Best Zachary Elwood Podcasts (2024)

1
We’re MASSIVELY overstating our political violence problem — and that’s dangerous! | Sean Westwood 36:26

1h ago36:26

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 S…

1
Episode 71: Rescue the Republic with Angela McArdle 34:42

4d ago34:42

34:42

Angela McArdle is Chair of the national Libertarian Party, serves as Co-Organizer for the Rage Against The War Machine, and is a two time candidate for California’s 34th Congressional District. Angela joined forces with Bret Weinstein and Matt Tune to create "Rescue the Republic", an event happening in Washington D.C. Sunday September 29, 2024. Go …

1
Angry Chase Hughes’ fans lash out after his many lies are revealed 26:33

9d ago26:33

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 man…

1
Examining the lies of Chase Hughes, the self-proclaimed "#1 expert in behavior" 1:04:12

11d ago1:04:12

1:04:12

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 on…

1
I don't believe in astrology but I talked to an astrologer 1:00:18

18d ago1:00:18

1:00:18

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 …

1
Faux behavior expert Jack Brown analyzes Trump's behavior at press conference 15:19

26d ago15:19

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 …

1
A sad cry for help from failed podcast host and author Zachary Elwood 7:11

1M ago7:11

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 …

1
How magicians misdirect attention and manipulate audiences, with Anthony Barnhart 1:00:13

1M ago1:00:13

1:00:13

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 ma…

1
Tackling objections to reducing political polarization 1:05:38

2M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

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 objecti…

1
How small changes in language patterns can influence us, with Liz Stokoe 54:44

2M ago54:44

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 …

1
Why are lie detectors used if they don't work?, with Leonard Saxe 48:12

2M ago48:12

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 hig…

1
Episode 70: You Say You Want A Resolution? with Kara Jarzynski 59:04

3M ago59:04

59:04

Toby sits down with Kara Jarzynski, Executive Director of @Resolutionaries to discuss the Building Civic Bridges Act(BCBA). The BCBA is a bi-partisan bill recently introduced in Congress that will provide funding for programs that help get people talking again – the crucial first step toward dealing with the many challenges that affect us all. Lear…

1
Examining indicators that a video showing harassment was staged 22:39

3M ago22:39

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. …

1
The awe and horror of existence: a talk with psychologist Kirk Schneider 57:01

3M ago57:01

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…

1
The strangeness of life and existential psychology 19:48

3M ago19:48

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…

1
Psychology in waiting tables and running a restaurant, with Robin Dibble 58:32

4M ago58:32

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 satisfac…

1
Two former congresspeople, a Democrat and a Republican, discuss toxic polarization 1:02:17

4M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

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 PeopleW…

1
The complexity and ambiguity of aphantasia and other inner experiences, with Russell Hurlburt 58:43

4M ago58:43

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 pr…

1
How a bus driver predicts the behavior of drivers and passengers, with Brendan Bartholomew 39:03

5M ago39:03

39:03

Learn more and sign up for a premium subscription at PeopleWhoReadPeople.com.By Zachary Elwood

1
To reduce polarization, is it optimal to work on systemic change or cultural change?, with David Foster 51:31

6M ago51:31

51:31

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); defining the word 'moderate' and examining…

1
Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor with Donald Robertson 56:45

6M ago56:45

56:45

You're listening to the Stoic Solutions Podcast - practical wisdom for everyday life inspired by the ancient tradition of Stoic Philosophy from Greece and Rome. I'm your host, Justin Vacula. Visit my website at StoicSolutionsPodcast.com. For today’s episode, I recorded with author Donald Robertson about his new book ‘Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Empe…

1
Do simplistic ideas of power (e.g., oppressed/oppressor framings) reduce empathy? with Elizaveta Friesem 1:04:13

6M ago1:04:13

1:04:13

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 (…

1
Episode 69: Free Your Mind with Todd Niesen 50:56

6M ago50:56

50:56

Toby sits down with sound and dialogue editor and our friend Todd Niesen. Todd shares his journey from depression to a low point where he and his wife decide to use a controversial treatment: Ketamine. Todd takes our audience through a Ketamine experience, what Ketamine is, and how "addictive" Ketamine and other psychedelics really are. Todd Niesen…

