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
Monday Dec 26, 2022
Monday Dec 26, 2022
Scaling behavioral science initiatives from a small research study to a large population is a topic we have enjoyed delving into this year with John A. List in Episode 296. And we are delighted to be joined on this episode by Neela Saldanha PhD who focuses her work on developing the science around scaling policy interventions.
Neela is the Executive Director of the Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale (Y-RISE) which focuses on researching complexities of scaling policy interventions and bringing together global experts to overcome the challenges of scaling. Her work history touches academia, non-profits and the private sector, as well as spanning the globe, including India and the US.
We are grateful to Neela for giving us time to discuss her work on this episode. Our ongoing production of the Behavioral Grooves Podcast is gratefully aided by our Patreon members. If you have enjoyed listening to Behavioral Grooves in 2022, please consider donating to our work through the Behavioral Grooves Patreon page. We also love reading reviews of the podcast, which in turn, helps others find our content.
Topics
(3:37) Welcome and speed round questions.
(8:01) Neela’s work at Y-RISE.
(12:12) The challenges of scaling research findings.
(20:16) Applying behavioral science tools in the field of behavioral science.
(23:40) The bottlenecks to applying behavioral science in organizations.
(27:51) What are the WICKED problems that need to be solved?
(38:00) Music Neela would take to a desert island.
(40:33) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim discussing Neela’s interview.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Neela Saldanha: https://neelasaldanha.com/
Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale (Y-RISE) at Yale University: https://yrise.yale.edu/
“Behavioral Science in the Wild (Behaviorally Informed Organizations)”: https://amzn.to/3xxAD04
David Yokum PhD, Episode 282: Why Applying Behavioral Science to Public Policy Delivers Better Policy: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/behavioral-science-in-public-policy/
John A. List, Episode 296. Fail to Scale: Why Good Research Doesn’t Always Make Great Policy | John A. List: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/fail-to-scale-john-a-list/
John A. List’s book, “The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale”: https://amzn.to/3a0GOjh
Episode 289, Why Not All Nudges Work ”In The Wild” | Nina Mazar PhD & Dilip Soman PhD: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/why-not-all-nudges-work-in-the-wild-nina-mazar-dilip-soman/
Diversifi: https://www.diversifiglobal.com/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Beethoveen’s 9th Symphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkQapdgAa7o&ab_channel=OsloPhilharmonic
Beethoven’s 5th Symphony oboe solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8axcI1K1I1U
R.D. Burdman Bollywood hits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QE2NsbDM0M
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
One of the ways we find our groove is through knowledge – sometimes new ideas, sometimes repeated ideas that are presented in new ways. Sometimes, it’s just reminders of old ideas that deserve a new look. And we love the fresh ideas that we’ve read about this year in the very notable Behavioral Science books of 2022.
Kurt and Tim sit down, in this episode, to discuss the highlights of the books they’ve read in 2022. To save you some time, they have compiled a summary of why they liked each book, and what you can expect to get from reading it.
We’d love to hear about your favorite books of the year. What stood out for you on your book shelf? Have any of your reads this year helped you find your groove? Share your thoughts with Behavioral Grooves on social media:
Twitter: @behavioralgroov
LinkedIn: Behavioral Grooves
Instagram: @behavioralgrooves
Facebook: Behavioral Grooves
Links
Robert Livingston, “The Conversation: How Talking Honestly About Racism Can Transform Individuals and Organizations”: https://amzn.to/3j1tYGb
David McRaney, “How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion”: https://amzn.to/3NvGMPp
Henry Gee, “A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters”: https://amzn.to/3I8HH4W
Annie Duke, “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away”: https://amzn.to/3z47JEP
Ayelet Fishbach, “Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation”: https://amzn.to/3f3ooh4
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, “Don’t Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life”: https://amzn.to/3yICKwT
John A. List, “The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale”: https://amzn.to/3a0GOjh
Daniel Pink, “The Power Of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”: https://amzn.to/3gpU1C9
Jennifer Moss, “The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It”: https://amzn.to/3K3O4be
Jonathan Malesic, “The End of Burnout: Why Work Drains Us and How to Build Better Lives”: https://amzn.to/3tDdS8j
Max Bazerman, “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”: https://amzn.to/3UKjfNJ
Dolly Chugh, “A More Just Future: Psychological Tools for Reckoning with Our Past and Driving Social Change “: https://amzn.to/3Cgs9eq
Linda Babcock, “The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work”: https://amzn.to/3KPuUFM
Nina Mazar & Dilip Soman, “Behavioral Science in the Wild (Behaviorally Informed Organizations)”: https://amzn.to/3xxAD04
Zoe Chance, “Influence Is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen”: https://amzn.to/3EYKXOz
Sam Tatam, “Evolutionary Ideas: Unlocking ancient innovation to solve tomorrow’s challenges“: https://amzn.to/3I6ANwX
Paul Bloom, “The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning”: https://amzn.to/3Kmpweh
Episode 270, The Behavioral Science Books We Just Couldn’t Put Down in 2021 With Louise Ward: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/best-behavioral-science-books-2021/
Episode 194, The 10 Best Behavioral Science Books for 2020: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/10-best-behavioral-science-books/
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Want to start a journaling habit but worried you won't stay motivated? Having the right journal, that is designed using behavioral insights to keep you engaged, is the key.
