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Unlocking Behaviour Change

by Robert West
Social SciencesScienceSociety & Culture
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Latest episodes

  • Communication for behaviour change

    October 20, 2026 · 27 min

    Robert has been to China with Susan (Michie) to launch the Chinese translation of the Behaviour Change Wheel book. Robert waxes lyrical about what a wonderful time he had and how smart, fun, and kind his hosts were, and how modern, clean…

  • Can we make economic theory more accurate if we base it on behavioural science?

    October 13, 2026 · 26 min

    In the previous episode, Robert castigated economics and economists' concept of 'utility' as fundamentally flawed, leading to models whose predictions keep being wrong. This week, Robert sketches out a way of thinking about utility that…

  • Economists have it all wrong: How we should be looking at 'utility'

    October 6, 2026 · 29 min

    Robert has a bone to pick with economic theory . . . In fact, he wants to pick its bones clean and start over with a much better theory for everyone! Join the duo as they discuss what economic theory gets wrong and how it might be put…

  • The good and the bad consequences of classifying things differently!

    September 29, 2026 · 24 min

    Derisory amounts of money paid for a piece of work called an 'honorarium' seem ok when if they were a 'fee', it would be insulting! Robert and Jamie discuss how we react differently to the same things when they are classified and labelled…

  • Classifying the world - how we do it and what are the consequences?

    September 22, 2026 · 30 min

    Robert and Jamie discuss the crucial question of how we classify and label things: one of the most basic things that we do in our mental and social world. But in an infinitely complex universe, putting things into boxes is fraught with…

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  • 'Stats beat experience every time (almost)'

    September 17, 2026 · 27 min

    Robert and Jamie pay tribute to Dolly Parton - and Jamie plugs his video on her which can be found here - and then discuss how our intuitions about probability can be seriously misleading - leading to disastrous decisions. Robert explains…

  • How do we understand and use probability in decision-making?

    September 8, 2026 · 27 min

    Robert and Jamie discuss various ways in which we understand probability, including a tendency to 'overchunk' probabilities ('possible', 'likely'), and how these can lead to disastrous decisions. Want more? Check out our latest…

  • Why every behavioural scientist should understand 'Bayesian' probability

    September 1, 2026 · 28 min

    Robert makes the bold claim that 'probability' underlies all knowledge and that behavioural scientist should always be thinking about knowledge and claims we make in terms of 'priors' (their judgement of the likelihood that something is…

  • The Odyssey, AI and the human condition

    August 25, 2026 · 26 min

    Robert and Jamie discuss the ubiquitous phenomenon, illustrated by one of the episodes in The Odyssey, that the first priority of our motivational system is not necessarily our best interests, or even what we most enjoy - it's something…

  • How does COM-B compare to the Theory of Planned Behaviour? Part 2 - What COM-B adds

    August 18, 2026 · 28 min

    In the second half of a two-parter, Robert explains the limitations of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and how the COM-B model addresses these. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is EXTREMELY widely used and increasingly so despite its age…

  • How does COM-B compare to the Theory of Planned Behaviour? Part 1 - Understanding the TPB

    August 11, 2026 · 28 min

    The COM-B model of behaviour was put forward in 2011 as a comprehensive model of behaviour, capturing influences that lay within individuals (capability and motivation) as well as the outside world (opportunity). It has become popular…

  • Decision fail number 5 of 5: 'I didn't ask'

    August 4, 2026 · 28 min

    Last but not least in our miniseries on decision fails we have 'I didn't ask'. Even when we think we know it all, we should often ask for another opinion or perspective. And we should always reflect on our own limitations and be willing to…

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About the show

Unlocking Behaviour Change is a podcast delving into psychology and motivation. Join Professor Robert West, a world-leading behavioural scientist, and Jamie West, a writer and musician, as they explore the human mind with practical insights and a touch of humour. Whether you’re into psychology, behaviour science, or just want to understand yourself (and others) a little better, this podcast is for you. Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9 Sign up to Robert’s Substack: https://robertwest100.substack.com/ Subscribe to the UBC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange