In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer, a neuroscientist and addiction psychiatrist, discusses bad habits and how to change them.

He is the author of The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love -- Why We Get Hooked and how We Can Break Bad Habits -- and his TED Talk on how to change a bad habit has more than 12 million views.

But...we talk about so many other things in this episode. It's a free association smorgasbord of brain stuff that will rattle your head.

::: Show Notes at YouAreNotSoSmart.com :::

In this episode, Dr. Jud Brewer, a neuroscientist and addiction psychiatrist, discusses bad habits and how to change them.
He is the author of The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love -- Why We Get Hooked and how We Can Break Bad Habits -- and his TED Talk on how to change a bad habit has more than 12 million views.
But...we talk about so many other things in this episode. It's a free association smorgasbord of brain stuff that will rattle your head.
::: Show Notes at YouAreNotSoSmart.com :::

You Are Not So Smart is a show about psychology that celebrates science and self delusion. In each episode, we explore what we've learned so far about reasoning, biases, judgments, and decision-making.

You Are Not So Smart is a show about psychology that celebrates science and self delusion. In each episode, we explore what we've learned so far about reasoning, biases, judgments, and decision-making.

You Are Not So Smart is a show about psychology t…

You Are Not So Smart

187 - Bad Habits - Jud Brewer (rebroadcast)

In this episode we welcome back author Will Storr whose new book, The Status Game, feels like required reading for anyone confused, curious, or worried about how politics, cults, conspiracy theories communities, social media, religious fundamentalism, polarization, and extremism are affecting us - everywhere, on and offline, across cultures, and across the world.

What is The Status Game? It’s our primate propensity to perpetually pursue points that will provide a higher level of regard among the people who can (if we provoked such a response) take those points away. And deeper still, it’s the propensity to, once we find a group of people who regularly give us those points, care about what they think more than just about anything else.

In the interview, we discuss our inescapable obsession with reputation and why we are deeply motivated to avoid losing this game through the fear of shame, ostracism, embarrassment, and humiliation while also deeply motivated to win this game by earning what will provide pride, fame, adoration, respect, and status.
Live Event at Caveat: https://caveat.nyc/event/how-minds-change-9-20-2022
How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome
Show Notes: www.youarenotsosmart.com
Newsletter: https://davidmcraney.substack.com
Will Storr’s Website: https://willstorr.com

In this episode we welcome back author Will Storr whose new book, <a href="https://willstorr.com/">The Status Game</a>, feels like required reading for anyone confused, curious, or worried about how politics, cults, conspiracy theories communities, social media, religious fundamentalism, polarization, and extremism are affecting us - everywhere, on and offline, across cultures, and across the world.
What is The Status Game? It’s our primate propensity to perpetually pursue points that will provide a higher level of regard among the people who can (if we provoked such a response) take those points away. And deeper still, it’s the propensity to, once we find a group of people who regularly give us those points, care about what they think more than just about anything else.
In the interview, we discuss our inescapable obsession with reputation and why we are deeply motivated to avoid losing this game through the fear of shame, ostracism, embarrassment, and humiliation while also deeply motivated to win this game by earning what will provide pride, fame, adoration, respect, and status.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Live Event at Caveat: <a href="https://caveat.nyc/event/how-minds-change-9-20-2022">https://caveat.nyc/event/how-minds-change-9-20-2022</a> </li>
<li aria-level="1">How Minds Change: <a href="https://www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome">www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: <a href="http://www.youarenotsosmart.com/">www.youarenotsosmart.com</a> </li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: <a href="https://davidmcraney.substack.com/">https://davidmcraney.substack.com</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Will Storr’s Website: <a href="https://willstorr.com/">https://willstorr.com</a> </li>
</ul>

241 - The Status Game - Will Storr

When we talk about conspiracy theories we tend to focus on what people believe instead of why, and, more importantly, why they believe those things and not other things. In this episode, we sit down with two psychologists working to change that, and in addition, change the term itself from conspiracy theory to conspiracy narrative, which more accurately describes what makes any one conspiracy appealing enough to form a community around it and in rare cases result in collective action.
How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome
Show Notes: www.youarenotsosmart.com
Newsletter: https://davidmcraney.substack.com

When we talk about conspiracy theories we tend to focus on what people believe instead of why, and, more importantly, why they believe those things and not other things. In this episode, we sit down with two psychologists working to change that, and in addition, change the term itself from conspiracy theory to conspiracy narrative, which more accurately describes what makes any one conspiracy appealing enough to form a community around it and in rare cases result in collective action.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">How Minds Change: <a href="https://www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome">www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: <a href="http://www.youarenotsosmart.com/">www.youarenotsosmart.com</a> </li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: <a href="https://davidmcraney.substack.com/">https://davidmcraney.substack.com</a></li>
</ul>

When we talk about conspiracy theories we tend to focus on what people believe instead of why, and, more importantly, why they believe those things and not other things. In this episode, we sit down with two psychologists working to change that, and in addition, change the term itself from conspiracy theory to conspiracy narrative, which more accurately describes what makes any one conspiracy appealing enough to form a community around it and in rare cases result in collective action.

240 - QAnon and Conspiracy Narratives (rebroadcast)

Our guest in this episode is the behavioral scientist Jon Levy who wrote a book titled You’re Invited, the Art and Science of Cultivating influence. The book details how Jon was able to convince groups of Nobel Laureates, Olympians, celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and even a princess to not only give him advice, but cook him dinner, wash his dishes, sweep his floors, and then thank him for the experience. 
How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome
Contest: https://sites.prh.com/hmc-giveaway
Show Notes: www.youarenotsosmart.com
Newsletter: https://davidmcraney.substack.com
Jon Levy's Website: https://www.jonlevytlb.com

Our guest in this episode is the behavioral scientist Jon Levy who wrote a book titled You’re Invited, the Art and Science of Cultivating influence. The book details how Jon was able to convince groups of Nobel Laureates, Olympians, celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and even a princess to not only give him advice, but cook him dinner, wash his dishes, sweep his floors, and then thank him for the experience. 
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">How Minds Change: <a href="https://www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome">www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Contest: <a href="https://sites.prh.com/hmc-giveaway">https://sites.prh.com/hmc-giveaway</a> </li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: <a href="http://www.youarenotsosmart.com/">www.youarenotsosmart.com</a> </li>
<li aria-level="1">Newsletter: <a href="https://davidmcraney.substack.com/">https://davidmcraney.substack.com</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Jon Levy's Website: <a href="https://www.jonlevytlb.com">https://www.jonlevytlb.com</a> </li>
</ul>

187 - Bad Habits - Jud Brewer (rebroadcast)

In 1 playlist(s)

You Are Not So Smart

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips