Episode 8: Back Up Plans

In Episode 8 of the 'Hidden Brain' podcast, host Shankar Vedantam delves into the psychology of backup plans and their impact on our motivation and behavior. The episode features researcher Katie Milkman from the University of Pennsylvania, who presents her study on the potential downsides of having a safety net. Milkman suggests that while backup plans provide a sense of security, they may also lead to decreased motivation toward achieving our primary goals. The reason is that knowing there are alternative options can make us less driven to put all our efforts into our initial plan.

Vedantam and his team conduct an informal experiment at Union Station in Washington DC to explore this concept further. They interview Fiona, a young woman from Kenya, who has multiple backup plans for moving to the UK with her Romanian boyfriend, Razvan. Fiona's story illustrates the common human behavior of creating numerous plans to feel secure in the face of uncertainty. However, the conversation with Razvan reveals a different perspective; he prefers to focus intensely on Plan A, suggesting that having too many alternatives might lead to complacency.

The episode continues with a discussion of Milkman's laboratory study, which demonstrates that participants who were asked to think of a backup plan performed worse on a task than those who did not. This finding supports the idea that backup plans can indeed diminish our drive to succeed. The concept of moral hazard is also introduced, where safety measures, such as bike helmets or seatbelts, can lead to riskier behavior because of the perceived protection they offer.

Adam Cole from NPR's Science Desk is invited to synthesize the ideas from the episode into a song. Throughout the episode, the narrative weaves between personal anecdotes, scientific research, and creative expression, all contributing to a rich exploration of the complexities of human decision-making when it comes to backup plans.