
24 September 2025
Teens, AI and the science of risky decisions, with Valerie Reyna, PhD
Speaking of Psychology
About
You might think the best way to make decisions is to know all the facts. But psychologists’ research suggests that getting the “gist” – the core meaning behind the facts – is more important than focusing on every last detail. Valerie Reyna, PhD, talks about why gist matters; how it explains why teens make so many risky decisions; how understanding gist can help doctors communicate better with their patients; and why AI systems may be moving toward more gist-based reasoning.  
Chapters
00:00 What is Gist?
09:55 The Role of Gist in Adolescent Decision-Making
19:40 Misinformation and Gist-Based Thinking
29:53 AI Decision-Making: A New Frontier
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Chapters
00:00 What is Gist?
09:55 The Role of Gist in Adolescent Decision-Making
19:40 Misinformation and Gist-Based Thinking
29:53 AI Decision-Making: A New Frontier
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices