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
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Would you help change a stranger’s tire? How about if they offered you $20? Or, what if instead of money, they offered you some candy?
We often think these types of exchanges are financial in nature - but this study explored how there is actually a different type of exchange going on here - a social exchange. When we help a friend move some furniture, invite friends over for dinner, help a stranger out who is in need - these are social exchanges in a social market, one that is separate from the financial market. And what’s even more interesting is that if you bring money into the social exchange, it falls apart.
James Heyman and Dan Ariely explored this phenomena in their landmark study called, “Effort for Payment: A Tale of Two Markets” and is the basis for Kurt and Tim taking a deep look in this Groove Track.
Listen to find out the backstory to the study and the implications from the findings. You can also watch a special video recording of this Groove Track with Kurt and Tim on the Behavioral Grooves YouTube Channel.
Links
Heyman, J., & Ariely, D. (2004). Effort for Payment: A Tale of Two Markets. Psychological Science: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00757.x
Behavioral Grooves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkmH8St_nsA&ab_channel=BehavioralGrooves
Monday Nov 14, 2022
Monday Nov 14, 2022
We find it easy to condemn wrongdoers, after they’ve been called out. But why do we often let unethical behavior occur around us, and not speak out? If we take a step back from the idea of there being one “bad apple”, we realize that with any wrongdoing, there is a collection of people who have been complicit in the behavior. Why is there so much fear about speaking up?
“We've created too much fear in speaking up, when in fact, there's so much value in avoiding harm in that process.“ ~ Max Bazerman
Our fascinating conversation with Max Bazerman aligns with the publication of his excellent new book, “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”. Our discussion is rich with insight, in particular we delve into the reason that we hold people, including ourselves, more responsible for errors of commission than omission. So how can we avoid errors of omission?
Max Bazerman is a world famous behavioral scientist. He is the Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and the Co-Director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of twenty books and over 200 research articles and chapters. His awards include an honorary doctorate from the University of London and both the Distinguished Educator Award and the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Academy of Management.
Over the years, Max has brought focus to the areas of decision making and ethics. Having been on the show before, we were delighted to welcome Max back to Behavioral Grooves once again. We hope you enjoy this episode of Behavioral Grooves. If you do, please write a review or share with a friend on Apple Podcasts. Thanks, listeners!
Topics
(3:16) What does it mean to be complicit?
(13:02) How errors of omission play an under-rated role in complicit behavior.
(18:21) How to move away from the idea that there is one bad apple?
(21:48) Unethical behavior goes unnoticed when it happens gradually.
(23:14) Do we legitimize unethical behavior in our leaders?
(25:51) Do employees need to be made to care about unethical behavior or do they need to demand ethical behavior from employees?
(27:26) When complicitors are engaged in illegal behavior.
(29:29) How can we hold people accountable for their bad behavior?
(37:33) Max’s personal story of being complicit.
(39:31) Are there new norms on data collection that can eliminate fraud?
(42:23) Dolly Chugh’s question for Max.
(46:11) How can we all become better people?
(49:05) What music does Max enjoy?
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Max Bazerman’s book: “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”: https://amzn.to/3UKjfNJ
Episode 196, Living Happier By Making the World Better with Max Bazerman: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/living-happier-by-making-the-world-better-with-max-bazerman/
Episode 325, Dolly Chugh: Can You Unlearn History And Still Love Your Country? With Dolly Chugh: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/dolly-chugh/
Bobo Doll Experiments: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html
Episode 247, Stanford Prison Experiment, 50 Years On: What Have We Really Learnt? With Dr Philip Zimbardo: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/stanford-prison-experiment/
Heroic Imagination Society: https://www.heroicimagination.org/
Musical Links
Bob Dylan “Blowin’ in the wind”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMFj8uDubsE
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Monday Nov 07, 2022
How we think about the world can drastically influence how we navigate through it. Cutting edge research proves that reframing our mindset to be more positive, even in the light of negative events, can significantly alter how our brain responds.
