<a aria-current="page" href="/" class="router-link-active router-link-exact-active"> Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark

Musical Links

U2 - With or Without You

5 days ago

Throwback Thursday: Evolution's Secret Playbook | Sam Tatam

5 days ago

In memory of our friend, Sam Tatam. Sam was a pioneer in his field, and he joined us for a discussion full of creativity, resolve, and a love of behavioral science. He will be missed.

Innovation does not always come from inventing something entirely new. Often, the natural world has already solved the problem. In this throwback conversation, we explore the concept of biomimicry with behavioral scientist Sam Tatam, author of Evolutionary Ideas: Unlocking Ancient Innovation to Solve Tomorrow’s Challenges. We discuss how looking to nature can inspire creative solutions in behavioral science and beyond, from the principles of biomimicry to frameworks like the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and the Goal Gradient theory. Along the way, we also wander into lighter territory, chatting about the musical artist Sam once traveled to Italy with and the cultural differences between pubs in London and Sydney.

Topics

[4:59] Welcome and speed round questions.

[13:23] What is biomimicry?

[18:20] TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) and evolutionary thinking.

[25:32] How language can be a liberator for innovation.

[29:28] Categorizing biases into patterns.

[34:58] What is the Goal Gradient Theory and why isn’t it applied more often?

[9:14] Five psychological contradictions.

[47:26] What music would Sam take to a desert island?

[51:03] Grooving Session: Evolutionary Ideas.

Monday Mar 09, 2026

Are You Too Agreeable? | Dr. Sunita Sah

Monday Mar 09, 2026

Why do we say yes when we mean no? In this episode, we talk with Sunita Sah about the psychology of compliance and defiance. From Stanley Milgram’s experiments to the hidden force of insinuation anxiety, we explore why compliance is not the same as consent and how to train yourself to act in alignment with your true values.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and speed round with Sunita Sah

[14:57] Stanley Milgram’s Shock Experiments

[20:19] Defiance and True Consent

[29:18] Insinuation Anxiety and Conflict of Interest

[36:44] The Power of the Pause

[39:40] Stages of Defiance

[44:13] Moral Mavericks and Defiance Practice

[50:55] Desert Island Music

[56:17] Grooving Session: Conformity vs. Blind Compliance

Links

Defy by Sunita Sah

About Dr. Sunita Sah

The Cure - Pictures of You

Music Links

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence

Monday Mar 02, 2026

What Happened to the Person I Knew? Why Relationships Change

Monday Mar 02, 2026

Relationships change because people change. In this episode, we explore what it means when someone you love no longer feels like the person you once knew. Using behavioral science, we examine why personality shifts over time, why growth does not always happen in the same direction, and how to decide whether to reconnect, recalibrate, or let go.

Topics

[0:00] Understanding Relationship Changes

[7:07] Relationship Changes Over Time

[13:28] Self-Expansion Theory and Michelangelo Phenomenon

[22:08] Growth vs. Escape: What’s Really Driving the Change?

[29:49] How to Navigate Relationship Changes

[34:00] Updating the Story of “Us”

[43:01] The Importance of Compassion

[46:00] Regret, Loss, and What to Do Next

Links

The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work by Eli Finkel

Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know

Music Links

Flora Cash - You’re Somebody Else

Monday Feb 23, 2026

Why Does Jet Lag Hit so Hard? | Daniel Forger

Monday Feb 23, 2026

What if your mood, focus, and energy aren’t random—but driven by internal clocks you rarely think about? This week, circadian rhythm expert Daniel Forger explains why jet lag hits so hard, why sleep timing may matter more than sleep duration, and what your wearable data actually means. If you’ve ever questioned your “sleep score” or wondered whether you’re a morning person by design, this conversation will change how you understand your body’s timing system.

Topics

[0:00] Psychologist Off the Clock!

[1:55] Intro and Speed Round with Daniel Forger

[5:44] Why Crossing Time Zones Messes You Up

[10:07] What Are Biological Rhythms?

