People Who Read People, hosted by Zachary Elwood

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Interviews with people from different professions about how understanding human psychology and behavior plays a role in their work. This podcast is hosted by Zachary Elwood, a former professional poker player and an author of books and videos on poker tells/behavior.

Zachary Elwood

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    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 52m AVG DURATION
    • 176 EPISODES

    4.4 from 194 ratings Listeners of People Who Read People, hosted by Zachary Elwood that love the show mention: zach, behavior, fields, reading, interested, practical, thoughtful, questions, interviews, excellent, looking forward, guests, good, thank, great, listen, deeply interesting.


    Ivy Insights

    The People Who Read People, hosted by Zachary Elwood, is a fascinating podcast that delves into the complexities of human behavior and psychology. With a range of topics and conversations, this podcast offers a breadth and depth of knowledge that sets it apart from others in the field of psychology. The host's inquisitive and smart approach to interviewing creates long-form content that keeps listeners engaged and coming back for more.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the originality of its topics and conversations. The host explores new intellectual ground and draws in talented guests from various fields. Each episode brings new insights and perspectives, challenging listeners to think differently about issues related to psychology, behavior, and strategy. Additionally, Zachary's pleasant voice adds to the overall listening experience.

    The solo episodes are particularly enjoyable, with the most recent episode about grifters being a standout example. These episodes showcase the host's expertise on specific subjects and offer in-depth analysis that is both informative and enlightening. Furthermore, the podcast tackles important societal issues like polarization, providing a fresh perspective on these divisive topics.

    While there are many positives to this podcast, one potential downside could be its limited release schedule. Listeners may find themselves wanting more frequent episodes to satisfy their curiosity about human behavior and psychology. However, it is worth noting that each episode is well-researched and expertly edited to appeal to a wide range of listeners.

    In conclusion, The People Who Read People is an insightful podcast that offers engaging content for those interested in understanding human behavior. With its breadth of topics, talented guests, and thought-provoking discussions, this podcast provides valuable insights into our complex world. Whether you're fascinated by psychology or simply curious about how people think, this podcast is definitely worth a listen.



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    Latest episodes from People Who Read People, hosted by Zachary Elwood

    Can eye direction reveal lies? Or is that behavior bullshit? A talk with Tim Levine

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 55:14


    Maybe you've heard that you can get clues about whether someone is lying by what direction they look when they talk. The most common form of this idea is that if someone is looking up and to their left, they're more likely to be accessing real visual memories (associated with truth), and if they're looking up and to their right, they're more likely to be constructing visual images (associated with lies). But there is no basis for this; in fact, many studies have found evidence against that claim. This idea and other more broad ideas about eye movement clues were popularized by NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), a school of thought whose core ideas have been debunked time and time again. In this episode, I talk to Tim Levine, a respected deception detection researcher. We talk about: the eye direction idea; the huge amount of bullshit in the pop behavior analysis space (e.g., shows like the Behavior Panel); reasons why the spreaders of this bullshit are so popular and successful; what the science says about using behavior to detect deception; why it's so difficult to use behavior to detect deception; the idea that you need to establish “baselines” for people to aid you in reading them; how behavioral patterns in games/sports can differ from more real-world non-game scenarios; confirmation bias in the behavior analysis space, and how even smart researchers can be unreasonably biased in favor of their own ideas; Paul Ekman's work; and more.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Why some see liberals as the undemocratic ones: A talk about democracy and polarization with Elizabeth Doll

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 82:54


    Many Americans think Trump is harming democracy; they see him as acting undemocratically in various ways. At the same time, Republicans and Trump supporters can view Democrats/liberals as themselves acting in highly undemocratic ways: as embracing various beliefs and actions that violate the spirit of democracy. I talk to Elizabeth Doll, who has worked in the political depolarization/bridge-building space for several years; she is currently the Director of Braver Politics for the organization Braver Angels. She is also someone who has been frustrated with various stances of liberal “defenders of democracy” that she sees as undemocratic and hypocritical. Topics discussed include: why anti-Trump people should want to understand these criticisms; various Republican-side views that liberals have behaved “undemocratically,” the debate over the electoral college; the debate over adding Supreme Court justices (stacking the court); the ambiguity in the word “democracy” and how that ambiguity leads to many things being called “undemocratic,"; why trying to understand each others' concerns is important for reducing toxicity, and more. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    On hypnosis and mind control: separating fact from fiction | with Martin S. Taylor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 62:55


    A talk about hypnosis and mind control with Martin S. Taylor, a well known British hypnotist (hypnotism.co.uk). Martin is known for his stage hypnosis act but also for educating people about hypnosis and removing the illusions and mystique surrounding it. There are some people who make astounding claims that they can control and manipulate people using hypnosis. Some even claim they can get people to do things against their will and their ethics. Some of these people claim they can do this quickly, within minutes, and that they can teach you to do the same. There are clearly some impressive things you can do with hypnosis (as Martin will attest) — but there are also clearly many unethical and deceptive people in the NLP/hypnosis/influence space who exaggerate what you can do with it. In this talk, Martin and I try to separate fact from fiction — reality from bullshit.Topics discussed include: How did Martin get into hypnosis? What's going on in a stage hypnosis act? What psychological factors lead to people acting in unusual and extreme ways in those settings? Is there such a thing as a hypnotic “trance”? Is it a special state? Martin's thoughts on hypnosis used for therapy and self-help. MK Ultra and other government programs related to mind control and brainwashing. The importance of being skeptical about grand claims about hypnosis and mind control.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    The Polarization of Keith Olbermann: A journey through his incendiary, conflict-deranged behaviors

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 78:55


    In March of 2024, the newsman and sports commentator Keith Olbermann tweeted that the “Supreme Court had betrayed democracy” and called for it to be “dissolved.” This was the second time he'd called for the Supreme Court to be dissolved: he did that also in 2022. This is a review of some of Olbermann's more unreasonable and incendiary behavior over the last twenty years, with a focus on his political rage and how that relates to America's toxic polarization problem. Because clearly there are many people around us, like Olbermann, with extreme contempt toward their political opponents, and a lot of biased, unreasonably certain takes about all sorts of events and happenings. What might we learn from Olbermann's behavior? Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Mirror selfies, duck faces, and party pics: On signals we send with dating app profiles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 52:45


    I talk to Jess Snitko, who has researched online dating and other online communication, about the signals and messages we send, intentionally and unintentionally, with dating app profiles and pictures. Topics discussed: Factors in pictures and profiles that cause people to swipe right or swipe left; the so-called “duck-face” expression some girls make in photos; men's shirtless photos; men who post pictures of holding a fish or posing with dead animals; bathroom mirror selfies; pictures of partying and drinking; group photos and problems with those; cropped photos where an ex is being removed from the picture; how first impressions can be prone to errors; and more. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    His kneecaps were ruptured due to a healthcare miscommunication. So he did something about it.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 58:26


    Cheo Rose-Washington had an accident that ruptured his knee cap tendons. Then a medical miscommunication between healthcare providers led to him rupturing those same tendons again! That experience led to him deciding to try to do something to improve medical “hand-offs” (the sharing of a patient's information and status from one healthcare provider to another). Hand-off mistakes are due to a range of communication problems. Cheo founded the company Hand-off to try to fix this all-too-common problem. We talk about: How it felt to experience such a serious mistake; the common types of miscommunications and misunderstandings that happen in faulty hand-offs; what Cheo is doing with his startup. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Is the left-right spectrum an illusion that harms us? A talk with Hyrum Lewis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 53:35


    What if I told you the left-right political spectrum was an illusion? What if I told you there is no “left” or “right”? My guest is Hyrum Lewis, co-author of The Myth of Left and Right: How the Political Spectrum Misleads and Harms America. They argue that we've embraced a simplistic, faulty idea of an essential “left/liberalism” and an essential “right/conservatism.” And that, similar to embracing a faulty medical idea (like the old theory of the four humors), embracing a faulty political theory has hurt us in major ways. For one thing, it creates a perception that instead of there being many different issues, there is just a single issue (left versus right) and that choosing the right “team” gains you access to all the right ideas. Embracing that concept in turn amplifies conflict and anger, by making our divides seem like a war between two set and essential ideologies. It makes it easier to embrace a good-versus-bad way of seeing our political divides. Topics include: why Hyrum believes the left-right spectrum is an illusion; common objections to their idea; how persuasive political thinkers have found their idea; the ways in which language and foundational concepts can amplify divides; the horseshoe theory; ways we might speak and write in better ways about our political disagreements, and more.   Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Does Trader Joe's pressure its employees to talk to customers?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 23:26