Discussing one of our favorite books of the year, author David Robson explains how our expectations can secretly meddle with almost every aspect of our lives. And by understanding their effects more thoroughly, we can unlock some powerful ways of living a more positive life.
This is a special episode, not only because we are talking with David Robson about his fantastic book “The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World”, but we are co-hosting this episode with one of our favorite podcasters, Christian Hunt of Human Risk Podcast. And just to top it off, the interview is recorded in none other than the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London!
Now that your expectations are set suitably high, we hope we don’t disappoint you with what we think is a fantastic episode of Behavioral Grooves! If Behavioral Grooves Podcast continues to meet your listening expectations please consider helping our ongoing production costs with a Patreon subscription. Many thanks!
Topics
(4:20) Welcome and speed round questions.
(7:07) What is the expectation effect?
(8:09) Why the placebo effect doesn’t work on everyone.
(9:36) Our stress response and fluctuations in our cortisol levels.
(13:13) Negative stress mindset vs. positive stress mindset.
(15:00) Does the expectation effect change the way we feel?
(18:16) Is reframing a key component of the expectation effect?
(19:35) David’s journey into exploring expectations.
(22:26) How our mindset can contribute to the outcome of our diet or exercise habit.
(28:41) How marketing sets our expectations.
(33:04) The brain is a prediction machine.
(36:32) Why critical thinking is a tool to manage our expectations.
(39:30) Are you a “good” sleeper or a “bad” sleeper?
(42:35) Being a pessimistic vs an optimistic person.
(45:45) The ethics of expectations - genetic testing.
(50:06) What music David is listening to and our expectations of musicians.
(55:47) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim discussing The Expectation Effect.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
David Robson: https://davidrobson.me/
David Robson’s Book, The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World: https://amzn.to/3DVOXSD
Episode 307, Groove Track | Mind Over Milkshakes: Why Expectations Matter A Lot: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/mind-over-milkshakes-groove-track/
Nocebo Effect: https://www.mindtools.com/blog/expert-interview-blog-david-robson/
Human Risk Podcast with Christian Hunt: https://www.human-risk.com/podcast
Pygmalion effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect
Penolepe Fitzgerald: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penelope_Fitzgerald
Martin Amos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Amis
Episode 155, John Bargh: Dante, Coffee and the Unconscious Mind: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/john-bargh-unconscious-mind/
Episode 75: Jonathan Mann: Integrating Behavioral Science into User Experience: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/jonathan-mann-integrating-behavioral-science-into-user-experience/
Episode 235: Make Choice Rewarding: Behavioral Insights in Marketing with Matthew Willcox: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/marketing-matthew-willcox/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Judy Collins “Spellbound”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnTh7TkFK1U
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Cheating is all around us. Is it on the rise? It appears to be so, but why? Christian Hunt, the founder and host of Human Risk Podcast, and Koen Smets, a London-based behavioral scientist, discuss the dodgy travails of the human condition using examples of cheating in chess, walleye fishing, cycling, and even among behavioral scientists.
Join us for an invigorating discussion on why we cheat - and we all do - from Abbey Road Studios in London.
Human Risk Podcast: https://www.human-risk.com/podcast
Koen Smets on Medium: https://koenfucius.medium.com/
Fishing Scandal: https://youtu.be/xSta3wFK15Y
Chess Scandal: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/05/1126915049/hans-niemann-is-accused-of-cheating-in-more-than-100-chess-games-hes-playing-tod
Bike Race Scandal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_doping
DataColada on Bad Behavioral Science: https://datacolada.org/98
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Learning ALL the parts of our country’s history can be very uncomfortable. Not just in the US, but around the world, there are usually very dark parts of our past that many of us would rather brush over because it doesn’t marry up with the sterilized version of what we were taught when we were younger.
While many of us are willing to take the next step, to unlearn our history and dismantle the unjust systems that our forebears built, few of us actually know how to go about it effectively. Our wonderful guest on this episode, Dolly Chugh admits to her own story of how she inadvertently taught her kids a polished version of history. And in her own personal reckoning around this experience, wrote the book that she found herself needing to read. And we are delighted to be talking with her about “A More Just Future: Psychological Tools for Reckoning with Our Past and Driving Social Change” because it is now a valuable tool for all of us.
