How can a tiny fly in an airport urinal transform human behavior?

This week, we sit down with Eva van den Broek and Tim den Heijer, authors of The Housefly Effect, to uncover how subtle environmental cues can shape our decisions in powerful and surprising ways.

With Eva’s expertise in behavioral economics and Tim’s background in advertising, they reveal the fascinating impact nudges have on our daily lives. From casino design to placebo crosswalk buttons, the world around us is filled with real-life applications of behavioral science that influence our behavior—even when we know they’re at play.

Join us for practical tips, captivating stories, and thought-provoking insights into how these small interventions can make a big difference in your life. So sit back, relax, and discover the invisible forces of behavioral science all around you.

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Intro - Flies in Urinals?

[6:57] Speed Round with Eva and Tim

[10:58] Exploring the House Fly Effect

[22:07] Why Knowing About Nudges Doesn’t Stop Them

[32:20] Regulating Nudges in Online Casinos

[41:36] Personal Applications of Behavioral Science

[50:37] Desert Island Music

[56:17] Grooving Session: The Bigger Picture of Behavioral Science

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

The Housefly Effect: How Nudge Psychology Steers Your Everyday Behaviour

Illusion of control: Why the world is full of buttons that don’t work

Have You Been Nudged?

David Bowie - Space Oddity 

Prince - When Doves Cry

Arooj Aftab - Mehram 

Benjamin Britten - Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K.183 - 1. Allegro con brio

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 the psychology behind this goal-oriented mindset? In our first episode of the year, we’re joined by Dr. Ayelet Fishbach, a renowned expert in behavioral science, to explore the science of achieving goals and rethink the traditional belief that success is all about willpower.

Whether you’re a leader looking to energize your team, a professional pursuing career aspirations, or someone striving to stay on track with personal resolutions, this episode will inspire you to think differently about motivation. Discover how to align your efforts with purpose, make progress more enjoyable, and build lasting momentum to achieve meaningful goals in the year ahead.

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Motivation and Willpower - a New Perspective with Ayelet Fishbach

[3:19] The Marshmallow Test and Its Misinterpretation

[7:52] Meta Motivation and Its Implications

[14:28] The Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

[18:17] Problems Around Goal Achievement

[32:41] The Important of Aspirational Goals

[42:58] Strategies for Overcoming the Problem of "the Middle"

[48:33] Key Takeaways

Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation

Motivation Isn’t About Being Strong, It’s About Being Wise

Understanding the Power of Intrinsic Motivation

NIH: Intrinsic Motivation

Happy Holidays from Behavioral Grooves!

We're taking a week off to get ready for all the new and exciting content we have in store for our listeners coming in 2025. If you'd like to help us make next year's show amazing please help us by filling out the Behavioral Grooves survey here!

In the meantime, please enjoy this republish of one of our favorite episode this year, enjoy!

How can we turn disagreements into opportunities for growth and connection?

In this episode, Kurt and Tim dive into the science of meaningful conversations with David Robson, author of The Laws of Connection. Together, they explore how to deepen our understanding and build stronger connections with the people around us. Disagreements don’t have to signal the end of a conversation. Instead, with compassionate curiosity and a willingness to listen, we can turn them into constructive dialogues that bridge divides.

© 2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] A message from Tim

[3:05] Welcome back, David!

[5:27] Intro and speed round

[10:05] Misconceptions about connecting with strangers

[16:59] The importance of social connections

[25:43] The art of successful conversation

[31:09] Creating a shared reality

[34:44] Effective communication strategies for disagreements

[38:42] Using personal experience to persuade others

[42:17] Effective feedback delivery

[53:55] Grooving session: Building connections, overcoming fear, and improving relationships

© 2024 Behavioral Grooves

Kwame Christian’s “Compassionate Curiosity” approach

Trotsky’s principle on empathy and statistics

The Laws of Connection

David Robson

Judy Collins - Spellbound

Taylor Swift - Fortnight

West Side Story - America

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 for our annual Best Books episode, where we share the standout reads that inspired and informed us this year. We’ve organized our picks into four categories—Leadership, Work Life, Relationships, and Critical Thinking—to help you find the perfect book for your personal or professional journey.

Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, practical insights, or even a last-minute gift, this curated list has something for everyone. Join us as we explore the year’s most impactful reads and get ready to turn the page on some life-changing ideas!

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Welcome back to Best Books!

[2:37] Best Books for Leadership

[11:56] Best Books for Work Life

[19:23] Best Books for Relationships

[30:05] Best Books for Critical Thinking

[43:18] Wrap up - Happy Holidays from Behavioral Grooves!

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Both and Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis

The Friction Project by Huggy Rao and Robert Sutton

Likable Badass by Alison Green

Is Your Work Worth It? by Christopher Michaelson and Jennifer Tosti-Kharas

Burnout Immunity by Kandi Wiens

The Ritual Effect by Mike Norton

Tightwads and Spendthrifts by Scott Rick

The Laws of Connection by David Robson

12 Questions for Love by Topaz Adizes

May Contain Lies by Alex Edmonds

You Only Die Once by Jody Wellman

Third Millennium Thinking by Saul Perlmutter, Robert M. Coon, and John Campbell

A Year of Living Constitutionally by AJ Jacobs

Kurt's Song of the Year: Ren - Money Ties

Tim's Song of the Year: Lake Street Dive - Nick of Time

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 into this fascinating question, blending philosophy, psychology, and a bit of fun as we unpack our companion picks.

From deep questions to unexpected lessons, we explore the impact of history’s iconic figures and the timeless wisdom they could offer. Who would you choose? Tune in for a playful and thought-provoking journey into the "what ifs" of history.

Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube!

Want to win a free book? Write us a review, screenshot it, and send it to our producer [email protected] for your chance to win!

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Want to win a free book? Write us a review, screenshot it, and send it to our producer [email protected] for your chance to win!

[0:00] Introduction and a Behavioral Grooves giveaway!

[6:59] Speed Round with Israa Nasir

[12:36] Red Flags of Toxic Productivity

[18:04] Slowing Down to Speed Up

[24:47] Generational and Social Influences

[30:07] Myths of Productivity

[35:00] Emotional Awareness and Self-Reflection

[45:23] Practical Advice for Avoiding Toxic Productivity

[53:01] Desert Island Music

[57:50] Grooving Session: Awareness, slowing down, and finding balance

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Take the Behavioral Grooves Survey!

More About Israa

Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More

The Spotlight Effect and Social Anxiety

Let’s End Toxic Productivity

Ella Fitzgerald - Summertime 

John Mayer - Free Fallin’ 

Ghazal Music - Rafta Rafta Wo Meri

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. Wendy Smith, author of Both/And Thinking, to uncover how embracing paradoxes can help us tackle life’s toughest problems. Wendy shares how shifting from an “either/or” to a “both/and” mindset can unlock better decision-making, foster creativity, and provide solutions to today’s complex challenges—from personal dilemmas to organizational leadership.

In our Grooving Session, we dive deeper into the concept of “both/and” thinking and explore its applications in leadership, personal decision-making, and workplace dynamics. We examine the evolutionary roots of black-and-white thinking and discuss why embracing nuance is more important than ever in our interconnected world. Whether you’re navigating hybrid work policies, parenting challenges, or major life decisions, this perspective offers a fresh lens to solve problems both big and small.

The easiest choice you’ll make today? Saying yes to this episode! Join us for an insightful conversation with Wendy and find out why even ice cream dilemmas are worth a second thought.

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Introduction - Ice Cream Dilemmas and Both/And Thinking

[6:14] Speed round with Wendy Smith

[14:22] Understanding Paradoxes and Both/And Thinking

[23:19] Practical Applications of Both/And Thinking

[33:25] Challenges and Emotional Complexity

[40:12] Using Both/And Thinking in Leadership and Personal Life

[45:58] Desert Island Music

[47:42] Grooving Session: How to Embrace Both/And Thinking in Your Everyday Life

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems

Wendy Smith, PhD

Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman

What is Both/And Thinking?