[13:03] Is Your Apple Watch Accurate?

[22:44] How Your Biological Rhythms Impact Mood and Performance

[27:17] Could Humans Adapt to a 25-Hour Day?

[36:31] Circadian Rhythms and Happiness

[44:39] The Three Most Important Lessons About Biological Timing

[49:32] Bach, Pipe Organs, and Mathematical Patterns

[53:41] Grooving Session: The Intersection of Biology and Happiness

Links

About Daniel

Biological Rhythms by Daniel Forger

Primal Dating by Tim Ash and Dr. Limor Gottlieb

Musical Links

Best of Bach

Thursday Feb 19, 2026

Finding Common Ground: When Persuasion Fails and Belief Takes Over

Thursday Feb 19, 2026

In this special Grooving session, we unpack what happens when shared facts collapse and preferred beliefs take their place. Sparked by Kurt's firsthand experience during unrest in Minneapolis, this conversation explores why people reject lived experience, how identity defense and motivated reasoning shut down dialogue, and when it’s rational to stop trying to persuade altogether. Drawing on behavioral science, persuasion research, and real-world encounters, we examine how to choose your battles, why stories succeed where arguments fail, and what it actually takes to find common ground in a belief-first world.

Monday Feb 16, 2026

Primal Dating: What Modern Romance Gets Wrong | Tim Ash

Monday Feb 16, 2026

Dating in 2026 feels broken. The apps promise infinite choice, rom-coms on our screens promise “the one”, and yet frustration, ghosting, and mismatched expectations seem to be more normal than anything actually working out. This week, Tim Ash, author of Primal Dating, joins us as we explore why dating in the modern world feels so unstable and why many of today’s relationship struggles aren’t personal failures, but predictable outcomes of our ancient instincts clashing with modern environments and expectations.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Tim Ash

[7:52] Behavioral tendencies and evolutionary psychology

[18:09] The role of life stages in dating

[26:17] The impact of cultural norms on dating

[30:51] The economic of dating

[35:48] The role of tech in dating

[48:33] The importance of empathy in dating

[56:58] Music talk with Tim and Tim

[1:00:45] Grooving Session: Modern dating for primordial (?) minds

Links

About Tim

How Not to Die Alone by Logan Ury

Music Links

Steely Dan - FM

Chet Baker - Almost Blue

Thursday Feb 12, 2026

Throwback Thursday: The Myth of the "Relationship Spark" | Logan Ury

Thursday Feb 12, 2026

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day...or is that science? Today, we're throwing it back to 2021, when we had the privilege of chatting with Logan Ury, Director of Relationship Science at Hinge, about the challenges people face in modern dating. From getting ready for a first date to maintaining a relationship long term, Logan gives us valuable insights and advice on how to overcome common hurdles and make the most out of each stage or the dating life.

So, the question of the day is - are you a maximizer, satisficer, or romanticizer? Tune in to find out.

Links

About Logan

Music Links

Hamilton - Satisfied

Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Monday Feb 09, 2026

What Dating Apps Miss About Attraction | Paul Eastwick

Monday Feb 09, 2026

You think you know what you want in a partner, but behavioral science says attraction doesn’t work that way. Relationship scientist Paul Eastwick breaks down why dating apps and checklists fail, how attraction actually forms, and why real compatibility grows through interaction, timing, and shared history.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Paul Eastwick

[8:21] Why dating checklists and apps fail us

[14:45] The myth of universal attractiveness

[21:03] How attraction develops over time

[27:29] Is “love at first sight” a lie?

[38:13] The ‘best’ way to meet people

[47:04] The Stroop effect

[54:50] Attraction, identity, and history

[1:01:11] Desert island music picks

[1:03:55] Grooving session: trust, attraction, and relationships beyond dating

Links

Paul Eastwick

Love Factually

Bonded by Evolution by Paul Eastwick