The Human Zoo

By BBC Radio 4

What's The Human Zoo about?

The Human Zoo explores the foibles, quirks and behaviour of that most fascinating of species - us

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The Human Zoo episodes:

12.07.2022
Introducing Why Do We Do That?
Ella Al-Shamahi introduces her new series, Why Do We Do That? An anthropologist's guide to the modern world.
08.02.2016
The Olympics: Why We're Hardwired To Watch
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this programme, the Zoo team are watching people, who are watching people,...
08.01.2016
News of an Atrocity: The Psychology of Rare Events
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this episode - why do we tend to be more attuned to...
07.20.2016
Disruption
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology - Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this episode - disruption and how it affects us. Cancelled trains...
07.13.2016
Democracy and the Wisdom of Crowds
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. At a time when questions are being asked both of democracy, and of...
07.13.2016
Trust me... I'm an expert
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this week's programme, a question of trust - why do people have...
06.28.2016
That Post-Referendum Feeling
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this episode, that morning-after feeling - the aftermath of the EU referendum....
06.21.2016
Short Cuts to the Simple Life
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology - Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this episode, we explore success and failure, and how easily we...
06.15.2016
As a matter of fact...
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology - Michael Blastland explores the quirky ways in which we humans think, behave and make decisions. In this first episode of a new series, we look at facts...
12.22.2015
The Strangeness of Tradition
It's the time of year when we fall into the familiar, the traditions we've recycled since childhood. But why do we do it? Michael Blastland examines the psychology of how we behave around Christmas. Mistletoe, gift-giving, decorated evergreen trees -...
12.15.2015
The Lives of Things
Storms rage and floods take their toll - is this nature taking its revenge? Michael Blastland turns the lens of psychology on how we treat objects and other entities as if they are 'alive'. Not just the weather - we...
12.08.2015
The Other
Amidst public anxiety over any number of threats to British interests, Michael Blastland turns the lens of psychology from 'us' to 'them', and perceptions of 'the other'. From sports teams to supermarkets, politics to religion, we define ourselves partly...
12.03.2015
The Tide Is With Us
The series that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. From scandals to markets, elections to traffic jams, discover the nuts and bolts of human behaviour that link public life to our most private thoughts and motivations. Are...
07.14.2015
A Word of Advice
The Human Zoo is the programme that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. From scandals to markets, elections to traffic jams, discover the nuts and bolts of human behaviour that link public life to our most private...
07.07.2015
Perfect People
The Human Zoo is the programme that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. From scandals to markets, elections to traffic jams, discover the nuts and bolts of human behaviour that link public life to our most private...
06.30.2015
The Improvising Mind
The Human Zoo is the programme that looks at current events through the lens of psychology. From scandals to markets, elections to traffic jams, discover the nuts and bolts of human behaviour that link public life to our most private...
06.23.2015
Morals and Norms
The Human Zoo is a place to learn about the one subject that never fails to fascinate - ourselves. In this episode, morals and norms. Naked tourists on Malaysian mountains? Professional footballers sprawling on the streets of Tenerife? The team...

What's The Human Zoo about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Human Zoo episodes:

Introducing Why Do We Do That?

The Olympics: Why We're Hardwired To Watch

News of an Atrocity: The Psychology of Rare Events

Disruption

Democracy and the Wisdom of Crowds

Trust me... I'm an expert

That Post-Referendum Feeling

Short Cuts to the Simple Life

As a matter of fact...

The Strangeness of Tradition

The Lives of Things

The Other

The Tide Is With Us

A Word of Advice

Perfect People

The Improvising Mind

Morals and Norms