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Emily Falk is a Professor of Communication, Psychology, and Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, where she directs the Communication Neuroscience Lab and the Climate Communication Division of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. Her work has been covered in the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, Forbes, and Scientific American, among other outlets. Whats the big idea? Every moment is filled with how weve decided to spend our time, and that time defines us. We make value judgements (often automatically) of our options and follow similar patterns, day in and day out. When we decide we want to change in some way, it can be extremely difficult to snap out of our typical decision-making to opt for something else, even if we genuinely care about living differently. By understanding how the brain calculates values to drive daily decisions, we can learn how to explore paths that are more aligned with new goals and evolving self-image. By expanding the power and possibility of our choices, we increase the capacity for inner, societal, and cultural growth. Below, Emily shares five key insights from her new book, What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change. Listen to the audio versionread by Emily herselfin the Next Big Idea App. 1. Our brains shape what we value. Neuroscience research (first in monkeys and then in humans) has shown that a network of brain regions, known as the value system, computes our daily choices in a process called value calculation. This happens whether were aware of it or not. Each choice we make is first shaped by what options our brain considers. When I imagined choosing between a run or doing extra work, other options like heading to a karaoke bar with my coworkers or going for a walk with my grandma rarely entered the calculation. In the next phase of decision-making, the value system assigns a subjective worth to each choice based on our past experiences, current context, and future goals. Going for a run is hard. Its the end of the day, and Im already tired. Sure, the run would be good for my health, but look how many unread emails there areso I choose to finish up the emails. After we choose, the value system keeps track of how things went, making us more likely to repeat choices that were more rewarding than we expected and less likely to repeat choices that were less rewarding than we expected. After choosing the work, my body felt kind of blah, but my students were making progress on interesting problems, and that felt good. The value our brains assign to different options is dynamic and can shift depending on context, like what mood were in, what other people are saying or doing, and which parts of the choice we pay attention to. Understanding this can help us identify opportunities to change, and ways to align choices with our bigger-picture goals and values. For me, I knew I needed to find a way to make moving around and spending time with people I love more compelling to my brain in the moment. 2. Our brains shapeand limitwho we are. Our sense of who we are is an important factor in shaping our choices. Neuroscientists have identified brain regions that help construct our sense of me and not me, and when we make decisions this self-relevance is deeply intertwined with the value system. Together they guide us toward choices that are aligned with our perceptions of who we already are. We tend to favor choices that reinforce our existing identity, sometimes at the cost of new opportunities and experiences. Having a coherent sense of who we are can be useful, but it also limits us. We tend to favor choices that reinforce our existing identity, sometimes at the cost of new opportunities and experiences. When I kept choosing work, my identity as a hard-working researcher who always hits deadlines and invests in mentoring students weighed heavily on my value calculations. I didnt think of myself as an athlete, and in the process, I deprived myself of chances to improve as a runner, dancer, or any number of other options. A mountain of research data shows that Im not alone in this. Most of us cling to ideas and behaviors we consider ours, a phenomenon called the endowment effect. Sometimes, this helps us affirm our core values and reinforce choices that are compatible with longer-term goals, but it can also leave us with a bounded notion of self, meaning that it limits the way we see ourselves. When confronted with evidence that our past behaviors werent optimal, or that others want us to do things differently, it can make us defensive, leading us to double down on past choices, which can make change harder. When my grandma told me that she wished we could spend more time together, I barely let her finish the sentence before defensively explaining that of course we spent time togethershed come to my house and hang out with my kids while I cooked dinner, and often wed even steal a few minutes to walk around the block together. But, no, she patiently explained, that was not what she was after. It wasnt until later when I was able to think about what really matters to me that I could see that what she was asking for was something that I wanted too. 3. We dont decide alone. Neuroscientists have identified brain regions that help us understand what other people think and feel. The brains social-relevance system helps us connect and coordinate with other people, also shaping the decisions we make. Our sense of what others are doing or thinking strongly affects what we choose, what were willing to change, and the possibilities we consider. Feeling a sense of status, belonging, and connection serves as a powerful reward, and we often make choices shaped by these forces. When I imagined what other researchers were doing, I imagined them hard at work making progressnot going for runs or walks with their grandmas. It was important to me to be seen as a serious scientist. When I imagined my collaborators appreciation of my speedy email replies and my students gratitude for timely feedback, the decision to keep working made even more sense. Feeling a sense of status, belonging, and connection serves as a powerful reward. But, although the social relevance system can help us understand others, it can also mislead us. I was imagining what others would think and feel if I left work, and my social relevance system was very convincing, even though in reality, I didnt actually know. I had never fact-checked those assumptions. The same can be said when our social relevance system paints such a vivid picture that we feel certain we know why a co-worker didnt invite us to lunch or why our spouse is frustrated. By keeping us aligned with others, the social relevance system can do useful things like keep us current on trends. Or it can do harmful things like deluding us into agreeing with popular but patently false social media posts. It also shapes what we think is acceptable and desirable regarding whether we should spend a