Infidelity is seen as the ultimate betrayal, and many relationships are brought down by it. Around the world most of us agree that it’s wrong for a married person to have an affair, but that doesn’t seem to stop us: why? The answer could lie in our DNA. In this week’s Why Factor, Phoebe Keane hears how research into the mating habits of prairie voles could shed light on the extra marital affairs of humans and explores how we make decisions in the heat of the moment.

Guests:

Presented and Produced by Phoebe Keane

It turns out that much of what we do – much of our behaviour – can be conducted at an unconscious level. That raises a profound question. What is the point of consciousness? What evolutionary advantage does consciousness bestow? We speak to psychologists and neuroscientists for the answer. And we ask a philosopher whether science can ever unravel the deep mysteries of consciousness. The programme is guaranteed to hurt your brain.

Presenter and producer: David Edmonds

(Photo: / Credit: Doorway to another world - stock photo. Getty Images)

Sleep, day-dreaming, meditation – these are all different states of awareness. In these states we are not really aware of what is going on around us. But even when humans are awake, we take in very little about our surroundings. So this week we speak to psychologists and neuroscientists to ask, why are we conscious of so little?

Presenter and producer: David Edmonds

(Photo: X-ray image of human head with lightning / Credit: Getty Images)

About half the population consider themselves to have a shy personality, but most of us feel shyness in certain situations. Although some people may display outward signs of shyness such as blushing and being tongue-tied, shyness isn’t always visible to others; a surprising number of extroverts and performers are shy. Edwina Pitman examines what it means to be shy and attitudes towards shyness.

Professor Susie Scott, Professor of Sociology, University of Sussex

Presented and produced by Edwina Pitman

(Photo: Woman wearing paper bag. Credit: Stock Photo / Getty Images)

In the second and final part exploring intuition Nastaran Tavakoli-Far speaks to cricket players who used data to win championships and hears about business leaders who trumpet their successes and forget the times their intuition led to failure. She talks to psychologists and Nobel Prize winners about why we get so attached to our intuitions and forget the times it was wrong, and why we should probably use a mix of both intuition and rational analysis when making decisions.

Alex Wakely – former Northamptonshire County Cricket Captain

David Ripley – Northamptonshire County Cricket Coach

Thomas Gilovich – Professor of Psychology, Cornell University

Daniel Kahneman – Winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Psychology Professor at Princeton University, author of ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’

Eric Bonabeau – Chief Scientific Officer, Telepathy Labs

Prof Gary Klein – Cognitive Psychologist and President of Shadowbox LLC

Right Honourable Lord David Willetts – Resolution Foundation and former UK Minster for Universities and Science

Presenter and producer: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far

(Photo: Toddler looking at a birthday cake on a table. Credit: Stock Photo. Getty Images)

In part one of two episodes exploring intuition, Nastaran Tavakoli-Far speaks to a detective who had an intuition that someone was a serial killer, as well as hearing stories about firefighters who saved themselves from death after listening to their intuition.

Detective David Swindle – Head of Crime Solutions

Prof Gary Klein – Cognitive Psychologist and President of Shadowbox LLC

Prof Daniel Kahneman – winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in in Economic Sciences, Psychology Professor at Princeton University, author of ‘Thinking fast and slow’

Prof Antonio Damasio – professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of Southern California and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute

Dr Michelle Wright – Investigative Psychology Researcher and Chartered Psychologist

Right Honourable Lord David Willetts – Resolution Foundation and former UK Minster for Universities and Science

Presenter and Producer: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far

(Image: Firefighter and Fire. Credit: Stock Photo. Getty Images )

From instant messaging, to online shopping and even smart fridges, we live in a connected age where all of life’s essentials can be obtained at the click of a button. So why do so many people ditch the trappings of modern life and head off into the countryside with a tent?

Reporter: Phoebe Smith

(Photo: Camping at Mount Kenya. Credit: Martin Ngugi / Getty Images)

All over the world there are people rejecting the society they live in and choosing radically different pathways. Some are abandoning the idea of a ‘family house’ in favour of a nomadic, solitary life in a camper van. They live frugally as they travel around the country, or even the world, in their tiny homes.

Others go in a different direction, seeking a life which fulfils them and aligns with their values. They may end up in an ‘intentional community’, where both income and property are shared.

Some choose to withdraw their children from formal education and instead allow them to follow their own interests, learning what they think they need to, when they need to. Others go even further. They want to run their own country, or micro-nation, so they can live under laws and legislation they believe in. On the Why Factor this week, Shabnam Grewal meets people who reject the society they live in, and choose instead to carve out their own way.

Presented and produced by Shabnam Grewal

(Image: Woman looks out the back of her camping van. Credit: Stock Photo/Getty Images)

Statistics from around the world show huge improvements to our way of life, but many of us think the world is in decline. There are good reasons for this; climate change is often cited as the big one. But many of us aren’t aware of the huge strides we’ve made over the decades in reducing poverty, improving healthcare and tackling hunger. In fact, according to surveys of people in richer countries at least, the majority of people think the world is getting worse; but why? In this edition of the Why Factor, Sandra Kanthal asks if human nature is wired to fixate on the downsides of life.

Professor Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology centre at the University of Pennsylvania

Presenter: Sandra Kanthal

(Image: Woman on a train looking out of the window. Credit: Marjan Apostolovic/Getty Images)

In the 1970s, second wave feminists declared war on make-up - arguing it oppressed women, distracted them from gaining equality, and forced them to attain a beauty ideal not expected of men. And yet young women today wear more make-up than ever. Women have made gains in employment, education, sexual liberation, so why is it so many of us can’t leave the house without make-up? We explore the power and allure of mak-eup and why it works.

Presented and Produced by Gemma Newby

(Photo: Young woman vlogging about beauty products. Credit: Getty Images)