In this unique Grooving Session, our very own Kurt Nelson takes the hot seat along with his Lantern Group business partner, Ben Granlund to talk about their highly anticipated new product - the Brain/Shift Journal. This new journal is seeped in behavioral insights that help you clearly define and then actually reach your goals.
Previous Behavioral Grooves guest, Katy Milkman, has highlighted that a distinct time in the calendar, like the New Year, is a great time for a fresh start when you can embrace a new habit. And journaling is a popular daily practice that is known to enhance your wellbeing and focus your energy on reaching your goals.
In this episode, you will learn:
- How the Brain/Shift journal came about.
- Who the journal is for.
- What you can expect to get out of using it.
Whether you are new to journaling, or you have tried before but couldn't keep up the habit, the Brain/Shift journal can help you. It makes a perfect gift for yourself or someone you love at Christmas.
Links
Brain/Shift Journal Shopify: https://www.100behaviors.com/products/the-brain-shift-journal-volume-1
Brain/Shift Journal Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Shift-Journal-1/dp/B0BN2JZBJ2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=brain+shift&qid=1670950820&sr=8-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100behaviors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/100behaviors/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/100behaviors
Musical Links
Against Me "Black Me Out": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWB_b480-9c
The Bouncing Souls "Up To Us": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdSmmTQ2_Lc
Dave Hause "Without You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpRjukRq3Hc
Dire Straits "Money For Nothing": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD_cL0
The Proclaimers "I Would Walk 500 Miles": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otXGqU4LBEI
Monday Dec 12, 2022
Monday Dec 12, 2022
We know human behavior isn’t rational. But this episode illustrates behavior using a surprising concept - game theory. This eye opening conversation with Erez Yoeli delves into what game theory is and the remarkable way it can be used to explain the things we think, feel and do.
Our guest, Erez Yoeli has co-authored a new book, alongside Moshe Hoffman, called “Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior”. Erez is a research scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management and he teaches the undergraduate Game Theory course at Harvard. His research focuses on altruism: understanding how it works and how to promote it.
To explain what exactly game theory is, we have turned to Britannica’s user-friendly definition;“economics is much like a game, wherein players anticipate each other's moves, and therefore, it requires a new kind of mathematics, which they called game theory.” This explanation opens the door to exploring how our behavior is influenced by our anticipation of the moves and choices of those around us.
We hope you enjoy our fun and mind blowing chat with Erez on how game theory can bridge the divide between the rationality of classical economics and the irrationality of behavioral science. If you are a regular listener to Behavioral Grooves, please consider supporting the production of the podcast through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves. Or write a review of the podcast on whatever app you’re listening on. Thanks!
Topics
(2:47) Welcome and speed round questions.
(4:59) What exactly is game theory?
(10:03) The Prisoners Dilemma.
(13:23) Erez’s favorite game theory model.
(14:48) What are categorical norms?
(17:07) Game theory and gender balance.
(23:26) The distinction between errors of omission and commission.
(27:26) How we can look at behavioral science differently.
(28:51) What is motivated reasoning?
(32:22) Can exchanging rocket fire actually maintain peace?
(39:45) What would Erez’s desert island music be?