    Every time I go in Trader Joe's, the checkout person asks me a question of some sort. I used to think everyone there was just happy and friendly, but then I heard reports that it was more of a rule or strong encouragement that employees talk to customers. I read conflicting reports about this online and wanted to talk to someone who'd worked at Trader Joe's, to see if she could shed some light on this. I talk to Twiggy, who has a YouTube channel (youtube.com/@TwiggysDollHospital) and who makes custom dolls (twiggysdollhospital.com). Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    The charlatan Chase Hughes promoted by popular shows “Diary of a CEO," Patrick Bet-David, more

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2025 53:23


    The fraud Chase Hughes, whose major lies and unethical behaviors I've examined in past episodes, continues to succeed in getting popular podcasts with large audiences to interview him. Chase recently appeared on the podcast The Diary of a CEO with host Steven Bartlett; he also appeared on Patrick Bet-David's podcast (PBD podcast). He's also been on Dr. Phil's show, and on Leon Hendrix's podcast DRVN. I examine some clips from Chase's appearances on a couple of these podcasts, as a public service announcement to the millions of people who may have recently learned about Chase and become fans. I recap some of the absurd claims Chase has made. I talk about why I think these podcasts keep interviewing him, and what it tells us about the internet information ecosystem. I examine an early podcast interview where the host told me for Chase's bio he just wrote what Chase said and didn't vet it, which is what many of these podcasts have done. More podcast appearances; more seeming legitimacy. For the first episode of mine about Chase's many lies, search online for “Chase Hughes lies” and you'll probably see it near top of search results.   Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    The polarization of Elon Musk: His high-contempt approach to political disagreement

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 18:24


    In June of 2024, I got an op-ed published in TheHill.com about Elon Musk's polarization -- specifically his affective polarization, which refers to how people perceive and treat their political opponents. Like many in our highly polarized, righteously angry society across the polical spectrum, Elon Musk treats the "other side" with much contempt and disdain. You can often find him insulting and demeaning people on his social media platform, as well as claiming to know with high certainty the hidden, malicious motives in his opponents' minds. In this episode, I read my op-ed and add some additional observations. Topics discussed include: How high-contempt approaches help create pushback from opponents and in that way are self-defeating; The importance of distinguishing 'what we believe' from 'how we engage'; How conflict influences more and more people, on both "sides," to behave in high-contempt ways; How we might criticize "our side" in order to encourage better ways of engaging. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Explanations for those 3 famous UFO videos from 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 19:09


    Brian Dunning, creator of the podcast Skeptoid, made a documentary that brings a skeptical, analytical eye to the recent UFO craze – including those three famous UFO videos released by the Pentagon that got a whole lot of attention in a 2017 New York Times article. His documentary has the tongue-in-cheek title “The UFO Movie They Don't Want You To See” and you can find it at www.briandunning.com/ufo. I think more people need to see Brian's movie; it explained a lot and now I feel like I finally understand those videos. It's been surprising how little attention the more rational, analytical explanations for those videos have gotten. If you're someone who's seen those videos and thought “What the hell is going on?” I think you'll want to watch Brian's movie. In this short episode I focus on one specific explanation for one of the videos in question. (I recommend watching my YouTube video version of this episode.) Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Reading faces: A dumb 1960s book on reading physical facial traits

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 77:00


    I thought it'd be interesting to read a very dumb book from 1969 called "Face Reading: A Guide to How the Human Face Reveals Personality, Sexuality, Intelligence, Character, and More." It's about finding meaning in people's physical facial characteristics; not about reading emotions or expressions. To be clear: this is a very bad book with no sense/logic to it, basically astrology-like, and I'm reading it because I was curious what it said and thought some other people would find it interesting. I'm generally curious about the weird things people believe; also curious about some stereotypes that were present about facial characteristics in the 60s era. I thought it was an interesting relic and some other people might also think so.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    I interrogate an 8-year-old about her belief in Santa, Easter Bunny, and more

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 8:24


    I interrogate an 8-year-old about her belief in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and other magical creatures.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    To avoid destruction, we must recognize we're in a self-reinforcing cycle of conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 7:13


    A piece I wrote for my Defusing American Anger Substack (learn more at www.american-anger.com). It's my attempt to persuade Americans why they should see it as vitally important to work on reducing political toxicity, even as they may have various fears and grievances and anger about their political opponents. If you have skepticism about the ideas in this piece, I would ask you if you'd be willing to read my ebook on this topic, Defusing American Anger. If you want a free copy, email me via my american-anger.com website and I'll send you one. This is an extremely serious problem and I think to help solve it we need more people to consider ideas that may, at first, make them uncomfortable.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Many take Trump's words out of context: How this relates to toxic polarization

