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 intriguing world of behavioral science, aiming to unveil the concealed truths behind the notorious Big Dentist conspiracy urging everyone to floss. However, the episode takes an unexpected turn as Kurt and Adam embark on a thought-provoking exploration of the past, present, and future of behavioral science. From a history tainted with fraudulent studies to a present that seems tepid in terms of groundbreaking discoveries, the duo contemplates what lies ahead. Do we dare to take risks, or is maintaining the status quo the safer route? Moreover, does the current academic system truly foster risk-taking? Join us for a conversation that challenges assumptions, sparks innovation, and confronts the stigma surrounding the belief that flossing is the sole path to dental health. Tune in as we navigate the future of behavioral science, encouraging a fresh perspective on academia and the pursuit of knowledge. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (4:09) Intro and Speed Round (8:19) When should we stop talking? (11:47) Does the fact that a study was found fraudulent matter? (16:18) Are we out of groundbreaking discoveries? (22:03) The limitations in current research and the need for a paradigm shift (27:28) Shifting mindset in scientific research (36:39) Flossing and the importance of context (48:35) Research insights and desert island music (52:19) Grooving session: Science, academia, and the importance of new ideas © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Experimental History (Blog) https://experimentalhistory.wordpress.com/ "Do Conversations End When People Want Them To?" https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797617749596 The Cochrane Collaboration Meta-analysis on Flossing https://www.cochrane.org/CD011146/ORAL_flossing-reduce-gingivitis-and-plaque Rory Sutherland's Perspective on Choice https://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man/transcript Musical Links Baz Luhrmann "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI They Might Be Giants "Hot Dog!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoavHX75s_E Talking Heads "Psycho Killer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eauZzwt8Ci8

Tensions around the dinner table? Trouble finding common ground with friends and family? Renowned sociologist Michèle Lamont joins Tim and Kurt to unravel why the world seems more polarized than ever. In this episode, Lamont delves into pressing societal issues, from tribalism to media polarization, offering expert insights and defining key terms with historical context. She explores generational shifts in perspectives on recognition and identity, asking how we can bridge divides between different worldviews. Beyond analysis, Lamont inspires change, discussing the transformative power of reframing narratives to cultivate hope. Join us for a conversation challenging stereotypes, and promoting a society where everyone feels valued. Kurt and Tim end the episode with a Grooving Session where they encourage us to strengthen the recognition of our shared humanity and invite listeners to be part of the change. Tune in for a fresh perspective on navigating a divided world. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (03:22) Michèle Lamont intro and Speed Round (08:08) Bridging generational divides (20:49) Changing hearts and minds to address inequality (26:36) Countering negative narratives (36:59) Generational differences in identity and inclusion (41:24) Race, identity, and mental health (47:23) Grooving session: Overcoming polarization © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Michelle’s Book: Seeing OthersMonbiot, George, “Neoliberalism – the ideology at the root of all our problems,” The Guardian, 15 April 2016. Article Peter Harvey research and article: How Schools Teach Children about their Social Station Jean Twenge The Future of Generational Differences National Domestic Workers Alliance Musical Links The Doors “Break on Through (To The Other Side)” Patti Smith “Because the Night” Leonard Cohen “Hallelujah” Gordon Lightfoot “If You Could Read My Mind” “Four Strong Winds”

Ever feel your attention… drifting? Want to get better at being present? Join Kurt and Tim as they delve into the world of shrinking attention spans alongside researcher Gloria Mark. Uncover the eye-opening revelations from Mark's research, highlighting a significant decrease in attention spans within just a few short years. Explore the intricate ways in which the digital world and screen time impact our ability to focus, all while discovering the empowering idea that we possess agency over our attention. Gloria Mark shares invaluable tips for enhancing concentration, including insights into understanding your natural rhythms, setting goals, and connecting with nature. In this attention-grabbing episode, witness how our brains and behavior are evolving in today's increasingly distracting world. Gain a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between technology, attention spans, and individual agency. It's a journey into the evolving landscape of our minds and behaviors, offering practical tips to thrive in an era where distraction seems inevitable. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (5:33) Intro and speed round (8:31) Myths and facts about attention span (12:54) Attention as a resource (19:11) Attention span, flow, and media consumption (31:22) Staying focused and avoiding distractions (37:25) Attention, free will, and musical rhythm (45:07) Desert Island music (52:20) Grooving session - finding your groove through nature and productivity © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Gloria’s Book - https://www.harpercollins.com/products/attention-span-gloria-mark?variant=40346590117922 Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a procrastinator - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU Wait But Why - https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html Nicholas Car "The Shallows" - https://www.nicholascarr.com/?page_id=16 Barry Lazarowitz (drummer): https://www.allmusic.com/artist/barry-lazarowitz-mn0002291879/credits Musical Links Echo and the Bunnymen “People are Strange” (cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTviNc52igI Roger Daltry “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLQ6rpL_QLo Sarah Vaughan “Broken Hearted Melody” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOWJC-fVSAI Samara Joy “Guess Who I Saw Today” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03lvK7qoco

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 shares principles and rules that will transform your written communication skills. Join the conversation as Todd challenges the traditional notions of taste and style in writing, emphasizing the power of concise and evidence-backed strategies for effective communication in the 21st century. Discover the art of "less is more" as Todd shares practical steps and easy-to-follow techniques to overcome common challenges in conveying crucial information. Gain profound insights into the writer's responsibility to readers and navigate the dynamic landscape of social media communication. Todd's expertise provides a roadmap for achieving your communication goals with impact and precision. During their grooving session Kurt and Tim exploring the importance of mapping information out before you write and offer helpful tips and tricks they’ve used to achieve success in their written communication over the years. Whether you're drafting corporate emails or engaging in casual conversations, this episode is a must-listen, providing practical guidance to elevate your communication skills and thrive in a world where brevity is key. Tune in and revolutionize the way you convey information in today's fast-paced environment! © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (4:34) Welcome and Speed Round (6:53) Does everybody skim? (9:14) Writing for busy readers (14:36) Writing effectively (19:26) The new rules of writing (29:20) Focusing on the reader’s perspective (40:03) Writing for social media and user engagement (46:47) Desert Island Music (48:40) Grooving session: Tips for improving communication © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Writing for Busy Readers: https://writingforbusyreaders.com/ The Plain Writing Act of 2010: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ274/pdf/PLAW-111publ274.pdf Space Between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Space_Between_Words.html?id=w3vZaFoaa3EC Musical Links Beyonce (Renaissance) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHFeMk_LSwG5VVTbOVIutGbA3PsGP0NPO&si=27uBQ3pOLw3WTUrP Taylor Swift (Teardrops on My Guitar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKCek6_dB0M The Beatles (Come Together) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45cYwDMibGo