(44:00) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on Hidden Games.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Limited time offer - 23% Discount Brain/Shift Journal: https://www.100behaviors.com/products/the-brain-shift-journal-volume-1
“Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior” by Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli: https://amzn.to/3WbYaxi
The Prisoner’s Dilemma: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma
Charles Darwin “The Descent of Man”: https://amzn.to/3XPFynI
Episode 329, Why Do Good People Let Bad Things Happen? With Max Bazerman: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/why-do-good-people-let-bad-things-happen-with-max-bazerman/
Michael Thaler: https://www.michaelthaler.com/
Musical Links
Grigory Sokolov “Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor“: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRX5uM9cEos&ab_channel=AnsonYeung
Big L “Put It On”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWMjRMJ0dTI
Joseph Haydn “Surprise (Symphony No. 94)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF5kr251BRs
Paul Simon “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABXtWqmArUU&ab_channel=PaulSimonVEVO
Monday Dec 05, 2022
Monday Dec 05, 2022
Exercising your courage muscle every day and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, can have remarkable effect on your mindset and really influence those around you. Pushing through the uncomfortable feeling of simply talking to a stranger, or bravely climbing a ladder to clean your gutters, can make you more prepared for the scary moments in life that you can’t control. For instance, you’ll be more likely to speak up at work when someone says something inappropriate.
Our guest on this episode has transformed his own life by pushing himself out of his comfort zone everyday. And he is passionate about helping others spark this change in themselves. Scott Simon was a shy, quiet child who was once told by a music teacher that he should just mime the words in a school concert. Scott continued to feel invisible until a life-changing moment, years later, on a flight to Tel Aviv. He shares this heartwarming story of how he embraced a new way to live, in this very personal interview.
Scott Simon is a happiness entrepreneur, founder of the Scare Your Soul courage movement, and the author of the book Scare Your Soul: 7 Powerful Principles to Harness Fear and Lead Your Most Courageous Life. We discuss how we can embrace fear rather than trying to overcome it, the ways to stay motivated when we encounter failure, and the proven benefits of meditation and daily gratitude.
One of the big takeaways from this podcast with Scott is that scaring yourself doesn’t need to involve jumping out of a plane to overcome your fear of heights. In fact, Scott advocates for the much less dramatic, but more effective approach of consistency. Climbing a ladder to clean your gutters every day for a week is much more likely to help you overcome your fear of heights than launching yourself out of an airplane. Small, daily incremental steps outside of your comfort zone are what can have a ripple effect on your wellbeing. And when we improve our own wellbeing, those around us start to notice which, in turn, can have a positive effect on the world.
As a starter, you could overcome you fear of writing a podcast review! Jump onto the platform where you listen to Behavioral Grooves Podcast, and write a quick summary of why you listen. Thank you!
Topics
(3:18) Welcome and speed round questions.
(5:14) What does it mean to scare ourselves every day?
(10:16) Scaring yourself with baby steps.
(15:03) Confronting the feeling of being uncomfortable.
(18:30) How practicing gratitude can transform your day.
(21:00) How to stay motivated even when we face failure.
(28:31) Why do people find meditation so hard?
(33:41) Heroes are born in small, everyday moments.
(37:43) How music was part of Scott writing his book.
(40:24) The way Scott scared his soul with singing.
(46:23) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on scaring our soul.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Limited time offer - 23% Discount for Brain/Shift Journal: https://www.100behaviors.com/products/the-brain-shift-journal-volume-1
Scott Simon’s book, “Scare Your Soul: 7 Powerful Principles to Harness Fear and Lead Your Most Courageous Life”: https://amzn.to/3VEI65Y
Episode 303, From Distracted To Focused: Nir Eyal’s Secrets On How To Be Indistractable: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/nir-eyal-how-to-be-indistractable/
Episode 176, Annie Duke on How to Decide: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/annie-duke-on-how-to-decide/
Episode 247, Stanford Prison Experiment, 50 Years On: What Have We Really Learnt? With Dr Philip Zimbardo: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/stanford-prison-experiment/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
76 Trombones “Music Man”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBQWsBiM5YY
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Monday Nov 28, 2022
If you were sent an exclusive invite to a secret society, would you accept? If you knew only a few people in the world had been approached to join, would it spark a scarcity curiosity? What is more alluring: the society itself or the mere fact that it’s a secret?
Creating hype is the forte of our returning guest on this episode, Michael F. Schein. In our previous chat with Michael back in episode 212, he was telling us about his book “The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers”. Since writing it, his marketing business has been inundated with clients wanting “in on” some hype! So as a unique way of creating hype, Michael has created a new secret society with only a few (secret) members.
Kurt and Tim spend time discussing the allure of a secret club - why they have been successful in the past, what continues to make them enticing, and how businesses can potentially use them to create hype.
