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.

Related topics

Social Sciences

You might also like

Six red star-like objects against a dark background, each with labels and coordinates.

Are ‘Little Red Dots’ Keys to Understanding the Early Universe?

Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist Fabio Pacucci explains one of cosmology’s newest mysteries.

A close-up of a beetle on the textured surface of a cycad cone and cycad cones seen in infrared silhouette.

Research in Brief

Cutting-edge discoveries, distilled

Purple violet flower with vibrant petals surrounded by green foliage.

Bees and Flowers Are Falling Out of Sync

Scientists are revisiting an old way of thinking about extinction.

Most popular

Brick building with a large clock and tree branches against a clear blue sky.

Trump Administration Sues Harvard over Civil Rights

The March 20 suit seeks to rescind research grants that were restored in an earlier court ruling.

Graduates celebrate joyfully, wearing caps and gowns, with some waving and smiling.

Inside Harvard’s Most Egalitarian School

The Extension School is open to everyone. Expect to work—hard.

A person examining handwritten notes and papers on a table.

Radcliffe Acquires a Black Feminist’s Archive

An architect of Black women’s studies, Barbara Smith introduced the concepts of “identity politics” and “intersectionality.”

Explore More From Current Issue

A diverse group of individuals standing on stage, wearing matching shirts and smiling.

How a Harvard and Lesley Group Broke Choir Singing Wide Open

Cambridge Common Voices draws on principles of universal design.

Illustration of a person sitting on a large cresting wave, writing, with a sunset and ocean waves in vibrant colors.

How Stories Help Us Cope with Climate Change

The growing genre of climate fiction offers a way to process reality—and our anxieties.

A person climbs a curved ladder against a colorful background and four vertical ladders.

Undergraduate Column

Harvard’s Productivity Trap

What happened to doing things for the sake of enjoyment?