Communication is a vital skill we all use, but do we truly understand its profound impact on our lives? Join Kurt and Tim as they engage in a captivating conversation with communication expert Matt Abrahams. Matt, an accomplished author, educator, and co-host of "Think Fast, Talk Smart," takes us on a journey into the heart of effective communication. Discover the secrets to spontaneous speaking and hone your communication skills with practical insights and actionable steps. From connecting with your audience to creating the best toasts at parties, this episode is a masterclass in the art of communication. Matt reveals the magic of active listening and the importance of paraphrasing to strengthen your relationships. Make anxiety your ally as you prepare for public speaking and various communication scenarios. With a wealth of global experience, Matt guides us through negotiation, persuasion, and even the role of creativity in communication. During their Grooving Session, Kurt and Tim talk about their own personal experiences with public speaking and communication, sharing anecdotes and advice from their own victories and defeats. Whether you’re delivering a keynote presentation or sharing a story with friends, this episode will offer you vital tips towards unlocking your full communication potential! © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (2:39) Welcome and speed round questions (6:24) Matt’s Book and the fear of public speaking (9:51) Overcoming the fear of public speaking and roadblocks (15:05) Maximizing Mediocrity? (18:50) Giving better toasts (23:53) The M&M’s of Public Speaking (30:24) Matt’s Podcast (37:20) Chopin, Jazz, and off-the-cuff conversation (42:43) Desert Island Music (46:17) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on Public Speaking © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Matt Abrahams: https://mattabrahams.com/ Think Faster, Talk Smarter: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Think-Faster-Talk-Smarter/Matt-Abrahams/9781668010303 Think Fast, Talk Smart: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-fast-talk-smart-communication-techniques/id1494989268 Matt Abrahams and Alia Crum: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/mindset-matters-how-embrace-benefits-stress Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXvKKEQQJo Musical Links Rodrigo y Gabriela "Hanuman": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBX_v1Po1Y Lynyrd Skynyrd "Free Bird": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LwcvjNJTuM ACDC "Thunderstruck": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

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 sleep. He has even found a predictive correlation between student’s college GPA scores and their sleep duration. David Creswell is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University and has published numerous studies on mindfulness-based interventions and their impact on well-being. He is a prominent researcher specializing in health psychology, mindfulness meditation, and stress management. Earlier this year David co-authored a paper in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences called, “Nightly sleep duration predicts grade point average in the first year of college” which caught our attention. The research measures performance metrics among students who wore Fitbits while sleeping. The findings suggest getting less than 6 hours of sleep may be a threshold where sleep shifts from helpful to harmful. To wrap up the conversation, hosts Kurt and Tim discuss the topic of sleep in their Grooving Session. They discuss their very different sleep patterns and what Kurt has done to help improve his insomnia. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (4:22) Welcome and speed round questions. (5:50) David’s research on sleep. (12:14) What about daytime napping? (15:42) The difference between sleeping more or less than 6 hours per night. (17:16) Sleep duration and academic success in college students. (22:16) How to avoid false positives in research. (30:09) Does David listen to music while he sleeps? (33:34) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on sleep. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Dr David Creswell PhD: https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/psychology/directory/core-training-faculty/creswell-david.html The Health and Human Performance Lab: https://www.healthandhumanperformancelab.com/ Equa App: https://equahealth.io/about-us/ Creswell, et. al. (Jan 2023), “Nightly sleep duration predicts grade point average in the first year of college” Psychological and Cognitive Sciences: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2209123120 Ruchir Sera - Episode 26, Resonea app and the Behavioral Effects of Sleep: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/ruchir-sehra-on-the-behavioral-effects-of-sleep/ American Academy of Sleep Medicine: https://aasm.org/ Musical Links Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1kbLwvqugk Don Ho “Tiny Bubbles”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muEFD_odvUg The Beatles “Yer Blues” from The White Album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeFwaWFTGYU

Connect behavioral science theory and research to practical applications. Connor Joyce founded the Applied Behavioral Science Association and he shares his perspectives on different behavioral science roles. This podcast episode features Connor Joyce discussing his career journey and involvement with the Applied Behavioral Science Association (ABSA). Connor began his career as a human capital analyst at Deloitte, where he was first exposed to behavioral science. He then earned a Master's degree in behavioral science from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, Connor struggled to find career paths for applied behavioral scientists. He started the Behavioral Insights Professional Society to address this issue and connect resources. While it had initial success, Connor realized he lacked strategic experience. He then partnered with the Behavioral Science & Policy Association and others to form Project Nexus, which eventually became ABSA. ABSA aims to improve the world by promoting education and collaboration across expertise levels in behavioral science. Connor described two main categories - experts who specialize in behavioral science applications, and novices/users who incorporate behavioral science into other roles like design or marketing. ABSA provides resources like standards and job descriptions to support both groups. The conversation also explores similarities and differences between behavioral science, user experience design, data science, and marketing insights. Connor noted blurring lines between these fields in technology companies, where they are all forms of applied research. Finally, Connor discusses how generative AI could democratize user research by empowering more people to conduct basic studies. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Topics (3:47) Welcome and speed round questions. (9:21) What exactly is behavioral science? (15:45) Creating a professional society for behavioral insights. (25:09) Behavioral science, user design, and data science. (33:25) Connor’s musical preferences. (40:08) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Connor Joyce: https://www.connectconnor.com/ Applied Behavioral Science Association (ABSA): https://www.behavioralscience.org/ Behavioral Design Hub: https://medium.com/behavior-design-hub/behavioral-science-as-a-specialization-ea64aeb015f7 IIEX North America: https://events.greenbook.org/iiex-north-america GAABS: https://gaabs.org/ Diversifi: https://www.diversifiglobal.com/ Musical Links Alesso “Words”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJEOEZdLzE Tiesto “Lay Low”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfWmWlW2PvM