Dolly Chugh is a Harvard educated, award-winning social psychologist at the NYU Stern School of Business, where she is an expert researcher in the psychology of good people. We’ve previously had Dolly on the show but we are thrilled to welcome her back to discuss her brand new book.
Topics
(2:07) How Little House On The Prairie led Dolly to write A More Just Future.
(9:24) Behavioral History - the new way of looking at the past?
(11:10) Why do we find it so difficult to talk about the dark parts of our history?
(14:08) How “dressing for the weather” can help us deal with our emotional responses.
(17:56) What other countries can teach the US about our response to history..
(19:37) How a Paradox Mindset can help us sit with uncomfortable truths.
(23:28) How does Dolly feel about America after writing the book?
(26:12) How do we move forward to a more just future?
(29:28) Unlearning our past is simple but not easy.
(31:49) Why is George Takei a gritty patriot?
(37:51) What is belief grief?
(39:42) How psychological distance creates a “long time ago illusion”.
(41:37) Using music to anchor us in time.
(44:52) What question Dolly would ask Max Bazerman?
(47:54) Grooving Session with Tim and Kurt discussing A More Just Future.
If you are a regular listener to Behavioral Grooves, please consider donating to our work through Patreon. Writing a review of the podcast is also a great way to share your appreciation with other listeners.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Dolly’s book “A More Just Future: Psychological Tools for Reckoning with Our Past and Driving Social Change “: https://amzn.to/3Cgs9eq
Episode 230, How Good People Fight Bias with Dolly Chugh: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/how-good-people-fight-bias/
Dolly’s TED Talk: “How to let go of being a "good" person — and become a better person”: https://www.ted.com/talks/dolly_chugh_how_to_let_go_of_being_a_good_person_and_become_a_better_person?language=en
Episode 280, Do We Judge Others By The Way They Speak? | Katherine Kinzler PhD: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/judging-by-the-way-others-speak/
Historiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historiography
Dan Gilbert “Stumbling on Happiness”: https://amzn.to/3zdV4iD
Episode 321, Robert Livingston: How To Have A Conversation About Racism: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/a-conversation-about-racism/
Angela Duckworth “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”: https://amzn.to/3suuRZh
“Construal-Level Theory of Psychological Distance” Yaacov Trope and Nira Liberman (2011): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3152826/
Max Bazerman “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”: https://amzn.to/3TSE7lB
Episode 232: Katy Milkman: How to Make Healthy Habits that Actually Last: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/katy-milkman-habits-that-last/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Bob Marley “Buffalo Soldier”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5FCdx7Dn0o
Hamilton “Alexander Hamilton”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhinPd5RRJw
In the Heights “No Me Diga”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrFH772ytzM
Louis Armstrong “Hello Dolly”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7N2wssse14
Monday Oct 24, 2022
Monday Oct 24, 2022
People don’t hate change, they hate the ambiguity that comes with change. Organizational psychologist, Dr Debbie Sutherland PhD, shares the tools we can use, both in business settings and in our personal lives, to overcome our discomfort with ambiguity and to thrive in uncertain environments.
Debbie is an academic executive coach with both a masters degree and doctorate degree from Columbia University. She has recently written a well researched book, The Business of Ambiguity: Demystify the Unknown with Five Key Thinking and Behavior Strategies, which gives business leaders a blueprint for making better decisions in ambiguous situations. After all, ambiguous and uncertain situations aren’t going away, so we might as well figure out how to deal with them!
Thank you to all our listeners of Behavioral Grooves, we enjoy sharing unique insights with you. If you have enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review on your podcast player. Or you can contribute financially to our work through our Patreon page.
Topics
(2:31) Welcome and speed round questions.
(5:35) Why do people hate ambiguity?
(9:40) How frustration led to Debbie’s research on ambiguity?