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 25:12


    In a recent Fox News interview, Trump was asked whether he thought there would be chaos and violence if he won the election, and his response included mentioning that, if necessary, the National Guard or other military might be needed. Many framed this response as indicating that Trump would go after his political opponents and those who opposed him using the military, leaving out the context that the question asked was about election-related violence. I discuss what this incident can teach us about our toxic political divides. Topics discussed include: Republican-side grievances and how incidents like this relate; how conflict leads us to filter things in more pessimistic and negative ways; the self-reinforcing nature of toxic political polarization; the importance of trying to understand your opponents' narratives; how understanding doesn't require agreeing; Trump's “bloodbath” language and similar highly negative reactions to that; the ease with which we can be biased without even realizing it, and more. Learn more about my polarization work at american-anger.com. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Discussing alleged Bitcoin creator Peter Todd's behavior and language | Jeremy Clark

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 49:16


    In the documentary Money Electric, filmmaker Cullen Hoback put forth the theory that developer Peter Todd was Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. In this episode, I talk to cryptocurrency expert Jeremy Clark (pulpspy.com)  about this theory, with a focus on the language and behavior of Peter Todd. We discuss: the 2010 forum post by Peter Todd that forms the backbone of Hoback's theory; Peter's behavior in the film when confronted, which many people saw as suspicious and strange; the difficulties of relying on nonverbal behavior for clues; and how simple, neat, and exciting stories can attract us. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Scammer on Nextdoor gets my personal info: Tips for spotting online marketplace scam tells

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 13:50


    On the Nextdoor app, a fake account succeeded in getting some personal info from me before I realized they were a scammer. I discuss how that scam went down, share an audio call I had with the scammer, and give some tips for spotting online scammer behaviors and traits. These tips are focused on online marketplace scams but should be applicable for a lot of online scammers in general.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    What's the problem with the Myers-Briggs personality test?, with Randy Stein

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 39:28


    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test is used by many organizations and consultants, but it's been criticized by many as pseudo-science that's unhelpful, and even harmful. I talk to Randy Stein, who has researched the Myers Briggs and personality tests in general. Topics discussed include: the reasons people object to the Myers Briggs test; the downsides of personality tests that group people into boxes (as opposed to using a spectrum-like approach); the Forer effect, where people often believe that vague descriptions apply to them; the downsides of labeling ourselves and others; how the complexity of a question can wrongly seem like deepness; how Myers-Briggs relates to the more scientifically respected "Big Five" personality traits. We also talk about Randy's research on political polarization, showing how we can be drawn to being the opposite of a disliked group. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Some useful and reliable poker tells: A talk with Zach Elwood

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 31:24


    This episode includes part of a poker tells webinar that I, Zach Elwood, did with Terry Wood, owner of PokerRailbird.com. I'm the author of three respected books on poker tells, including Exploiting Poker Tells and Verbal Poker Tells. My first book, Reading Poker Tells, has been translated into eight languages. You can learn more about my poker tells work at readingpokertells.com. Topics discussed: two important categories of poker tells; some specific examples of poker tells (including eye contact tells and how people move their eyes after betting); how tells vary when you go from lower stakes to higher stakes, and more. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

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    Chase Hughes, NLP, & hypnosis: Putting a top-secret military spin on old NLP ideas

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 74:12


    This is my third episode about Chase Hughes, the self-titled “#1 expert in behavior and influence.” My first episode about him examined his early deceptions and exaggerations, and his involvement in pick-up artistry and vitamin supplement sales. In this one, I talk about how Chase's work relates to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and NLP-related hypnosis. Long story short: Chase has used the NLP trainer template but repackaged it with a military/secret-agent/MK-Ultra-type spin. I examine the connections between NLP and Chase's content. I also attempt to explain why Chase (and people like him) can acquire good reviews and fans, despite so much of it being obviously silly and also expensive. I also examine Chase's recent promoting of supplements sold by a chiropractor. And I talk about the various people who've promoted Chase, from influential podcasters to Dr. Phil to his fellow Behavior Panel members, and why there seems to be such a lack of interest in these people examining his background and claims. A later episode will focus specifically on behavior analysis and the Behavior Panel. This episode is focused squarely on NLP/hypnosis.Topics discussed in this video include: how Chase's concepts relate to NLP; what NLP is and why people attend those seminars; my own personal experiences working for an NLP trainer; how NLP seminars relate to other experiential/transformational multi-day seminars; good/neutral aspects of NLP/hypnosis/influence type content and training; the many influential people who've promoted Chase; why these things can impress people despite being so obviously silly and strange; what a hypnosis expert had to say about Chase's stuff; why behavior-analysis and influence/hypnosis-type offerings lend themselves to exaggerated claims; and more.   Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    We're MASSIVELY overstating our political violence problem — and that's dangerous! | Sean Westwood