beautiful autumn afternoon at the office or on a jog. 4. W can work with our brains to create change. Many of us have been taught that hard work and pain are necessary for achievement. Theodore Roosevelt went so far as to suggest that Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty But neuroscience research highlights that small shifts in how we frame decisions can change our value calculations. My hope is that understanding how this works might make change easier. Our value system serves as the bridge between where we are now and where we want to be, and the self- and social-relevance systems shape what we value. If we want to change ourselves, the people we care about, or even society, we need to harness these systems and leverage key ingredients for change, such as shifting focus, letting go of defensiveness, and expanding where the inputs to our value calculations come from in the first place. Based on what we know about the brains value system, we can shift our focus to different aspects of a situation to align our emotions with our objectives. For instance, we can leverage the brains natural tendency to prioritize immediate gratification to make future-oriented choices feel more rewarding in the present. Instead of choosing between immediate and future rewards, we can find ways to bridge them. Returning to the whisper in the back of my mind, reminding me to spend more time with my grandma, I knew I needed to find a way to make walks with Grandma Bev compatible with the other immediate pressures factoring into my value calculations. One day, walking home from work, a podcast episode created a small bridge in my thinking. The episode of How to Save a Planet highlighted the joy of biking. What if, instead of driving to Bevs, arriving stressed from the traffic and struggling to find parking, I biked? What if I had some time to myself outside and got some exercise on the way? The immediate reward of checking something off of my work to-do list was offset by the opportunity to enjoy a bike ride in addition to the reward of spending time with my grandma. Hearing these regular people on the podcast teetering around on bikes also made me think that I could be that kind of person too. We can shift our focus to different aspects of a situation to align our emotions with our objectives. There was still the issue of not wanting my grandma to be right when she pointed out that we werent spending much quality time together. Should I admit I was wrong? Using what we know about the self-relevance system, to combat defensiveness, we can focus on self-transcendent values, which focus on the things that matter most to us. Zooming out like this to focus on our core values, or the well-being of others and the world, allows us to see that being wrong about something doesnt have to mean were a bad person, or that everything about us has to change. We can hold onto a core sense of self while opening ourselves to changing whats not working and letting go of preconceived notions of who we are. Finally, turning to the social relevance system, the people who most immediately come to mind when we make choices get an outsized influence. When I was thinking about the people I spent my days with at work, it made work rewards salient. And this isnt just true when it comes to decisions about how we spend our afternoons. All kinds of decisions, from the products we buy to what we think is important politically, are shaped by the voices we imagine most readily. Research shows that the people we spend time with are often similar to us in many ways. To counteract known biases in the social relevance system, we can audit who is and isnt part of our social networks and actively bring in new ideas through what we read, listen to, and spend time with. This expands our universe of choices, provides new and unexpected perspectives, and improves our ability to come up with creative solutions to problems. 5. Shaping the future starts in our minds. Our choices dont just shape our own lives; they ripple outward, influencing culture and collective values. Research shows that norms are deeply shaped by those around us. Just as observing others influences our value calculations, we serve as role models for the people who see what we do. In this way, our own value calculations influence the people around us. When I share stories about my grandma with my students and colleagues, Im not just telling them about my family. Im opening a possibility for them to prioritize spending time with their loved ones. Consciously and unconsciously, our actions change what others value. The ways we see ourselves can influence what is possible for others, and what we think is possible shapes the culture of the future. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.
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Chilis and TGI Fridays are in a full-blown mozzarella stick feud. Last week, TGI Fridays unveiled its new menu with a post on X: New menus out. mozz sticks hit harder. happy hours calling. lifes good. The next day, the chain appeared to throw shade at its fast casual rival, Chilis Grill & Bar. new menus out. mozz sticks hit harder. happy hours calling. lifes good.— TGI Fridays (@TGIFridays) May 13, 2025 “Somebody tell [chili pepper emoji] to stay in their lane,” TGI Fridays posted on May 14. “Yall are not mozzarella stick people. We are. Thats it. Thats the tweet.” Chilis clapped back by sharing a screenshot of the post: “@ us next time Also, we honestly didnt know you were still open. Congrats! @ us next time… also, we honestly didnt know you were still open. congrats! pic.twitter.com/t32gxjNivm— Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) May 15, 2025 Plot twist: the original tweet wasnt even real. It was part of a marketing stunt pulled off by Chilis. The gag is this wasnt even a real tweet, TGI Fridays admitted in a reply to a commenter. the gag is this wasn't even a real tweet — TGI Fridays (@TGIFridays) May 16, 2025 Even so, the jab likely stung. TGI Fridays has only 85 restaurants left in the U.S., down from about 270 at the start of last year. Its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2024, blaming the pandemic for ongoing financial struggles. Just last month, the chain closed another 30 locations. “OMG, I think I just witnessed a murder,” one X user wrote. Another added insult to injury: “they closed the Fridays near me.and opened another chilis” Chilis responded: “was probably for the best.” was probably for the best— Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) May 16, 2025 Fans also dredged up a 2021 lawsuit against TGI Fridays over its frozen mozzarella sticks, which were found to contain cheddar instead of mozzarella. Do they actually contain mozzarella now or nah? one person asked. Refusing to back down, TGI Fridays proposed a showdown. Is the cheese pull challenge accepted or nah?? the company asked. is the cheese pull challenge accepted or nah?? https://t.co/fDHmZiIbrj— TGI Fridays (@TGIFridays) May 15, 2025 So Team Chilis or Team Fridays?
