Cognitive Chew Toy

Every researcher I know has a “Cognitive Chew Toy.” A cognitive chew toy is an aspect of research that you love to think, talk, and obsess about. I have two cognitive chew toys, designing studies and creating workflows. I love both. They are a type of thought experiment that will be manifested in the real world. I think they are critical foundations to successful research. However, there is a dark side. Those “fun” aspects need to be balanced with the other facets of research that are less delicious but equally important.