1
What's life like when you don't believe in free will?, with physicist Daniel Whiteson 55:52

6M ago55:52

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…

1
Episode 68: Seek Out Different Tribes with Julian Adorney 43:53

7M ago43:53

43:53

Toby sits down with Julian Adorney, a writer and adventurer about his article on Quillette: " The Perils of Affective Polarization". Julian takes us through his journey in life and politics from a Polarized individual to understanding the affects it has on your well being. The two discuss what Affective Polarization is, the resulting damage it can …

1
News media tends to deepen our divides. Does Isaac Saul have a solution? 29:47

7M ago29:47

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-re…

1
The allure of deciphering behavior, with Rounders screenwriter Brian Koppelman 51:08

7M ago51:08

51:08

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: how he decided to create Rounders; poker tells in Rounders; the excitement of reading people and their behaviors; the difficulty of reading…

1
Stoicism For Dummies With Gregory Bassham 55:35

7M ago55:35

55:35

You're listening to the Stoic Solutions Podcast - practical wisdom for everyday life inspired by the ancient tradition of Stoic Philosophy from Greece and Rome. I'm your host, Justin Vacula. Visit my website at StoicSolutionsPodcast.com. For today’s episode, I recorded with author Gregory Bassham about his new book ‘Stoicism for Dummies’ that helps…

1
How a pro poker player makes use of poker tells, with Dara O'Kearney 1:04:43

7M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

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 change…

1
Tips on interrogating people for information and confessions, with David Zulawski 1:13:10

8M ago1:13:10

1:13:10

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 i…

1
Reading behavior and motivations in the Robbi Jade Lew poker hand, with Yakov Hirsch 0:42

8M ago0:42

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 …

1
Understanding Trump and his voters' animosity towards the media, with Yakov Hirsch 42:03

8M ago42:03

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…

1
The exaggeration of antisemitism, and the importance of understanding the "other side," with Yakov Hirsch 41:16

8M ago41:16

41:16

Another 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…

1
Why do some people want to watch the world burn?, with Kevin Arceneaux 56:40

9M ago56:40

56:40

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 e…

1
Episode 67: Bipartisan Tribes with Tim Redmond 1:01:58

9M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Toby sits down with Tim Redmond, a PhD in political science, an award-winning educator, and author of over one hundred articles on critical thinking and politics. Toby and Tim sit down to discuss Tim's new book “Political Tribalism in America, How Hyper Partisanship Dumbs Down Democracy and How to Fix It”. Learn about Tim's origin story including s…

1
Reading "tells" in football, baseball, and other sports, with Jon Hoefling 28:39

9M ago28:39

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 …

1
Dealing with debilitating anxiety, with Scott Stossel 1:02:03

9M ago1:02:03

1:02:03

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 ab…

1
Electrodermal activity is what lie detectors measure, but what is it?, with Christopher Moyer 1:10:27

10M ago1:10:27

1:10:27

I talk with psychologist Christopher Moyer about electrodermal activity (EDA), also known as galvanic skin response (GSR), which is what lie detectors measure. Topics discussed include: What are spikes in electrodermal activity actually telling us? We talk about its use in lie detectors. We talk about lowerings in skin conductance and what that ind…

1
Dogs' and cats' interactions with humans, with Daniel Mills 1:11:12

10M ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Animal behavior researcher Daniel Mills talks about various aspects of the human-pet relationship, with a focus on his research. Topics include: dogs' abilities to read human emotions and how they do that; the effects of pets on our mental health; animals' ability to perceive images on a TV screen; the differences between the human and animal mind;…

1
Episode 66: Making the Case for Deliberate Democracy in America with Chris Forman 1:14:52

10M ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Toby sits down with Chris Forman, PhD, an Author, and Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. Toby and Chris discuss Chris' advocacy for Deliberative Democracy and how it relates to his work in physics, if at all. As Chris describes it, the way science has been used and abused in politics fuels his mission for a better democracy. Chris discusses h…

