Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Why Do Superstitions Feel So Good? Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Are you like Kurt, stuck wearing a pair of 'lucky socks' every time your team plays, no matter what the outcome of the game turns out to be? In this month's bonus, we explore why we hold onto superstitions, like lucky socks, even when we know they don't work. From BF Skinner's pigeons to social identity theory, we unpack the behavioral science behind our game-day rituals, however irrational, and discuss the sense of agency, control, and belonging that they create.

Topics

[0:00] Intro: Kurt's Lucky Socks

[3:38] The Placebo Effect

[7:27] Mistaking Correlation for Causation

[11:58] Social Identity and Group Belonging

[16:34] The Psychological Benefits of Superstitions

Links

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Your Product Design Is Biased—Here’s How to Fix It | Alexis Mook PhD Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

UX leader Alexis Mook joins us to talk about breaking bias in product design, defending the role of behavioral research inside corporate structures, and making the leap from academia to tech. From wrongful convictions to third-party testing, this conversation reveals why saying “no” might be a researcher’s greatest superpower.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Alexis Mook

[7:50] Alexis’s Role and Journey at IBM

[20:58] Challenges and Biases in UX Research

[22:03] Impact of Research on Product Development

[31:49] The Shift from Academia and Career Satisfaction

[43:10] Grooving Session: Reducing Bias and Challenging Overconfidence

Links

Alexis on LinkedIn

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Musical Links

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Blink-182 - All the Small Things

The Five Words That Change Lives | Zach Mercurio Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Zach Mercurio joins us to discuss the power of mattering—why it's a foundational human need and how it can be cultivated through small but meaningful interactions. From leadership strategies to personal stories, we explore how feeling seen, heard, and valued changes everything.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Zach Mercurio

[3:31] Why Mattering Matters

[11:29] Purpose, Meaning, and Mattering: What’s the Difference?

[16:21] Mattering as a Survival Instinct

[26:14] “If It Wasn’t For You…”

[35:22] The Importance of Mattering in Leadership

[40:55] The Role of Mattering in Organizational Culture

[45:37] The Impact of Mattering on Employee Engagement

[49:50] Desert Island Music Picks

[52:42] Grooving Session: Mattering is Common Sense, Not Common Practice

Links

More About Zach

The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio

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Music Links

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Won’t Back Down

Foo Fighters - The Pretender

Can You Change Your Personality? | Olga Khazan Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

What if your personality isn’t fixed? Olga Khazan shares how she deliberately set out to become more extroverted, agreeable, and emotionally stable—using improv, mindfulness, and science-backed strategies. Based on her book Me, But Better, this conversation explores how real change happens, and why connecting with others may be the key to becoming who you want to be.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Olga Khazan

[5:59] Experiment: Can I Change My Personality?

[9:59] Results: What Changed, What Didn’t?

[17:43] Nature vs. Nurture in Personality

[21:46] Personality Traits as Tools for Life

[29:31] Can Older Adults Still Change?

[38:39] Solitude vs. True Connection

[43:45] Olga’s Music Playlist

[45:46] Grooving Session: Working on the Personality We Want

Links

About Olga

Me, But Better by Olga Khazan

Big 5 Personality Test

Nathan Hudson’s Research

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Musical Links

ODESZA - The Last Goodbye

Chapell Roan - Good Luck, Babe

Lessons on Life From Hospice Patients | Jordan Grumet Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Hospice doctor, podcaster, and author Jordan Grumet joins us to explore why the traditional idea of “finding your purpose” might actually be making us miserable. Drawing from his work with patients at the end of life, Jordan challenges the pressure to chase big, lofty goals—or what he calls “big P” Purpose—and instead invites us to embrace “little p” purposes: the simple, joyful activities that ground us and connect us to others. From childhood passions to quiet regrets, Jordan shares practical ways to identify what truly lights you up and how to build a life that feels meaningful—without overhauling everything.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Jordan Grumet

[7:01] Why Is Purpose So Important?