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 36:26


    Many surveys and headlines have claimed there's a large percentage of Americans who support political violence. Some estimates have been around 25% – and some have gone as high as 40%! This is very scary; it ramps up fears of a violent and chaotic American future, and even fears of a civil war. But political polarization researchers like my guest Sean Westwood have shown that many people are massively overstating the problem. And that overstatement is leading to hysterical and unhelpful framings and debates. Worst of all, these exaggerated fears can even contribute to a self-reinforcing cycle… a self-fulfilling prophecy. Topics discussed include: what the faulty surveys and studies are missing; how bad survey design (ambiguous questions, or leading questions) can lead to faulty estimates; what more accurate survey results tell us; how exaggerated fears can contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy; and why people embrace and promote overly pessimistic narratives.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Angry Chase Hughes' fans lash out after his many lies are revealed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 26:33


    This is a follow up to my last episode, in which I shared information about the many lies of Chase Hughes, the self-described “#1 expert in behavior and influence.” Some of the fans of Chase Hughes and the show he's on, The Behavior Panel, responded in angry, unreasonable ways, personally insulting me and downplaying the significance of Chase's many deceptions. Some of the people who responded in these ways, from what I've been told, are also social media content moderators who work for Chase Hughes and the Behavior Panel. In this episode, I examine these behaviors and talk about how this ties in with similar things, like people taking it personally when political leaders they like are criticized, or cult members taking criticisms of cult leaders personally, things like this. I read some of the more angry and emotional YouTube comments people sent me. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Examining the lies of Chase Hughes, the self-proclaimed "#1 expert in behavior"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 64:12


    An examination of the deceptive and strange background of Chase Hughes, who refers to himself as the “#1 expert in behavior and influence.” A popular YouTube show that he's on, the Behavioral Panel, gets millions of views. Dr. Phil has called him the “best on the globe.” But Chase's career is built on a foundation of lies and exaggerations — not only in the behavior and psychology space, but also in other pursuits, including pick-up artistry and vitamin supplements. He has made many grandiose claims that just about every psychology expert would disagree with (for example, claims that he can teach people to hypnotize others and make them do things against their will, and even teach how to do that quickly). He has claimed since 2012 to be well known in the behavior and psychology space, despite there being almost no mention of him online in the 2010s. This video, the first of at least a two-part series, examines his many deceptions and grandiose (often absurd) claims. It establishes the extremely deceptive patterns that Chase Hughes has been practicing since 2007, when he wrote his pick-up artist book "The Passport." Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    I don't believe in astrology but I talked to an astrologer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 60:18


    I talk to a professional astrologist named Ophira Edut. I myself don't believe in astrology but I was interested in asking her questions I've wanted to ask about astrology, and about belief in astrology. Topics include: why she believes in astrology, how her beliefs in that relate to other beliefs (like Reiki or other metaphysical ideas), people's negative views about astrology (including the view that people promoting astrology are doing harm); the importance of engaging respectfully with people we strongly disagree with, and more. Whether you're into astrology or whether you're a hardcore skeptic, I think you'll like this episode. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Behavior expert says Trump lied at press conference

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 15:19


    I talk again about fake behavior expert Jack Brown, whose pseudoscientific behavior analysis work I devoted a past episode to. Brown got some recent attention in a Raw Story article for an analysis he wrote about how Trump's body language at a press conference showed that Trump was lying. Topics discussed include: the silliness of Brown's work and why it's silly; tips for recognizing fake behavior experts; how this stuff connects to toxic political polarization; a reading of Brown's recent analysis with comments.    Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    A sad cry for help from failed podcast host and author Zachary Elwood

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 7:11


    Apologies for the sad clickbait-y title. I'll be okay. I was trying to be a little funny. This is just some updates on things I've been working on and how you might help me if you'd like to do so. Or apart from helping me, you might like learning some details about how my books and podcast have been doing (spoiler alert: not great). Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    How magicians misdirect attention and manipulate audiences, with Anthony Barnhart

