Stories, science and secrets from the world’s brightest thought-leaders. Behavioral Grooves is the podcast that satisfies your curiosity of why we do what we do. Explanations of human behavior that will improve your relationships, your wellbeing, and your organization by helping you find your groove.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Faisal Naru traces the explosive growth of behavioral science in policy from 2010 to today, highlighting how Global South nations are using it to address complex problems like poverty and public health. He makes the case for embedding behavioral science teams into organizations long-term—moving from quick “silver bullet” fixes to enduring “golden nuggets” of insight.
Topics
[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Faisal Naru
[6:42] Behavioral Science Policy Units and Global Trends
[15:23] Global Approaches - North vs. South
[24:33] How Different Systems Support Behavioral Science
[36:25] The Golden Nuggets of Behavioral Policy
[48:55] Desert Island Music
[51:22] Grooving Session: The Future of Behavioral Science
Links
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Monday May 12, 2025
Monday May 12, 2025
What if the key to growth isn’t finding better answers, but asking better questions? In this episode, Elizabeth Weingarten shares insights from her book How to Fall in Love with Questions, exploring how embracing uncertainty can lead to greater self-awareness, resilience, and connection. Blending personal stories, behavioral science, and wisdom from poet Rilke, she introduces the idea of a “questions practice” — a mindset shift that helps us navigate life’s toughest moments with curiosity and clarity.
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Elizabeth Weingarten
[11:04] The Power of Loving Questions
[15:50] The Biological Need for Certainty
[21:48] The Role of Patience in Asking Questions
[39:18] Questions and the Role of Behavioral Science
[47:57] Desert Island Music
[50:38] Grooving Session: The Value of Sitting With Questions
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
How to Fall in Love with Questions
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Music Links
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
Economist and philosopher Mark Fabian joins the show to explore how we can move beyond the pursuit of happiness toward a deeper, values-driven life. Drawing from behavioral science, philosophy, and his new book Beyond Happy, Mark challenges the idea of happiness as an end goal and introduces the concept of “generalized flow.” From escaping the hedonic treadmill to cultivating self-awareness and community, this episode is a guide to rethinking what it means to live well.
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Mark Fabian
[8:56] Concept of Well-Being and Happiness
[15:45] How to Live a Valuable Life
[25:19] How to Discover Your Core Self
[32:54] Self-Actualization and Community
[42:42] The Role of Flow and Zest in a Good Life
[51:05] Desert Island Music
[56:18] Grooving Session: Zest, Identity, and Reframing Happiness
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi’s research on Flow
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Musical Links
The Weeknd - House of Balloons
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
What if we stopped trying to win or avoid conflict—and instead built the resilience to grow through it? In this episode, neurologist Joel Salinas and conflict resolution expert Bob Bordone offer a powerful reframe on disagreement, showing how neuroscience and self-awareness can help us break old patterns and build stronger relationships.
Topics
[0:00] BG Special Announcement!
[1:15] Intro and Speed Round with Joel and Bob
[6:29] What is Conflict Resilience?
[10:41] The Neuroscience Behind Conflict
[18:35] Understanding Our Reflexive Conflict Responses
[25:03] Practical Applications and Examples
[32:15] Neuroplasticity and Changing How We Handle Disagreement
[42:15] Building a Culture of Conflict Resilience at Work
[49:45] Dolly Parton: A Model for Growth?
[53:15] Desert Island Music Picks
[55:15] Grooving Session: Conflict Resilience at Work and Beyond
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In
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Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
In this special republish episode science journalist David McRaney joins us to explore the surprising science behind belief, persuasion, and why minds change. We discuss tribal truth, perceptual differences (remember the dress?), and why Step Zero—examining why you want to change someone’s mind—is essential for meaningful dialogue.
Topics
[4:18] Welcome and speed round questions.
[11:18] How minds change vs. how to change minds.
[14:35] How is elaboration different from learning?
[27:27] Mini Grooving Session on the difference between beliefs, opinions and attitudes.
[34:09] Why do you want to change someone’s mind?
[41:03] The moment David realized he should question why, not just how to change minds.
[52:55] Mini Grooving Session on why to change minds.
[57:27] Why some see the dress as gold & white and some see it as blue & black.
[1:18:28] Mini Grooving Session on the dress and the crocs.
[1:22:15] Truth is tribal.
[1:35:33] Mini Grooving Session on having a social safety net.
[1:40:38] What was the catalyst for David becoming interested in conspiracy theories?
[1:46:19] How to get people off the conspiratorial loop?
[1:51:23] What musical artists would David take to a desert island?
