By Rainer Romero-Canyas Editor's note: This post was updated March 9, 2022. Sometimes when I try on new clothes, I hear the disapproving voice of my aunts and cousins telling me something that seems nice and trendy is just a fad and lacks refinement. In some settings, this Greek chorus seems to be making my decisions. In fact, without realizing it, our brains look to cues from important people in our lives to help us make choices. We sort through memories of conversations, sermons or writings to guide our judgments. Even people we do not know but revere in some way can influence our judgments of what is important ( like the pope ). Environmental issues like climate change are also influenced by the voices in our heads. Some of our recent research with the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability explores support of climate change and policies to mitigate it has taught us that in some cultures in the U.S., a set of voices in our heads has a powerful influence in what we believe.…