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 60:13


    Psychologist and magician Anthony Barnhart discusses some behaviors magicians use to misdirect attention and manipulate an audience. Other topics include: the role blinking can play in misdirection; magic acts that claim to use psychology and behavior-manipulation to achieve their feats (e.g., Derren Brown); neuro-linguistic programming (NLP); a magic show Tony was impressed by recently, and more. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Objections to and skepticism about reducing political polarization

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 65:38


    Media bias specialist Vanessa Otero, founder of Ad Fontes Media, talks to me (Zach Elwood) about my books aimed at reducing toxic political polarization in America. Topics discussed include: common objections to and skepticism about this work (for example, views that those working on depolarization are "helping the bad guys"; why overcoming objections is so important; how conflict makes people behave in ways that amplify the toxicity of the conflict (often without knowing it); our distorted views of each other; how our contempt can help create the very things we're upset about; and more.   Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    How small changes in language patterns can influence us, with Liz Stokoe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024 54:44


    I talk with Liz Stokoe, who studies conversation analysis (CA) and who's the author of the book "Talk: The Science of Conversation." Stokoe studies how language choices can impact us and change our behavior, often without us being aware of that. Topics include: the more surprising and interesting things Stokoe has found in her work; the popularity of the very wrong "most communication is non-verbal" concept; the practical use of CA work in persuading people to do things; why Stokoe analyzes scripts from comedy shows (like Friends) in her work; perceptions that men and women talk differently; ideas about building rapport. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Why are lie detectors used if they don't work?, with Leonard Saxe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 48:12


    A talk with psychologist Leonard Saxe, who is known for, amongst other things, his research into lie detectors (also known as polygraphs). Topics discussed include: why polygraphs and other forms of deception detection are unreliable; the use of polygraphs as a tool to extract information and confessions; the Richard Ames case, which involved a high-level CIA employee spying for the Soviet Union and beating a polygraph when questioned; a story where someone's life was ruined due to cops trusting polygraph evidence far too much; and more. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Examining indicators that a video showing racist harassment is staged

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 22:39


    This episode examines a video from 2020 that seemed to show a black person being harassed by a racist white woman. The video was shared by the celebrity gossip personality Perez Hilton, and was then picked up by several low-quality news sites, like RawStory.com and DailyDot.com. But the video was staged; it was done as a joke, for reasons unknown. This episode examines the reasons why I confidently believed the video was staged after watching it for only a few seconds Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    The awe and horror of existence: a talk with psychologist Kirk Schneider

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 57:01


    A reshare of a 2022 talk I had with existential psychologist Kirk Schneider. We talk about existential psychology and the power of being able to better understand and recognize the core anxieties we all have about existence, such as our fear of death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom. Other topics: how existence can be awe-inspiring but also terrifying; what “existential psychology” and “humanistic psychology” are and how those forms of psychology/therapy differ from more well known and traditional forms of therapy (e.g., psychotherapy); the psychology behind political polarization and narcissism. Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    The strangeness of life and existential psychology

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 19:48


    Thoughts about how an awareness of life's strangeness might impact us, both positively and negatively, and how that might relate to existential psychology concepts. Topics include: how an awareness of life's strangeness might be seen to be a core existential stressor (like the fear of death, or fear of isolation); how this might relate to religious/spiritual experience; how this might relate to traumatic experience and PTSD; how being aware of life's strangeness might make one more likely to embrace nonsensical, low-evidence beliefs of various sorts; how this might relate to mental illness (including psychosis and delusion).  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Psychology in waiting tables and running a restaurant, with Robin Dibble

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 58:32


       A talk with Robin Dibble, an experienced Albuquerque-area service industry professional who's worked in every aspect of the business, from waiting tables, to cooking, to managing restaurants and night clubs. Topics include: psychological strategies servers use to get more tips; how menu design can affect what people order; reading customer satisfaction as a restaurant manager; the factors in deciding to cut someone off from drinking; lighting and acoustics considerations when designing a comfortable space. This is a reshare of a 2019 talk.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Two former congresspeople, a Democrat and a Republican, discuss toxic polarization

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 62:17


    I talk to former members of the House of Representatives Luke Messer (Republican) and Elizabeth Esty (Democrat). We talk about: political polarization; their experiences being in congress during such a highly polarized period of time; their ideas for reducing toxic polarization, and more.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    Aphantasia, internal monologue, and the challenges of describing thought, with Russell Hurlburt

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 58:43


    A talk with Russell Hurlburt, who's researched inner experience for more than five decades. He is the author of 6 books and many articles on the topic of mental experience. Topics discussed include: The difficulty of describing inner experience; the ambiguities in the classification of “aphantasia” (reporting no visual qualities in one's thought processes); the ambiguities in the “inner monologue” concept; thought on whether dreams are visual or not; and more.  Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.