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion by David McRaney
Wallisch, Pascal & Karlovich, Michael. (2019). Disagreeing about Crocs and socks: Creating profoundly ambiguous color displays
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Music Links
Radiohead - No Surprises
Colin Stetson - Spindrift
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Kweilin Ellingrud, McKinsey’s Global Chief of Diversity and Inclusion, joins us to discuss The Broken Rung—the missed first promotion that derails many women's careers before they even begin. She shares how to build “experience capital,” why soft skills matter more than we think, and how the right first moves can lead to long-term equity and empowerment. With practical advice for women and leaders alike, this episode is a call to action to fix the ladder from the bottom up.
Topics
[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Kweilin Ellingrud
[5:39] What is the “Broken Rung”?
[12:00] Strategies for Overcoming the Broken Rung
[20:36] Building Skills to Future-Proof Careers
[30:39] Addressing Biases and Cognitive Biases
[35:47] Personal Health and Financial Well-being
[41:10] Desert Island Music
[43:19] Grooving Session - Networking, Bias, and Building Experience Capital
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
The Broken Rung - by Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and Mareia del Mar Martinez
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Musical Links
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Dr. Rosalind Chow joins us to explore how status, power, and perspective shape what we view as “reasonable”—and why marginalized voices are often held to a different standard. From stalled DEI efforts to the illusion of objectivity among dominant groups, Rosalind challenges us to rethink who gets to define what counts as change.
Topics
[0:00] Intro and Speed Round
[6:26] The difference between sponsorship and mentorship
[10:13] Why corporate relationships are important
[16:05] Why DEI efforts often stall
[27:00] The moral cost of assimilations
[31:20] Well-meaning allies
[46:56] Desert Island music
[50:15] Grooving Session - The importance of Mentorship
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
The Doors You Can Open - by Rosalind Chow
The Social Psychology of Inequality - CUNY Graduate Center
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Music Links
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Neuroscientist Richard Cytowic takes us on a journey through the world of synesthesia and how it reveals the fascinating ways our brains interpret reality. But that’s just the beginning. We dive into the challenges of our Stone Age brains in the digital age, busting the multitasking myth, exploring the cognitive costs of social media, and discovering why silence and imagination are more crucial than ever. Tune in to reclaim your focus and rethink your relationship with technology.
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Intro: Synesthesia and Richard Cytowic
[4:11] Speed Round: Nature vs Nurture?
[10:06] Social Media - Necessary evil?
[17:52] The myth of multitasking
[28:54] The importance of boredom
[37:06] Why silence is essential
[45:32] Emotional intelligence and resilience
[52:31] Grooving Session: Digital media, mental health, and what lies ahead
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age
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Musical Links
Babbling Brook - Background Noise for Work
Forest and River Sounds - Relaxing Background Noise
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Creativity isn’t reserved for the select few—it’s in all of us. This episode explores the science behind innovation with experts Matt Arnold and Adam Hansen, uncovering why we doubt our creative abilities and how to overcome the cognitive barriers that stifle new ideas. From breaking free of negativity bias to embedding innovation into workplace culture, this conversation is packed with insights to help you unlock your full creative potential.
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Introduction - Are We Natural Innovators?
[6:57] What Blocks Innovations
[12:28] The Power of Brain Breaks
[19:34] Leadership and Fostering Innovation
[29:44] The Interaction of Behavioral Science and Innovation
[40:20] Practical Tips to Foster Creativity
[49:10] How Organizations Can Utilize Innovation
[58:15] How to Overcome Negativity and Bias in Brainstorming
[1:08:09] Innovation Challenges at Big Companines
[1:17:00] Psychological Safety in Innovation
[1:34:45] Why Businesses Struggle with Long-Term Innovation
[1:42:15] Practical Steps for Bringing Innovation to Work
[1:47:30] Grooving Session: Innovation, Science, and How to Manage
©2025 Behavioral Grooves
Links
How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy
Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon Mackenzie
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
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Music Links
Billie Holiday - Blue Moon
Woody Guthrie - Tear the Fascist Down
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
It’s about time we put Kurt and Tim in the hot seat! This week, we’re turning the tables and making them answer your questions. Pulling from our recent listener survey, they sit down with their producer to tackle everything from the making of Behavioral Grooves to insights on behavioral science—and, of course, the all-important question of what they’d do with a hippo-sized corgi. Tune in for a fun, behind-the-scenes bonus episode!
Check out our YouTube for a video version of this episode!
Topics
[0:00] New to BG - Ask Us Anything!
[2:03] How Kurt and Tim Met
[4:24] Inspiration to Join Behavioral Science
[8:08] Behavioral Grooves’ Origin Story
[19:28] Behavioral Science Myths and Misconceptions
[30:04] Adopting Behavioral Science in Workplaces
[43:15] Fields That Need Behavioral Science
[47:34] Rhino or Corgi?
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