Behavioral Grooves Podcast

What truly helps people live longer, healthier lives? In this episode, we talk with journalist and author Ken Stern about the science behind longevity and why social connection may matter more than diet or exercise alone. From loneliness being compared to smoking 15 cigarettes a day to cultures that keep older adults engaged through work and community, we explore how purpose, relationships, and social structures shape healthy aging.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Ken Stern

[6:47] Big Cities vs Rural Living and Life Expectancy

[10:22] Are We Overvaluing Diet and Exercise?

[16:34] Why Loneliness Is Worse in the U.S.

[23:35] The Blue Zones Debate

[26:18] How to Build Stronger Social Connections

[30:25] Rethinking Retirement and Purpose

[40:28] Why Generational Mixing Matters

[44:41] Intergenerational Communities and Empathy

[53:50] Desert Island Music

[58:11] Grooving Session: How to Live Your Best (and Longest) Life

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Ken

The Longevity Project

Healthy to 100 by Ken Stern

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Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark

U2 - With or Without You

In memory of our friend, Sam Tatam. Sam was a pioneer in his field, and he joined us for a discussion full of creativity, resolve, and a love of behavioral science. He will be missed.

Innovation does not always come from inventing something entirely new. Often, the natural world has already solved the problem. In this throwback conversation, we explore the concept of biomimicry with behavioral scientist Sam Tatam, author of Evolutionary Ideas: Unlocking Ancient Innovation to Solve Tomorrow’s Challenges. We discuss how looking to nature can inspire creative solutions in behavioral science and beyond, from the principles of biomimicry to frameworks like the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and the Goal Gradient theory. Along the way, we also wander into lighter territory, chatting about the musical artist Sam once traveled to Italy with and the cultural differences between pubs in London and Sydney.

[4:59] Welcome and speed round questions.

[13:23] What is biomimicry?

[18:20] TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) and evolutionary thinking.

[25:32] How language can be a liberator for innovation.

[29:28] Categorizing biases into patterns.

[34:58] What is the Goal Gradient Theory and why isn’t it applied more often?

[9:14] Five psychological contradictions.

[47:26] What music would Sam take to a desert island?

[51:03] Grooving Session: Evolutionary Ideas.

Why do we say yes when we mean no? In this episode, we talk with Sunita Sah about the psychology of compliance and defiance. From Stanley Milgram’s experiments to the hidden force of insinuation anxiety, we explore why compliance is not the same as consent and how to train yourself to act in alignment with your true values.

[0:00] Intro and speed round with Sunita Sah

[14:57] Stanley Milgram’s Shock Experiments

[20:19] Defiance and True Consent

[29:18] Insinuation Anxiety and Conflict of Interest

[36:44] The Power of the Pause

[39:40] Stages of Defiance

[44:13] Moral Mavericks and Defiance Practice

[50:55] Desert Island Music

[56:17] Grooving Session: Conformity vs. Blind Compliance

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Defy by Sunita Sah

About Dr. Sunita Sah

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The Cure - Pictures of You

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence

Relationships change because people change. In this episode, we explore what it means when someone you love no longer feels like the person you once knew. Using behavioral science, we examine why personality shifts over time, why growth does not always happen in the same direction, and how to decide whether to reconnect, recalibrate, or let go.

[0:00] Understanding Relationship Changes

[7:07] Relationship Changes Over Time

[13:28] Self-Expansion Theory and Michelangelo Phenomenon

[22:08] Growth vs. Escape: What’s Really Driving the Change?

[29:49] How to Navigate Relationship Changes

[34:00] Updating the Story of “Us”

[43:01] The Importance of Compassion

[46:00] Regret, Loss, and What to Do Next

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work by Eli Finkel

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Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know

Flora Cash - You’re Somebody Else

What if your mood, focus, and energy aren’t random—but driven by internal clocks you rarely think about? This week, circadian rhythm expert Daniel Forger explains why jet lag hits so hard, why sleep timing may matter more than sleep duration, and what your wearable data actually means. If you’ve ever questioned your “sleep score” or wondered whether you’re a morning person by design, this conversation will change how you understand your body’s timing system.

[0:00] Psychologist Off the Clock!

[1:55] Intro and Speed Round with Daniel Forger

[5:44] Why Crossing Time Zones Messes You Up

[10:07] What Are Biological Rhythms?

[13:03] Is Your Apple Watch Accurate?

[22:44] How Your Biological Rhythms Impact Mood and Performance

[27:17] Could Humans Adapt to a 25-Hour Day?

[36:31] Circadian Rhythms and Happiness

[44:39] The Three Most Important Lessons About Biological Timing

[49:32] Bach, Pipe Organs, and Mathematical Patterns

[53:41] Grooving Session: The Intersection of Biology and Happiness

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Daniel

Biological Rhythms by Daniel Forger

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Best of Bach

In this special Grooving session, we unpack what happens when shared facts collapse and preferred beliefs take their place. Sparked by Kurt's firsthand experience during unrest in Minneapolis, this conversation explores why people reject lived experience, how identity defense and motivated reasoning shut down dialogue, and when it’s rational to stop trying to persuade altogether. Drawing on behavioral science, persuasion research, and real-world encounters, we examine how to choose your battles, why stories succeed where arguments fail, and what it actually takes to find common ground in a belief-first world.

Dating in 2026 feels broken.  The apps promise infinite choice, rom-coms on our screens promise “the one”, and yet frustration, ghosting, and mismatched expectations seem to be more normal than anything actually working out. This week, Tim Ash, author of Primal Dating, joins us as we explore why dating in the modern world feels so unstable and why many of today’s relationship struggles aren’t personal failures, but predictable outcomes of our ancient instincts clashing with modern environments and expectations.

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Tim Ash

[7:52] Behavioral tendencies and evolutionary psychology

[18:09] The role of life stages in dating

[26:17] The impact of cultural norms on dating

[30:51] The economic of dating

[35:48] The role of tech in dating

[48:33] The importance of empathy in dating

[56:58] Music talk with Tim and Tim

[1:00:45] Grooving Session: Modern dating for primordial (?) minds

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About Tim

Primal Dating by Tim Ash and Dr. Limor Gottlieb

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Steely Dan - FM

Chet Baker - Almost Blue

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day...or is that science? Today, we're throwing it back to 2021, when we had the privilege of chatting with Logan Ury, Director of Relationship Science at Hinge, about the challenges people face in modern dating. From getting ready for a first date to maintaining a relationship long term, Logan gives us valuable insights and advice on how to overcome common hurdles and make the most out of each stage or the dating life. 

So, the question of the day is - are you a maximizer, satisficer, or romanticizer? Tune in to find out. 

About Logan

How Not to Die Alone by Logan Ury

Hamilton - Satisfied

Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

You think you know what you want in a partner, but behavioral science says attraction doesn’t work that way. Relationship scientist Paul Eastwick breaks down why dating apps and checklists fail, how attraction actually forms, and why real compatibility grows through interaction, timing, and shared history.

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Paul Eastwick

[8:21] Why dating checklists and apps fail us

[14:45] The myth of universal attractiveness

[21:03] How attraction develops over time

[27:29] Is “love at first sight” a lie?

[38:13] The ‘best’ way to meet people

[47:04] The Stroop effect

[54:50] Attraction, identity, and history

[1:01:11] Desert island music picks

[1:03:55] Grooving session: trust, attraction, and relationships beyond dating

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

Paul Eastwick

Love Factually

Bonded by Evolution by Paul Eastwick

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Pink Floyd - Hey You

Nobuo Uematsu - One Winged Angel

Why do certain phrases stay with us for life? In this episode, were joined by James Geary, author of The World in a Phrase, to explore how aphorisms shape judgment, decision-making, and meaning. From fortune cookies to philosophy, they unpack why short sayings act as cognitive heuristics, how they guide thinking without giving answers, and why the aphorisms that serve us best often change over time, just as we do.

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with James Geary

[7:30] The Laws of Aphorisms

[13:45] Finding Wisdom in Unexpected Places

[21:07] Aphorisms as Cognitive Heuristics

[29:51] The Role of Aphorisms in Decision-Making

[35:00] How Aphorisms Can Match Life Stages

[42:30] How We Can Apply Aphorisms to Daily Life

[48:06] What Do Aphorisms Mean for Me?

[59:00] Grooving Session: The World in a Phrase

©2026 Behavioral Grooves

About James

The World in a Phrase

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Leonard Cohen - Anthem

Paul Simon - Everything Put Together Falls Apart