    How a bus driver predicts the behavior of drivers and passengers, with Brendan Bartholomew

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2024 39:03


    A talk with Brendan Bartholomew, who's a professional bus driver in San Francisco. We talk about the role understanding and predicting human behavior can play when driving a city bus. Topics discussed include: the importance of thinking ahead about potential pedestrian/traffic dangers; how bus drivers know who's waiting for a bus and who's not; thoughts on handling unruly and/or mentally ill passengers; how modern rideshare and scooter traffic have changed things for bus drivers.  

    How a bus driver predicts the behavior of drivers and passengers, with Brendan Bartholomew

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 39:03


    A talk with Brendan Bartholomew, who's a professional bus driver in San Francisco. We talk about the role understanding and predicting human behavior can play when driving a city bus. Topics discussed include: the importance of thinking ahead about potential pedestrian/traffic dangers; how bus drivers know who's waiting for a bus and who's not; thoughts on handling unruly and/or mentally ill passengers; how modern rideshare and scooter traffic have changed things for bus drivers. --------------Support the Show.To get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    To reduce polarization, is it optimal to work on systemic change or cultural change?, with David Foster

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 58:11


    A talk with David Foster, who writes about polarization and media at knowthesystem.org and is the author of "Moderates of the World Unite!: Reworking the Political Media Complex." Topics discussed include: the optimal approach for reducing toxic political polarization (cultural change vs systemic changes); the difficulty of making any changes in a polarized, high-animosity environment; the ideas in David's book for improving the media environment and political discourse.Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    On social power, the oppressed/oppressor framework, and empathy, with Elizaveta Friesem

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 63:26


    Elizaveta Friesem writes about media and about social power (i.e., the power people exert over other people).  I first interviewed her about media and polarization in 2021 about her book "Media Is Us." Topics we discuss here include: Michel Foucault's ideas about power (often referenced in liberal academic world); the oppressed/oppressor framework (also often referenced); how simplistic views of social power can be divisive and result in a reduction in people's empathy; how the free will debate ties into these ideas; political polarization related to some of these ideas. Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    What's life like when you don't believe in free will?, with physicist Daniel Whiteson

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2024 55:52


    A talk with Daniel Whiteson, a professor of physics and astronomy, about free will, with a focus on what the effects in one's life are when one doesn't believe in free will. Topics discussed: Our thoughts on why we think free will is unlikely to exist; psychological and emotional aspects of living without a belief in free will; the anxiety and even anger that some people can have about the idea that we lack free will; the idea that a lack of belief in free will can be part of a spiritual, positive way of experiencing the world; and more. Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    News media tends to deepen our divides. Does Isaac Saul have a solution?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 29:47


    A talk with journalist Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle News (readtangle.com), which shares takes from across the political spectrum. I think Tangle is doing amazing work. I think the more Americans there are who read Tangle, the less toxically polarized we'll be. Topics we discuss include: aspects of Tangle News that make it depolarizing and anger-reducing; how Isaac conceives of the problem of political polarization; his work debunking "the election was stolen" narratives in 2020, and more.Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    The allure of deciphering behavior: a talk with Rounders screenwriter Brian Koppelman

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 52:46


    A talk with screenwriter/producer Brian Koppelman, known for many TV and film projects, including the poker movie Rounders, the show Billions, and the series Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber. Topics discussed: poker tells in Rounders; the allure of figuring out what people's behavior means; the difficulty of reading behaviors in most real-world situations; and the anxiety-reducing benefits of transcendental meditation. NoBS WealthWealth Unfiltered: No Bullshit podcast, Where Traditional Finance Gets the Middle Finger.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Think like the EnemyA podcast that delves into the heart of the critical issues in our nation and the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    How a pro poker player makes use of poker tells, with Dara O'Kearney