1
On the art of listening and the challenges of being an introvert, with Joel Berman 1:03:54

10M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

Joel Berman is a practitioner of Compassionate Listening (compassionatelistening.org). Joel has travelled to the Middle East and talked with Israelis and Palestinians about their experiences and grievances. Topics discussed: Joel's experiences in the Middle East; what the Compassionate Listening methodology entails; the bravery required for conflic…

1
Tricks and strategies in door-to-door sales 1:14:51

11M ago1:14:51

1:14:51

A talk with two people with door-to-door sales experience. We talk about the tricks and strategies they used to close sales, and the psychological factors in why those strategies work. Topics discussed: verbal and physical sales scripts some companies use, and why they work; the use of ambiguous language in deception; the power of personal anecdote…

1
How is bias in media related to polarization?, with Vanessa Otero 54:30

11M ago54:30

54:30

Vanessa Otero is the creator of a popular and well respected media bias chart that ranks the bias of many news outlets, and she's the founder of Ad Fontes Media. Topics discussed include: the process her team uses to determine bias; the difficulties of determining what is "left" and "right" in a polarized and fast-changing political landscape; reco…

1
Episode 65: Spike Cohen, Championing A People Powered Future 55:38

11M ago55:38

55:38

Toby sits down with Spike Cohen, 2020 Libertarian VP candidate and Founder of You Are the Power. Toby and Spike cover a broad range of topic from Spike's entrepreneurial spirit and the need to help others to his 2020 VP Candidicy to You Are the Power, and the 2024 Election. Spike tells us why Third Parties haven't won any major elections and how th…

1
Why is criticism of Israel sometimes portrayed as antisemitic?, with Yakov Hirsch 1:29:05

11M ago1:29:05

1:29:05

A talk with Yakov Hirsch, who thinks that some Jewish people have exaggerated ideas about the amount of antisemitism in the world, and overly pessimistic ideas about the nature of antisemitism. This can make some Jewish people see disagreement, criticism, and conflict too often through the lens of antisemitism. Hirsch ties this into the Israel/Pale…

1
Is our desire for certainty our biggest weakness?, with Maria Konnikova 44:54

11M ago44:54

44:54

Maria Konnikova is the best-selling author of the books The Biggest Bluff, The Confidence Game, and Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes. Topics discussed include: the human desire for certainty and story/narrative, and our discomfort with ambiguity and uncertainty; how she decided to get into poker and write The Biggest Bluff; why she fin…

1
Understanding an orchestra conductor's gestures, with Ming Luke 48:17

12M ago48:17

48:17

A talk with orchestra conductor Ming Luke (mingluke.com). Topics discussed include: what a conductor's body language and gestures can communicate to the orchestra; how small differences in gestures can sometimes result in significant musical differences; the difference in conducting styles that can exist between conductors; the role conductors play…

1
Examining behavior pseudo-expert Dr. Jack Brown 25:04

1y ago25:04

25:04

This episode is about "behavior bullshit." There are many self-proclaimed behavior experts spreading bad, misleading, and irresponsible concepts about human behavior, and some of these people are quite popular. This episode focuses on Jack Brown (Twitter: @drgjackbrown), one of the more egregious offenders amongst behavior bullshitters. Other topic…

1
Understanding what drives MAGA anger, with ex-Trump voter Rich Logis 1:43:21

1y ago1:43:21

1:43:21

For the purposes of depolarization, I think it's important to understand the us-vs-them political narratives around us. This is a talk with Rich Logis (www.perfectourunion.us), who describes his journey as going "from ultra-MAGA to Never-Trump." Rich was an involved pro-Trump activist, who'd written many political op-eds and who volunteered for pro…

1
Examining some common scams and the strategies behind them, with Martina Dove 43:53

1y ago43:53

43:53

A talk with Martina Dove, author of the book The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion and Scam Techniques, about some common scams you and people you know might encounter (phishing scams, "pig butchering" scams, romance scams, wrong-number-text scams, and more). We discuss how these scams work, and some strategies for avoiding them. Support the show To …

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