What life habits keep our brain healthy? How does our mind respond to trauma? And why does the way we talk about suicide and mental health make such a difference to those who are struggling? We discuss all these topics with neuroscience researcher Dr Daniel Almeida. World Mental Health Day has recently shed a spotlight on our psychological wellbeing. So we decided to republish the sound mental health advice we learnt from our guest Dr Daniel Almeida from episode 255 in October 2021. Daniel has been named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in science. His incredible work as a neuroscience researcher in the Douglas Research Centre at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, involves psychological autopsies to understand the molecular impacts of severe childhood abuse on the brains of individuals who died by suicide. As you can imagine, this episode is full of difficult yet important topics. But what struck us most about Daniel was how upbeat and positive he is about his work and the difference it’s making to people’s lives. Daniel kindly shares his top 5 healthy brain habits that we can all adopt to improve our mental wellbeing. If you, or someone you know needs help with their mental health, please use one of the resources in the links below. Mental Health Support Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US):https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: National Helpline (US): 1-800-662-HELP (4357). SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline The Canada Suicide Prevention Service: https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/ Samaritans (UK): https://www.samaritans.org/ United for Global Mental Health (List of support networks around the world): https://unitedgmh.org/mental-health-support For those looking for information on how to support others: National Institute of Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention For the general public looking to be trained in mental health first aid and/or suicide prevention: Living Works (US): https://bit.ly/3oKgsaS Mental Health First Aid Canada: https://mhfa.ca/ Topics (6:29) Speed round. (10:14) Does talking about suicide help? (14:15) Why it’s very important to talk about “dying by suicide” instead of “committing suicide”. (16:17) About Daniel’s work as a neuroscientist. (17:47) What are the links between childhood trauma and suicide? (25:16) What age are children most sensitive to the effects of trauma? (31:19) How the type of trauma experienced by a child matters. (33:36) How resilience is more like a sword than a shield. (35:29) What are the 5 best brain health habits? (41:57) What is a brain bank and how are psychological autopsies used? (44:30) What music isn’t noise pollution for Daniel? (46:24) Music and the brain. (48:13) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim; how to apply Daniel’s work to your life. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links World Mental Health Day: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day Leading Human™ Workbook and Playbook: https://www.behavioralgrooves-store.com/products/copy-of-the-leading-human-playbook-workbook-package Leading Human™, Free Whitepaper Download: https://www.behavioralgrooves-store.com/collections/leading-human/products/human-centered-workplace-checklist Episode 220: How Do You Become Influential? Jon Levy Reveals His Surprising Secrets: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/how-to-be-influential-jon-levy/ Dr Brenda Mildner – Mother of Psychological worked on bilateral hypocantim removal: https://www.mcgill.ca/neuro/about/brenda-milner Donald Hebb: https://can-acn.org/donald-olding-hebb/#:~:text=Donald%20Hebb%20(1904%2D1985),which%20was%20published%20in%201949. “Molecular impacts of childhood abuse on the human brain” Ibrahim, P.; Almeida, D.; Nagy, C.; Turecki, G. (2021): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352289521000515?via%3Dihub “A Slice of the Suicidal Brain: What Have Postmortem Molecular Studies Taught Us?” Almeida, D. and Turecki, G. (2016): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27671915/ “What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing”, by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce Perry: https://amzn.to/3lF7EQ7 Brain structure of dancers and musicians https://www.falishakarpati.com/bio Support Behavioral Grooves by donating on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Gladys Knight & The Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0F9lh8TiSM&ab_channel=GladysKnightTPVEVO Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU The Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTBmgAOO0Nw Stevie Wonder “As”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYQfWJNWe3I Marconi Union - Weightless Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYnA9wWFHLI&t=6831s

Why is work so difficult for so many of us? Why are we not connected to the organization in ways to help us advance our careers and garner the best assignments? Dr. Michelle P. King is a researcher and author who answers these questions and more. She joined us to discuss strategies from her book, “How Work Works: The Subtle Science of Getting Ahead Without Losing Yourself.” Michelle is a globally recognized expert on inequality and organizational culture. Based on over a decade’s worth of research, She believes that we need to learn how workplaces work, so we can make them work for everyone. She is the host of a popular podcast called The Fix. “How Work Works: The Subtle Science of Getting Ahead Without Losing Yourself,” is her second book and will be released internationally on October 10, 2023. Most importantly, in this episode, we talk about the importance of self-awareness, learning how to read the air, and the creation of informal networks to positively influence your career. We also discuss ways to find a sense of belonging and inclusion that can lead to greater satisfaction at work and a better career. And in our grooving session, we emphasize how increasing your self-awareness can be beneficial to you at any time during your career. During our music discussion, we cover the importance of Leonard Cohen’s mastery of lyrics as a poet and the wealth of great music that comes from the jazz tradition. Topics (8:39) Career advancement and informal networking in the workplace. (11:19) Informal networks at work and their impact on job placement. (17:37) Workplace dynamics and collaboration. (24:18) Self-awareness and informal communication in the workplace. (27:17) Self-awareness, ambiguity, and workplace performance. (33:22) Workplace communication and social skills. (36:42) Workplace belonging, diversity, and inclusion. (42:22) Workplace meaning and career advancement. (47:17) Setting sails for life and work. (51:58) Reading the air in workplace communication. (1:00:40) The potential consequences of asking for things. (1:01:56) Emotional intelligence in the workplace. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Musical Links Leonard Cohen “Bird on A Wire”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGvwvxA83Cs Oscar Peterson (1976) improvisational piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBP3Il85bYA

