From candy at checkout to calm music and “limit 4” signs, grocery stores are packed with subtle nudges that influence your behavior. In this month's bonus groove, we uncover the psychological tricks behind supermarket design and how to shop more intentionally.

[0:00] Intro: The Psychology of Supermarkets

[3:54] Techniques to Make You Buy

[9:47] Checkout Lane Temptations

[11:34] How Music Influences What You Buy

[13:44] Free Samples!

[15:01] Final Takeaways and Practical Tips

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

In-store Music Affects Product Choice

Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value by William Poundstone

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Wes Adams and Tamara Miles join the show to share their 3 C’s framework—Community, Contribution, and Challenge—for creating more meaningful workplaces. Backed by large-scale research and packed with practical leadership advice, this episode explores how small moments, like a thank-you or an empowering gesture, can spark a virtuous cycle of engagement and growth.

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Wes and Tamara

[7:40] The Three C’s Framework

[12:44] How Leaders Can Enhance Meaningful Work

[20:26] The Benefits of Meaningful Work

[34:10] The Three C’s in Practice

[41:42] Everyone Follows the Bride

[46:56] Desert Island Music

[51:42] The Importance of Authentic Leaders

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

About Wes

About Tamara

Meaningful Work by Wes Adams and Tamara Myles

VIA Character Strengths

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Marisa Monte - Ainda Lembro (Portas Ao Vivo)

Taylor Swift - Delicate

Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone

Guns N’ Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine

Global behavior expert Ken Hughes joins us for a fast-paced, funny, and thought-provoking conversation about creativity, brand loyalty, and what it really takes to build emotional connections in a digital world. From painting his toenails to drinking his own urine (seriously), Ken shares lessons from a year of trying something new every day—alongside sharp insights on how companies can break out of routine thinking, embrace vulnerability, and create customer experiences that truly matter.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Ken Hughes

[10:44] Efficiency vs. Creativity: Why Getting Lost Matters

[14:54] Creativity in the Workplace

[24:38] Emotional Loyalty and Brand Intimacy

[30:40] Brand Intimacy Examples: United and Virgin Airlines

[39:48] Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

[45:57] Advice for Leaders on Navigating Change

[48:13] Desert Island Music

[51:01] Grooving Session: The Role of Diversity and Creativity at Work

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

About Ken

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U2 - Vertigo

Sting - Shape of My Heart

Abby Davisson, co-author of Money and Love, joins us to discuss why life’s biggest decisions—from careers to relationships—require both emotional insight and rational thinking. She shares her 5C framework for making confident choices, reveals how love and money are more connected than we think, and offers practical tools to navigate values, identity, and financial conversations—no matter your relationship status.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Abby Davisson

[7:59] What Factors Influence Relationship Satisfaction

[13:05] The 5C Framework for Decision Making

[22:46] Applying 5C to Different Life Stages

[32:23] Balancing Finanvial Decisions and Relationships

[39:00] Desert Island Music

[45:00] Grooving Session: Identity, Emotion, and Applying 5C to Your Life

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

More About Abby

Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap For Life’s Biggest Decisions by Myra Strober and Abby Davisson

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Beyoncé - American Requiem

The Beatles - Come Together

Raj Choudhury joins us to explore how “Work From Anywhere” is more than a trend—it’s a research-backed blueprint for improving productivity, well-being, and talent access. From managing time zones to building culture without offices, Raj breaks down what it takes to make remote work really work.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Raj Choudhury

[4:16] Benefits of Work From Anywhere

[12:14] Challenges and Solutions to Remote Work

[18:50] Real Company Examples: Zapier, Cisco, Atlassian

[24:00] Why Leaders Resist Remote Work

[35:15] Bringing WFA to Traditional Organizations

[42:30] What’s Changed since 2020

[44:00] Desert Island Music Picks

[46:00] Grooving Session: Rethinking How We View Work

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

About Raj

The World is Your Office by Raj Choudhury

Tulsa Remote Program

Make My Move - Remote Work

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Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love

Tagore - Unending Love

Are you like Kurt, stuck wearing a pair of 'lucky socks' every time your team plays, no matter what the outcome of the game turns out to be? In this month's bonus, we explore why we hold onto superstitions, like lucky socks, even when we know they don't work. From BF Skinner's pigeons to social identity theory, we unpack the behavioral science behind our game-day rituals, however irrational, and discuss the sense of agency, control, and belonging that they create.

[0:00] Intro: Kurt's Lucky Socks

[3:38] The Placebo Effect

[7:27] Mistaking Correlation for Causation

[11:58] Social Identity and Group Belonging

[16:34] The Psychological Benefits of Superstitions

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UX leader Alexis Mook joins us to talk about breaking bias in product design, defending the role of behavioral research inside corporate structures, and making the leap from academia to tech. From wrongful convictions to third-party testing, this conversation reveals why saying “no” might be a researcher’s greatest superpower.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Alexis Mook

[7:50] Alexis’s Role and Journey at IBM

[20:58] Challenges and Biases in UX Research

[22:03] Impact of Research on Product Development

[31:49] The Shift from Academia and Career Satisfaction

[43:10] Grooving Session: Reducing Bias and Challenging Overconfidence

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Alexis on LinkedIn

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Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Blink-182 - All the Small Things

Zach Mercurio joins us to discuss the power of mattering—why it's a foundational human need and how it can be cultivated through small but meaningful interactions. From leadership strategies to personal stories, we explore how feeling seen, heard, and valued changes everything.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Zach Mercurio

[3:31] Why Mattering Matters

[11:29] Purpose, Meaning, and Mattering: What’s the Difference?

[16:21] Mattering as a Survival Instinct

[26:14] “If It Wasn’t For You…”

[35:22] The Importance of Mattering in Leadership

[40:55] The Role of Mattering in Organizational Culture

[45:37] The Impact of Mattering on Employee Engagement

[49:50] Desert Island Music Picks

[52:42] Grooving Session: Mattering is Common Sense, Not Common Practice

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

More About Zach

The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio

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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Won’t Back Down

Foo Fighters - The Pretender