Ignorance is bliss! The science of the ostrich effect
REPORT
19 Jun 2020
Ignorance is bliss! The science of the ostrich effect

Whether it’s exam results or election updates, people aren’t always eager to find out new information, instead finding solace in the unknown. Canvas8 spoke to Emily Ho, a research assistant professor at Northwestern University, to understand why some people choose to be blissfully ignorant.

Emily H. Ho

Emily H. Ho is a research assistant professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. As a behavioural scientist with training as a psychometrician and quantitative psychologist, she studies the behavioural mechanisms underlying better decision-making in health and education. She was named a Rising Star by the International Behavioural Exchange in 2018 and her work has been featured in popular press outlets such as NPR, Scientific American, Salon, and forthcoming in Harvard Business Review.