Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Noah Kahan - The Great Divide

Music Links

Taylor Swift - august

The Science Behind Constraints | David Epstein Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

What if constraints could actually make us more creative? This week, we use behavioral science to explore how limits on our time, resources, and choices can focus our attention, spark creativity, and help us make better decisions. With author David Epstein, we look at how creatives like Bach and Dr. Seuss used constraints to generate new ideas, and how identifying bottlenecks at work can help us focus on the problems that matter most. We’ll also share practical ways to embrace constraints, think differently, and get more done.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and speed round with David Epstein

[15:00] Choice overload and endless options

[22:31] How constraints can unlock creativity

[29:53] Innovation and limitations

[36:14] Great thinkers and the obstacles that met them

[43:55] The Green Eggs and Ham Effect

[51:10] AI and creativity

[59:40] Finding the Bottleneck

[1:04:02] Knowing your own constraints

[1:11:13] Bach: the maestro of constraint

[1:18:43] Grooving Session: Exploring the power of constraints

Links

About David Epstein

Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better

Bach - Air on the G String (Orchestral Suite No. 3)

Music Links

London Grammar - Hey Now

The Science of Trust, Identity, and Tension | Claude Steele Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

What happens when we enter a conversation with someone we assume is different from us? Social psychologist Claude Steele argues that the tension and nerves we feel may have less to do with prejudice than we think. In his new book, Churn, Claude explores how identity threats can affect our performance and relationships, why we fear being misjudged, and how empathy, listening, and understanding can help reduce that tension and foster trust. We discuss why context matters, how our attitudes can follow our behavior, and why “colorblindness” can make it harder to understand another person’s experience.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Claude Steele

[11:28] Does attitude follow behavior?

[15:02] What exactly is “churn”?

[20:12] The fear of being stereotyped

[30:21] Trust as the antidote to tension

[35:31] Can you really be “colorblind?”

[47:48] Barack Obama and the cross-identity bridge to understanding

[53:40] Why you need to look at circumstances

[1:01:58] Desert Island Music

[1:07:05] Grooving Session: Why our brains churn

Links

About Claude

Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome It

Miles Davis & Gil Evans - The Duke

Musical Links

Stevie Wonder - Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing

How Culture Shapes Human Behavior | Oliver Sweet Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

How does culture shape the way we think, behave, and interact with one another? In this episode, anthropologist Oliver Sweet explores the hidden social rules that influence human behavior, from communication and cultural norms to social media, artificial intelligence, and changing generational values. We discuss the psychology and anthropology of culture, how "vibe shifts" emerge, whether technology is making us more narcissistic, and what AI could mean for collaboration, empathy, creativity, and human connection.

Topics

[0:00] Intro & Speed Round with Oliver Sweet

[7:54] Can You Be Too Fat for an Imaginary Boat?

[13:08] The Hidden Rules That Shape Our Behavior

[18:47] How Social Norms Change Over Time

[21:14] What Is a "Vibe Shift"?

[28:23] AI, Social Media & Culture

[32:37] The Return of Subliminal Messaging

[36:53] AI and the Rise of Digital Narcissism

[46:51] How Technology Changes Risk-Taking

[52:17] Can Counterculture Predict the Future?

[58:56] What Happens When AI Replaces Human Connection?

[1:09:33] Grooving Session: The Reality and Illusions of AI

Links

About Oliver

The Rules That Make Us: How Culture Shapes the Way We Act, Think, Believe, and Buy by Oliver Sweet

Will the Future Like You? By Patricia Martin

Has Social Media Stolen Your Individuality? | Patricia Martin Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Who are you when no one is watching? We welcome author Patricia Martin to discuss how social media, algorithms, and AI are reshaping our sense of self. From persona fog and chronic self-doubt to the future of human agency, we explore what it means to build an authentic identity in an increasingly performative digital world.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Patricia Martin

[9:18] From Research to Me-Search

[13:10] Why the Self Has Become a Consumer Product

[19:24] Persona Fog, Self-Doubt & Cascading Crossroads

[24:13] Healthy Personas vs. Fracturing Online Identities

[31:30] The Self as Consumer Commodity

[36:07] Construction Not Subtraction

[43:33] Desert Island Music

[50:32] Grooving Session: To Thine Own Self Be True?

