Setting specific goals
EPISODE 197 Successful New Year’s Resolutions in 4 Quick Tips \
If you’re like the rest of us, your new year’s resolutions don’t last beyond St. Valentine’s Day. That’s okay – it’s normal. The trouble…
EPISODE 160 Grooving: On Goals and Goal Setting\
[NOTE: This episode is republished from #92 in October 2019.] Goals are often misunderstood. Goals are much more than just objectives that are handed…
EPISODE 92 Grooving: On Goals \
Goals are often misunderstood. Goals are much more than just objectives that are handed down to subordinates. Rather, goals are self-determined in the best…
EPISODE 44 Sam Tatam: Smelling the Brand \
Sam Tatam is the behavioral strategy director at Ogilvy in London. Sam helps his clients develop new ways to manage behavioral issues they have…
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EPISODE 539 Fame, Incels, and the Need to Matter | Rebecca Goldstein \
What makes a life meaningful? We’re getting philosophical this week with author Rebecca Newberger Goldstein as we explore the deeply human need to feel…
EPISODE 538 The Hidden Rules of Lucky People | Judd Kessler \
What if luck isn’t random at all? This week, we’re chatting with author and economist Judd Kessler to investigate the invisible systems that shape…
EPISODE 537 How the Spaces Around Us Shape Our Lives | Leidy Klotz \
Why do some spaces energize us while others feel draining? We’re rearranging everything as we sit down with Leidy Klotz to explore the hidden…
EPISODE 536 Why We’re Lonely Together | Nick Epley \
Why do we crave connection while constantly avoiding it? It’s a Nick Epley-fest this month on Behavioral Grooves as we welcome him back to…
EPISODE 535 The Biggest Mistake We Make About Others – Behavioral Grooves LIVE \
What happens when you spend eight years researching and interviewing some of the greatest minds in behavioral science? In this special 500th episode celebration,…
EPISODE 534 Why Don’t I Feel Loved? | Sonja Lyubomirsky \
What if the problem isn’t whether people love you, but whether you actually feel it? In this episode full of feels, Sonja Lyubomirsky joins…
EPISODE 533 The Silent Killer in Your Workplace | Tom Rieger \
Fear isn’t always about things that go bump in the night. At work, it often shows up in far subtler ways, and it may…
EPISODE 532 How to Influence Others (Ethically) | Brian Ahearn \
Should “yes” always be the goal? In this episode, we reconnect with influence expert Brian Ahearn to explore a more nuanced, ethical approach to…
EPISODE 531 How to Design Work That People Love | Marcus Buckingham \
What if everything we’ve been taught about strengths at work is wrong? This week, we’re chatting with Marcus Buckingham to challenge one of the…
EPISODE 530 Why Some People Just Click (and Others Don’t) | Maya Rossignac-Milon \
Have you ever felt like you really just clicked with someone? That sense of being on the same wavelength—finishing each other’s sentences, riffing, and…
EPISODE 529 Are We Solving the Wrong Problems? | Nick Chater \
What if we’ve been focusing on the wrong kind of behavior change all along? And if that’s true, what does it mean—not just for…
EPISODE 528 Can AI Strengthen Democracy? | Sandy Pentland \
What if the key to AI isn’t better algorithms, but better conversations? This week, we’re joined by MIT researcher and AI pioneer Sandy Pentland…
EPISODE 527 The Real Secret to Living Longer | Ken Stern \
What’s the real determination for living a long, happy life? This week, Ken Stern joins us to talk about his book, Healthy to 100,…
EPISODE 526 Are You Too Agreeable? | Dr. Sunita Sah \
Why are we agreeable when we know we shouldn’t be? Why do we nod along with authority figures, bosses, doctors, even family and friends,…
EPISODE 525 What Happened to the Person I Knew? Why Relationships Change \
Long-term relationships aren’t static; they evolve. And sometimes that evolution feels less like growth and more like loss. This week, we take the mic…
EPISODE 524 Why Does Jet Lag Hit so Hard? | Daniel Forger \
What if your mood, energy, focus – even your sense of happiness – was shaped by something you barely notice? This week, we’re looking…
EPISODE 523 Primal Dating: What Modern Romance Gets Wrong | Tim Ash \
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…
EPISODE 522 What Dating Apps Miss About Attraction | Paul Eastwick \
Most of us believe we know exactly what we want in a romantic partner. We might have lists, preferences, pros/cons, or dealbreakers that we’ve…
EPISODE 521 How Small Phrases Make Big Impacts | James Geary \
There are phrases that stick with us. They surface in moments of stress, uncertainty, or decision-making, offering a surprising sense of clarity when life…
EPISODE 520 Why Rational People Make Irrational Choices | Alex Imas \
Why do smart, well-informed people still make decisions that work against their best interests? This week, we explore one of behavioral economics most perplexing…
EPISODE 519 January Blues? How to Rest, Reflect, and Restart \
The holidays are over, the calendar is wide open, and suddenly the energy you had a few weeks ago is just…gone. While January is…
EPISODE 518 Why We Get Bored | Erin Westgate \
What is your boredom trying to tell you? This week on Behavioral Grooves, we sit down with psychologist Dr. Erin Westgate, one of the…
EPISODE 517 The Productivity Myth Causing Your Burnout | Natalie Nixon, PhD \
We spend so much time trying to optimize productivity that we may be undermining the very thing we’re chasing: creative, meaningful work. In this…
EPISODE 516 Best Behavioral Science Books of 2025 (According to us) \
Every year, we talk with dozens of authors on Behavioral Grooves, and every year, we read far more books than we can possibly recommend…
EPISODE 515 Why We Gather: The Psychology of Holiday Rituals \
The holiday season brings families together, but why do gatherings and rituals matter so much to our holiday happiness? In this pre-Christmas special, we…
EPISODE 514 The Secret Ingredient of High-Performing Teams | Vanessa Druskat \
Emotional intelligence in individuals is often celebrated in the business world — but what if the real unlock isn’t a smarter leader, but a…
EPISODE 513 Why Great Leaders Still Get Stuck \
Most leaders believe their biggest obstacles are external – the environment, the workload, the team, but what if your biggest obstacles actually came from…
EPISODE 512 Why Expectations Shape Who We Become \
Change often feels monumental when we talk about it, but as we explore in this special episode — inspired by questions from our Facebook…
EPISODE 511 Why Split-Second Thinking Fuels Violence | Jens Ludwig \
We often frame violence in America as a battle between “good” and “bad” people, or as the sticking point in the never-ending political debate…
EPISODE 510 The Science of Being Thankful \
A Note from our Team: This Thanksgiving, support the science you love. Behavioral Grooves is independent, ad-free, and listener-powered. If our episodes bring you…
EPISODE 509 The Leadership Wake-Up Call | Margaret Andrews \
Is leadership just about guiding others—or does great leadership require understanding yourself first? In this week’s episode, we sit down with Margaret Andrews, Harvard…
EPISODE 508 Why the Gender Revolution Stopped Halfway | Corinne Low \
What if the gender revolution never finished? This week, economist Corrine Low holds a mirror up to us, asking us to examine our own…
EPISODE 507 Is the American Dream Dead? | Mark Matson \
What does the “American Dream” really mean in 2025—and is it still within reach for everyone? Financial advisor and author Mark Matson joins us…
EPISODE 506 The Trick That Shapes Every Choice You Make | Mikael Klintman \
How does framing influence the way we think, feel, and act? Sociologist and author Mikael Klintman, an expert in the field, joins us to…
EPISODE 505 The Science of Superstition: Why Our Brains Believe in Magic \
Halloween might be filled with ghosts, ghouls, and eerie coincidences, but our fascination with superstition goes far beyond one spooky night. In this spooktacular…
EPISODE 504 The Lies We Believe About Control | Dr. Wolfgang Linden \
What if most of the stress and frustration we face isn’t from what’s happening – but how we’re trying to control it? Psychologist and…
EPISODE 503 Why Who You Know Still Matters | Toby Stuart \
Are status and “who you know” still the ultimate keys to success? In this week’s conversation, we dive into the hidden forces that shape…
EPISODE 502 You’re Right – Meetings Are the Worst | Don Kieffer \
What if everything you thought about “common sense” about running a business was actually leading you astray? Don Kieffer, co-author of There’s Got to…
EPISODE 501 The Secret Psychology Behind 17 Iconic Brands | Richard Shotton \
What makes some of the world’s most successful brands stick in our minds — and in our shopping carts? Behavioral scientist and author Richard…
EPISODE 500 The #1 Driver of Employee Wellbeing | Mark Crowley \
Why have decades of employee engagement surveys failed to move the needle? Mark Crowley believes it’s because we’ve been measuring the wrong things. Instead…
EPISODE 499 The Hidden Cost of Your Values | Steve Sloman \
Do our convictions come at a cost? This week, we sit down with cognitive scientist and author Steve Sloman to unpack how the sacred…
EPISODE 498 Perfectionism Is Holding You Back | Bob Rosen \
What if the very traits we celebrate—success, control, perfection—are actually weighing us down? In this episode of Behavioral Grooves, we sit down with psychologist,…
EPISODE 497 Why Most Teams Fail (and How to Fix Them) | Colin Fisher \
What makes some groups thrive while others fall apart? Colin Fisher, associate professor at University College London and author of The Collective Edge, joins…
EPISODE 496 Everything You’ve Heard About Screen Time Is Wrong | Jay Vidyarthi \
In a world where headlines warn us daily about the dangers of screen addiction, Jay Vidyarthi offers a refreshing perspective: what if we simply…
EPISODE 495 How to Stay Grounded When Life Feels Chaotic \
Life rarely unfolds in a straight line—and when things feel uncertain, it can rattle even the most grounded among us. In our August bonus…
EPISODE 494 Why Do Culture Wars Happen? | Michael Morris \
Why do we instinctively form groups, follow leaders, and defend traditions—even when it hurts us? This week, Michael Morris joins the Behavioral Grooves crew…
EPISODE 493 Get Real About Money | Daniel Crosby \
Is wealth just a number in your bank account? According to Dr. Daniel Crosby, it’s much more than that—it’s a reflection of what you…
EPISODE 492 How to Silence Self-Doubt | Rosi Greenberg \
What do you do when that little negative voice in your head won’t shut up? If you’re author Rosi Greenberg, you give that voice…
EPISODE 491 The Happiness Secret You’ve Been Missing | Shige Oishi \
Is happiness just about feeling good? For decades, researchers thought so. But Shige Oishi, a leading psychologist and professor, joins us this week to…
EPISODE 490 Science-Backed Tips to Make Work Worthwhile | Wes Adams & Tamara Myles \
What makes work truly meaningful—and why should leaders care? In this episode, we sit down with Wes Adams and Tamara Myles, co-authors of Meaningful…
EPISODE 489 Why Brands That Get Personal Win Big | Ken Hughes \
Is “brand loyalty” a myth? In this fast-moving episode, we sit down with Ken Hughes, a global expert on human behavior and customer experience,…
EPISODE 488 Why Do We Struggle to Talk About Money? | Abby Davisson \
What do career moves, relationship milestones, and family planning all have in common? According to Abby Davisson, co-author of Money and Love: An Intelligent…
EPISODE 487 The Real Reason Remote Work Works | Raj Choudhury \
What if work wasn’t a place, but a possibility? In this episode, we sit down with economist and author Raj Choudhury, whose groundbreaking research…
EPISODE 486 Why Do Superstitions Feel So Good? \
Why do we cling to rituals that we know don’t impact outcomes? In a speculative conversation full of superstition, Kurt shares the story of…
EPISODE 485 Your Product Design Is Biased—Here’s How to Fix It | Alexis Mook PhD \
What if your product design process was riddled with invisible biases—and you didn’t even know it? This week, we go corporate with Alexis Mook,…
EPISODE 484 The Five Words That Change Lives | Zach Mercurio \
Have you ever felt invisible at work, like your contributions didn’t matter? You’re not alone. According to Zach Mercurio, that feeling isn’t just uncomfortable—it…
EPISODE 483 Can You Change Your Personality? | Olga Khazan \
What if you could intentionally change your personality? Journalist and author Olga Khazan set out to answer that question by embarking on the most…
EPISODE 482 Lessons on Life From Hospice Patients | Jordan Grumet \
What if everything you’ve been told about finding your purpose is actually making you feel worse? This week, we’re joined by Jordan Grumet—a podcaster,…
EPISODE 481 How to Get Unstuck: Behavioral Science Strategies \
In this special episode of Behavioral Grooves, we discuss what keeps us stuck — and more importantly, how we can get unstuck. Drawing on…
EPISODE 480 The Top Reason You Make Bad Decisions – And How to Stop | Emily Falk \
How do our brains choose what’s important to us? Emily Falk, neuroscientist and author of What We Value, joins us to decode what goes…
EPISODE 479 Our Best Hope for Global Change | Faisal Naru \
In this month’s bonus episode, we investigate the dramatic rise of behavioral science in public policy with Faisal Naru, a global expert on the…
EPISODE 478 6 Ways Questions Can Transform Your Life | Elizabeth Weingarten \
In a world obsessed with answers, Elizabeth Weingarten invites us to pause — and reconsider the power of the question. In this question-provoking episode,…
EPISODE 477 The #1 Reason You Aren’t Happy – Yet. | Mark Fabian \
Is happiness the ultimate goal, or just a side effect of a life well-lived? This week, we’re joined by economist, philosopher, and author Mark…
EPISODE 476 4 Powerful Ways to Make Conflict Less Stressful | Dr. Joel Salinas and Bob Bordone \
Conflict is all around us – yet we’re taught to avoid it at all costs. In a world that can sometimes feel like conflict…
EPISODE 475 Want to Close the Gender Gap? Start Here | Kweilin Ellingrud \
We’re all familiar with the term “glass ceiling”—but what if the real issue for women in the workplace starts much earlier? In this episode,…
EPISODE 474 Are You Being ‘Reasonable’ – Or Just Privileged? | Dr. Rosalind Chow \
Why do we resist social change even when it’s clearly for the greater good? In this enlightening episode, we’re joined by Rosalind Chow, social…
EPISODE 473 Reclaim Your Brain and Escape Digital Chaos | Richard Cytowic \
Curiosity often leads to unexpected discoveries. For neuroscientist Richard Cytowic, it was the word “synesthesia” that sparked a lifelong fascination to know more. In…
EPISODE 472 How to Spark Creativity in Work & Life | Matt Arnold and Adam Hansen \
Innovation isn’t just for inventors and artists—it’s hardwired into our DNA. Yet, many of us mistakenly believe we “aren’t creative,” holding ourselves back from…
EPISODE 471 Mailbag: Ask Us Anything! \
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….
