ACX
Eight Hundred Slightly Poisoned Word Games
Scott Alexander conducts an experiment playing a word game 800 times under varying CO2 levels, finding no correlation between indoor carbon dioxide and cognitive performance.
8 min read 1,161 words
A thread through the archive
self-experimentation
Essays tagged “self-experimentation”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on self-experimentation
9 essaysSSC
Sleep Support: An Individual Randomized Controlled Trial
Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial of a sleep supplement, finding no significant effect over placebo, but gains insights into his sleep patterns.
9 min read 1,268 words
SSC
Anxiety Sampler Kits
Scott Alexander introduces an 'Anxiety Sampler Kit' for testing various anxiety supplements, aiming to personalize treatment and gather data through self-experimentation.
7 min read 933 words
SSC
Nighttime Ventilation Survey Results
Scott Alexander reports on a survey about nighttime ventilation interventions, finding modest overall improvements but some individual success stories.
4 min read 616 words
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2016 Nootropics Survey Results
Scott Alexander presents results from a survey of 850 people rating various nootropics, showing a range of perceived effectiveness and exploring addiction potential for some substances.
11 min read 1,606 words
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God Bless Longecity
Scott Alexander discusses the online forum Longecity, where users organize group buys of experimental chemicals, seeing it as a risky but intriguing counterbalance to slow drug approval processes.
6 min read 818 words
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Can You Condition Yourself?
Scott Alexander critically examines the concept of self-conditioning, expressing skepticism while considering potential benefits and deciding to experiment with the technique.
15 min read 2,214 words
SSC
Yet Another Parable On The Importance Of Controlling Your Experiments
Scott attempts to test a productivity hack using calligraphy study, but discovers calligraphy itself is captivating, leaving the experiment inconclusive.
2 min read 235 words
LW
Extreme Rationality: It's Not That Great
Scott argues that "extreme rationality" (x-rationality) - the formal study of rationality beyond normal intelligent thinking - provides much less practical benefit than the rationalist community believes, estimating a correlation of only 0.1 with success.
16 min read 2,477 words