EPISODE · Jun 18, 2026 · 4 MIN
The Spotlight Effect How We Overestimate How Much Others Notice Us
from Behavioral Economics with Fexingo: Decision Making, Bias, and How People Really Spend · host Fexingo
In this episode of Behavioral Economics with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore the spotlight effect—our tendency to believe others are paying far more attention to us than they actually are. They anchor the discussion in a 2000 study by Thomas Gilovich and colleagues at Cornell, where students wore a Barry Manilow T-shirt into a room and dramatically overestimated how many peers noticed. The hosts break down why this bias persists even in professional settings, from awkward meeting moments to fashion faux pas, and discuss its implications for public speaking, negotiation, and everyday social anxiety. They also touch on the related illusion of transparency and offer a simple mental exercise to recalibrate your perception. Specific, research-backed, and immediately applicable. #SpotlightEffect #ThomasGilovich #CornellUniversity #CognitiveBias #IllusionOfTransparency #SocialAnxiety #PublicSpeaking #Negotiation #BehavioralEconomics #DecisionMaking #Psychology #BarryManilow #Research #Bias #SelfAwareness #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Spotlight Effect How We Overestimate How Much Others Notice Us
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