“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 supposed to know what you love if we don’t 100% know who we are? “Know thyself” is a maxim that has been central to Western civilization for the last 2500 years. It has been pervasive in philosophy over the ages and more recently in psychology. Who are we? Who am I? These questions blend nicely with understanding why we do what we do, a foundational question in behavioral science. And it is with this curiosity that cohosts Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan delve into the mysteries of who we think we are. More importantly, this episode is interested in honest self-discovery: the answer to the question: who am I? To help you answer that, we humbly submit a series of questions and reflections for your consideration, for the purpose of having a clearer sense of who I am. (At least at the moment.) We use three sets of reflections for you to consider: Identify where in your life you find energy, joy, and satisfaction. These questions and reflections allow us to target the ideals and desires we have in our lives. These are enhancers. Identify what aspects of our lives are not going the way we want them to. These questions help us clarify what is not working for us. These are detractors. Identify what requirements we have to live in this world. In others, what obligations, relationships, and financial requirements, among other things, are commitments we must live by? These are necessities. We also talk about the nature of memories, the present moment, and ways our future aspirations influence who we are. We even discuss Dr. Bryan Lowery’s idea that who we are is largely influenced by the people around us. (Talk about mind-bending!) By reflecting on these questions and our general discussion, we hope that Groovers can discover a clearer picture of who you are and that these reflections will lead you to a more perfect version of knowing thyself, as Socrates might say. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves, LLC Links Behavioral Grooves Website: www.behavioralgrooves.com Ethan Hawke TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ethan_hawke_give_yourself_permission_to_be_creative?language=en Bhagavad Gita: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita Hal Hershfield Episode 369: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/your-future-self-hal-hershfield/ Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com/ Brian Lowery Episode 312: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/meaning-in-life-brian-lowery/ Self-Serving Bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias Fundamental Attribution Error: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error Motivated Reasoning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning Confirmation Bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias Intention-Action Gap: https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/intention-action-gap Know Thyself Questions: Finding Energy and Satisfaction Questions (Enhancers: What You Love To Do) What activities or experiences make me feel the most fulfilled and content? When do I feel the most authentic and genuine? What aspects of life are non-negotiable for me?  What principles am I unwilling to compromise? What kind of person do I want to be remembered? What causes or issues do I feel most passionate about? What qualities do I admire most in others? What decisions or situations have made me feel proud or satisfied with myself? What kind of person do I want to be remembered as?  Avoiding Negative Emotion Questions (Detractors: What You Hate To Do) What has been my lowest point in the past 5 years? What situations or people drain my energy and leave me feeling exhausted? What triggers my negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or anxiety? Where do I feel regret for things I’ve done or for things I haven’t done? What do I stress over the most? What negative self-talk or inner critic do I struggle with? What are some common sources of conflict or tension in my relationships? What do I fear? What decisions or situations have made me feel guilty or uncomfortable? Living in this World Questions (Necessities: What You Have To Do) Am I honoring your relationship? Do I have what I need to provide for my basic necessities? Where do I compromise to ensure that I have positive relationships? Am I being responsible? Am I honoring my commitments to others, to my job, and to other aspects of my life? What are the pressures that the world places upon me? Your responses and reflections should be as honest and truthful as possible. Try your best to not be tainted by your biases. A clearer picture will help you identify the key areas that drive you. Examine your self through the lens of what you love to do, what you hate to do, and what you have to do. Write out a 7-word value statement that defines who you are at the core. Topics (0:07) Understanding “Know Thyself” through history. (5:00) Personal growth throughout history. (11:28) Understanding one's true identity. (19:33) Understanding one's biases. (25:03) Self-awareness and personal growth. (31:50) Finding your groove. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves, LLC

Conscientiousness, perseverance and meticulousness are all words associated with perfectionism. But perfectionism comes from a deeper sense of inadequacy, of not feeling good enough. Constantly striving to prove yourself leads to anxiety, depression and burnout. Researcher Thomas Curran describes perfectionism in detail, why it’s getting worse and what we can do about it. Thomas Curran is a professor of psychology and behavioral science at the esteemed London School of Economics and author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough, just released on August 8, 2023. In the book he explores the roots of perfectionism in wider society and explains how it affects our mental health and productivity. Perfectionism has risen sharply since the mid-2000s, which Thomas attributes to societal pressures like social media, smartphones, economic instability, and an emphasis on educational and career achievement. Collectively, these factors have led to increased feelings of not measuring up. Thomas argues that perfectionism is as much a cultural issue as a personal one, influenced by an economic model that demands constant growth and consumption. Topics (5:18) Welcome to Thomas Curran. (7:30) What exactly is perfectionism? (9:46) How growing the economy feeds into perfectionism. (13:38) The hustle of “successful” people and why we need to look beyond it. (17:47) How perfectionism can sabotage your own success. (21:10) What parents can do to help minimize perfectionism in their children. (24:05) How we can be encumbered with a growth mindset. (26:01) The 3 types of perfectionism. (27:50) Does perfectionism self correct with age? (29:58) Why perfectionism has risen since 2007. (38:56) How society could change to minimize perfectionism. (47:52) What music would Thomas take to a desert island? (51:54) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on perfectionism. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough: https://amzn.to/3RtWGP5 Thomas Curran: https://www.thomascurran.co.uk/ Episode 301, How To Fix Burnout (Hint: It Isn’t Another Yoga Session) with Jennifer Moss: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/how-to-fix-burnout-jennifer-moss/ Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Joy Division “Love will tear us apart”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuuObGsB0No Bruno Mars “That’s what I like”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMivT7MJ41M

