Mindmasters with Sandra Matz

Thinkers & Ideas

In Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior, Sandra Matz explores what our digital footprints reveal about us and how these insights are used to influence our daily decisions.

Matz is the David W. Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, where she also serves as co-director of the Center for Advanced Technology and Human Performance. Using her background in psychology and computer science, Matz investigates the intricate connections between our digital and real lives and how these are shaped by technology.

In her conversation with Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Matz discusses the power of psychological profiling, highlights the harms as well as benefits of the personalization it enables, and outlines implications for businesses and regulators, including the possibility of entirely new business models.

Key topics discussed:

[01:10] Power of psychological profiling

[05:05] Scale and impact of big data–based psychological profiling

[09:06] Benefits and harms of personalization

[16:05] Challenges of regulating profiling and personalization

[17:57] Ramifications of the AI-driven content revolution

[23:20] Implications for businesses

[28:37] How to manage your data footprint

Additional inspirations from Sandra Matz:

• Psychological Targeting: What Your Digital Footprints Reveal About You (TED Talk, 2019)