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 64:43


    A talk with professional poker player Dara O'Kearney about poker tells (aka, physical and verbal behaviors in poker). Dara is the co-host of the popular poker podcast The Chip Race and the author of several books, including GTO Poker Simplified. We talk about: the importance of poker tells compared to strategy; how Dara's views on tells have changed over time; some ways poker players can get info from opponents (e.g., insulting them or being nice to them); some poker hands where opponent behaviors played a role in a decision. Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Tips on interrogating people for information and confessions, with David Zulawski

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 73:10


    A reshare of a talk with David Zulawski from 2018. Zulawksi is an expert in interrogation and interview techniques and the cofounder of Wicklander Zulawski and Associates. Topics discussed include: Why is the non-confrontational, rapport-focused technique he recommends the best one? Why is it important to downplay the significance of a crime? Why is it important to try to prevent someone from denying the crime/accusation?  Why is it important to not tell a suspect all the evidence you have against them? What are some behavioral clues a suspect is lying or telling the truth?Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Reading behavior and motivations in the Robbi Jade Lew poker hand, with Yakov Hirsch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2024 0:42


    A talk with professional poker player Yakov Hirsch about the well known high-stakes poker situation where amateur Robbi Jade Lew was accused of cheating by professional player Garrett Adelstein. We give our takes on the hand, and the overall situation, and we talk about Robbi's possible motivations and thought processes during this hand, and about what her behavior might indicate about her thinking.Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    The case for having cognitive empathy for Trump and his voters, with Yakov Hirsch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2024 42:03


    A talk about trying to understand Trump's anger at the American media and how that relates to American polarization. This is from a talk I had with Yakov Hirsch in late November 2023. Other topics discussed include: Trump-Russia media coverage; Americans' polarized views of Trump; the importance of trying to understand even those people we perceive as dangerous and harmful; American polarization and conflict dynamics in general. This is from a video talk; you can find the video talk on my People Who Read People YouTube channel.Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Yakov Hirsch on the overstatement of antisemitism, and on why we must try to understand the "other side"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2024 41:16


    A second talk with Yakov Hirsch, who writes about the Middle East conflict and about "Hasbara culture": what he sees as the tendency of some Israel-defending people to be overly antagonistic and us-vs-them in their thinking (for example, unfairly framing criticism of Israel as "antisemitic"). If you haven't heard the first talk, I recommend that one. This talk is more generally about the nature of conflict, and about how conflict can make us perceive the world and the people around us in overly pessimistic and antagonistic ways, which in turn leads to more conflict. It's also about the importance of trying to have cognitive empathy for people we disagree with and see the world from their perspective; even for people we may think are harmful and dangerous.  This will be followed by a second talk where Yakov and I talk about American polarization and polarized views of Trump. Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Why do some people want to watch the world burn?, with Kevin Arceneaux

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024 58:12


    A talk with Kevin Arceneaux, whose research found that a surprising number of people (around 40%) either agreed with or did not disagree with statements like “When I think about our political and social institutions, I cannot help thinking 'just let them all burn'?” In their paper, they called this a "need for chaos." We talk about what the study entailed, what they found, and what the factors might be that help explain the finding. We also talk about its relation to toxic polarization, and to social media.  (This is a talk from 2021.)Resolve to Evolve - New Year's Resolutions Guide!A tactical self-improvement podcast, 12 months of change through incremental changes!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Reading "tells" in football, baseball, and other sports, with Jon Hoefling

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 28:39


    A talk with Jon Michael Hoefling, a sports analyst, about reading behavioral tells and indicators in football, baseball, tennis, and other sports. We focus on a 2021 story that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a tell: how he positioned his foot before a play was a strong indicator of whether he'd run or pass. We also talk about reading tells and predicting actions in baseball, tennis, and other sports. One story we talk about was Andre Agassi claiming to once have had a very reliable tell on Boris Becker. (This is a reshare of a July 2021 episode.)Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

    Understanding and dealing with debilitating anxiety, with Scott Stossel

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 62:03


    A talk with Scott Stossel, author of "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind." Scott is also national editor of The Atlantic. Scott's book is a history of the condition and treatment of anxiety, and also a personal history in which Scott talks honestly about his struggles with debilitating anxiety. I talk to Scott about what he's learned in his research and personal life about the factors behind anxiety and how we might, as much as we are able to, overcome it. We also talk about some fairly unexamined nuances about anxiety: for example, how the word can contain a multitude of very different experiences. I also talk about my own anxiety, which has been quite severe.Support the showTo get ad-free episodes, and more, get a premium subscription. To learn more about the show, go to behavior-podcast.com. I'm on Twitter at @apokerplayer. See a summary of my work.

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