Doing, doing, doing. We can get stuck in a perpetual state of busyness to get things done. But being in a chronic “performance zone” can lead to stagnation over time. The “learning zone”, however, is when we take a step back to reflect on our experiences and look for ways to improve. That’s where a growth mindset comes in - actually believing that we can get better. “In order to engage in learning, we need to believe that we can improve, we also need to understand how to improve and we need to have a reason or reason that we care to put in the effort to improve.” ~ Eduardo Briceño, Episode 374 Eduardo Briceño is a global keynote speaker, facilitator, and author who guides many of the world’s leading companies in developing cultures of learning and high performance. His TED Talks have been viewed over 9 million times. Alongside Carol Dweck, the leading growth mindset researcher, Eduardo has founded Mindset Works, an organization dedicated to fostering lifelong learning. On this episode of Behavioral Grooves, hosts Kurt and Tim talk to Eduardo about his new book “The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action” which is a practical guide on how to spend more of your time in the learning zone, instead of just the performance zone. Eduardo provides tips for leaders to create a culture of learning, such as framing core values, identifying habits and systems to support both performance and learning, and modeling learning behaviors visibly. To Tim’s delight, the conversation with Eduardo uses musical examples from Beyoncé and Dave Grohl to highlight the importance of practice and reflection. Overall, the discussion provides insights on overcoming barriers to a learning mindset and finding a balance between performance and growth in the workplace. Topics (4:09) Welcome and speed round questions. (7:16) If we focus only on performance, our performance suffers. (10:19) How to tell if you’re in the learning zone or performance zone. (20:14) How can leaders create a learning culture in the workplace? (24:04) The performance zone isn’t necessarily a bad place to be. (25:44) What can Beyoncé teach us about the learning zone? (27:07) How can we get better at reflecting on our own performance? (31:02) Overcoming resistance to learning at work. (33:49) What we can learn from Dave Grohl’s pandemic drum battle. (38:07) Be deliberate about improvement, not just working harder. (41:47) What musical artists would Eduardo Briceño take to a desert island? (43:38) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on the learning zone. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Eduardo Briceño’s book, “The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action”: https://amzn.to/487Ikd8 Eduardo Briceño: https://briceno.com/ Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: https://amzn.to/468cVpg Anders Ericsson, “The Making of an Expert”: https://hbr.org/2007/07/the-making-of-an-expert Gordon McKenzie's “Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace’: https://amzn.to/44VMi5I Satya Nadella's efforts to shift Microsoft's culture to focus more on learning when he became CEO: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/how-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-transformed-one-of-the-worlds-great-businesses/articleshow/94221616.cms Dave Grohl's vs Nandi Bushell drum battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZBQW2gE0Ew Introduction to Experiential Learning, John Dewey: https://learning.northeastern.edu/introduction-to-experiential-learning/ Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links The Beatles “Here, There and Everywhere”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FusIKjztap8 Brian Eno “Garden of Stars”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlJDUcdUz8c

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 its 170,000 volunteers. The organization applies military expertise and speed to provide fast response and social support to those who have suffered a disaster. We learn from David Burke and Patti Norberg about the many benefits they have found with volunteering. David Burke is the Chief Program Officer at Team Rubicon, an organization that was founded by US armed forces veterans in 2010 with the purpose of voluntarily joining together to work on missions in the aid of regular citizens who are suffering because of natural disasters. Patti Norberg PhD is a Professor of Marketing at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, and also a good friend of Tim Houlihan. Team Rubicon is a veteran led humanitarian organization that serves people before, during and after disasters and crises. It’s a movement of thousands of people that work domestically and internationally from mitigating the effects of fires, floods and natural disasters. They are instrumental in missions to rebuild people's homes, surge medical capacity and provide clean water. From the offset, the purpose of Team Rubicon was not just to help disaster survivors, but also to support veterans' well-being after leaving the military. And Team Rubicon goes one step further by actually researching the effects on well-being and mental health. Kurt and Tim discuss the findings from this research and how it is shaping the ongoing work of Team Rubicon. Topics (4:37) Welcome and speed round questions. (6:56) What is Team Rubicon? (8:53) How does a military background help Team Rubicon volunteers? (11:01) What makes Team Rubicon different from other volunteer organizations? (18:00) How Team Rubicon takes care of the mental health of its volunteers. (21:33) The social connection that comes from volunteering. (28:36) How volunteering helps make you feel significant. (31:47) The next studies on psychological well-being with Team Rubicon. (35:19) What’s next for Team Rubicon? (39:31) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on volunteering. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Team Rubicon: https://teamrubiconusa.org/ “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” by Dr Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf Carol Ryff’s, Psychological Well-Being Scales: https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/resources/questionnaires-researchers/psychological-well-being-scales#:~:text=WHAT%20THE%20QUESTIONNAIRE%20MEASURES,in%20life%2C%20self%2Dacceptance. Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves

We all want to feel significant. This drive for significance ultimately fuels our cognition, emotions, and actions. Distinguished psychologist Arie Kruglanski discusses motivation, cognition, goal systems, radicalization, and his recent work on the ubiquitous quest for significance. Dr. Arie W. Kruglanski PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland. He directs a lab that studies human motivation as it affects thinking, feeling, and behavior. He is one of the leading voices in social psychology, being instrumental in understanding the motivation of uncertainty, goals, radicalization and most recently on our quest for significance. Arie has over 500 research papers and articles and has won numerous awards for his work. Arie explains to us that all human behavior is propelled by motivation, with motivation being the driving force behind cognition, emotions, and actions. He discusses how goals are represented cognitively but serve motivational needs. The conversation also touches on how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are not truly distinct, with all motivation coming from within but having different relationships to means and ends. A fascinating part of Arie’s work is his research on radicalization. Having devised The 3 N Model of Radicalization, he expertly illustrates how our quest for significance can be misdirected into violent or suicidal behavior. But there is optimism in addressing radicalization through education and alternative significance pathways. Topics (4:34) Welcome to Arie and speed round questions. (6:06) The underlying thread through all of Arie’s work. (12:21) Why people seek significance through violence. (15:51) How can individuals be radicalized to become suicide bombers? (19:40) The difference between basic needs and psychological needs. (25:30) All our goals go back to addressing our basic needs. (27:17) Why money is tied to significance (sometimes). (30:45) The means to the end is more important than the goal. (32:26) So does extrinsic motivation even exist? (34:13) The dichotomy between motivation and cognition. (37:23) The false assumption that attitudes predict behavior. (41:45) The 3 N Model of Radicalization. (45:08) How the internet has facilitated radicalization. (49:04) So how can people attain significance through positive means. (51:05) What music would Arie take to a desert island? (55:04) Grooving Session on the quest for significance. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Arie Kruglanski: https://www.kruglanskiarie.com/ Arie Kruglanski’s books: “Uncertain: How to Turn Your Biggest Fear into Your Greatest Power”: https://amzn.to/3EuPxGl “The Three Pillars of Radicalization: Needs, Narratives, and Networks”: https://amzn.to/3Ep0lGc “The Radical's Journey: How German Neo-Nazis Voyaged to the Edge and Back”: https://amzn.to/3L5W9i8 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Susan T. Fiske, “Social Beings: Core Motives in Social Psychology”: https://amzn.to/3EuQlLn Sir Angus Deaton’s book, “Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism”: https://amzn.to/3sDXV3C Episode 276, How To Stay Motivated So You Exceed Your Goals | Ayelet Fishbach PhD: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/motivation-to-exceed-your-goals/ Scott Atran, “Talking to the Enemy: Violent Extremism, Sacred Values, and What It Means to Be Human”: https://amzn.to/3Pn5VPs Baumeister, R. F., Wotman, S. R., & Stillwell, A. M. (1993). Unrequited love: On heartbreak, anger, guilt, scriptlessness, and humiliation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.64.3.377 Dumb and Dumber clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA Steven Pinker, “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined”: https://amzn.to/47Wl0ir Episode 287, “Why Talking To Strangers Is Actually Good For Your Wellbeing | Nick Epley”: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/talking-to-strangers/ Robert Sapolsky, “Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst”: https://amzn.to/3L6lvN3 Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Bach “Air on G String”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMkmQlfOJDk Miles Davis “So What”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqNTltOGh5c

This podcast will give you the tools and techniques to foster a learning culture in your organization. Whether you work at a junior level or are an executive, Sarah’s guidelines can equip you to utilize leadership, AI, context and habit formation to incorporate learning into your routine. Learning is like exercise. Once you develop a healthy habit, you need to keep going! But how do you foster a learning culture in your organization? In this interview, Sarah joins Kurt Nelson and Tim Houlihan to talk about her book "Learning Habits Drive a Learning Culture to Improve Employee and Business Performance". Sarah discusses how organizations can establish a learning culture by focusing on learning habits. Based around the famous habit cycle of cue, routine and reward, Sarah adds in the important 4th element of context. Leaning on the excellent work of Wendy Wood, Sarah emphasizes the importance of creating an environment in which your desired habits are supported as a much more effective tool than relying on willpower alone. Learning in an organization is driven by leadership. By modeling learning behaviors and setting the expectations for a learning culture, leaders can elevate the productivity of their team. She discusses how team meetings, one-on-one conversations and social media can all be leveraged to encourage learning habits. But one thing particularly stands out about Sarah’s work is that she incorporates concepts from behavioral science like social proof, cues and rewards that can help make learning automatic and habitual. If you want to keep learning from people like Sarah Nicholl on Behavioral Grooves Podcast, please support our work by contributing on Patreon. Thank you to all our listeners who already do. Topics (2:48) Welcome and speed round questions. (6:16) Learning habits that contribute most to healthy organizations. (9:03) Using learning to change behavior. (11:19) How to incorporate learning into the team meeting. (13:24) Context matters! (15:16) How do you create a learning culture? (19:01) What is the LEARN model? (22:42) The impact of generative AI on learning. (27:42) The value of social proof for learning. (31:07) How behavioral science plays a part in learning. (33:24) What Sarah learnt herself from writing the book. (34:21) What music would Sarah take to a desert island? (36:16) Grooving Session on learning. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Sarah Nicholl’s book, "Learning Habits: Drive a Learning Culture to Improve Employee and Business Performance": https://amzn.to/3E8oyQX Meryl Streep: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meryl_Streep The Laundromat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laundromat_(2019_film) BJ Fogg, "Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything": https://amzn.to/3D4hiFi Wendy Wood, "Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick": https://amzn.to/3NHv31p Episode 31, Leaving the Matrix: Annie Duke and Insights into how you can improve your thinking!: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/leaving-the-matrix-annie-duke-and-insights-into-how-you-can-improve-your-thinking/ MINDSPACE Framework: https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/neuroscience/mindspace-framework#:~:text=MINDSPACE%3A%20A%20mnemonic%20for%20the,affect%2C%20commitments%2C%20and%20ego. Episode 41, From MINDSPACE to EAST with Michael Hallsworth: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/michael-hallsworth-from-mindspace-to-east/ Daniel Kahneman “Thinking Fast and Slow”: https://amzn.to/3NDph0V James Clear, "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones": https://amzn.to/3O2HAhd Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Shania Twain “That Don’t Impress Me Much”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqFLXayD6e8 James Taylor “You’ve Got A Friend”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jgh6h6eYLk