EPISODE 470 The Existential Playbook: How to Make Sense of Your Life | Dr. Steve Heine \
What does it mean to live a meaningful life? Dr. Steve Heine, cultural psychologist and author of Start Making Sense, joins us in exploring…
EPISODE 469 Work Isn’t Fair—Here’s How to Fix It | Iris Bohnet \
What does it take to make work truly fair? This week, we dive into the science of workplace bias and equity with Iris Bohnet,…
EPISODE 468 The 10 Conversations You Need to Master at Work | Melody Wilding \
Can you “manage up” at work without coming across as a total kiss-ass? This week, we sit down with Melody Wilding, executive coach and…
EPISODE 467 Why Self-Improvement Is Holding You Back | Oliver Burkeman \
What if the key to a fulfilling life isn’t about gaining complete control, but accepting that we never truly will? This week, we sit…
EPISODE 466 Groove Jams: What’s Your Vice? \
If you could remove one vice from your life, what would it be? In this episode of Groove Jams, Tim and Kurt sit down…
EPISODE 465 Lost Touch? How to Rebuild Friendships and Strengthen Your Social Life | Adam Dorsay \
With digital interactions on the rise, what does it truly mean to connect? Dr. Adam Dorsay, clinical psychologist and author of Super Psyched, joins…
EPISODE 464 Fact-Checking Love: The Truth About Romance Movies | Eli Finkel and Paul Eastwick \
Romantic comedies have shaped how we think about love, but how much of what Hollywood portrays is scientifically accurate? In this month of love,…
EPISODE 463 The Science of a Thriving Relationship | Rachel Glik \
Can a relationship thrive on love alone? Probably not. It takes personal growth, prioritization, and shared purpose to truly nurture what this week’s guest,…
EPISODE 462 Why Is Everyone So Angry? The Science of Outrage | Kurt Gray \
Why do we classify some people as victims and others as villains? This week, we dive into some morally gray territory with none other…
EPISODE 461 Turn a Negative Trait into Your Greatest Strength | Jenny Wood \
What would happen if we redefined personality traits that society deemed “negative”? In this captivating conversation with former Google exec and author of Wild…
EPISODE 460 Groove Jams: Inside the Creation of Rock’s Greatest Albums \
If you’ve ever wondered what puts the “Groove” in Behavioral Grooves, this episode has the answer! We’re diving headfirst into the mesmerizing world of…
EPISODE 459 The Data and Influence Behind Your Digital Footprint | Sandra Matz \
What if every digital interaction you had—every like, purchase, or GPS ping—could be used to create a detailed map of who you are? Sandra…
EPISODE 458 Behavioral Science Hacks for Everyday Life | Eva van den Broek and Tim den Heijer \
How can a tiny fly in an airport urinal transform human behavior? This week, we sit down with Eva van den Broek and Tim…
EPISODE 457 Kickstart the New Year and Achieve Your Goals | Ayelet Fishbach \
Happy New Year, Groovers! The start of a new year often brings fresh goals, ambitious resolutions, and a renewed sense of motivation. But what’s…
EPISODE 456 2024’s Best Books to Transform Work, Life, and Thinking \
Want to help us improve Behavioral Grooves? Take our listener survey here! Looking for your next great read? We’ve got you covered! It’s time…
EPISODE 455 Groove Jams: Hypothetical Hangouts – Who Would You Choose? \
If you could spend a whole day with any historical figure, who would it be—and why? In this solo-sode of Groove Jams, we dive…
EPISODE 454 Toxic Productivity Is Sabotaging Your Success | Israa Nasir \
What happens when the pursuit of productivity starts to damage your health, relationships, and happiness? In this episode, we explore the concept of Toxic…
EPISODE 453 What If There’s a Better Way to Solve Your Hardest Problems? | Wendy Smith \
Have you ever felt stuck between two seemingly opposite choices or found yourself seeing the world in absolutes? This week, we’re joined by Dr….
EPISODE 452 The Influence Equation: Simple Steps to Persuade Better | Steve Martin \
How can the science of persuasion reshape your workplace? This week, we sit down with Steve Martin to discuss the principles behind his latest…
EPISODE 451 Stress-Busting Tips for the Holidays (and Beyond!) \
Between job uncertainty, political tension, holiday anxiety, and the general state of the world, stress and emotional exhaustion are at an all-time high. In…
EPISODE 450 The Simple Shift That Transforms Employee Engagement | Brad Shuck \
What makes a workplace truly thrive? This week, Brad Shuck returns to share how practicing gratitude as an intentional discipline can transform employee engagement…
EPISODE 449 Groove Jams: Immortality–Blessing or Curse? \
What would you do differently if you could live for 1,000 years? In this episode of Groove Jams, we’re joined by fan-favorite Annie Duke…
EPISODE 448 The Downside of Dream Jobs | Jennifer Totsi-Kharas \
This week, we continue exploring jobs, careers, and callings with Jen Totsi-Kharas, co-author of Is Your Work Worth It? For a deeper dive into…
EPISODE 447 The Truth About Work and Life Balance | Christopher Michaelson \
Is Your Job a Calling or a Burden? This week, we jump into the deep and sometimes challenging question: what role does work play…
EPISODE 446 Democracy at the Crossroads: Beyond Party Lines \
Has Behavioral Grooves turned into a political podcast? Not really (ok, maybe kinda it has – but for just a few weeks, we promise…
EPISODE 445 Get Out and Vote! \
A special message from Kurt and Tim, all the way from Philadelphia: November 5th is fast approaching, and now, more than ever, participating in…
EPISODE 444 Groove Jams: We’re Throwing Out the US Constitution! \
What if you could give the U.S. Constitution a makeover? Ahead of the 2024 U.S. election, AJ Jacobs joins Kurt and Tim to dive…
EPISODE 443 How Can We Revive Our Democracy? | AJ Jacobs \
Ahead of the 2024 US Election, Kurt and Tim sit down with bestselling author and serial experimenter AJ Jacobs to discuss his latest project,…
EPISODE 442 The Loneliness Epidemic: Why Are We Avoiding Social Interactions? | Nick Epley \
Why do we avoid the very thing that could bring us more joy—connecting with others? In this episode, behavioral scientist and human interaction expert…
EPISODE 441 Groove Jams: History’s Biggest What-ifs \
Ever wondered what it would be like to snag a backstage pass to history’s biggest moments? In Groove Jams’ maiden voyage, Kurt, Tim, and…
EPISODE 440 Top Secrets to Customer Success | Arsanas Savas and Dave Norton \
Co-hosts, meet co-creation! This week, Kurt and Tim are joined by special guests Aransas Savas and Dave Norton, hosts of the Experience Strategy Podcast….
EPISODE 439 Coming Soon: Groove Jams! \
And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for (even if you didn’t know you were waiting)… Introducing Groove Jams! Tim and Kurt are…
EPISODE 438 Top Tips to Transform Your Business | Scott Young \
Now…back to work! We’re back to the weekly grind this week on Behavioral Grooves and exploring a topic Kurt and Tim know like the…
EPISODE 437 Breaking the Cycle of Polarization: What You Can Do for the 2024 Election \
So…is there hope? Kurt and Tim think so! In this wrap-up of our polarization series, Kurt and Tim reflect on how much the political…
EPISODE 436 A Less Polarized Future: Real Solutions to Heal Our Divided World \
In the final episode of the polarization series, Kurt and Tim delve into “affective polarization,” where emotional distrust, rather than ideological differences, has deepened…
EPISODE 435 Are We Acting Differently Because of Politics? Here’s What the Research Shows \
Why do we so easily form ‘us vs. them’ mentalities, and how does it impact our society? In the second part of this series,…
EPISODE 434 What’s Really Driving Political Polarization? The Science Explained \
Are we more divided than ever? How can people see past their differences and come together for the greater good? In this three-part series,…
EPISODE 433 Healthy Habits Made Simple | Monica Reinagel \
Do you struggle with maintaining healthy eating habits? Are you, like Kurt, stashing Oreos in the basement to avoid temptation? Believe it or not,…
EPISODE 432 The Secret Lives of Cows | Gregory Berns \
Get ready for a moo-ving conversation! This week, Kurt and Tim sit down with Gregory Berns, a psychology professor at Emory University, to explore…
EPISODE 431 Crack the Code: How Women Can Win Big at Work | Alison Fragale \
Do women in the workplace have to choose between being likable and assertive? This week, Alison Fragale, author of The Likable Badass joins Kurt…
EPISODE 430 Why Generational Labels Are Holding Your Company Back | Jessica Kriegel \
Are generational labels dead weight? This week—after many technical difficulties and a nearly-forgotten anniversary—Kurt talks with organizational culture expert Jessica Kriegel about generational divides…
EPISODE 429 The Real Reason Some People Succeed | Bob McKinnon \
This week, we dive into a thought-provoking conversation with Bob McKinnon, host of the Attribution podcast and author of America’s Dreaming. Bob unpacks the…
EPISODE 428 The Habit Blueprint: Breaking Bad (Habits) \
Double the Episodes, Double the Insights! This week, Kurt and Tim are back at it, diving deeper into the world of habits, rituals, and…
EPISODE 427 The Habit Blueprint: How Routines and Rituals Shape Our Lives \
Ever wonder why some habits stick effortlessly while others feel impossible to maintain? In this episode, Kurt and Tim explore the powerful forces of…
EPISODE 426 Delighting in Death | Jodi Wellman\
“Here is a small fact: You are going to die.” – Markus Zusak, The Book Thief This week, Kurt and Tim confront death. Well…
EPISODE 425 Building Better Conversations | David Robson \
How can we turn disagreements into opportunities for growth and connection? In this episode, Kurt and Tim dive into the science of meaningful conversations…
EPISODE 424 Willpower Myths Busted: How to Truly Reach Your Goals [Republish] \
Mythbusters or Behavioral Grooves? This week, we step back in time with Kurt and Tim (2023) to tackle the common belief that willpower alone…
EPISODE 423 Unmasking AI | Ben Manning \
Is AI about to take over the world, or is it simply…misunderstood? Tim takes on a solo-sode with guest Ben Manning, a PhD candidate…
EPISODE 422 To Save or to Spend? Finding Financial Balance | Scott Rick \
Budget hotel or 5-star experience? Pack a lunch or grab it to-go? Save your money or spend it? Are you a tightwad or a…
EPISODE 421 Inner Power: Secrets to Self-Compassion and Intuition | Emma Seppälä \
Take a deep breath. Step outside. Smell the coffee. Tune in to Behavioral Grooves. This week, Kurt and Tim sit down with Emma Seppälä,…
EPISODE 420 Behavioral Science in the Workplace: Tips and Strategies | Becky Frayer \
This week on Behavioral Grooves, things get personal – or at least professionally personal – as Kurt and Tim are joined by Becky Frayer,…
EPISODE 419 Question Everything: The Power of Critical Thinking | Alex Edmans \
How often do you question the ‘facts’ you encounter in everyday life? This week, Alex Edmans, author of May Contain Lies, joins Kurt and…
EPISODE 418 The Benefits of Shades of Gray Thinking | Saul Perlmutter & Rob MacCoun \
How do we make sense in a world that often seems nonsensical? In this week’s episode, Kurt and Tim team up with Saul Perlmutter…
EPISODE 417 Break Free from Insecure Attachments | Dr. Judy Ho \
Have you ever wondered how your childhood experiences influence your adult relationships and behaviors? This week, Kurt and Tim jump into attachment theory with…
EPISODE 416 Turn Self-Doubt into Success | Martin Gonzalez \
Have you ever struggled with the pitfalls of imposter syndrome in the workplace? Been wracked with self-doubt when leading your teams? Join Kurt and…
EPISODE 415 Unlearning Silence | Elaine Lin Hering \
When was the last time you wanted to speak up, but were too afraid to? This week, embark on a riveting exploration of silence…
EPISODE 414 Ketamine Therapy: A New Frontier in Mental Health | Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo \
Ketamine therapy has recently been a hot topic in the mental health industry, but what exactly is ketamine therapy? Who is it for, and…
EPISODE 413 The Surprising Benefits of Talking to Strangers | Nick Epley [Republish] \
Originally published as Why Talking To Strangers Is Actually Good For Your Wellbeing | Nick Epley Embark on a journey of rediscovery as we…
EPISODE 412 Ask the Right Question, Get the Best Answer | Jeff Wetzler \
Could asking the right questions transform your conversations? That’s the question of the week for Kurt and Tim, as they delve into the power…
EPISODE 411 Break Autopilot with Intentional Living | Norman Farb and Zindel Segal \
Ever find yourself coasting on autopilot a bit too often in your daily routine? Seeking ways to be more present and truly connect with…
EPISODE 410 The Secret Power of Rituals | Michael Norton \
What separates a ritual from a habit? Join Kurt and Tim this week as they delve into the intriguing world of rituals and habits…
EPISODE 409 The Science of Influence: Nudges in Action | Silvia Saccardo \
Dive deep into the realm of behavioral science with Kurt and Tim this week as they explore the scalability of behavioral nudges and interventions…
EPISODE 408 Unlock Workplace Happiness | Gonzalo Camiña Ceballos \
Curious about how prioritizing happiness can transform leadership and workplace dynamics? Well, look no further than this week’s discussion with Gonzalo Camiña Ceballos, CEO…
EPISODE 407 Tuned In or Tuned Out? | Nuala Walsh \
So many voices, who do we listen to? The loudest, most senior or most popular voice? Our lives are rife with pivotal moments yet…
EPISODE 406 The Burnout Breakthrough | Kandi Wiens \
March always feels like one of those months where you hit a slump. Work is back in full force, there are no holidays in…
EPISODE 405 Turning Anxiety into Assurance | Dr. Julia DiGangi \
We’re back to our regularly scheduled program this week and full of energy – or should we say Energy Rising? Join Kurt and Tim…
EPISODE 404 Grooving On: Starting a Movement \
In their final wrap-up, Kurt and Tim reflect on their recent series “They Thought We Were Ridiculous” and the insightful conversations they shared with…
EPISODE 403 Grooving On: Side Projects \
Join Kurt and Tim as they exhale a collective sigh of relief and take a moment to reflect on the completion of their monumental…
EPISODE 402 …Ridiculous Ep. 5: The Future \
Exploring the future of Behavioral Economics, we talked to three young researchers who are pushing the field further. A new generation of researchers is…
EPISODE 401 …Ridiculous Ep. 4: Behavioral Economics Goes Mainstream \
Eventually, Behavioral Economics emerged as an influential perspective. It’s become mainstream in Economics, and it’s helped inform programs and policies that affect real people…
EPISODE 400 …Ridiculous Ep. 3: Children of Unlikely Parents \
Behavioral Economics was using psychology to understand economics, but what did economists and psychologists think about their unexpected marriage? Slowly, this fledgling field weathered…
EPISODE 399 …Ridiculous Ep. 2: Importing Psychology \
The notion of merging psychology with economics initially faced staunch skepticism, with errors perceived as random rather than systematic. However, everything changed when psychologists…
EPISODE 398 …Ridiculous Ep. 1: Beyond Anomalies \
For decades, neoclassical economists clung to the belief that humans are rational decision-makers, but a daring group of social scientists dared to question this…
EPISODE 397 Make Great Decisions | Elspeth Kirkman \
Feeling indecisive? Ever wondered what it takes to master the art of decision-making? Join us on a thrilling journey with Elspeth Kirkman, the brilliant…
EPISODE 396 Trailer: They Thought We Were Ridiculous \
Anticipation mounts as the countdown begins! Prepare to immerse yourself in the riveting saga of They Thought We Were Ridiculous, set to premiere and…
EPISODE 395 Unlocking Intimacy: The Power of Questions | Topaz Adizes \
Could asking a question be the key to deepening your relationship? In this special Valentine’s Day episode, Kurt and Tim dive into the intricacies…
EPISODE 394 The Key to Boosting Retirement Savings | John Beshears \
Ever wonder how to boost your retirement savings? Could it be that the subtle art of behavioral economics holds the answer? This week, Tim…
EPISODE 393 Decoding Behavior Change | Bri Williams [Republish] \
It’s time for a throwback episode! Dive into the land down under of behavioral sciences with Bri Williams, a trailblazer in applying behavioral principles…
EPISODE 392 Mapping Out Our Minds | Linnea Gandhi \
Set sail into the uncharted waters of behavioral science with Kurt and Tim on a captivating journey led by PhD candidate Linnea Gandhi. Together,…
EPISODE 391 Adapt, Recover, Grow: Mastering Resilience | Dr. Jonathan DePierro \
What is resilience, and how can we cultivate it in our lives? In this episode, delve into the fascinating world of resilience with an…
EPISODE 390 Cracking the Communication Code | Ben Guttmann \
Kurt and Tim kick off the new year with communications expert Ben Guttmann in an episode on simplifying messages. Ben’s seemingly simple lessons pack…
EPISODE 389 Groove Through 2023: A Year in Review with Kurt and Tim \
Happy New Year from Kurt and Tim! As we reflect on the past year, join us in revisiting some of the most impactful and…
EPISODE 388 Grooving with Knowledge: Kurt and Tim’s Best Behavioral Science Books of 2023 \
Continuing their pursuit of knowledge, Kurt and Tim explore the impactful books that have shaped their perspectives in 2023. They unwrap the highlights of…
EPISODE 387 Balancing Work Friction and Fatigue | Huggy Rao \
Have you or someone you know fallen victim to the detrimental effects of Jargon Monoxide? If so, there might be compensation waiting for you….
