How do we make choices in an overwhelming world? That is what Lotte van Dillen will study as new Professor Social Cognition and Decision Making
Due to technological and societal developments, we are being flooded with more information than our brains can process. How does this affect our decision-making, both as individuals and as a society? And can we learn to make better choices? This is what Lotte van Dillen will explore with her professorship.
How do emotions influence our decisions? What role does attention play? And how do we balance our own feelings with those of others in a social environment? To answer these questions, she combines neuropsychological lab experiments with field research, collaborating with police officers to study their interpretation of CCTV footage and with women with gestational diabetes to understand distracted eating.
'With the rise of digital technology and the 24/7 economy, multitasking has become the norm'
The hidden costs of multitasking
A central tenet of Van Dillen’s research is that our mental capacity is limited, and this has far-reaching implications for what we perceive, think, feel, and ultimately decide. ‘With the rise of digital technology and the 24/7 economy, we’re constantly bombarded with information, and multitasking has become the norm,’ she explains. ‘But our brains simply can’t process all that input, and this puts our decision-making under strain. Our judgements become skewed, which can have serious consequences for both individuals and society.’ One example is the constant barrage of messages, emails, and tasks in the modern workplace, which leads to mental overload. ‘This stress disrupts our sensory signals—things like hunger and taste—which can lead to unhealthy choices,’ Van Dillen explains. Another consequence of the overload is that time pressure, administrative burdens, and financial worries can cause people to focus too much on short-term goals, losing sight of long-term consequences. ‘New information technologies and simulation techniques can also make certain types of information seem more immediate or impactful, which leads us to view them as more ‘objective’ or truthful.’
'Owning up to errors is far more productive than trying to stay rigidly within the lines’
Embracing mistakes
Central to her work is a commitment to the principles of team science and the Academia in Motion initiative, which promote collaboration based on reciprocity, constructive criticism, and openness. She believes in the value of learning from mistakes: ‘Owning up to errors and sharing those lessons is far more productive than trying to stay rigidly within the lines. Hopefully, it encourages others to do the same. Adjusting expectations based on real-world observations is not only the foundation of the scientific method but also a hallmark of strong leadership.’
Citizen science
Van Dillen’s goal is to help foster better, more balanced decision-making. Alongside her research, she plans to develop and test interventions that encourage healthier decision-making in fields such as health, law, and economics. Crucially, she will involve both citizens and professionals in this process, working closely with a range of academic and societal partners. This collaborative approach is one she has already honed in her role as a researcher at the Knowledge Centre for Psychology and Economic Behaviour, as well as during her time as an advisor to the Dutch government.
'Even the best ideas will fall flat if they don’t have practical relevance or the necessary public support'
‘I’ve learned how important it is to engage the target audience when developing policy. Even the best ideas will fall flat if they don’t have practical relevance or the necessary public support. By organising feedback and fostering dialogue with everyone involved, we can avoid those blind spots.’ Van Dillen also aims to incorporate her research findings into education, offering training and guidance to students and professionals in the areas of social cognition and decision-making.
Van Dillen will focus on the social-psychological and cognitive-affective mechanisms underpinning our judgment and decision making. A hallmark of her research is its translational nature—applying fundamental research insights to real-world practices. Van Dillen employs an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on diverse methodologies.