Links

About Patricia

Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools

Music Links

Eminem - The Real Slim Shady

You're Not the Only One Feeling Lonely | Bill von Hippel Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Why does modern life leave so many of us feeling disconnected? We explore the surprising evolutionary forces behind loneliness, autonomy, and technology, and share practical ways to build stronger relationships without giving up the conveniences of modern life.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Bill von Hippel

[11:09] Were hunter-gatherers actually happier?

[15:40] Why evolution favors connection over autonomy

[22:43] How cities created innovation (and loneliness)

[31:16] The cost of choosing autonomy

[37:57] Social media, AI, and the future of human connection

[47:56] Practical ways to create more community

[56:17] Evolutionary mismatches and modern fears

[1:02:23] Desert Island Music

[1:09:32] Grooving Session: Choose connection

Links

About Bill

The Social Paradox by Bill von Hippel

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Music Links

Credence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain

The Truth About Crime Prevention | Jennifer Doleac Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

What actually stops crime? Economist Jennifer Doleac joins us to explore the behavioral science behind safer communities, revealing why certainty of consequences, not harsher punishments, is the key to changing behavior and how evidence can lead to smarter criminal justice policy.

Topics

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Jennifer Doleac

[9:15] How an economist found criminal justice

[13:56] Why DNA databases reduce crime

[16:53] Certainty vs. severity of punishment

[21:11] Redemption, incentives, and justice

[25:05] Second chances for first-time offenders

[30:50] Jobs, criminal records, and Ban the Box

[37:57] When good intentions backfire

[44:08] Rethinking prisons and parole

[50:24] Why evidence struggles to shape policy

[57:58] Desert Island Music

[1:00:30] Grooving Session - Reforming our criminal justice systems

Links

About Jennifer

The Science of Second Chances

Miley Cyrus - Used to Be Young

Musical Links

Zach Bryan - I Remember Everything

Is AI Making Us Dumber? (Part 2) Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

AI can make us more efficient, but it can also change how we think, collaborate, and trust one another. As we continue to groove on AI, we dig into the concepts of cognitive surrender, creative convergence, trust erosion, and the new challenges facing managers as the race to adopt AI takes over corporate America. If you want to improve human connection and navigate AI's impact thoughtfully, take a listen to this episode. We have a few ideas that just may help.

Topics

[0:00] Intro: What is cognitive surrender?

[4:15] How to use AI without giving up critical thinking

[9:33] Why teams become less innovative

[15:25] How AI quietly erodes workplace trust

[20:42] Why AI-generated communication feels disingenuous

[24:06] The growing strain on frontline managers

[30:39] Helping organizations build healthier AI practices

Links

The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking

Climate Advice You’ve Never Heard | Liz Dunn & Jiaying Zhao Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Climate change conversations often focus on sacrifice, but what if the path to a healthier planet also made us happier? We sit down with Leave the Lights On authors Liz Dunn and Jiaying Zhao to explore how behavioral science can help us focus on the environmental choices that matter most, why social influence is more powerful than guilt, and how small, joyful decisions can create lasting change.

Topics

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Liz Dunn & Jiaying "JZ" Zhao

[9:03] Why Your Neighbors Influence You More Than Climate Facts

[13:09] High Impact Climate Choices That Actually Matter

[17:05] Scarcity, Happiness, and Enjoying More by Having Less

[24:00] Leave the Lights On: The Carbon Math That Changes Everything

[27:05] Why Where You Live Matters More Than You Think

[31:17] Remote Work, Happiness, and Carbon Emissions

[37:34] Everyday Climate Decisions That Make the Biggest Difference

[42:10] Creating Upward Spirals of Joy

[44:49] Why Sharing Your Choices Influences Others

[47:57] The Environmental Cost of AI

[50:58] Desert Island Music Picks

[53:42] Grooving Session: Show Don't Tell Leadership

Links

Leave the Lights On by Liz Dunn and Jiaying Zhao

About Liz

About JZ