The Science of Everyday Thinking

Learn how to think better, argue better, and choose better.

Explore the psychology of everyday thinking: why people hold unusual beliefs, how opinions form and change, why expectations bias judgments, and strategies for making better decisions. Topics range from placebos and the paranormal to medicine and miracles.

Over the past decade on edX, this course attracted more than half a million enrollees worldwide, ranking among the Top 100 most popular online courses of all time. Although UQ's partnership with edX has concluded, all materials remain freely available on YouTube.

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The Science of Everyday Thinking

PSYC2371 · The University of Queensland

The on-campus version of this course combines independent video study with in-class discussions and practical exercises. Students watch lecture videos at their own pace, then use classroom time to explore content more deeply.

We've worked with 21 leading thinkers from around the world, including Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and the MythBusters (Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman), to bring engaging talks on topics from hindsight to horoscopes.

Judgement & Decision Making

PSYC3052 · The University of Queensland

This course explores the psychological processes behind how we make decisions. Topics include heuristics and biases, dual-process theories, insight and metacognition, and decision-making under uncertainty, with practical applications in medicine, law, and education.

The course integrates AI tools to enhance learning—helping break down complex ideas while highlighting AI's limitations. Students learn to critically evaluate AI-generated content and use these tools to sharpen their own reasoning.