March 1, 2009

Decisionmaking, Measured

A new interdisciplinary decision-science lab will host experiments from psychology, economics, and beyond.

From The March-April 2009 Issue

Photograph courtesy of Harvard Kennedy School

The new Decision Science Lab, which opened in January, allows researchers to measure physiological markers of emotion—blood pressure, heart rate, facial muscle activation—to study subjects’ mental states at the moment of making a decision. The lab belongs to the Kennedy School, but is open to all Harvard faculty members and their students. Read more online at www.harvardmag.com/breaking-news/where-decisionmaking-is-measured.

Published in the March-April 2009 print issue in the John Harvard's Journal section.

You might also like

Two laboratory researchers, one seated and one standing, in a scientific lab with equipment.

The stakes are high for this husband and wife: one of them will die if they don’t find a cure.

A digital tablet displaying text, with two magnifying glasses overlapping it.

Sheila Jasanoff has spent her career studying how societies produce knowledge, evaluate expertise, and make decisions about technology.

An image of a doctor writing set against a background of code, representing AI

Harvard’s Arthur Kleinman reflects on what’s lost when healthcare systems prioritize efficiency.

Most popular

White House and Harvard University buildings split diagonally with contrasting colors.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Two mounted pheasants displayed on a stand against a gray background.

Lafayette’s Unexpected Gift to George Washington: Pheasants

The two birds will be on display at Harvard this summer.

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.

Explore More From Current Issue

A busy classroom filled with students working at computers, colorful decor, and a bright atmosphere.

Technology

In 2004, a frenzy spread across Harvard Yard in days. Four billion users later, we are only just catching up.

Caricature of a young man in front of red doors, wearing a green striped sweater.

Harvard History

In 1954, Gregory Corso moved into Eliot House. How he stayed there is a literary legend.

Runners compete on a track, with a Harvard athlete in the foreground and others behind.

Athletics

After a historic 2025-26 season, athletes eye NCAA championships.