direction.
Even for those of us who often lean in an optimistic direction, that is the assessment. The US, and the World, is now changing fast. Backwards.
Even for those of us who often lean in an optimistic direction, that is the assessment. The US, and the World, is now changing fast. Backwards.
I thought reviewers directly recommending "accept as is" was a myth, but now I have experienced it myself -- for the first time in my life.
(We had to do a full revision and collect more data to address R2, but still!)
The job is now done and the paper accepted. Looking forward to share it soon.
(We had to do a full revision and collect more data to address R2, but still!)
The job is now done and the paper accepted. Looking forward to share it soon.
February 16, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I thought reviewers directly recommending "accept as is" was a myth, but now I have experienced it myself -- for the first time in my life.
(We had to do a full revision and collect more data to address R2, but still!)
The job is now done and the paper accepted. Looking forward to share it soon.
(We had to do a full revision and collect more data to address R2, but still!)
The job is now done and the paper accepted. Looking forward to share it soon.
In a world that suddenly has become more unstable and uncertain, it can be tempting to give in to hopelessness and cynicism. But perhaps there is still something to be learned, from the psychology of hope?
The world doesn't *have to be* a zero-sum game, although it is fully possible to make it so.
The world doesn't *have to be* a zero-sum game, although it is fully possible to make it so.
February 3, 2025 at 2:59 PM
In a world that suddenly has become more unstable and uncertain, it can be tempting to give in to hopelessness and cynicism. But perhaps there is still something to be learned, from the psychology of hope?
The world doesn't *have to be* a zero-sum game, although it is fully possible to make it so.
The world doesn't *have to be* a zero-sum game, although it is fully possible to make it so.