Humans have limited information processing abilities and cannot possibly evaluate all possible options when making a decision. However, describing people merely as irrational paints an inaccurate picture. There can be benefits to the biases we hold. Author of Optimally Irrational: The Good Reasons We Behave the Way We Do Lionel Page PhD, joins Kurt Nelson and Tim Houlihan on Behavioral Grooves Podcast to talk about his book. Lionel is a French-born economist who is currently working as the Director of the Behavioural and Economic Science Cluster at the University of Queensland in Australia. Among the topics Lionel discusses is the hedonic treadmill and how happiness is always just ahead of us. Our subjective satisfaction system is designed to keep us motivated by focusing on future goals. However, once we achieve those goals, we move on to the next. Anticipated utility and loss aversion become a powerful motivational combination. Our motivations for decisions are complex. But intentionality can help make up for some of the inconsistencies in our decision making. Topics (1:51) Speed round questions. (3:13) Is overconfidence beneficial or not beneficial? (6:06) What is rational and irrational behavior? (11:34) Why it is so important to define a field of work. (14:09) Why is it so difficult for us to ask for what we want? (17:31) Completeness helps us to find missing points. (22:38) Happiness is actually connected to loss aversion. (32:37) The benefits of anticipated utility. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Lionel Page PhD: https://economics.uq.edu.au/profile/9755/lionel-page Lionel’s book, “Optimally Irrational: The Good Reasons We Behave the Way We Do”: https://amzn.to/46RoYIH Episode 333, How Game Theory Can Be Used To Explain Human Behavior | Erez Yoeli: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/game-theory-to-explain-behavior/ Episode 171, Self Control, Belonging, and Why Your Most Dedicated Employees Are the Ones To Watch Out For with Roy Baumeister: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/self-control-belonging-and-why-your-most-dedicated-employees-are-the-ones-to-watch-out-for-with-roy-baumeister/ Prospect theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospect_theory Episode 276, How To Stay Motivated So You Exceed Your Goals | Ayelet Fishbach PhD: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/motivation-to-exceed-your-goals/ Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves

How can we make better choices today to benefit our future selves? Hal Hershfield outlines strategies like visualizing your future self, writing letters, making commitments, and recognizing that your preferences will change over time. Hal is a Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and holds the UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors Term Chair in Management. His research, which sits at the intersection of psychology and economics, examines the ways we can improve our long-term decisions. He joins us on this episode to discuss his new book, "Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today". It was so tempting to make this conversation with Hal really philosophical. Is our future self the same person as today, or more like a stranger? Do memories make us who we are? How can we bridge the existential gap between our future self and current self? But listeners will be glad to know that Kurt and Tim also delve into the practical aspects of Hal’s research, touching on how we can help ourselves plan for the future. The biggest take away though is that Hal emphasizes the need to make sacrifices feel psychologically easier today in order to benefit our future selves. He outlines three "time travel mistakes" we frequently make: missing our flight represents getting stuck in the present, poor trip planning represents thinking about the future but not deeply, and packing the wrong clothes represents unfairly projecting our present emotions onto our future selves. Want your future self to still be able to listen to Behavioral Grooves Podcasts? Invest in the show’s future by making a small donation on Patreon so we can keep bringing you insightful conversations like this one. Thank you to all our listeners to help make the show! Topics (2:54) Welcome and speed round questions. (7:14) Is our future self actually the same person? (11:18) Do memories make us who we are? (15:20) Common time travel mistakes. (22:36) Why you should write a letter to your future self. (27:51) What do you need to do today to make tomorrow better? (34:49) Does looking back on your regrets help you look forward. (38:42) Hal’s future musical tastes. (44:10) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on our future selves. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Hal Hershfield’s book “Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today”: https://amzn.to/3E2acSh Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2003) “Affective Forecasting”: https://dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu/Wilson%20&%20Gilbert%20%28Advances%29.pdf John Locke: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke Ship of Theseus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus Strohminger N, Nichols S. (2014) “The essential moral self”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24503450/ Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links The National “Sea Of Love”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIWmRbHDhGw Guster “Satellite”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAkvb2Rhces Cat Stevens “Father & Son”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6zaCV4niKk The Beatles “Help”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q_ZzBGPdqE Belle and Sebastian “I want the world to stop”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjW3tZhdnyw

The "cult of never enough" encourages the belief that more money, possessions and achievements will make us happy. But Manisha Thakor has learnt through personal experience that emotional wealth is more important than financial wealth. Listen to learn how to redefine your success. Manisha Thakor is the author of the book Money Zen: Escape the Cult of Never Enough and Reclaim Your Life. In this episode of Behavioral Grooves, she discusses with Kurt and Tim how she chased the American dream of financial success for 30 years before realizing it had become a nightmare. She became a workaholic and lost sight of what truly brings happiness. Manisha talks about how the "cult of never enough" encourages the belief that more money, possessions and achievements will make us happy. However, she realized that emotional wealth is more important than financial wealth. She discusses the importance of financial health over wealth, which includes having enough to meet your needs without stress. How does society measure success in terms of money, power and productivity rather than by character and contribution? Manisha talks about the Buddhist concept of the "hungry ghost" which represents our insatiable desires. She argues that the answer is often "less" - shedding commitments, possessions and being still in nature. Listen to find out how to redefine success beyond financial wealth and move towards a balance of financial health and emotional wealth. If you’d like to support the work of Behavioral Grooves, you can become a Behavioral Grooves Patreon member. Topics (3:45) Welcome and speed round questions. (5:54) What is a busy badge? (8:57) The social comparison aspect of wealth. (13:00) The rise of the Blackberry culture. (20:34) What you do is who you are? (24:13) Chasing after the American Dream. (28:46) A classic second generation immigrant story. (31:08) Emotional wealth and financial health. (38:42) What is the Hungry Ghost? (42:58) The music Manisha would take to a desert island. (46:29) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on redefining success. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Manisha Thakor’s book, MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your "Enough": https://amzn.to/3JtuuXV Episode 102, Cristina Bicchieri: Social Norms are Bundles of Expectations: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/cristina-bicchieri-social-norms-are-bundles-of-expectations/ Dr Malissa Clark – University of Georgia: https://psychology.uga.edu/directory/people/malissa-clark Matthew A. Killingsworth, Daniel Kahneman and Barbara Mellers (2022) “Income and emotional well-being: A conflict resolved”: https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.2208661120 Episode 215, Secrets of Subtraction: Donut Holes, Lego and Bruce Springsteen with Leidy Klotz: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/subtraction-with-leidy-klotz/ Schulte Brigid, “Why being too busy makes us feel so good,” Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-being-too-busy-makes-us-feel-so-good/2014/03/14/c098f6c8-9e81-11e3-a050-dc3322a94fa7_story.html DeGreeff, B., Burnett, A., & Cooley, D. (2009). “Communicating authenticity or inauthenticity in a fast-paced world,” Journal of Happiness Studies: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225649342_Communicating_and_Philosophizing_About_Authenticity_or_Inauthenticity_in_a_Fast-Paced_World The Hungry Ghost: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungry_ghost MoneyZen quiz online: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/646d1000fec8ca0014804a9e Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Vivaldi “Four Seasons”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA Lionel Hampton “Flying Home”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_rTICMVXQQ

