Why do rare events feel far more common than they really are? In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we explore the availability error — the mental shortcut that makes us judge probability based on how easily examples come to mind. From dramatic news stories to personal memories that stick with us, we uncover how vivid or recent information can distort our perception of risk, influence our decisions, and quietly shape our fears and beliefs.

Discover how to spot when your judgement is being guided by what’s most memorable — not what’s most accurate — and how to recalibrate your thinking when it matters most.

Studies and links:

Availability Heuristic and Decision Making | Simply Psychology Availability Heuristic In Psychology: Definition & Examples

Availability: A Heuristic for judging Frequency and Probability | Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman Tversky availability.pdf

Why do some people spiral into addiction while others — even with the same access — stay completely fine? In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we dive into Bruce Alexander’s groundbreaking work on addiction, namely, the famous Rat Park experiment. His research shows that addiction isn’t just about drugs — it’s about environment, connection, and purpose. Rats in isolated, barren cages became addicted, while those in enriched, social environments avoided drugs almost entirely.

Discover how social disconnection, loneliness, and lack of meaningful engagement can drive addictive behaviour — and how creating supportive, connected environments can help prevent or even reverse it. This episode will change how you think about addiction, shifting the focus from individual weakness to the power of context and human connection.

Studies and links:

What Does “Rat Park” Teach Us About Addiction? | Psychiatric Times What Does “Rat Park” Teach Us About Addiction? | Psychiatric Times

What can the Rat Park experiment teach us about addiction? | UK Addiction Treatment Centres What can the Rat Park experiment teach us about addiction? - UK Addiction Treatment Centres

Why do subtle cues in our environment quietly shape our thoughts, feelings, and decisions—often without us noticing? In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we dive into priming — the psychological phenomenon where exposure to certain words, images, or ideas can influence how we interpret the world and how we behave next. From tiny triggers that nudge our mood to hidden cues that shift our judgement or performance, we uncover how effortlessly our minds can be steered in a particular direction.

Discover what priming reveals about the automatic mind, how everyday environments quietly “set the tone” for your choices, and how becoming aware of these subtle influences can help you take back control of your decisions before they’re made for you.

Studies and links:

Bargh, Chen and Burrow's study Bargh Chen and Burrow 1996 Automaticity of social behavior

Kay, Wheeler, Bargh and Ross' study Kay Wheeler Bargh and Ross

Chen-Bo Zhong and Katie Liljenquist Zhong & Liljenquist 2006.pdf