EPISODE 386 The Eight Superpowers of Confidence | Lisa Sun \
Step into a captivating conversation as Tim and Kurt engage with Lisa Sun, the author of Gravitas. Lisa introduces the intriguing concept that each…
EPISODE 385 Rethinking Behavioral Science | Adam Mastroianni \
While Tim finds himself confined to a plane, Kurt engages in a captivating one-on-one session with researcher Adam Mastroianni. Together, they delve into the…
EPISODE 384 Navigating Societal Rifts | Michèle Lamont \
Tensions around the dinner table? Trouble finding common ground with friends and family? Renowned sociologist Michèle Lamont joins Tim and Kurt to unravel why…
EPISODE 383 Evolving Minds and Attention Spans | Gloria Mark PhD \
Ever feel your attention… drifting? Want to get better at being present? Join Kurt and Tim as they delve into the world of shrinking…
EPISODE 382 The Power of Brevity | Todd Rogers \
Does everybody skim? Todd Rogers, co-author of “Writing for Busy Readers” joins Kurt and Tim to discuss just that. In this insightful episode, Todd…
EPISODE 381 Unlocking the Power of Effective Communication | Matt Abrahams \
Communication is a vital skill we all use, but do we truly understand its profound impact on our lives? Join Kurt and Tim as…
EPISODE 380 Why Sleep Is Vital for Academic Success | David Creswell PhD \
We all know we need a good night’s sleep but sleep researcher, David Creswell PhD has studied how our performance is actually affected by…
EPISODE 379 Bridging Behavioral Science Concepts and Applications | Connor Joyce \
Connect behavioral science theory and research to practical applications. Connor Joyce founded the Applied Behavioral Science Association and he shares his perspectives on different…
EPISODE 378 The 5 Healthy Brain Habits Of A Neuroscientist | Dr Daniel Almeida [Republish] \
What life habits keep our brain healthy? How does our mind respond to trauma? And why does the way we talk about suicide and…
EPISODE 377 Reading the Air: Using Self-Awareness to Make the Workplace Work for You | Michelle King \
Why is work so difficult for so many of us? Why are we not connected to the organization in ways to help us advance…
EPISODE 376 Grooving on Knowing Thyself: Why Figuring Out Who I Am is Easier Than You Thought.\
“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Are you tired of that ditty? We are. How are you…
EPISODE 375 Why You Never Feel Good Enough As A Perfectionist | Thomas Curran \
Conscientiousness, perseverance and meticulousness are all words associated with perfectionism. But perfectionism comes from a deeper sense of inadequacy, of not feeling good enough….
EPISODE 374 Overcome Chronic Busyness With A Growth Mindset | Eduardo Briceño \
Doing, doing, doing. We can get stuck in a perpetual state of busyness to get things done. But being in a chronic “performance zone”…
EPISODE 373 Volunteering for Well-Being: How Team Rubicon Helps Volunteers and Communities | David Burke and Patti Norberg \
Volunteering improves psychological well-being. Team Rubicon has researched this positive effect, not just on the communities it serves, but also on the well-being of…
EPISODE 372 Our Quest to Feel Significant And How It Affects Our Behavior | Arie Kruglanski PhD \
We all want to feel significant. This drive for significance ultimately fuels our cognition, emotions, and actions. Distinguished psychologist Arie Kruglanski discusses motivation, cognition,…
EPISODE 371 How Best to Create a Culture of Learning | Sarah Nicholl \
This podcast will give you the tools and techniques to foster a learning culture in your organization. Whether you work at a junior level…
EPISODE 370 Imperfectly Perfect: The Science of Human Decision Making | Lionel Page \
Humans have limited information processing abilities and cannot possibly evaluate all possible options when making a decision. However, describing people merely as irrational paints…
EPISODE 369 Want To Make Tomorrow Better? Get To Know Your Future Self Today | Hal Hershfield \
How can we make better choices today to benefit our future selves? Hal Hershfield outlines strategies like visualizing your future self, writing letters, making…
EPISODE 368 Money, Success and the Cult of Never Enough | Manisha Thakor \
The “cult of never enough” encourages the belief that more money, possessions and achievements will make us happy. But Manisha Thakor has learnt through…
EPISODE 367 All The Ways Into Behavioral Science (And No, You Don’t Need a PhD) | Merle Van Den Akker \
The world of applied behavioral science has never been better. So how do you get your foot in the door to have a career…
EPISODE 366 Confidence, Certainty and Control: The Map to Success | Peter Atwater \
What exactly is confidence? Peter Atwater describes it as the feelings of certainty and control that we have about our future self. He explains…
EPISODE 365 The Psychology of Scams: Why We Fall for Fraud and How to Protect Yourself | Daniel Simons & Christopher Chabris \
Splashy headlines, sensational findings and world-first results grab our attention but they also leave us vulnerable to deception. Constantly being skeptical of research is…
EPISODE 364 People Want Answers: How to Communicate in a Crisis with Christopher Reddy \
Between disinformation and misinformation, it’s difficult to know what and who to trust, especially during a crisis. When disaster does strike, it is critical…
EPISODE 363 The Value of an Open Mind and How To Overcome Knowingness | Jonathan Malesic \
When we pretend to know something that we don’t or start a comment with “everyone knows that…”, we create an atmosphere where answers become…
EPISODE 362 Feeling Stuck? Steps To Get Out Of Your Rut And How Music Helps | Adam Alter \
We all get stuck. In relationships, in jobs or in creative endeavors. It’s a universal experience, yet most people feel incredibly lonely when they’re…
EPISODE 361 Are You A People Pleaser? Learn To Say No More with Vanessa Patrick PhD \
Saying yes to tasks that we want to say no to is a common problem. But how do we decide which requests to turn…
EPISODE 360 What Do You Think? How To Improve Your Perspective And Your Life | Woo-Kyoung Ahn PhD \
Understanding how we think can change our thinking. From confirmation biases, to uncertainty, to overconfidence, we are all blessed with the same thinking patterns…
EPISODE 359 How We’re Missing The Point With The Gender Pay Gap | Alex Imas PhD \
If you compare executive pay of men and women in C suite jobs, you will often not find a discrepancy in their wages. You…
EPISODE 358 Want People To Comply With Rules? Start With Trust | Christian Hunt \
Want people to comply with rules at work? Stop assuming that they are going to break the rules. The vast majority of people want…
EPISODE 357 Grooving on Goals: The Magic of Goals [Republish: Episode 27] \
Goals are as common and as misunderstood as mobile phones. We think we know how to use them, but we don’t get it right…
EPISODE 356 Groove Track | Why It Takes More Than Willpower To Reach Your Goals \
Between setting your goals and reaching your goals, there is a void that we assume willpower can fill. But to achieve success, it takes…
EPISODE 355 Why Random Rewards Feel So Much Better Than Earned Ones with Richard Shotton \
Earning your 10th cup of coffee for free isn’t nearly as satisfying as being randomly awarded a free coffee from your barista. These uncertain…
EPISODE 354 Want Marketing That’s Effective? Use a Behavioral Science Perspective | Nancy Harhut \
Interested in a secret, underused marketing trick? Use rhyme in your design! You may easily recall examples like “Bounty: the quicker picker upper” or…
EPISODE 353 Can Psychology Tell Us What Makes A Good Life? With Paul Bloom, Part 2 \
Is a happy life one that is abundant with pleasure? Or one without pain? Or one that overcomes struggle? The quest for a good…
EPISODE 352 Psychology: Should Freud Still Be On The Syllabus? Paul Bloom, Part 1 \
Ask someone to name a famous psychologist and there’s a good chance they’ll say Sigmund Freud. Describing a person as “anal” or rebuking someone…
EPISODE 351 What Do You Really Want? Understand The Desires We All Share | Charlotte Fox Weber \
With curiosity we can figure out what we actually want. Sometimes what we desire makes us feel uncomfortable, and as a therapist, our guest…
EPISODE 350 How One Small Word Can Transform Our Motivation, Success And Relationships | Jonah Berger \
Words matter. Unbelievably, tiny changes to language can have a big effect on behavior. Hear bestselling author, Jonah Berger reveal the magic words that…
EPISODE 349 A Guide To The Ambitious Future of Behavioral Science with Michael Hallsworth PhD \
What lies ahead for applied behavioral science? How can we learn from the massive growth in the field over the last 15 years? Our…
EPISODE 348 Surprising Ways To End Poverty and Solve Climate Change with Erik Angner PhD \
What if there was a way to end poverty and solve climate change, that might actually work. Shouldn’t we try it? Our guest Erik…
EPISODE 347 Why You Don‘t Need to be Powerful to be Influential | Vanessa Bohns \
To be influential you do not require power, but wielding your influence is powerful. Vanessa Bohns, social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at…
EPISODE 346 You Work. You Parent. But Can You Also Thrive? | Yael Schonbrun PhD \
Working and parenting often feel like being pulled in two different directions. But what if we could reframe our thinking and actually appreciate that…
EPISODE 345 The Tools You Need To Embrace Uncertainty | Nathan and Susannah Harmon Furr \
We all face uncertainty at some point in our lives. But do we embrace it or resist it? Our thoughts about uncertainty and ambiguity…
EPISODE 344 How To Frame Incentives To Drive The Desired Behavior | James Castello \
If you want to incentivize an outcome, don’t just focus on the final reward, hone in on the behavior that will drive the result….