(11:25) The value of critical reflection.
(16:11) How journaling can help you find patterns in behavior.
(21:09) Mental models of ambiguity.
(23:02) Reflection IN action vs. reflection ON action.
(25:44) The ambiguity of THE dress.
(29:18) The Ambiguity Mindset – intuitive or learned?
(30:26) Where do leaders make mistakes with managing ambiguity?
(38:25) What music would Debbie take to a desert island?
(43:04) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on ambiguity.
Links
Debbie Sutherland’s book “The Business of Ambiguity: Demystify the Unknown with Five Key Thinking and Behavior Strategies”: https://amzn.to/3MFuh3W
The Business of Ambiguity: https://www.behaviorsinbusiness.com/
Groups Relations Conferences: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/organization-and-leadership/social-organizational-psychology/degree-info/group-relations-conferences/
Gestalt Psychology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology
Dr Pamela Booth research on Behavior Analysis: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Behaviour-Analysis%3A-Catalyst-for-Perspective-and-of-Booth/d90d2da66a769d574e99a5dcf6f5ced41a689ee1
David Schon, The Reflective Practitioner: https://graysreadinggroup.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/the-reflective-practitioner-by-donald-schon/
Episode 178, Kwame Christian: On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/kwame-christian-on-compassionate-curiosity-social-justice-conversations-and-cinnamon-toast-crunch/
Episode 323, Quit: Why We Do It Too Late and How To Get Better At It with Annie Duke: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/quit-with-annie-duke/
Episode 322, Chuck Wisner: Four Steps To More Effective Conversations: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/more-effective-conversations/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Eminem “Fall”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfTbHITdhEI
Vivaldi “Four Seasons”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA
Monday Oct 17, 2022
Monday Oct 17, 2022
Walking away is never easy. Whether it’s quitting a job, a relationship or an expedition to the peak of Mount Everest, we have a real problem with knowing when to stop. And ironically, when we do quit, we often wish we’d done it earlier. So why do we find it so difficult to quit? Annie Duke addresses the psychological reasons that prevent us from quitting, and how we can overcome them.
Annie needs little introduction to the Behavioral Grooves Podcast as she is now the only guest to have been on the show 4 times! Most people know of her as a poker champion and bestselling author but we are lucky enough to call her a friend. One of the reasons we are so fond of Annie is her ability to use relatable stories to explain the complex concepts around decision making. She has emerged as one of the leading thinkers in the field, and is truly an intellectual powerhouse. So we are thrilled to be talking to Annie about her excellent new book, “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away”.
We don't like ambiguity. We don't like uncertainty. We keep chugging along, trying to accrue more certainty. So that we know that it's the right decision....As Richard Thaler, Nobel laureate said to me; “the only time that we were really willing to quit is when it's not a decision anymore.”
~ Annie Duke, Episode 323
In this episode, Annie touches on key themes around quitting. We talk about the reasons we find quitting so difficult, why mantras like “quit while you’re ahead” are complete bunkum, and what techniques we can use to ensure we quit at the right time. Annie also sets the record straight on the myth that grit and quitting are opposite sides of the same coin. The concepts actually overlap.
We hope you enjoy this episode (and didn’t quit!). To help others find our podcast content, we would be grateful if you would write us a quick review on your podcast player. It helps us get noticed by other folk who are interested in podcasts about behavioral science. Thank you, and we appreciate your help.
Topics
(5:36) Annie’s story of quitting and her personal frustration.
(12:39) Grit and quit are NOT polar opposites.
(22:53) What are some of the psychological aspects that make quitting hard?
(36:31) What is the difference between loss aversion and sure loss aversion?
(42:29) Why we shouldn’t quit while we’re ahead.
(49:10) Gut feel vs rational decisions.
(53:29) What Mount Everest can teach us about when to quit.
(1:03:36) The second way to help you quit – a quitting coach.
(1:10:44) The backstory of Barry Staw.
