If we are making new year’s resolutions, understanding our behavioural biases can help us correct for them and make resolutions that we might actually keep. Optimism bias can perpetuate irrational behaviours and explain, for example, why people engage in risky health behaviours such as smoking. To correct for these biases and increase our chances of success, rather than shooting for the stars, we need a cold dose of reality when making resolutions. We therefore need incentives to change our behaviours in the form of rewards for successes and/or costs to failures. Adjusting for behavioural biases when making resolutions can increase our chances of success.

Source: The Irish Times December 27, 2025 15:01 UTC