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.

[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

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Jennifer

The Science of Second Chances

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

Miley Cyrus - Used to Be Young

Zach Bryan - I Remember Everything

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.

[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

The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking

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.

[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 

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Leave the Lights On by Liz Dunn and Jiaying Zhao

About Liz

About JZ

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do

Counting Crows - Round Here

Justin Bieber - Daisies

Mozart - Symphony No. 40

AI is making work faster, but at what cost? It's weakening collaboration, eroding culture, and spawning new problems and costs that most organizations didn't see coming. In Part 1 of our deep-dive into modern AI, we're exploring the behavioral science behind AI adoption, why "work slop" is becoming a growing problem, and how you can use AI to strengthen, rather than damage, your workplace and teams.

[0:00] We need to talk about AI

[5:19] How AI changes collaboration and mentoring

[10:14] Cultural Thinning and Work Slop

[15:10] Slop in action

[20:20] What happens when AI is implemented poorly

[25:14] Mitigating AI's Negative Impacts

[26:55] Coming next: Trust, leadership, and cognitive surrender

Why do so many organizational change initiatives fail? This week, we’re joined by behavioral economist Julia Dhar, co-author of How Change Really Works, to explore the behavioral science behind successful change. From curiosity and anxiety to psychological safety, AI, and the difference between change fatigue and change disappointment, Julia shares practical strategies that help leaders turn good ideas into lasting change.

[0:00] Introduction and speed round with Julia Dhar

[10:34] The "cockpit" metaphor for leadership

[17:28] Why "if you build it, they will come" doesn't work

[22:13] Communication, alignment, and executive blind spots

[29:08] Curiosity and anxiety during change

[32:15] Gathering honest employee feedback

[36:47] Leadership's role in successful transformation

[38:52] Change fatigue vs. change disappointment

[44:47] Why endings matter more than leaders realize

[49:14] AI adoption and organizational behavior

[53:27] Jazz, orchestras, and the art of change

[58:09] Desert island music picks

[1:04:14] Grooving Session: Turning anxiety into engagement

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Julia

How Change Really Works by Julia Dhar, Kristy Ellmer, and Philip Jameson

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

Imagine Dragons - Believer

Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Election day traditions

[4:25] Speed round with AJ Jacobs

[9:44] Living Colonially: What I learned

[18:56] Epistemic humility and political perspectives

[23:52] Constitutional originalism

[36:29] How do we frame the constitution?

[40:40] Election cakes and celebrating democracy

[48:52] Embracing experimentation in everyday life

[52:56] Grooving session: open-mindedness, civic duty, and cake recipes

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Join our Facebook Group!

AJ’s Substack

The Year of Living Constitutionally

More about AJ

The History of Election Cakes

Royal American Medley - Songs of the Revolutionary War

Yankee Doodle

In the final episode of our Robert Cialdini series, we explore the extraordinary legacy of one of behavioral science's most influential thinkers. We revisit the seven Principles of Influence through real-world business examples, hear how Cialdini's ideas inspired organizations around the world, and learn why colleagues like Angela Duckworth, Adam Grant, Dan Pink, and Katie Milkman believe his greatest contribution goes far beyond research. Join us as we celebrate the ideas and the person who helped shape modern behavioral science.

[0:00] From Utility Bills to Global Impact

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

In the second episode of our three-part series, we go back into the time machine to see what shaped Robert Cialdini into one of behavioral science's most influential thinkers.  We're exploring the childhood experience, career-defining decisions, undercover research, and surprising moments that led to Influence, pre-suasion, and the principles of unity. 

[0:00] A breakup letter to social psychology

[9:24] What makes Bob Bob?

[16:03] Baseball, adaptability, and serendipity

[23:40] Falling in love with psychology

[27:46] Choosing freedom over prestige

[36:44] The littering study that predicted elections

[42:03] How Influence became a phenomenon

[53:18] The birth of pre-suasion

[1:08:18] Unity as the seventh principle

[1:15:13] The legacy of Robert Cialdini

[1:17:53] Coming up in Episode Three

Influence by Robert Cialdini

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

We kick off our three-part series on Robert Cialdini by exploring the research, mentors, and discoveries that shaped one of behavioral science's most influential thinkers. From social proof and energy conservation to the creation of Influence, we trace the path that brought behavioral science from the lab to millions of everyday readers.

[0:00] The Utility Bill That Changed Behavior

[9:28] Meet Robert Cialdini

[12:41] The Famous Door Hanger Study

[20:30] Social Proof and Opower's Success

[22:16] The Book That Changed Behavioral Science

[28:45] The Mentors Behind Cialdini's Thinking

[41:30] Three Research Strategies That Defined His Career

[56:01] Building the Science of Influence

[1:01:01] Writing Influence for the Public

[1:10:21] Why Cialdini's Work Still Matters Today

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Influence by Robert Cialdini

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

As we celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month, we sit down with Neri Karra Sillaman to explore what immigrant entrepreneurs can teach us about resilience, leadership, and long-term success. We discuss why luck is a skill, how reframing challenges creates opportunity, and the mindset behind companies that stand the test of time

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Neri Karra Sillaman

[6:26] The Secret to Creating Your Own Luck

[10:51] How to Reframe Problems Into Opportunities

[16:37] Eight Traits of Long-Lasting Entrepreneurs

[22:25] The Leadership Trait Most Founders Miss

[29:11] What Makes Businesses Last for Decades?

[37:17] The Biggest Myth About Immigrant Entrepreneurs

[44:57] Why the American Dream Still Matters

[46:11] Grooving Session: Why Challenges Create Innovation

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Dr. Neri Karra Sillaman

Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs by Neri Karra Sillaman

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Support Behavioral Grooves

Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love

Van Halen - Jump