[10:52] Why Big P Goals Can Cause Anxiety

[16:43] Childhood Joys, Baseball Cards, & Writing

[19:32] You Can’t Fail Little P Purpose

[24:09] Overcoming Barriers to Purpose

[34:41] Regret vs. Disappointment

[46:25] Grooving Session: Creativity, Cadence, and Purposeful Context

Links

More About Jordan

Earn & Invest Podcast

The Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet

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Musical Links

Public Enemy - Don’t Believe the Hype

Third World - Underdog

How to Get Unstuck: Behavioral Science Strategies May 29, 2025

Show notes

In this monthly bonus episode, we tap into insights from our Facebook community to explore what keeps us feeling stuck in our habits and goals. With help from behavioral science, we unpack the hidden forces behind inertia, fear, and comfort zones — and share practical strategies to break free. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and get back in your groove, this one’s for you.

Topics

[0:00] Behavioral Boot Camp!

[2:15] Insights from Groove Questions

[6:34] Self-Confidence

[10:03] Risk Aversion and Community Support

[13:25] Final Thoughts - Trust Your Instincts!

Links

Behavioral Grooves on Substack

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The Top Reason You Make Bad Decisions - And How to Stop | Emily Falk May 26, 2025

Show notes

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 on behind the scenes with our decisions - everything from what to eat for breakfast to how to respond to trolls on social media - and how emotional, rational, and social information is integrated by the brain to guide our choices.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Emily Falk

[8:29] Understanding Value Calculations

[12:58] Research Methods and fMRI

[18:01] Self-Relevance and Social Relevance Systems

[28:41] Defensiveness and Social Norms

[40:49] The Importance of Being "In Sync"

[58:17] The Role or Music in Self/Social Relevance

[1:07:45] Grooving Session: Communication, Social Norms, and Behavioral Science at Work

Links

About Emily

What We Value by Emily Falk

Communication Neuroscience Lab

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Music Links

Indigo Girls - Galileo

Dar Williams - As Cool As I Am

Our Best Hope for Global Change | Faisal Naru May 19, 2025

Show notes

Faisal Naru traces the explosive growth of behavioral science in policy from 2010 to today, highlighting how Global South nations are using it to address complex problems like poverty and public health. He makes the case for embedding behavioral science teams into organizations long-term—moving from quick “silver bullet” fixes to enduring “golden nuggets” of insight.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Faisal Naru

[6:42] Behavioral Science Policy Units and Global Trends

[15:23] Global Approaches - North vs. South

[24:33] How Different Systems Support Behavioral Science

[36:25] The Golden Nuggets of Behavioral Policy

[48:55] Desert Island Music

[51:22] Grooving Session: The Future of Behavioral Science

Links

About Faisal

OECD

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Musical Links

Bob Marley - Is This Love

Dizee Rascal - Baseline Junkie

6 Ways Questions Can Transform Your Life | Elizabeth Weingarten May 12, 2025

Show notes

What if the key to growth isn’t finding better answers, but asking better questions? In this episode, Elizabeth Weingarten shares insights from her book How to Fall in Love with Questions, exploring how embracing uncertainty can lead to greater self-awareness, resilience, and connection. Blending personal stories, behavioral science, and wisdom from poet Rilke, she introduces the idea of a “questions practice” — a mindset shift that helps us navigate life’s toughest moments with curiosity and clarity.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Elizabeth Weingarten

[11:04] The Power of Loving Questions

[15:50] The Biological Need for Certainty

[21:48] The Role of Patience in Asking Questions

[39:18] Questions and the Role of Behavioral Science

[47:57] Desert Island Music

[50:38] Grooving Session: The Value of Sitting With Questions

Links

More About Elizabeth

Better Life Lab

How to Fall in Love with Questions

Torch Leadership

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Music Links

Steely Dan - Do It Again

Chapell Roan - Pink Pony Club

The #1 Reason You Aren’t Happy - Yet. | Mark Fabian May 05, 2025

Show notes

Economist and philosopher Mark Fabian joins the show to explore how we can move beyond the pursuit of happiness toward a deeper, values-driven life. Drawing from behavioral science, philosophy, and his new book Beyond Happy, Mark challenges the idea of happiness as an end goal and introduces the concept of “generalized flow.” From escaping the hedonic treadmill to cultivating self-awareness and community, this episode is a guide to rethinking what it means to live well.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Mark Fabian

[8:56] Concept of Well-Being and Happiness

[15:45] How to Live a Valuable Life

[25:19] How to Discover Your Core Self

[32:54] Self-Actualization and Community

[42:42] The Role of Flow and Zest in a Good Life

[51:05] Desert Island Music

[56:18] Grooving Session: Zest, Identity, and Reframing Happiness

Links

More about Mark

Beyond Happy by Mark Fabian