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Are judicial rulings based solely on laws and facts? While judges are supposed to be rational, mechanical, and deliberative, they are also humans and are prone to being “hangry”. Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss the “The Hungry Judge Effect” where researchers Danziger, Levav, and Avnaim-Pesso tested this idea in the context of parole decisions made by experienced judges. They wanted to see how extraneous factors, such as lunch or a snack break, can sway a judge’s decision on whether a prisoner receives parole or not.

Follow-Up Research: We surveyed over 300 people to learn what types of foods people crave toward when they’re experiencing different emotions. What foods do you crave when you’re sad? When you’re bored?

Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube.