What Were You Thinking?

Food is usually more appealing once you can see it. But would you pay more for it too? One study says that once you can see and touch a product, you're more willing to pay a higher price for it. Tess Vigeland and Dr. Antonio Rangel test out the theory with the sweetest trick in the book: dessert.

There was an uproar when Facebook fiddled with its privacy settings -- but really, people willingly give up their privacy all the time for perks like coupons and discounts.

Tess Vigeland talks to UCLA marketing professor Suzanne Shu about why people have such a hard time using gifts and gift cards.

Tess Vigeland talks to Marketplace's web producer Dalasie Michaelis on why he spends so much on shampoo and also to marketing Professor Erica Okada about her theory on why Dalasie and other consumers decide to opt for an expensive bottle versus a cheaper one.

For better or for worse, kids take after their parents -- but studies show parental influence only goes so far when it comes to how your children will handle money.

Tess Vigeland talks to UCLA Professor Suzanne Shu about why we do the seemingly illogical things we do with credit card points.

Host Tess Vigeland talks to consumer psychologist Frank Murtha about how we choose and how too little or too much choice affects our purchases.

Panera Bread Co. opened a new location in St. Louis and let its customers decide what they want to pay. Sounds like a free lunch, but as Steve Chiotakis talks to Vickie Morwitz, people still decide to pay.

Marketplace's Joel Rose looks into why some still pay for music, when it is so easy to download free music with peer-to-peer technology.

Why do some investors choose to ignore the personal finance information that says not to sell when stock market prices are low? Sally Herships investigates the psychology behind the low seller.