(1:20:40) Grooving Session with Tim and Kurt about quitting.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Annie Duke’s Books:
“Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away”: https://amzn.to/3z47JEP
“Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts”: https://amzn.to/3Vvaick
Angela Duckworth book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”: https://amzn.to/3ECSLsS
Episode 107, Rory Sutherland: The Opposite of a Good Idea is a Good Idea: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/rory-sutherland-the-opposite-of-a-good-idea-is-a-good-idea/
Maya Shankar: A Slight Change Of Plans Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-slight-change-of-plans/id1561860622
Episode 310, Why You Can’t Find a Cab When It’s Raining – Groove Track: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/why-you-cant-find-cabs-in-the-rain/
Barry Staw: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/staw-barry/
Episode 277, No Regrets? Really? Why Regrets Actually Bring Us Hope | Daniel H. Pink: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/why-regrets-bring-us-hope/
Episode 171, Self Control, Belonging, and Why Your Most Dedicated Employees Are the Ones To Watch Out For with Roy Baumeister: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/self-control-belonging-and-why-your-most-dedicated-employees-are-the-ones-to-watch-out-for-with-roy-baumeister/
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Conversations are vital to our existence - after all, we talk with people every day. But have you ever dissected what makes a conversation effective? When we are more conscious of how we are talking with others, we can nurture more productive connections, and avoid common pitfalls that often derail our conversations.
In this episode, we explore the importance of conscious conversations, with author Chuck Wisner, whose new book The Art Of Conscious Conversations: Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact is coming out in mid October 2022. Chuck’s insights are built on a fascinating mix of careers: from architect to personal coach, with a stop-off as a mediator at the Harvard Law Mediation Program.
With Chuck, we discuss the four sequential stages to an effective conversation:
- Storytelling
- Collaboration
- Creativity
- Commitment
We explore the role our identity plays in shaping the stories we tell ourselves, why leaders’ authority can make their voice louder, and how some of our best ideas happen when we are stimulating our creative minds.
“The stories we live by and tell ourselves and others are essential to our identity.” ~ Chuck Wisner
If you enjoy listening to Behavioral Grooves Podcast, please consider donating to our work through our Patreon page. We use all the donations to fund the production of the podcast. Thanks!
Topics
(2:31) Welcome and speed round questions.
(4:35) The stories we tell ourselves are central to our identity.
(5:34) The Art of Conscious Conversation Book.
(10:14) The first of the four types of conversations: storytelling.
(18:56) Collaboration, the second step of successful conversations.
(22:38) How re-engaging with our creative minds assists our conversations.
(28:56) Why commitment is the active part of a conversation.
(38:06) How music is part of Chuck’s life.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
The Art of Conscious Conversations: Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact: https://amzn.to/3clNtGk
Episode 178: Kwame Christian On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/kwame-christian-on-compassionate-curiosity-social-justice-conversations-and-cinnamon-toast-crunch/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Joe Morello “Take 5 Drum Solo”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tTyTc6FjjU
Delbert McClinton “Ain’t That Lovin’ You”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCN2og2kKdk
Monday Oct 03, 2022
Monday Oct 03, 2022
Racism is solvable, but that doesn’t mean we will solve it. To close the gap between the probable and possible, we need to have meaningful conversations.
“Conversation is one of the most powerful ways to build knowledge, awareness, and empathy and ultimately, impact change.”
In his award winning book, “The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations”, Dr Robert Livingston PhD provides a compass and a roadmap for individuals and for organizational leaders to solve racism. As a leading Harvard social psychologist, he expertly combines his research and narrative for an audience who is eager to be part of the solution.
Robert talks with us about the lightbulb moment he realized storytelling was a powerful way to engage an audience. By building relationships and using narratives, you can change people’s behavior in a way that facts and graphs simply don’t.
Our conversation with Robert gives us the tools to firstly define racism and recognize its existence. We learn why motivated reasoning tries to protect us from the threat of addressing our own racism. But if we approach the painful conversations with a growth mindset, we can allow ourselves the grace to learn.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
(3:13) Welcome and speed round questions.
(4:23) Is racism a solvable problem?