EPISODE 343 The Myth of the “Relationship Spark” with Logan Ury, featuring guest appearance by Christina Gravert, PhD [Republish] \
First impressions matter but when it comes to dating, don’t get blown away by the myth of the “relationship spark”. Some people can instead…
EPISODE 342 Why Resilience Is More Than Just Bouncing Back | Gabriella Rosen Kellerman MD \
There are actually 5 drivers of resilience; optimism, self compassion, cognitive agility, self efficacy and emotional regulation. We dive deep into each of these…
EPISODE 341 Why Human Connection Is The Key To Effective Branding | Matt Johnson \
To get under the skin of how branding works, what makes it effective and how to build a successful brand, we talk with Matt…
EPISODE 340 Why The Best Choice Can Sometimes Be An Imperfect Choice | Michelle Segar PhD \
Context heavily influences our behavior (regular listeners of the show know our “context matters” mantra well!). Sometimes, because of what life throws at us,…
EPISODE 339 Top 2 Tips on How to Read a Book Quickly \
Ever need to read a book in a hurry? How can you absorb the most relevant content in a short period of time? Join…
EPISODE 338 How Behavioral Science Can Tackle Misinformation And Obesity | Evelyn Gosnell \
Small changes can have big effects. Standing on a different set of scales can affect our weight loss journey and adding friction to the…
EPISODE 337 The 3 Step To Getting Your Groove Back In The New Year \
Finding your groove – ever wondered what that actually means? And why is this podcast really called Behavioral Grooves?! Kurt and Tim explain what…
EPISODE 336 Make It Scale: How To Drive Behavior Change Initiatives | Neela Saldanha PhD \
Scaling behavioral science initiatives from a small research study to a large population is a topic we have enjoyed delving into this year with…
EPISODE 335 The Best Behavioral Science Books Of 2022 (According to Kurt and Tim!) \
One of the ways we find our groove is through knowledge – sometimes new ideas, sometimes repeated ideas that are presented in new ways….
EPISODE 334 How the Right Journal Can Help You Reach Your Goals in 2023 \
Want to start a journaling habit but are worried you won’t stay motivated? Having the right journal, that is designed using behavioral insights to…
EPISODE 333 How Game Theory Can Be Used To Explain Human Behavior | Erez Yoeli \
We know human behavior isn’t rational. But this episode illustrates behavior using a surprising concept – game theory. This eye opening conversation with Erez…
EPISODE 332 Do One Small Thing Every Day That Scares You | Scott Simon \
Exercising your courage muscle every day and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, can have remarkable effect on your mindset and really influence…
EPISODE 331 Want To Join A Secret Club? With Michael F. Schein \
If you were sent an exclusive invite to a secret society, would you accept? If you knew only a few people in the world…
EPISODE 330 How To Redesign Social Media Better So That It’s Actually Sociable \
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…
EPISODE 329 Groove Track | Tale of Two Markets: Do We Help People Only For Money Or Candy? \
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…
EPISODE 328 Why Do Good People Let Bad Things Happen? With Max Bazerman \
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…
EPISODE 327 A Proven Way Expectations Can Unlock A More Positive Life | David Robson \
How we think about the world can drastically influence how we navigate through it. Cutting edge research proves that reframing our mindset to be…
EPISODE 326 Grooving on Cheating: Kurt, Tim, Christian Hunt, and Koen Smets \
Cheating is all around us. Is it on rise? It appears to be so, but why? Christian Hunt, the founder and host of Human…
EPISODE 325 Can You Unlearn History And Still Love Your Country? With Dolly Chugh \
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…
EPISODE 324 How To Get Comfortable With Uncertainty: The Ambiguity Mindset with Debbie Sutherland \
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,…
EPISODE 323 Quit: Why We Do It Too Late and How To Get Better At It with Annie Duke \
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…
EPISODE 322 Four Steps To More Effective Conversations | Chuck Wisner \
Conversations are vital to our existence – after all, we talk with people every day. But have you ever dissected what makes a conversation…
EPISODE 321 How To Have A Conversation About Racism | Robert Livingston \
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…
EPISODE 320 Visualize A Horse…But What If You Actually Can’t? Aphantasia Explained With Dr Adam Zeman \
Close your eyes and visualize a horse. Most people can picture the outline of the body, the color of the horse and the unique…
EPISODE 319 Want to Know How Priming Works? It Starts With Your Conscious, Not Your Unconscious | John Bargh\
“The primary source of unconscious priming…is your conscious experience.” Our consciousness is where we bring everything together, where we integrate and form a rich…
EPISODE 318 Rory Sutherland: The Opposite of a Good Idea is a Good Idea [Republish] \
Rory Sutherland is a British advertising executive who became fascinated with behavioral science. Between his TED talks, books and articles, he has become one…
EPISODE 317 How Good People Fight Bias | Dolly Chugh [Republish] \
Psychology and neuroscience have proven that our minds do things on autopilot. These shortcuts (or heuristics) are laden with unconscious biases, which are juxtaposed…
EPISODE 316 Groove Track | No, Short-Term Rewards Don’t Drain Long-Term Motivation \
For many years, the general consensus by many researchers and practitioners was that providing people with short-term extrinsic rewards sapped their long-term motivation. This…
EPISODE 315 The Power of Unity: Robert Cialdini Expands His Best Selling Book Influence [Republish] \
The GodFather of Influence, Robert Cialdini joins us on Behavioral Grooves to share his motivation for expanding his bestselling book Influence: The Psychology of…
EPISODE 314 Groove Track | 12 Words That Improve Company Performance \
Priming studies have had some negative press over the past ten years – some of it justified, some of it not. In this groove…
EPISODE 313 Delusions Can Actually Be Useful: Hidden Brain’s Shankar Vedantam Reveals How [Republish] \
Shankar Vedantam is the host of the wildly popular podcast, Hidden Brain and esteemed author of the book Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox…
EPISODE 312 How To Find Meaning IN Life | Dr Brian Lowery PhD \
Three things generate a sense of meaning IN life; Coherence – can you make sense of the world? Purpose – do you feel a…
EPISODE 311 How Do Incentives Actually Impact Motivation? | Dr Indranil Goswami PhD \
Incentives can improve motivation. But what actually happens when the incentive is removed? An influential body of research previously suggested that extrinsic rewards have…
EPISODE 310 Why You Can’t Find a Cab When It’s Raining – Groove Track \
Groove Track | Why can’t you find a cab in the rain? We take a deep dive exploring the 1997 study “LABOR SUPPLY OF…
EPISODE 309 Can You Really Love Things As Much As People? With Aaron Ahuvia \
Love connects us to things in a deep way. But when we say we love our car, or we love our favorite beach, or…
EPISODE 308 The Loss of Common Sense: How To Gain A Little Perspective | Martin Lindstrom \
Disembarking people from a plane, row by row during the height of COVID, but then cramming all the passengers into a bus to the…
EPISODE 307 Groove Track | Mind Over Milkshakes: Why Expectations Matter A Lot \
A deep dive exploring the 2011 paper by Alia Crum, William Corbin, Kelly Brownwell, and Peter Salovey called “Mind Over Milkshakes: Mindsets, Not Just…
EPISODE 306 Trust Your Gut? Only If The Data Supports It | Seth Stephens-Davidowitz \
When making big decisions, people often go with what feels right – who we marry, where we live, what career we pursue. We base…
EPISODE 305 Changing Our Mind: Exploring How Mental Illness Is Managed with Daniel Bergner \
Over the last 50 years, little has changed for the pharmaceutical management of mental illness. This is troublesome, but not unsolvable, according to The…
EPISODE 304 Finding Out What Your Customers Want and Why It Matters | Andrea Belk Olson \
Customer feedback lacks two fundamental pieces of information: context and behavior. Traditional methods of insight, like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and customer feedback…
EPISODE 303 From Distracted To Focused: Nir Eyal’s Secrets On How To Be Indistractable \
Utilizing the power of identity by proudly declaring yourself as indistractable can be a persuasive step in becoming the kind of person we want…
EPISODE 302 You Have Dignity Because You’re Human, Not Because You Work | Jonathan Malesic \
Mitt Romney once mistakenly quipped that people were either “makers or takers” echoing a common sentiment among US politicians that by working we provide…
EPISODE 301 How To Fix Burnout (Hint: It Isn’t Another Yoga Session) | Jennifer Moss \
We’ve been programmed to treat burnout as a self-care issue, as if we’re just one yoga session or a relaxation app away from fixing…
EPISODE 300 You Can Change Someone’s Mind But Are You Sure You Want To? | David McRaney \
We all know someone who believes in conspiracy theories and we wish we could change their mind. It is possible. There are techniques that…
EPISODE 299 Changing The World with Persistent Optimism | Dr. Paul Zeitz \
What if we were so optimistic, nothing ever felt like an obstacle, only an opportunity? As an unapologetic optimist, Dr. Paul Zeitz has overcome…
EPISODE 298 Want To Improve Your Kid’s Behavior? Start With Your Own | Sue Donnellan \
Many of us struggle with the demands of parenting. Our response to feeling overwhelmed can be to try and control our kids’ behavior. But…
EPISODE 297 Three Easy Ways to Nurture A Child’s Brain Development | Dana Suskind MD \
World-class pediatric surgeon, social scientist, and best-selling author Dr Dana Suskind MD talks about the Three T’s (tune in, talk more and take turns)…
EPISODE 296 Fail to Scale: Why Good Research Doesn’t Always Make Great Policy | John A. List \
Lots of us have good ideas, some even back their ideas up with successful research. So why do these good ideas fail to scale…
EPISODE 295 For Revolutionary Solutions, Look To Evolutionary Ideas | Sam Tatam \
Innovation doesn’t always require inventing new solutions to problems; chances are that evolution has already solved the issue with a unique design. This simple…
EPISODE 294 Why Mindset Matters Most: The Secrets of Achievement | Paul Szyarto \
A goal is a stepping stone on the way to a higher achievement, not an end point. By reframing our expectations, we can transform…
EPISODE 293 Women Do Too Much Non-Promotable Work: How To Say No More with Linda Babcock \
Women are more likely to volunteer for a non-promotable task at work, than men. But why do women volunteer themselves more? What repercussions does…
EPISODE 292 How The Invisible Influence of Culture Shapes Our Behavior | Michele Gelfand \
The culture we live in has an invisible influence over our individual and collective behaviors. The tendency towards openness or order in a society…
EPISODE 291 The Psychological Benefits of Using a Process to Achieve an Outcome | Joseph Keebler PhD & Peter Krask \
Processes decrease our cognitive load and increase our productivity. On Behavioral Grooves we have talked with out guests a lot about habits and routines,…
EPISODE 290 Transport Your Thinking; Why We Need To Reframe Travel | Rory Sutherland & Pete Dyson \
Transporting humans from A to B is about more than just speed, efficiency and duration. Comfort, Wi-Fi access, entertainment and our habits, among many…
EPISODE 289 Why Not All Nudges Work ”In The Wild” | Nina Mazar PhD & Dilip Soman PhD \
Read Nudge and you are inspired by how behavioral science works. But how can we translate and scale behavioral science effectively into policies and…
EPISODE 288 The Steps Needed To Empower the Powerless | Julie Battilana PhD \
Personality or wealth are often assumed to be prerequisites to gaining power, something that is only garnered by having control over others. An organization…
EPISODE 287 Why Talking To Strangers Is Actually Good For Your Wellbeing | Nick Epley \
Do you strike up a conversation with a stranger on a plane or while waiting in line? If you don’t already, you will after…
EPISODE 286 If You’re Wrong It’s Meaningless, But If I’m Wrong It’s Valuable | Peter Montoya \
As the political divide between left and right widens in the US and around the world, we seem to spend increasing amounts of time…
EPISODE 285 The Three Phases of Growth and Learning | Whitney Johnson \
We are always learning, whether it’s changing careers or learning a new instrument. But how do we transition from the curiosity stage, to completely…
EPISODE 284 Mindset Matters Most: Top Tips from The Sales Evangelist, Donald C. Kelly \
Creating a motivating mindset is the most important component of any sales role. In fact, it’s a critical component of everything we do, but…
EPISODE 283 Is The Anus Really The Key To All Intelligent Life? | Henry Gee \
Paleontologist Henry Gee humorously explains to us why the anus was the key to large animals evolving, how the large size of our “dangly…
EPISODE 282 Why Applying Behavioral Science to Public Policy Delivers Better Policy | David Yokum PhD \
Connecting evidence-based behavioral science with public policy has been shown to deliver more effective government policies that strengthen communities. And there’s no-one better to…
EPISODE 281 Why Leaders Need To Care For People, Not Manage Them | Sesil Pir \
Control is the opposite of caring. And a caring mindset is one of the most important things a leader can possess. In a caring…
EPISODE 280 Do We Judge Others By The Way They Speak? | Katherine Kinzler PhD \
We gravitate to people who are like us; our “tribe”. One factor that we use to assume that others are like us, is by…
EPISODE 279 We Are Greater Together; The Power Of Belonging | Dominic Packer PhD \
We all have an inherent need to belong. And the groups we feel part of actually shape our behavior, more than we realize. They…
EPISODE 278 How Can Smart, Kind People Harness Their Influence? | Zoe Chance \
Influential is probably not a word you use to describe yourself if you are the quiet/smart/kind type of person. Furthermore, you probably have misconceptions…
EPISODE 277 No Regrets? Really? Why Regrets Actually Bring Us Hope | Daniel H. Pink \
No regrets is a phrase thrown around like a badge of honor. Tattoos, songs and marketing taglines all boast this notion of curating a…
EPISODE 276 How To Stay Motivated So You Exceed Your Goals | Ayelet Fishbach PhD \
When we set goals, we’re excited, engaged and motivated to complete them. But after a while, the momentum can slow, we lose enthusiasm and…
EPISODE 275 A Long, Happy Life? The Impacts of Increasing Our Longevity | Bradley Schurman \
Societies around the world are getting older; a combination of people living longer and having fewer children. The 85+ population is now the fastest…
EPISODE 274 Why Finding Pleasure in Life is a Painful Journey | Paul Bloom \
Why do people train for a marathon? Listen to sad music? Eat really spicy food? All of these activities induce a painful response, yet…
EPISODE 273 How Collaboration is Growing Behavioral Science: Learnings from BX Arabia \
BX Arabia is a regional behavioral insights conference that started in 2018 to emphasize the application of behavioral science in the Global South. Kurt…
EPISODE 272 How To Turn Your Creative Dreams Into Reality | Jeff Madoff \
If you have a creative vision, how do you focus your skills on making it happen? Can you turn your dream into a career?…
EPISODE 271 How To Create New Goals That Will Really Motivate You in 2022 \
It’s the time of year for setting New Year’s resolutions. But how can you set goals that you will actually achieve? Will you look…
EPISODE 270 The Behavioral Science Books We Just Couldn’t Put Down in 2021 With Louise Ward \
What a year for books 2021 has been! It seems like authors, editors and publishers have all been working overtime this year to bring…
EPISODE 269 More Than Just A Checklist: How to Effectively Apply Behavioral Science | Torben Emmerling \
Applying Behavioral Science insights at work takes more than just another checklist or document, it’s about creating an environment that enables people to make…
EPISODE 268 Our Love Of Music And The Influence Of The Pandemic With Mark Thorley \
Where and how we listened to music shifted during the pandemic. But the music industry itself had to quickly adapt in 2020 to how…
EPISODE 267 Please Help Us by Voting for Behavioral Grooves – it takes 10 seconds \
Habit Weekly, a wonderful organization founded by Samuel Salzer, is asking people to weigh in on their favorite podcast by casting a vote at…
EPISODE 266 Trust: The Four Key Steps to Genuinely Build It | Sandra Sucher \
In 2021, people started to trust business organizations more than governments, NGOs or the media, according to global research by the Edelman Trust Baraometer….
EPISODE 265 Focus More on HOW to Think, and Less on WHAT to Think | Dr. Howard Rankin PhD \
If we are open minded, we challenge our beliefs and accept that our thinking can, at times, be misguided. After all, our thoughts are…
EPISODE 264 Need a Laugh to Get Through Your Workday? Dan Hill \
Need some respite from the work day grind? Join the fun on this episode for a light-hearted take on workplace humor. Dan Hill delivers…
EPISODE 263 Feeling Fearful: Why People Seek Out Conspiracy Theories | Eric Oliver \
What makes us more likely to believe in conspiracy theories? Can our religious beliefs or political affiliations determine whether we’re less likely to believe…
EPISODE 262 Why We Are More Vulnerable To Harmful Conspiracy Theories Than We Think | Andy Norman \
Misinformation is like a virus, spreading quickly and propagating in a way that doesn’t benefit its host. Andy Noman describes harmful ideas as acting…
EPISODE 261 Conspiracy Theories: How To Talk to A Science Denier | Lee McIntyre \
How do you respond to someone who says “the earth is flat” or “Covid is a hoax”? Before we can try and reason with…
EPISODE 260 Conspiracy Theories: Hidden Brain‘s Shankar Vedantam | The Delusion of Nations \
Host of Hidden Brain podcast, Shankar Vedantam talks with us about the powers: both useful and harmful, of our delusional thinking. Nations are an…
EPISODE 259 Halloween Special: Grooving on Scary Biases \
Listen to Kurt and Tim’s spooky Halloween Special about some common biases that can seem a bit scary. But don’t fear, the scariest thing…
EPISODE 258 Why Does Rude Behavior Really Bother Us So Much? | Trevor Foulk PhD \
Rudeness is contagious, in a similar way to a virus. When experiencing a rude encounter, our brain perceives it like a threat. And once…
EPISODE 257 Helping People To Assemble Better Decisions | Eric J. Johnson \
How do we make decisions? What factors influence the final outcome? Do default settings change our preferences? Every decision we make; from choosing something…
EPISODE 256 Anxiety at Work: Why We Feel It and How To Manage It | Chester Elton \
Anxiety in the workplace has always been present, even pre-pandemic but rates of anxiety, particularly among young employees, have worsened since 2020. So what…
EPISODE 255 The 5 Healthy Brain Habits Of A Neuroscientist | Dr Daniel Almeida \
What life habits keep our brain healthy? How does our mind respond to trauma? And why does the way we talk about suicide and…
EPISODE 254 Money Does Boost Happiness, But Not The Way We Think It Does | Daniel Crosby \
The clearest indicators of our financial solvency are based on the behaviors we exhibit with our investments. Dr. Daniel Crosby PhD is a psychologist,…
EPISODE 253 Why You Don‘t Need to be Powerful to be Influential | Vanessa Bohns \
To be influential you do not require power, but wielding your influence is powerful. Vanessa Bohns, social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at…
EPISODE 252 Leading Human™: How to Avoid Burnout and Create a Positive Organization \
Employee burnout, The Great Resignation, Office Covid Regulations; these are all major concerns for leaders in the workplace right now. But how can managers…
EPISODE 251 Kwame Christian: On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch [Republish Episode 178]\
[NOTE: This episode is republished from #178 in October 2020.] Kwame Christian, Esq. is the author of “Nobody Will Play With Me: How to…
EPISODE 250 Vaccinating the World: How Behavioral Science Helps. With Michael Coleman \
How can behavioral science aid the mammoth task of vaccination the world against Covid? What common barriers cause vaccine hesitancy in populations around the…
EPISODE 249 Can People Learn to be Better at Thinking? With Richard E. Nisbett \
Few psychologists in the world have contributed more to scientific discovery than our guest Richard E. Nisbett. He joins us to discuss his latest…
EPISODE 248 Do We Control Situations or Do Situations Control Us? With John Bargh \
Can we control our unconscious behavior? How much does the situation we’re in control us? Can we prime people to behave a certain way?…
EPISODE 247 Stanford Prison Experiment, 50 Years On: What Have We Really Learnt? With Dr Philip Zimbardo \
The Stanford Prison Experiment has been the topic of movies, newspaper articles, textbooks and TV shows. Extensively published controversy has surrounded the social psychology…
EPISODE 246 [INTERVIEW] Are You More Honest with Google or Your friends? With Seth Stephens-Davidowitz \
The truth is we divulge more information to Google that we do to our friends, our family or even our doctors. Our social media…
EPISODE 245 [GROOVING SESSION] Are You More Honest with Google or Your friends? With Seth Stephens-Davidowitz \
This follow-up episode is a free-flowing Grooving Session where Tim and Kurt chat about their discussion with Seth Stephens-Davidowitz (Episode 246). You’re more than…
EPISODE 244 [INTERVIEW] Does Money Really Make You Happy? The Research with Johannes Haushofer \
What link is there between happiness and income? Does winning the lottery make you happier? What does the research say about poverty and our…
EPISODE 243 [GROOVING SESSION] Does Money Really Make You Happy? The Research with Johannes Haushofer \
Kurt and Tim discuss the links between poverty and mental health, how higher income is linked to better well-being, and the idea of a…
EPISODE 242 [INTERVIEW] Smart Behavioral Economics Secrets Every Marketer Needs with Melina Palmer \
What does your customer want but can’t tell you? What effective marketing techniques use behavioral economics? If only you had a way of understanding…
EPISODE 241 [GROOVING SESSION] Smart Behavioral Economics Secrets Every Marketer Needs with Melina Palmer \
How can your organization improve its marketing messaging using proven behavioral science techniques? As part of our series on Marketing & Employee Engagement this…
EPISODE 240 [INTERVIEW] Why Good, Honest Employees Really Do Steal With Kelly Paxton \
Do honest people steal? Our guest, Kelly Paxton investigates and researches low level crimes such as book-keeping fraud; also known as Pink Collar Crime….
EPISODE 239 [GROOVING SESSION] Why Good, Honest Employees Really Do Steal With Kelly Paxton \
Continuing our series on Marketing and Employee Engagement this month, we were joined by Kelly Paxton on our latest interview episode: Why Good, Honest…
EPISODE 238 Who Makes You Feel Grateful? Tell Them! With Chester Elton \
When did a colleague last thank you for your work? Managers generally underappreciate their employees, but more importantly, they tend to undervalue the benefits…
EPISODE 237 [INTERVIEW] Attention: How to Capture It and Keep It with Ben Parr \
What is the science behind capturing people’s attention? And what do you do after you have someone’s attention; what is your intention? Is our…
EPISODE 236 [GROOVING SESSION] Attention: How to Capture It and Keep It with Ben Parr \
Continuing our series on Marketing and Employee Engagement this month, we were joined on our latest interview episode (#237) by Ben Parr, author of…
EPISODE 235 [INTERVIEW] Make Choice Rewarding: Behavioral Insights in Marketing with Matthew Willcox \
Welcome to our series of episodes on Marketing and Employee Engagement. We’ll be sharing insights into how to apply behavioral science in business. And…
EPISODE 234 [GROOVING SESSION] Make Choice Rewarding: Behavioral Insights in Marketing with Matthew Willcox \
We’re doing things a little differently this month on Behavioral Grooves. Instead of discussing Matthew Willcox’s interview in our Grooving Session at the end…
EPISODE 233 Katy Milkman: How to Make Healthy Habits that Actually Last [GROOVING SESSION] \
We’re doing things a little differently this week. Instead of discussing Katy Milkman’s research at the end of our interview (Episode 232), we’ve decided…
EPISODE 232 [INTERVIEW] Katy Milkman: How to Make Healthy Habits that Actually Last \
We all appreciate a fresh start. Time to start again. A clean slate. Maybe we want to go to the gym more often, eat…
EPISODE 231 Why We Work At Our Best, When We Feel At Our Best with Larry Senn \
Today’s guest is Dr. Larry Senn, PhD, a pioneer in the field of corporate culture. He founded Senn Delaney as a culture shaping firm…
EPISODE 230 How Good People Fight Bias with Dolly Chugh \
Dolly Chugh is an award-winning associate professor and social psychologist at the Stern School of Business at New York University. Her research focuses on…
EPISODE 229 From Holding the Mic to Theory of Mind: Rob Leonard’s Love of Language \
Talk about a unique career path! From performing at Woodstock before Jimi Hendrix, with his band Sha Na Na, to now being a Forensic…
EPISODE 228 Getting to Yes, And…Behavioral Grooves: Two Podcasts in One \
This episode is a Behavioral Grooves first: we bring you our first ever joint podcast! Mid-way through the episode the tables turn and our…
EPISODE 227 Get More from Reading your Favorite Books with Pique founder Bec Weeks \
On this episode of Behavioral Grooves we chat with the founder of the engaging new app PIQUE. Bec Weeks is a behavioral scientist turned…
EPISODE 226 The Power of Unity: Robert Cialdini Expands His Best Selling Book Influence \
The GodFather of Influence, Robert Cialdini joins us again on Behavioral Grooves to share his motivation for expanding his bestselling book Influence: The Psychology…
EPISODE 225 Behind NOISE and Beyond The Book: Linnea Gandhi Shares her New Course on Noise \
Linnea Gandhi is one of our favorite people to talk with and we had the pleasure of welcoming Linnea back to Behavioral Grooves recently….
EPISODE 224 Why Is Noise Worse Than Bias? Olivier Sibony Explains \
NOISE is set to be the next behavioral science bestseller. Daniel Kahneman, Cass Sunstein and Olivier Sibony describe noise as the unwanted variabilities in…
EPISODE 223 How Behavioral Science Can Impact Nonprofits: The Inspiring Story at Save The Children \
Allison Zelkowitz seized the opportunity to use behavioral science at Save The Children to make a big impact on global projects. By building a…
EPISODE 222 How Delusions Can Actually Be Useful: Shankar Vedantam Reveals How \
In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Shankar Vedantam, host of the wildly popular podcast, Hidden Brain and esteemed author of the new…
EPISODE 221 Donating Our Money Is Irrational, So Why Do We Do It? Tim Kachuriak Explains Our Motivations \
Tim Kachuriak is the founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consulting firm that works with businesses,…
EPISODE 220 How Do You Become Influential? Jon Levy Reveals His Surprising Secrets \
Our guest, Jon Levy, is arguably one of the most influential behavioral scientists in the world. Over 10 years ago, Jon founded The Influencers…
EPISODE 219 Why Music Makes You Feel Better with Pablo Ripollés and Ernest Mas Herrero \
In this episode we are thrilled to be discussing our two favorite topics: human behavior and music. We learn that music, more than any…
EPISODE 218 Share, Like, Comment: Sandra Matz PhD Exposes The Truth Behind your Digital Footprint \
Our guest this week, Sandra Matz PhD exposes the truth behind our online presence. In our conversation, Sandra reveals that with simple analytics, the…
EPISODE 217 3 Ways to have a Positive Chat About Vaccine Hesitancy with Friends and Family \
Research is showing that there are four broad groups of people who are the most vaccine hesitant: African Americans Latinos Women between the ages…
EPISODE 216 How a Compelling Story Packs a Persuasive Punch with Melanie Green \
Dr. Melanie Green is a professor at Ohio State University. She joined us on the podcast to explain how the power of a compelling…
EPISODE 215 Secrets of Subtraction: Donut Holes, Lego and Bruce Springsteen with Leidy Klotz \
Leidy Klotz is the Copenhaver Associate Professor of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Virginia. His research fills in underexplored overlaps…
EPISODE 214 Observing the Non-Obvious: How to Spot Trends Around You with Rohit Bhargava \
Rohit Bhargava is on a mission to help everyone in the world become a non-obvious thinker. In this episode, he talks with us about…
EPISODE 213 Why It’s Astoundingly Easy, But Not Better, to Be Tribal with Tim Ash \
Tim Ash is a very interesting guy. He is both an authority on evolutionary psychology and digital marketing, which puts him in pretty rarified…
EPISODE 212 Scrutinizing Hype: Powerful lessons from The Hype Handbook with Michael F. Schein \
Michael F. Schein is a hype specialist and the author of The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Secrets from the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult…
EPISODE 211 A Thousand Thanks: A Lifetime of Experiments and Gratitude with AJ Jacobs \
AJ Jacobs is an author, journalist, lecturer, and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers, including The Year of Living Biblically, that…
EPISODE 210 Linda Thunstrom: Are Thoughts and Prayers Empty Gestures to Suffering Disaster Victims? \
Linda Thunstrom, PhD is a Swedish economist working as an assistant professor of economics at the University of Wyoming. (That’s in Laramie, Wyoming, not…
EPISODE 209 GAABS and Improving the Future for Every Applied Behavioral Scientist \
GAABS is an organization that was recently founded to act as an accrediting body for applied behavioral scientists. GAABS is The Global Association of…
EPISODE 208 Dessa: The Attention Shepherd on the Curious Act of Being Deeply Human \
Dessa is a singer, rapper, writer, speaker, science and philosophy connoisseur, podcast host, and ice cream flavor inventor. (Her flavor is Dessa’s Existential Crunch…
EPISODE 207 Jonathan Mann: Is it Possible to Design an Experience? \
Can you design an experience for someone else? Jonathan Mann, the Vice President of User Experience at Renaissance Learning says, “Umm, not really.” Prior…
EPISODE 206 Why We Need Robots with Kind Faces with Bertram Malle \
Bertram Malle, PhD teaches social cognitive science and social psychology at Brown University, he’s the author of dozens of articles and has focused his…
EPISODE 205 The Myth of the “Relationship Spark” with Logan Ury (featuring a guest appearance by Christina Gravert, PhD) \
Logan Ury studied psychology at Harvard, was a TED Fellow, then became a behavioral scientist at Google, where she ran Google’s behavioral science team…
EPISODE 204 How Shellye Archambeau Flies Like an Eagle \
Shellye Archambeau is the author of “Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms.” It’s part memoir, part inspiration,…
EPISODE 203 On Fake Memories and Whistleblowers with Nuala Walsh \
Nuala Walsh is a strategic adviser with MindEquity, working with organizations to create reputation, commercial and cultural change. She is a global leader, an…
EPISODE 202 How Chaning Jang Works Around Not Being WEIRD \
Chaning Jang is the CSO of the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics and has helped lead the organization since 2013. He is responsible for…
EPISODE 201 The Counterintuitive Persuasion of The Catalyst with Jonah Berger \
Jonah Berger is a marketing professor in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the internationally best-selling author Contagious and Invisible Influence….
EPISODE 200 Time is Money – How Do You Value It? \
Recently, NPR’s Planet Money penned an article about how much our time is worth based on some research that was sponsored by the rideshare…
EPISODE 199 How Decision Making is Critical for Back Country Skiers and Sex \
Have you ever been caught in an avalanche or spoken to someone who survived? In this episode, you’ll hear what living through an avalanche…
EPISODE 198 The Role of the Unconscious in Everyday Behaviors with Joel Weinberger \
Joel Weinberger is a Professor of Psychology at the Derner Institute at Adelphi University with Postdoctoral training in motivation at Harvard University. He is…
EPISODE 196 Living Happier By Making the World Better with Max Bazerman \
Max Bazerman is the Jesse Isidor Strauss Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and is the author of “Better, Not Perfect.” It…
EPISODE 195 Reflecting on the Best Podcast Insights from 2020 \
This is THE episode to listen to if you have missed the last 90 episodes. We can all agree that 2020 has been one…
EPISODE 194 The 10 Best Behavioral Science Books for 2020 \
Pretty much everyone around the world agrees that 2020 was a challenging year and we’re glad it’s all but over. However, 2020 was a…
EPISODE 193 How to Deal With Anxiety Over COVID Vaccines \
Are the new COVID-19 vaccines are safe? It will probably take time to know for sure; however, this week Kurt and Tim discuss the…
EPISODE 192 Amy Bucher on Participatory Design, Trust and Engaging Your Audience \
Amy Bucher, PhD is the Vice President of Behavior Change Design at Mad*Pow and the author of “Engaged,” a new book on how to…
EPISODE 191 Evolving HR Using Behavioral Science with Ryan McShane \
Ryan McShane is the President and CEO of HR Evolution, a consultancy that designs systems that support employee alignment to organizational purpose through HR…
EPISODE 190 Cornelia Walther on POZE: Pause, Observe, Zoom in, and Experience \
Cornelia Walther has spent most of her professional career with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP). She was…
EPISODE 189 Kevin Vallier: What to Do About Polarization \
Kevin Vallier, PhD is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University, where he directs their Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law programs….
EPISODE 188 Improve Productivity by Making Your Workforce Psychologically Safe\
[NOTE: This episode was originally published as a Weekly Grooves podcast. We wanted to share it with our Behavioral Grooves listeners and we hope…
EPISODE 187 Bill von Hippel on The Social Leap, Context, and Max Weinberg \
Bill von Hippel, PhD is an evolutionary psychologist from Alaska who has lived in Australia for more than 20 years. Bill teaches at the…
EPISODE 186 World Kindness Day Through a Behavioral Lens \
World Kindness Day is November 13th and has been celebrated in many countries around the world since 1998. World Kindness Day was developed to…
EPISODE 185 How Do We Deal with Disinformation?\
[NOTE: This episode was originally published under our sister-podcast, Weekly Grooves. We are republishing it here to share relevant behavioral science information. We hope…
EPISODE 184 Elspeth Kirkman and Michael Hallsworth on Designing Behavioral Interventions \
CORRECTION: In this episode, we incorrectly state that Michael Hallsworth started the BIT North American team. In fact, the BIT North America team was…
EPISODE 183 Iowa Caucus Conspiracy Theories – How to Inoculate Yourself\
[NOTE: This episode was originally published under our sister-podcast, Weekly Grooves. In our effort to share relevant behavioral science information, we are republishing it…
EPISODE 182 Rippling with Jez Groom and April Vellacott \
Jez Groom and April Vellacott, our guests in this episode, are co-authors of “Ripple – The Big Effects of Small Behavior Changes in Business.”…
EPISODE 181 Grooving: The Single Largest Driver of Misinformation\
[NOTE: This episode was originally published under our sister-podcast, Weekly Grooves. In our effort to share relevant behavioral science information, we are republishing it…
EPISODE 180 Vote Now (for Behavioral Grooves) \
The presidential election is going full tilt in the United States and we want to emphasize the importance of acting on your constitutional rights…
EPISODE 179 Play, Reciprocity and Context: The Keys to Happy Communities with Jessica Mayhew \
Jessica Mayhew, PhD teaches Biological Anthropology as well as Primate Culture & Cognition at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. She got our attention…
EPISODE 178 Kwame Christian: On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch \
Kwame Christian, Esq. is the author of “Nobody Will Play With Me: How to Use Compassionate Curiosity to Find Confidence in Conflict.” He is…
EPISODE 177 Matt Johnson & Prince Ghuman on Mid-Liminal Marketing and the Ethics of Applied Neuroscience \
Matt Johnson, PhD and Prince Ghuman are the authors of “Blindsight: the mostly hidden ways marketing shapes our brains.” We caught up with them…
EPISODE 176 Annie Duke on How to Decide \
Annie Duke first guested on Behavioral Grooves on Episode 31, which was released on September 30, 2018. For some reason, the three of us…
EPISODE 175 Andy Luttrell: Pro’s and Con’s of Persuasion When Issues are Moralized \
Andy Luttrell, PhD is an assistant professor of psychological science at Ball State University and the podcaster/host of Opinion Science, one of Kurt and…
EPISODE 174 Secrets to a Successful Marriage with Eli Finkel \
Eli Finkel, PhD is a social psychology professor who studies interpersonal attraction, marriage, and how our social relationships influence our goal achievement. He is…
EPISODE 173 Grooving: Colleges and the Coronavirus\
[NOTE: You may or may not know that Kurt and Tim host a sibling podcast called Weekly Grooves. We thought this was such an…
EPISODE 172 How to Talk to Your Friends About Their Conspiracy Theories with Eric Oliver \
Eric Oliver, PhD is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. Although the majority of his work is squarely in the…
EPISODE 171 Self Control, Belonging, and Why Your Most Dedicated Employees Are the Ones To Watch Out For with Roy Baumeister \
Roy Baumeister, PhD is a world-renowned researcher known for his work on the subjects of willpower, self-control, and self-esteem and how they relate to…
EPISODE 170 Seven Questions to Assess the Psychological Safety of Your Teams with Susan Hunt Stevens \
Susan Hunt Stevens is the Founder and CEO of WeSpire, a technology platform that helps achieve the company’s goals through better employee engagement. WeSpire…
EPISODE 169 Eugen Dimant, PhD: What To Do About Bad Apples\
[NOTE: Republished in its entirety from original episode #104 on December 15, 2019.] Eugen Dimant, PhD is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Master of…
EPISODE 168 The Stages of Grief, Pandemics and the Psychology of Protests with Nicole Fisher \
Nicole Fisher, DrPH is the president of Health and Human Rights Strategies and is a regular contributor to Forbes magazine on social justice issues….
EPISODE 167 How Babies’ Faces on Shop Doors Can Reduce Crime: With Tara Austin \
Tara Austin is a strategist and was recently the Chief Strategy Officer for Kindred in London. Many of us know her for her public…
EPISODE 166 Elspeth Kirkman: Best Models for Identifying a Problem \
Elspeth Kirkman is responsible for BIT’s work on health, education, and local government. Prior to this role, she oversaw the establishment and growth of…
EPISODE 165 Shlomi Ron: Visual Storying Telling In a Time of Crisis \
Shlomi Ron is the CEO of the Visual Storytelling Institute. He co-founded the institute after 20 years of digital marketing with some of the…
EPISODE 164 Steve Wendel, PhD: Designing for Behavior Change \
Stephen Wendel, PhD is an applied behavioral scientist who studies how digital products can help people take action more effectively. He currently serves as…
EPISODE 163 Robert Cialdini, PhD: Littering, Egoism and Aretha Franklin\
[NOTE: This episode is republished from #50 in January 2019.] Robert Cialdini, PhD is counted among the greatest psychological researchers alive today and his published…
EPISODE 162 Grooving: On the Principle of Scarcity\
[NOTE: This episode is republished from #74 in June 2019.] This episode is a discussion on the principle of scarcity. Kurt and Tim attempt…
EPISODE 161 Katy Milkman, PhD: Using Behavior Change for Good\
[NOTE: This is a republished episode from #99 in November 2019.] Katy Milkman is no ordinary behavioral scientist. She’s a Professor of Operations, Information…
EPISODE 159 Covid-19 Crisis: Caroline Webb, Senior Advisor at McKinsey, on The Value of Where We Place Our Attention and Amplifying Certainty \
Caroline Webb, a Senior Advisor at McKinsey, is an executive coach, author, and speaker specializing in insights from behavioral science to improve our lives…
EPISODE 158 Covid-19 Crisis: Margaret Robinson Rutherford, PhD on Perfectly Hidden Depression \
Margaret Robinson Rutherford, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice with more than twenty-five years of experience treating individuals and couples for depression,…
EPISODE 157 Grooving: Where Will You Live if You WFH? \
We saw an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “When Workers Can Live Anywhere, Many Ask: Why Do I Live Here?” and it…
EPISODE 156 Covid-19 Crisis: Elizabeth Gilbert, PhD on Adaptability, Imaginal Exposure and Lists \
Elizabeth Gilbert, PhD is the Head of Research at PsychologyCompass, a content platform that uses insights from psychology and neuroscience to teach people how…
EPISODE 155 John Bargh: Dante, Coffee and the Unconscious Mind \
John Bargh, PhD is a Professor of Psychology and Management at Yale University. His name may be familiar because of the replication crisis, but…
EPISODE 154 Covid-19 Crisis: Howard Friedman, PhD on The Value of Human Life \
Howard Friedman is a data scientist, health economist, and writer with decades of experience in both the private and public sectors, as well as…
EPISODE 153 Grooving: Protests Sparked by the Death of George Floyd in Minneapolis \
On May 25, 2020, a white Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by holding him down with a knee on…
EPISODE 152 Covid-19 Crisis: Chris Pfeiffer on Tips for Adjusting Sales Comp Plans \
Chris Pfeiffer is a Senior Business Analyst at Tegra Analytics. Chris specializes in salesforce effectiveness in the life science industry, which includes incentive compensation,…
EPISODE 151 Dan Hill, PhD: On the Facial Coding of Trump, Hendrix, Prince, Gretzky and the Beatles \
Dan Hill, PhD is an internationally recognized expert on the role of emotions in politics, business, sports, and popular culture. He pioneered the use…
EPISODE 150 Covid-19 Crisis: Claire Bidwell Smith on Grief During the Crisis \
Claire Bidwell Smith is a licensed therapist specializing in grief and the author of three books of nonfiction, most recently ANXIETY: The Missing Stage…
EPISODE 149 Covid-19 Crisis: Kristen Berman on Remote Work, Quaranteams and Marinades \
Kristen Berman is the co-founder of Irrational Labs and co-founder and principal at Common Cents Lab, a non-profit behavioral consulting company, with Dan Ariely….
EPISODE 148 Covid-19 Crisis: Stephen Curtis on Neuroplasticity and Creating the Ideal \
Stephen Curtis, PhD is a Clinical Psychologist with a doctorate in Neuroscience Experimental Psychology. He specializes in Performance Psychology with professional and college athletes,…
EPISODE 147 Gary Latham, PhD: Goal Setting, Prompts, Priming, and Skepticism \
Gary Latham, PhD is the Secretary of State Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the Rotman School of Management in the University of Toronto. His…
EPISODE 146 Covid-19 Crisis: Mariel Beasley on Increasing Short Term Savings During the Crisis \
Mariel Beasley is the Co-Director of the Common Cents Lab at the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University. She works on applications of…
EPISODE 145 Samuel Salzer: Benefits and Perils of Streaks \
Samuel Salzer is a leading behavioral strategist and habit expert, having worked with organizations across Europe, Australia, and North America. Among other things, he’s…
EPISODE 144 Covid-19 Crisis: Kaveh Yazdifard on Uniting Innovators from Tehran \
Kaveh Yazdifard is the Chief Innovation Officer at Sahab Pardaz located in Tehran, Iran. He is also the Director of Urban Innovation for the…
EPISODE 143 Covid-19 Crisis: Gretchen Chapman, PhD on The Psychology of Vaccinations \
Gretchen Chapman, PhD researches how we make decisions about vaccines. She is a Professor in the Social & Decision Sciences department at Carnegie Mellon…
EPISODE 142 Covid-19 Crisis: Jules Nolan on The Kids are Alright – Insights on Coping Through the Crisis \
Jules Nolan, PhD is a psychologist, speaker, and author. She is the president of the Minnesota School Psychology Association and chairwoman for the Human…
EPISODE 141 Thanks For No Memories During the Coronavirus Pandemic \
Our inspiration this week comes from an article written by Shayla Love for Vice titled, “You’ll probably forget what it was like to live…
EPISODE 140 Covid-19 Crisis: Greg Davies, PhD on the Fetish of Optimization \
Greg Davies, PhD is a specialist in applied behavioral finance, decision science, impact investing, and financial wellbeing. He founded the banking world’s first behavioral…
EPISODE 139 Iris Tzafrir: A Kind Word \
Iris Tzafrir is an inspirational and influential cross-functional leader in strategy and business development, deal-making, value actualization, and merger integration. She grew up in…
EPISODE 138 Covid-19 Crisis: Anurag Vaish on Risk is a Feeling, Not a Number \
Anurag Vaish is the co-founder and director of The FinalMile in Mumbai, India. In building the company’s practice of Behavior Architecture, Anurag led the…
EPISODE 137 Artem Petakov: Our Biggest Competitor is the Couch \
Artem Petakov is a co-Founder of Noom, a behavioral change and weight loss product that marries both psychology and AI to help people form…
EPISODE 136 Covid-19 Crisis: Michael Boden on How Field Sales Reps Are Adapting to the Crisis \
Michael Boden is the Head of U.S. Crop Protection Sales at Syngenta, a global agrochemicals and seeds firm based in Basel, Switzerland. He joined…
EPISODE 135 Covid-19 Crisis: Alessandro del Ponte on Moral Dilemmas with Economic Consequences \
Alessandro del Ponte is a research fellow at the National University of Singapore working in the Behavioral Change program at the Global Asia Institute….
EPISODE 134 Stuart King: On the “What The Hell” Effect \
Stuart King designs evidence-based interventions for children and adults to change their behavior and manage their weight. He has worked with the UK’s NHS…
EPISODE 133 Covid-19 Crisis: Cristina Bicchieri – Messaging Rules For Improving Social Behavior \
Cristina Bicchieri, PhD is the S. J. Patterson Harvie Professor of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics, a Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at the University…
EPISODE 132 Grooving: The Impact of Temporal Discounting \
In this grooving episode, Kurt and Tim discuss Temporal Discounting and it’s closely related cousins. Temporal discounting is where we tend to value events…
EPISODE 131 Covid-19 Crisis: Aline Holzwarth on Our Behavioral Immune System \
Aline Holzwarth is the head of Behavioral Science at Pattern Health in Durham, North Carolina and a writer who supplies work to Behavioral Scientist…
EPISODE 130 Covid-19 Crisis: Brad Shuck, PhD on Pausing, Building Capacity and “Not Business as Usual” \
Brad Shuck, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development at the University of Louisville. He is…
EPISODE 129 Covid-19 Crisis: Eugen Dimant, PhD on the Roles of Social Norms and Good Science \
Eugen Dimant, PhD is an Associate Professor of Practice in Behavioral and Decision Sciences, which is part of the new Center for Social Norms…
EPISODE 128 Covid-19 Crisis: Wendy Wood, PhD on Habits, Productivity and Being Gentle with Yourself \
Wendy Wood, PhD is a social psychologist whose research addresses the ways that habits guide behavior. She researches and teaches at USC both in…
EPISODE 127 Deborah Small, PhD: Processing Probabilistic Events and Making Donations \
Deborah Small, PhD is a professor of marketing in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research crosses the intersections of psychology…
EPISODE 126 Covid-19 Crisis: Rodd Wagner on The Zen of Staying Safe \
Rodd Wagner is a Forbes columnist and bestselling author of books on leadership, employee engagement and collaboration. Rodd’s books have been published in 10…
EPISODE 125 Covid-19 Crisis: Annie Duke on Hedging and the Last Disaster Syndrome \
Annie Duke is an author, corporate speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space. Her most recent book, Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When…
EPISODE 124 Covid-19 Crisis: Ali Fenwick, PhD on Leveraging the Crisis for Good \
Ali Fenwick, PhD is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Hult International Business School in London and Dubai. He specializes in applying behavioural traits…
EPISODE 123 Covid-19 Crisis: James Brewer on Changing His Mind \
James Brewer is the Director of Marketing Platforms and Global Customer Operations for Eli Lilly and Company. Over the years, Kurt and Tim have…
EPISODE 122 Covid-19 Crisis: Don’t Outsource Your Critical Thinking with Christian Hunt \
Christian Hunt is the founder of Human Risk, a Behavioral Science consulting and training firm specializing in risk, compliance, conduct & culture. Previously, Christian…
EPISODE 121 Covid-19 Crisis: Barry Ritholtz on Keeping Perspective \
Barry Ritholtz is the CIO of Ritholtz Wealth Management and the host of the Bloomberg podcast Masters in Business, where he talks almost as…
EPISODE 120 Covid-19 Crisis: Emotional Impact of WFH with Liz Fosslien \
Liz Fosslien was our guest on Episode 56 and we asked her back to kick off our series on the behavioral aspects of how…
EPISODE 119 Managing Coronavirus – An Introduction to Weekly Grooves \
This is an episode originally produced for Weekly Grooves. We hope you enjoy! Coronavirus and the disease it’s created – Covid-19 – is alive…
EPISODE 118 Chiara Varazzani: Behavioral Science Needs More Neuroscience \
Chiara Varazzani, PhD is the Principal Advisor at the Behavioral Insights Unit in the Victorian Government’s Department of Premier and Cabinet in Australia. Chiara…
EPISODE 117 John Fuisz: Tracking Emotional Vectors \
John Fuisz is co-founder of Veriphix and a marketer who believes in building great brands. He does so with a sophisticated system that, on…
EPISODE 116 Andrew Wagner: The Economics Inside Online Games \
Author and economist Andrew Wagner’s new book, The Economics of Online Gaming, shares how economic decisions get made by players of online games. We…
EPISODE 115 Ethical Application of Behavioral Science in the Workplace \
In this special edition, bestselling author and Forbes contributor, Rodd Wagner, organized a question-and-answer session with Kurt and Tim in front of a live audience to…
EPISODE 114 Adam Hansen: Beyond Innovation \
As a new product and innovation professional, Adam Hansen has always believed in the power of possibility – accepting new approaches, questioning conventional wisdom,…
EPISODE 113 Caroline Webb: Still Having a Great Day \
For this episode, we’re republishing a terrific conversation we had with economist and author, Caroline Webb, PhD (in episode 33). We loved her book, How…
EPISODE 112 Grooving: The Behavioral Diagnosis \
In this grooving session, Kurt and Tim share how to conduct a behavioral diagnosis. A behavioral diagnosis is a tool we use to uncover…
EPISODE 111 Announcing Weekly Grooves \
Kurt and Tim are producing a new podcast called Weekly Grooves, launching January 31, 2020. Weekly Grooves is the weekly podcast that offers insights…
EPISODE 110 Steve Martin and Joe Marks: The Messenger is the Message \
Stephen Martin and Joe Marks, PhD dive deep into one of the most important eye-openers about communication in our world today: the importance of…
EPISODE 109 Melina Palmer: Using Behavioral Economics to Help Businesses \
Melina Palmer is the host of The Brainy Business podcast and she has dedicated her career to seeking answers to these questions for herself…
EPISODE 108 Grooving on Our Favorite Podcast Episodes of 2019 \
Too often, in our estimation, people make recommendations to us with the intent to improve our life but the effect on us is the…
EPISODE 107 Rory Sutherland: The Opposite of a Good Idea is a Good Idea \
Rory Sutherland is a British advertising executive who became fascinated with behavioral science. Between his TED talks, books and articles, he has become one…
EPISODE 106 Jana Gallus: The Role of Precision in Incentives \
Jana Gallus, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA’s Anderson School of Business and our discussion dissected the…
EPISODE 105 Reuben Kline: When Too Many Choices Might Be Just Right \
The research that Reuben Kline, PhD is working on is focused on climate change mitigation. As an associate professor of political science and the…
EPISODE 104 Eugen Dimant: What to Do About Bad Apples \
Eugen Dimant, PhD is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences Department and a Senior Research Fellow at the Identity…
EPISODE 103 Grooving: Kiki and Bouba Minds \
Imagine that these two drawings are called Kiki and Bouba in some alien language. If you had to guess which one was Kiki and…
EPISODE 102 Cristina Bicchieri: Social Norms are Bundles of Expectations \
Cristina Bicchieri, PhD is the S. J. Patterson Harvie Professor of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics, a Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at the…
EPISODE 101 Grooving: 2019 Reading List \
Kurt and Tim like to read about behavioral science and a variety of related fields. To help those interested in the subject, but unsure…
EPISODE 100 The 100th Episode Celebration in Philadelphia \
This is Behavioral Grooves’ 100th episode! Who would have thought when we started out two years ago without a clue about HOW to produce…
EPISODE 99 Katy Milkman: Behavior Change for Good \
Katy Milkman PhD is no ordinary behavioral scientist. She’s a Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at Wharton and has a secondary faculty appointment…
EPISODE 98 Chris Nave: Educating BeSci Practitioners at UPenn \
Chris Nave, PhD is the Associate Director of the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences Program at the University of Pennsylvania. We caught up…
EPISODE 97 Chris Brown: Avalanches and System 1 Thinking \
Chris Brown is in human risk management and practice is set in backcountry snow. He grew up outside of Philadelphia and after graduating with…
EPISODE 96 Zarak Khan and Erik Johnson: Action Design Network and Beyond \
Sometimes things just go better in twos and that was the case regarding our guests for this episode. Zarak Kahn is the Behavioral Innovation…
EPISODE 95 Victoria Shaffer: End of Life Decision Tools \
Victoria Shaffer is a researcher and professor at the University of Missouri. Victoria focuses on applying decision psychology and behavioral economics to medical decision…
EPISODE 94 Grooving: UPenn Norms and Behavioral Change Workshop \
Kurt and Tim were invited to attend the Norms and Behavioral Change (NoBeC) workshop at the University of Pennsylvania on October 17 and 18,…
EPISODE 93 Paul Hebert: 7 Deadly Incentive Sins \
Paul Hebert knows incentives. He is the Vice President of Individual Performance Strategy at Creative Group, Inc. and a writer, speaker and consultant and…
EPISODE 91 Brad Shuck: Being Ignored is Worse Than Having a Stapler Thrown at You \
Brad Shuck, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development at the University of Louisville. He is…
EPISODE 90 Jim Guszcza: Data Science AND Behavioral Science, New Wine in a New Bottle \
Jim Guszcza is the chief data scientist at Deloitte Analytics. His title paints a picture that he’s a total numbers geek. And that would…
EPISODE 89 Gina Merchant: Combating Misinformation \
Gina Merchant, PhD is a behavioral scientist who wound her way through academia and into the corporate world for the purpose of improving the…
EPISODE 88 Annie Duke: Revisiting the Matrix \
We are re-sharing our original September 2018 discussion with Annie Duke to announce the Behavioral Grooves 100th Episode on the evening of October 17,…
EPISODE 87 Announcements: Minneapolis and Philadelphia Events \
Groovers, a couple of announcements for you: 1. Kurt and I are hosting a meetup immediately after Customer Focus North in Minneapolis on September 19,…
EPISODE 86 Christian Hunt: Mitigating Human Risk and The Algorithmic Mind \
Christian Hunt is the founder of Human Risk, a Behavioral Science Consulting and Training firm specializing in the fields of Risk, Compliance, Conduct &…
EPISODE 85 Brian Ahearn: Influencing People Ethically \
Brian Ahearn is Behavioral Grooves’ first repeat guest. (He was first featured in Episode 39: The Heart of Reciprocity.) We recently reconnected with him…
EPISODE 84 Alex Blau: The Implementation-Intention Framework \
Alex Blau is a vice president at ideas42 with projects in consumer finance, design and decision-making, and international development. In our discussion, we focused on…
EPISODE 83 Steven Sisler: Seeing People as We Are \
Steven Sisler may not be a household name, but he should be. Steve is a Master Level Behavioral Profiler and the lead Behavioral Analyst…
EPISODE 82 Chris Matyszczyk: Listening to Music While You Work \
Our guest in this episode is a prolific writer and observer of the human condition, Chris Matyszczyk (pronounced ma-TIS-chick). We talked with Chris about…
EPISODE 81 Scott Jeffrey: On Justifiability \
Because we’re taking a little break, we are republishing one of our favorite episodes: a conversation with Scott Jeffrey, PhD from Monmouth University in…
EPISODE 80 Grooving: On Behavioral Songs \
Kurt and Tim groove on where behavioral science shows up in popular music. Social norms, loss aversion…all at its best. The human condition is…
EPISODE 79 Grooving on Cognitive Dissonance \
We met up with Kathleen Vohs, PhD at our Behavioral Grooves Meetup in Minneapolis on the evening that her op-ed article appeared in the…
EPISODE 78 Matt Loper: Helping Patients Adhere to Medication Plans \
In this episode, we spoke with Matt Loper, CEO and Co-Founder of Wellth, an app that helps people with chronic conditions improve their health…
EPISODE 77 Grooving: On Liking \
In this episode, Kurt and Tim explore Robert Cialdini’s Fifth Principles of Influence: Liking. In it, we groove on the very powerful tool for…
EPISODE 76 Nurit Nobel: De-Biasing the Recruiting Process \
In this episode, we spoke with Nurit Nobel, who is living in Stockholm, Sweden where she’s working on her PhD. Nurit is a co-founder…
EPISODE 75 Jonathan Mann: Integrating Behavioral Science into User Experience \
The role of the User Experience (UX) designer is growing in corporations around the world. UX Designers have a great deal of influence over…
EPISODE 74 Grooving: On Scarcity \
This episode is a discussion on the principle of scarcity. Kurt and Tim illuminate the power of this very fundamental effect in behavioral science…
EPISODE 73 Terry Esau: Carbon Fiber Therapist \
Terry Esau is the founder of Free Bikes 4 Kids, a non-profit based in Minneapolis that collects and distributes tens of thousands of bikes…
EPISODE 72 Roger Dooley: Friction and Engagement \
Roger Dooley is the author of Friction, his newest book that summarizes great examples of companies do good things to reduce friction for customers…
EPISODE 71 Alex Imas: Clawback Incentives and Tom Waits \
Alex Imas is an assistant professor of economics in the Social & Decision Sciences department at Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College. His research dovetails perfectly…
EPISODE 70 Grooving: The Uber Science Symposium \
On May 3, 2019, Kurt and Tim attended an invitation-only Science Symposium featuring a track on behavioral science at the San Francisco headquarters of…
EPISODE 69 Russell Golman: On Information Avoidance \
Russell Golman is an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Economics and Decision Sciences in the Social & Decision Sciences Department at CMU. His pioneering, interdisciplinary…
EPISODE 68 Julie Downs: From Sexual Health to the Sahel \
Julie Downs, PhD is an associate professor of psychology in the Social and Decision Sciences department at Carnegie Mellon’s Dietrich College and fits perfectly…
EPISODE 67 George Loewenstein: On a Functional Theory of Boredom \
George Loewenstein, PhD is the Herbert A. Simon Professor of Economics and Psychology in the Social and Decision Sciences Department in the Dietrich College…
EPISODE 66 Silvia Saccardo: Ethics of Decisions and Italian Rap \
Silvia Saccardo, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Management in the Social and Decision Sciences department in the Dietrich College of Humanities & Social Sciences…
EPISODE 65 Grooving: Listeners, can you help us? \
At this writing, we’ve recorded and published 64 episodes of Behavioral Grooves and we’d like to make sure we’re on the right course for…
EPISODE 64 Danny Oppenheimer: Governance and Helicopter Parenting \
Daniel Oppenheimer, PhD, known to all as “Danny,” is a professor of psychology in the Social and Decision Sciences department in the Dietrich College…
EPISODE 63 Jeff Galak: High Heels and Hedonic Decline \
Jeff Galak, PhD is a professor at the Social and Decision Sciences department in the Dietrich College of Humanities & Social Sciences at Carnegie…
EPISODE 62 Linda Babcock: Helping Women Build Better Careers at Carnegie Mellon \
This is the first in a series featuring researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s Social and Decision Sciences (SDS) department in the Dietrich College of…
EPISODE 61 Amit Sood: The Ultimate Happiness Doctor \
Looking for a simple 5-step plan to be happier? Our guest has one. Amit Sood, PhD is an author and physician at the world-renowned…
EPISODE 60 Francesca Gino: Curiosity and Rebellion Makes Your Career \
Imagine a company where 100% of the employees are rebels – would it be chaotic or wonderful? Our guest from the Harvard Business School,…
EPISODE 59 Jeanie Whinghter and Afra Ahmad: Balance vs. Harmony \
In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with two guests: Jeanie Whinghter, PhD and Afra Ahmad, PhD. Jeanie is the Chair of…
EPISODE 58 Michael Kaplan: Seeking Naysayers \
Michael Kaplan is a private equity and angel investor who was part owner and president of the wildly successful carpet cleaning franchise called Zerorez….