The world of applied behavioral science has never been better. So how do you get your foot in the door to have a career in the field? You may be surprised to learn that it doesn’t have to involve getting a PhD. Merle van den Akker discusses her career journey from academia into the corporate world, and what we can learn from it. Merle van den Akker grew up in the Netherlands and studied in the UK before moving to Australia to start her current job at the Commonwealth Bank. Though she got a lot out of her PhD studies, she realized the academic system was not a good long-term fit for her. While in her PhD, Merle started the blog "Money on the Mind" which has allowed her the opportunity to interview nearly 200 leaders in the field of behavioral science and finance. Having seen the world of behavioral science through the academic lens and now through the corporate lens, Kurt and Tim chat with Merle about how important a PhD is in the field (hint, it’s not!) But Merle gives her advice for all rising behavioral scientists and the many ways to incorporate behavioral insights into all fields of work. For those with behavioral science skills and knowledge, application can be used across many functional areas of an organization from marketing to HR to product development. We also delve into Merle’s current work in finance. Financial solutions have a reputation of not being very human-centric and are difficult for people to navigate. Applying behavioral science and human-centered design can help transform these systems from within and take account of the cultural factors that influence our finances. Please consider our work at Behavioral Grooves Podcast but donating a small amount on our Patreon site. We appreciate your help. Topics (3:49) Welcome and speed round questions. (5:06) Do you need a PhD to work in Behavioral Science? (9:10) The real reason Merle pursued a PhD. (16:07) The taboo around talking about money. (19:24) Always leave your credit card at home. (24:13) The journey from academia into industry work. (28:26) Advice for people who are in PhD programs. (31:41) Money on the Mind. (40:54) What music does Merle listen to? (45:17) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on applied behavioral science. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links CBA Bank: https://www.commbank.com.au/ Money on the Mind: https://www.moneyonthemind.org/about Merle Van Den Akker’s book, “The Ultimate Guide To Doing a PhD”: https://amzn.to/3NZa1f2 Annamaria Lusardi: https://www.annamarialusardi.com/ Elif Incekara-Hafalir and George Lowenstein (2009), “The Impact of Credit Cards on Spending: A Field Experiment”: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1378502 Keith Wilcox, Lauren G. Block and Eric M. Eisenstein (2011) “Leave Home Without It? The Effects of Credit Card Debt and Available Credit on Spending”: https://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/mygsb/faculty/research/pubfiles/5688/wilcox_leave_home.pdf Matthew D. Hilchey, Matthew Osborne and Dilip Soman (2021) “Does the visual salience of credit card features affect choice?”: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioural-public-policy/article/abs/does-the-visual-salience-of-credit-card-features-affect-choice/BBD44889AEE0C6070F994FECFFCAB71F Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Flume “Go”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wypxk5H8kmE

What exactly is confidence? Peter Atwater describes it as the feelings of certainty and control that we have about our future self. He explains The Confidence Map framework and how our horizon preference and vulnerability first mindset change, based on our level of confidence. Peter Atwater is an adjunct professor of economics at Williams and Mary University, and the President of financial insights, a consulting firm that advises global policymakers on how social mood affects decision making, the economy and the markets. He is known for coining the “K-shaped recovery” which is an economic term used by political and economic leaders. Most recently, he has examined the hidden role of confidence in the choices we make, in his new book “The Confidence Map: Charting a Path from Chaos to Clarity”. Confidence is inherently forward-looking and involves imagining the future, which is inherently uncertain. To illustrate this, Peter introduces us to the Confidence Map, a two-by-two grid with certainty on the x-axis and control on the y-axis. The upper right quadrant represents high confidence where there is both high certainty and control. This is the "comfort zone." The lower left quadrant represents low confidence due to low certainty and control. This is the "stress center." The other two quadrants represent situations where there is only one of the two factors needed for confidence. The "passenger seat" quadrant has uncertainty but no control, like being a passenger in a car. The "launchpad" quadrant has control but no certainty, like pulling the lever on a slot machine. Overconfidence and under confidence can both be issues. Organizations often ignore the vulnerability people feel during a crisis, focusing only on fixing the problem, as Boeing did during the 737 Max disasters. Listen to Tim and Kurt’s discussion with Peter and the following Grooving Session to learn how confidence can be both an input and output of decision-making and about the complex interplay between feelings, stories and actions. We hope you enjoy listening to our discussion with Peter and if you would like to support the work of Behavioral Grooves, we would love you to join our Behavioral Grooves Patreon membership. Topics (2:15) Welcome and speed round questions. (4:44) What is confidence? (7:50) The confidence quadrant. (12:55) Can you have too much confidence and can it be false? (15:49) How Behavioral Economics influences our financial decision making. (18:42) Why groups can overestimate outcomes. (20:42) Confidence is both an input and an output. (23:39) Horizon preference and confidence. (27:29) What is a vulnerability first mindset? (29:33) How Boeing focused on the wrong issue with the 737 Max disasters. (32:19) What music would Peter take to a desert island? (34:44) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on confidence. © 2023 Behavioral Grooves Links Peter Atwater: https://peteratwater.com/ Peter Atwater’s book: The Confidence Map: Charting a Path from Chaos to Clarity: https://amzn.to/3NB2gM3 Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (1974) Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases, Science: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124 Episode 31, Leaving the Matrix: Annie Duke and Insights into how you can improve your thinking! https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/leaving-the-matrix-annie-duke-and-insights-into-how-you-can-improve-your-thinking/ Boeing 737 Max grounding: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_MAX_groundings Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves Musical Links Steve Sondheim “Send in the Clowns”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBuDSsc9Pak George Winston “Autumn”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKmqyQUDehs