Research in the Lempert Lab seeks to understand how and why people make the decisions that they make. People’s preferences are shaped by their experiences, so it is no wonder that there are such large individual differences in what people prefer. Situational factors, such as affective states, may also impact the kinds of choices that we make.

We take a “neuroeconomics” approach to understanding the mechanisms of value-based decision making, by combining tools from psychology, economics, and neuroscience.

By understanding the neural basis of subjective valuation, we can destigmatize decisions that are not normative. At the same time, knowing how preferences emerge will empower people to flexibly change their choices.