EPISODE 57 Grooving on Reciprocity \
This is the second episode in a series on the 6 Principles of Persuasion as identified by Robert Cialdini, PhD, in his 1984 book,…
EPISODE 56 Liz Fosslien: The Smile File \
Liz Fosslien is the co-author and illustrator of No Hard Feelings: The secret power of embracing emotions at work. The book is a wickedly…
EPISODE 55 Luke Battye: The Peak-End Effect and Fast Food \
Luke Battye is a product/service consultant with a background in Experimental Psychology and innovation. Luke founded a behavioral design consultancy, called Sprint Valley in…
EPISODE 54 Saurabh Bhargava: A More Serene Path to Financial Wellbeing \
Saurabh Bhargava, PhD is a professor and researcher at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and he joined us in the Behavioral Grooves studio during…
EPISODE 53 John Sweeney: Everything Is a Story \
John Sweeney is the author of Innovation at the Speed of Laughter: 8 Secrets to World Class Idea Generation, corporate keynote speaker, improvisational impresario,…
EPISODE 52 Rodd Wagner: This Episode Could Save Your Life \
The safety insights from our guest could save your life! Rodd Wagner is The New York Times bestselling author of the book “Widgets: The 12…
EPISODE 51 Thomas Steenburgh: How to Sell New Products \
Thomas Steenburgh, PhD is a senior professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean at the Darden School of Business at the University of…
EPISODE 50 Robert Cialdini, PhD: Littering, Egoism and Aretha Franklin \
Robert Cialdini, PhD is counted among the greatest psychological researchers alive today and his published works have been cited thousands of times. His New…
EPISODE 49 Grooving: Political Stalemates – Insights on Consistency \
This episode is first in a series called Exploring the Principles of Influence, named for Robert Cialdini, PhD’s principles in his 1984 book, Influence….
EPISODE 48 Ori Brafman: On Starfish, Burning Man and Efficient Markets \
In this episode, we had a discussion with Ori Brafman about decentralization and how our brains respond to cash and cocaine. Ori is a…
EPISODE 47 Barry Ritholtz: How to Reduce Evolutionary Panic \
In this special edition, we sat down with Barry Ritholtz, a Wall Street investment maven, host of the podcast Masters In Business, a regular…
EPISODE 46 Grooving on Too Much Stuff \
After the gift-giving holidays – Hanukkah and Christmas – homes and apartments are bursting at the seams with more stuff. Knick-knacks, novelties, gewgaws, tchotchkes,…
EPISODE 45 Grooving: Top 10 Podcasts of 2018 \
During 2018, Behavioral Grooves published 44 episodes and expanded our viewers into more than 90 countries. To celebrate our successful first year, Kurt and…
EPISODE 43 Will Leach: Marketing to Mindstates \
Will Leach is a marketer, econometrician and author whose recent book, Marketing to Mindstates, captured our attention before it was even published. His clever,…
EPISODE 42 Grooving on: New Year’s Resolutions \
Every year, millions of people make resolutions at the start of the new year and researchers indicate that 91% of those resolutions are sunk…
EPISODE 41 Michael Hallsworth: From MINDSPACE to EAST \
In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Michael Hallsworth PhD, the Managing Director of the North American Behavioral Insights Team. We met up with…
EPISODE 40 Re-Grooving on Annie Duke \
This is a special Re-Grooving session for your speedy listening enjoyment. In this re-grooving episode, we are re-sharing the Grooving Session (only the Grooving…
EPISODE 39 Brian Ahearn: The Heart of Reciprocity \
Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence People, LLC, and one of only 20 Cialdini Method Certified Trainers in the world. Brian’s…
EPISODE 38 Linnea Gandhi: Crushing on Statistics \
University of Chicago MBA professor Linnea Gandhi talked with Kurt and Tim recently about her consulting work, her passion for statistics, grading papers and…
EPISODE 37 Grooving on Civil Discourse at the Thanksgiving Table \
Political discussions in many places around the world have become more contentious than at any time in our recent history. It seems almost impossible…
EPISODE 36 David Yokum: Science is Hard \
David Yokum may not be a household name but that shouldn’t stop you from listening. If you’ve ever wondered about police officer body cameras…
EPISODE 35 Grooving on Waiting: Why we don’t like to be idle \
While Kurt and Tim were waiting for a podcast interviewee to log in recently, we decided to discuss the behavioral and psychological aspects of waiting….
EPISODE 34 Koen Smets: The Altered Chord \
Koen Smets is not a household name, but it ought to be. Pronounced KEWN, our guest in this episode is Belgian by birth and…
EPISODE 33 Caroline Webb: Having a Good Day \
Caroline Webb is an overachiever. Oxford, Cambridge, Levy Economics Institute, McKinsey & Associates, Carnegie Hall performer, Davos World Economic Forum speaker. It’s an inspiring…
EPISODE 32 Grooving on Books: Our Top 10 Recommended books on Behavioral Science \
In this grooving session, Kurt and Tim discuss books that they believe every behavioral science nerd should (yes: should) read. Kurt was limited to 5…
EPISODE 31 Leaving the Matrix: Annie Duke and Insights into how you can improve your thinking!\
Annie Duke’s latest book, Thinking in Bets, Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts, is a masterful mash-up of her life…
EPISODE 30 Education: The Path to a More Prosperous Life with Sarita Parikh \
Sarita Parikh is the Senior Director of Consumer Experience and Strategy at GED Testing Service, a business that helps adults use education as a…
EPISODE 29 Beyond a Framework featuring Bri Williams \
Bri Williams is an Australian pioneer in the application of behavioral sciences. She was an early follower of Dan Ariely, BJ Fogg and Richard…
EPISODE 28 Grooving on Priming: How Your Socks Influence Your Behavior \
Priming is a technique whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus without conscious guidance or intention. In other words,…
EPISODE 27 Grooving on Goals: The Magic of Goals \
Goals are as common and as misunderstood as mobile phones. We think we know how to use them, but we don’t get it right…
EPISODE 26 Ruchir Sehra on The Behavioral Effects of Sleep \
Ruchir Sehra is an entrepreneur, cardio physiologist, MBA and a curious and caring human being. Our interview with Ruchir was set in the discussion…
EPISODE 25 Facial Muscles Speak Louder Than Words with author Dan Hill \
Dan Hill, PhD, researcher, author and founder of Sensory Logic, shares his wit, wisdom and insights into behavioral sciences in our interview. Dan’s work is in…
EPISODE 24 April Seifert on Digital Exhaust Analysis and Gender Stereotyping \
April Seifert, PhD considers herself a multi-passionate person. In this episode, our conversation with her covered skydiving, motherhood, data nerdery, implicit bias assessments, gender…
EPISODE 23 Grooving on Self Identity \
In this episode on the mysterious world of self-identity and self-schema, we offer 4 tips on how you make the most of your self-identity….
EPISODE 22 Grooving on Cash vs. Non-Cash \
Kurt and Tim have experience in designing and implementing rewards programs for sales reps, channel partners and loyal customers as well as corporate recognition programs. In…
EPISODE 21 Grooving on Applying Behavioral Sciences at Your Office \
Kurt and Tim have decades of experience applying BS (behavioral sciences) in corporate environments (and non-profits) and this episode walks through some tips that…
EPISODE 20 The Teaspoon Hustle – Part 2 with Rob Burnet \
This podcast is Part 2 of a 2-part podcast. Our interview with Rob Burnet, founder of Well Told Story in Nairobi, Kenya went so well and so long that…
EPISODE 19 The Teaspoon Hustle – Part 1 with Rob Burnet \
This podcast is Part 1 of a 2-part podcast. Our interview with Rob Burnet, founder of Well Told Story in Nairobi, Kenya went so well…
EPISODE 18 Stars – Cores – Laggards – Better Incentives for Your Sales Reps featuring Dr. Michael Ahearne \
In this episode, we spoke with Michael Ahearne PhD, a professor and researcher at the University of Houston. Mike is an expert in sales…
EPISODE 17 The Accidental Behavioral Scientist with David Hussman \
From being a recording engineer at Prince’s Paisley Park studios, to playing with the big-hair metal band Slave Raider to founding a successful Agile…
EPISODE 16 Nudge-A-Thon with Dr. Christina Gravert \
Dr. Christina Gravert is a Post-Doc at the University of Gothenburg and Chief Behavioral Economist of Impactfully, a behavioral science consultancy. We talked to…
EPISODE 15 A New Leadership Model with Bain & Company’s Mark Horwitch \
In this episode, we spoke to Mark Horwitch, Partner for Co-Creation ~ Flexibility ~ Openness ~ Vision at Bain & Company about his remarkable new…
EPISODE 14 Grooving with Kurt & Tim – The 4 Drive Model \
When Kurt and Tim founded the Behavioral Grooves, we wanted to glean insights into the applications of behavioral sciences from world-renowned researchers and practitioners….
EPISODE 13 When Marketing Is Good, You Don’t See It \
This episode’s guest is Kyle Simenson, a marketing consultant who noted that ‘When marketing is good, you can’t see it.’ His comment instantly brought…
EPISODE 12 Mapping the Influence of Corporate Cultures – Silke Brittain \
When we started our conversation with Silke Brittain by talking about her thrill-seeking nature and her background in gymnastics, we couldn’t have predicted the deep conversation…
EPISODE 11 Growth Tribes and Pirate Funnels – Bernardo Nunes \
Bernardo Nunes, PhD believes that applying behavioral sciences to startups is the fastest way to get entrepreneurs up and running in a fast-changing world. At…
EPISODE 10 Changing the World One View at a Time – with Reddit superstar Kal Turnbull\
“One begins with a judgment and ends with a judgment, and the purpose of facts and figures is to come in between them is to…
EPISODE 9 Don’t Be Creepy – Data Transparency with Charlotte Blank \
Charlotte Blank, Chief Behavioral Officer at Maritz, says her job is ‘selling science.’ In this interview, held immediately before our meetup gathering in Minneapolis…
EPISODE 8 The Value of Understanding Microexpressions for Leaders \
Todd Fonseca is an executive in clinical research and communication for Medtronic and holds an interesting array of certifications including Certified Body Language Trainer….
EPISODE 7 The Employee Value Proposition at the NSA \
Chris Dobyns, the Human Capital Strategic Consultant in the Office of Human Resource Strategy & Program Design at the NSA (the National Security Agency),…
EPISODE 6 Applying the 4 Drive Model to Rewards & Recognition \
Many firms use rewards and incentives to motivate their reps. However, it was only when a complete audit of all the rewards and recognition tools…
EPISODE 5 Using Behavioral Science to Save Lives with Anurag Vaish,TheFinalMile \
In this episode, we talk with Anurag Vaish, Co-Founder of TheFinalMile, one of the largest behavioral science consultancies in the world. TheFinalMile has offices in Mumbai…
EPISODE 4 Grooving on Branding with Aaron Snyder, PhD from Lexicon \
In this episode, we spoke with Aaron Snyder, Director of Special Projects at Lexicon. Lexicon is one of the largest branding companies in the world. They are…
EPISODE 3 BG 3: Scott Jeffrey, PhD, Monmouth University \
In this episode, we discuss the concept of justifiability with one of its earliest researchers, Scott Jeffrey, PhD. Scott was early among researchers, including…
EPISODE 2 Behavioral Grooves 2: Chad Emerson, President of The 421 \
Chad Emerson founded The 421 to help people with addictions make better decisions. He focuses his comments on being “change ready” and the importance…
EPISODE 1 Behavioral Grooves 1: James Heyman, PhD \
In the Behavioral Grooves first podcast, Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan interview James Heyman, PhD, a professor and researcher at the University of…