(6:19) Why conversation is so crucial to overcoming racism.
(13:18) How The Press Model can help solve racism.
(19:47) Why are people in denial about racism?
(25:12) How to challenge the “I’m not a racist” relative?
(28:48) How to have a conversation about racism, rather than a debate.
(36:20) Why do we confuse equity and equality?
(45:03) People are not as concerned about fairness as they are about winning.
(47:52) What music would Robert take to a desert island?
Links
Robert Livingston's book “The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations”: https://amzn.to/3DdQZOc
Episode 232, Katy Milkman: How to Make Healthy Habits that Actually Last: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/katy-milkman-habits-that-last/
“Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game That They Are Now Losing” Michael Norton and Samuel Sommers (2011): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691611406922
Carol Dweck “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”: https://amzn.to/3SBhamm
Amy Edmondson: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451
Episode 178, Kwame Christian: On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/kwame-christian-on-compassionate-curiosity-social-justice-conversations-and-cinnamon-toast-crunch/
Episode 230, How Good People Fight Bias with Dolly Chugh: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/how-good-people-fight-bias/
Musical Links
Stevie Wonder “Songs In The Key of Life”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiG9eiwUpHo
Miles Davis “So What”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqNTltOGh5c
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Close your eyes and visualize a horse. Most people can picture the outline of the body, the color of the horse and the unique features of the animal. But some people simply don’t see any image at all. This lack of a mind’s eye is known as aphantasia.
To help explain exactly what aphantasia is, and how it can affect behavior, we talk with Professor Adam Zeman who actually helped identify and name the neurological condition. Adam has a medical degree and a PhD in philosophy from Oxford University. He’s been a lecturer and professor of cognitive and behavioral neurology and has published extensively on visual imagery and forms of amnesia occurring in epilepsy. Adam has also published an introduction to neurology for the general audiences called, A Portrait of the Brain. But the reason we are talking to Adam on this episode is about his research on our “minds eye”. He discusses how a lack of visual imagery (aphantasia) or overly vivid imagery (hyperphantasia) can be identified and what effects it has on our behavior.
We often ask guests on the show about whether their work is influenced by “me-search”; something of particular interest to them personally. Well, this episode is a little bit of me-search for our own Kurt Nelson who himself has aphantasia. Join both Kurt and Tim as they both find out more about the recent research into the condition and how we should all be aware of how it affects people.
Thank you to all our listeners of Behavioral Grooves, we enjoy sharing unique insights with you. If you have enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review on your podcast player. Or you can contribute financially to our work through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves.
Topics
(3:36) Welcome and speed round questions.
(5:15) How Adam discovered the condition aphantasia.
(10:30) How aphantasia can affect all the senses.
(12:45) The prevalence of aphantasia.
(15:38) The behavioral differences that are present with aphantasia.
(19:42) What careers suit people with a lack of mind’s eye?
(23:39) What causes aphantasia?
(25:51) The differences between voluntary and involuntary visualization.
(30:41) Visualization is an echo of vision.
(35:21) What music Adam will take to a desert island.
(37:51) About The Mind’s Eye Project.
(42:49) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Aphantasia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia
Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ): https://aphantasia.com/vviq/
Professor Adam Zeman: https://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=adam_zeman
The Mind’s Eye Project: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/cspe/projects/the-eyes-mind/
“Picture This? Some Just Can’t” by Carl Zimmer, 2015: https://carlzimmer.com/picture-this-some-just-cant-101/
Hyperphantasia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperphantasia#:~:text=Hyperphantasia%20is%20the%20condition%20of,as%20vivid%20as%20real%20seeing%22.
Ed Catmull: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Catmull
Craig Venter: https://www.jcvi.org/about/j-craig-venter
Blake Ross: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Ross
Think of a horse: https://aphantasia.com/think-of-a-horse/
Musical Links
David Gray “Sail Away”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oyBnvibWEY
Bach “Cello Suite No.1 in G Major”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1prweT95Mo0
Mendelssohn “Overture: The Hebrides”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQyN7MYSN8