The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go 

Wicked - Defying Gravity

How can the science of persuasion reshape your workplace?

This week, we sit down with Steve Martin to discuss the principles behind his latest book, Influence at Work, and unpack the “influence equation”—a powerful framework that blends evidence, economics, and emotion to drive ethical and effective persuasion. Steve shares actionable strategies for crafting influence, highlighting how small tweaks in incentives and timing can lead to surprising and meaningful behavioral shifts.

We also dive into why behavioral insights shouldn’t be confined to a single department. Steve argues for embedding these principles across an organization, emphasizing how doing so can elevate decision-making, foster collaboration, and drive positive outcomes at every level.

Whether you're leading a team, managing a project, or navigating workplace dynamics, this conversation is packed with actionable wisdom to help you integrate behavioral science into your day-to-day decisions and harness the power of influence for good. Tune in to learn how understanding and applying these insights can transform not just your organization, but your role within it.

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Intro: The Power of Influence in Behavioral Science

[3:51] Speed Round with Steve Martin

[10:56] The Influence Equation and its Applications

[17:12] Everyday Applications of Behavioral Science

[35:41] The Role of Emotion and Timing in Influence

[42:35] Desert Island Music

[46:21] Grooving Session: Influence, the Importance of Incentives, and the Future of Behavioral Science

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Influence At Work: Capture attention, connect with others, convince people to act

About Steve Martin

Global Association of Applied Behavioral Scientists

Influence by Robert Cialdini

ELO - Mr. Blue Sky 

New Order - Blue Monday 

The Beatles - Come Together 

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 this special ‘emergency episode’ ahead of the holidays, we break down why humans often unintentionally create stress through perception—and how our brain’s negativity bias amplifies it.

As you prep your holiday meal, tune in for science-backed strategies to reduce stress, from naming emotions and reframing self-talk to cultivating gratitude. We’ll also explore the power of healthy habits like sleep, exercise, and digital detoxes, plus how social connections—whether with loved ones or strangers—can help build resilience.

Later in the episode, producer Caroline shares her inspiring journey fostering rescue dogs and how it strengthened her sense of purpose and self-efficacy during tough times.

Join us for this timely discussion, and connect with the Groove Community on Facebook to share your own stress-busting tips. Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Emotional exhaustion and stressors

[5:25] Coping with stress and emotional awaredness

[15:27] Gratitude and journaling practices

[26:08] Healthy habits and reducing stress

[34:58] Social connection and purpose

[39:51] Volunteering and personal growth

[45:12] Conclusion: Managing stress and finding community

 ©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Daily Shift Journal

Join our Groove Community!

“A Life Worth Breathing” by Max Strom

Follow Caroline’s Foster Journeys!

What makes a workplace truly thrive? This week, Brad Shuck returns to share how practicing gratitude as an intentional discipline can transform employee engagement and appreciation. We dive into Brad’s three key factors driving workplace culture and productivity, exploring real-world examples illustrating how companies can breathe new life into struggling cultures.

Brad challenges the traditional approach to workplace morale—hint: pizza parties won’t cut it. He emphasizes that culture isn’t a top-down directive; it grows from the ground up. While managers and team leaders may not control the entire organizational culture, their influence at the team level is powerful. They play a vital role in fostering belonging and purpose for employees.

If you’re ready to spark a workplace revolution—one where employees feel safe to speak up, innovation thrives, and gratitude becomes second nature—tune in to hear Brad’s firsthand strategies for transforming your company culture today.

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Intro - Gratitude in corporate culture

[5:35] Speed Round with Brad Shuck

[10:54] The role of gratitude in organizational success

[14:42] What role do leaders play in shaping culture?

[22:31] The challenges of cultivating gratitude in a fast-paced work culture

[37:18] Desert Island Music

[41:02] Grooving Session: Work, gratitude, and psychological safety

©2024 Behavioral Grooves

Brad Shuck

Studies by Brad (et al…)

Above the Line vs Below the Line Leadership

What is Psychological Safety?

Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah 

Mumford & Sons - Ghosts That We Knew 

Woody Guthrie - Tear the Fascists Down