There is something that you can be part of that is definitely not a secret - the Behavioral Grooves Patreon membership. It’s no secret that we rely on the support of our loyal listeners to support the podcast and we truly appreciate everyone who chips in, thank you.
Topics
(5:16) How hype changed Michael’s marketing consultancy career.
(10:51) The details of Michael’s secret society.
(17:30) Are secret groups a tactic businesses should use?
(21:30) How marketing has evolved since the Alice Cooper Piccadilly Circus stunt.
(23:53) How Michael gets to work with only his favorite companies.
(32:02) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Michael F. Schein: https://michaelfschein.com/
Michael’s book “The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers”: https://amzn.to/3V5KVO9
Episode 212, Scrutinizing Hype: Powerful lessons from The Hype Handbook with Michael F. Schein: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/scrutinizing-hype-with-michael-f-schein/
Seven Society, University of Virginia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Society
Jeff Walker “Launch: An Internet Millionaire's Secret Formula To Sell Almost Anything Online, Build A Business You Love, And Live The Life Of Your Dreams”: https://amzn.to/3V9Uv2m
Episode 226, The Power of Unity: Robert Cialdini Expands His Best Selling Book Influence: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/cialdini-unity-in-influence/
The Lake Wobegon Effect: https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Lake_Wobegon_effect
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
The Dickies “Banana Split”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_wkEnLBvlE
Monday Nov 21, 2022
Monday Nov 21, 2022
The web was intended to be a way of creating genuine connections with others, but we’re all sadly familiar with the detrimental ways it can be used to spread misinformation. A team of experts at Prosocial Design Network is now using evidence-based behavioral insights to redesign social media interactions, to bring out the best of us online.
We’re honored to be joined on this episode by two of the designers of the Prosocial Design Network - John Fullot and Philipp Lorentz-Spreen. John Fallot is a user experience and graphic designer based in the New York City Metro Area. He co-founded the Prosocial Design Network with colleague Joel Putnam in late 2019, in order to better explore ways that the web could be optimized for prosocial behaviors.
Dr. Philipp Lorenz-Spreen is a research scientist based in Berlin, Germany. His work focuses on decision making online, and finding ways to improve online democratic discourse through environmental interventions.
There are certainly no silver bullets in the effort of minimizing the spread of misinformation. But this conversation gives us hope and provides some insights for everyone on how to approach social media in a better way.
We encourage you to check out the work of the Prosocial Design Network and browse through the interventions they are currently testing: www.prosocialdesign.org.
Topics
(3:34) Welcome and speed round questions.
(6:41) Can we inoculate ourselves from misinformation online?
(8:38) Redesigning the world wide web against misinformation.
(13:28) Is misinformation on social media really threatening democracy?
(16:50) Asymmetry of power between the platform and the users.
(24:15) John and Phillip’s favorite Prosocial Design intervention: frictionless designs and "thank you" buttons.
(28:33) Which social media sites are being proactive with interventions?
(30:47) What is the obligation of behavioral scientists?
(37:11) What music do John and Phillip listen to?
(42:11) Grooving Session with Kurt on Tim on the Prosocial Design Network.
© 2022 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Prosocial Design Network: www.prosocialdesign.org
Prosocial Design Network Slack: www.prosocialdesign.org/community
Prosocial Design Network donations: www.prosocialdesign.org/donate
Maxwell House commercial with Margaret Hamilton: https://youtu.be/tUnNDEygBjA\
Discord: https://discord.com/
Lorenz-Spreen, P., Lewandowsky, S., Sunstein, C.R. et al. How behavioural sciences can promote truth, autonomy and democratic discourse online. Nat Hum Behav (2020): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-0889-7
Lorenz-Spreen, P., Geers, M., Pachur, T. et al. Boosting people’s ability to detect microtargeted advertising. Sci Rep (2021): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94796-z
Episode 10, Kal Turnbull Reddit superstar, Changing the World One View at a Time: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/changing-the-world-one-view-at-a-time-with-reddit-superstar-kal-turnbull/
Nir Eyal “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”: https://amzn.to/3XeWgMM
Episode 303, From Distracted To Focused: Nir Eyal’s Secrets On How To Be Indistractable: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/nir-eyal-how-to-be-indistractable/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
John:
Tears For Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule The World”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGCdLKXNF3w&ab_channel=TearsForFearsVEVO
Kat Cunning “Could Be Good”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFh4dnKPKs
Phillip:
Pashanim “Airwaves”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5wsXLmWhCM&ab_channel=PashanimNulldreinull
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