Insight: How do you build a great restaurant experience? If you’re like most diners, you’ll point to the food, the people, perhaps even the ambiance. But what about the wording of the menu? Which would you prefer – “rice and beans” or “traditional Cajun red beans with wild rice”? Expectations matter, especially when it comes to food.

Insight: Want to change behavior? Measure it. Research shows that simply asking people what they intend to do makes them more likely to do it. It’s why the Obama team called over 50,000 likely supporters a night with a simple question: do you plan on voting on Election Day? Studies show asking people if they intend to vote increases their likelihood of turning out by 25%

How do you convince people to contribute to your cause? One approach is to build a sense of urgency by highlighting the large number of people in need. But research shows that’s exactly the wrong approach. When it comes to charity, the larger the group needing our help, the less motivated we are to give. Why? Groups are hard to relate to and psychologically abstract. A struggling individual, on the other hand, tugs at our heartstrings and fosters an emotional connection.

How do you convince people to lower their energy consumption? Here’s a surprise: it’s not by appealing to their self-interest. Behavioral economists have found that giving people precise estimates of how much money they’ll save has absolutely no impact. Far more effective is showing them how their energy usage compares to their neighbors. Why does this work? Because no matter how independent we like to think of ourselves, we’re wired to fit in.

Product not selling? You may not be charging enough. Research shows that a product’s price point plays a significant role in consumer expectations. The more something costs, the better we expect it to be. And neurological testing reveals that it’s not just our thinking that shifts. It’s our physiological reaction. A wine priced at $90 causes the brain’s pleasure center to light up more strongly than the same wine priced at $10.

Consumers often claim they want greater selection, but research shows the more choices we have the less likely we are to decide. Take a Columbia University study that tested supermarket sales when the number of jams on display was either 6 or 24. Consumers spent more time looking through the larger selection, but sales were 10 times stronger with fewer options.