The Science of Decision Making: Why We Choose What We Choose

In this episode, we meet with Dr. Jaime Castrellon, an Assistant Professor at UCLA. We discuss the science of decision-making and how emotions, moral judgments, and social context steer our choices. We also talk about dopamine’s role in choice, why we often go for immediate rewards, and how resisting social pressure may change with age. Our conversation also turns to the courtroom: Dr. Castrellon explains how biases can influence the decisions jurors make and how storytelling and narratives also play a role.