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More severe storms were expected to roll across the central U.S. this week following the weather-related deaths of more than two dozen people and a devastating Kentucky tornado. The National Weather Service said a multitude of hazardous weather would impact the U.S. over the next several daysfrom thunderstorms and potentially baseball-size hail on the Plains, to heavy mountain snow in the West and dangerous heat in the South. Areas at risk of thunderstorms include communities in Kentucky and Missouri that were hit by Fridays tornadoes. In London, Kentucky, people whose houses were destroyed scrambled Sunday to put tarps over salvageable items or haul them away for safe storage, said Zach Wilson. His parents’ house was in ruins and their belongings scattered. We’re trying the hardest to get anything that looks of value and getting it protected, especially pictures and papers and things like that, he said. Here’s the latest on the recent storms, some tornado history, and where to look out for the next weather impacts. Deadly storms claim dozens of lives At least 19 people were killed and 10 seriously injured in Kentucky, where a tornado on Friday damaged hundreds of homes and tossed vehicles in southeastern Laurel County. Officials said the death toll could rise and that three people remained in critical condition Sunday. Wilson said he raced to his parents’ home in London, Kentucky, after the storm. It was dark and still raining, but every lightning flash, it was lighting up your nightmares: Everything was gone, he said. The thankful thing was me and my brother got here and got them out of where they had barricaded themselves. Survey teams were expected on the ground Monday so the state can apply for federal disaster assistance, Gov. Andy Beshear said. Some of the two dozen state roads that had closures could take days to reopen. In St. Louis, five people died and 38 were injured as the storm system swept through on Friday, according to Mayor Cara Spencer. More than 5,000 homes in the city were affected, she said. On Sunday, city inspectors were going through damaged areas to condemn unsafe structures, Spencer said. She asked for people not to sightsee in damaged areas. A tornado that started in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton traveled at least 8 miles (13 kilometers), had 150-mph (241-kph) winds, and had a maximum width of 1 mile (1.6 kilometers), according to the weather service. It touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 Worlds Fair and the Olympic Games that same year. In Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, a tornado killed two people, injured several others, and destroyed multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media. The weather system spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinoisincluding Chicagoin a pall of dust. Two people were killed in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., by falling trees while driving. The storms hit after the Trump administration cut staffing of weather service offices, with outside experts worrying about how it would affect warnings in disasters such as tornadoes. A history of tornadoes The majority of the world’s tornadoes occur in the U.S., which has about 1,200 annually. Researchers in 2018 found that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional Tornado Alley of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled South. They can happen any time of day or night, but certain times of the year bring peak tornado season. Thats from May into early June for the southern Plains, and earlier in the spring on the Gulf Coast. The deadliest tornado in Kentuckys history was hundreds of yards wide when it tore through downtown Louisvilles business district in March 1890, collapsing multistory buildings including one with 200 people inside. Seventy-six people were killed. The last tornado to cause mass fatalities in Kentucky was a December 2021 twister that lasted almost five hours. It traveled some 165 miles (266 kilometers), leaving a path of destruction that included 57 dead and more than 500 injured, according to the weather service. Officials recorded at least 41 tornadoes during that storm, which killed at least 77 people statewide. On the same day, a deadly tornado struck the St. Louis area, killing six people at an Amazon facility in nearby Illinois. More storms threaten in coming days Thunderstorms with potentially damaging winds were forecast for a region stretching from northeast Colorado to central Texas. And tornadoes will again be a threat particularly from central Kansas to Oklahoma, according to the weather service. Meanwhile, triple-digit temperatures were forecast for parts of south Texas, with the potential to break daily records. The hot, dry air also sets the stage for critical wildfire conditions through early this week in southern New Mexico and West Texas. Up to a foot of snow was expected in parts of Idaho and western Montana. Matthew Brown and Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press
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