Politics on the Couch

20/01/2026

The latest episode of the Politics on the Couch podcast out now, with Rafael Behr talking to Michael Hallsworth, PhD Chief Behavioural Scientist at The Behavioural Insights Team in America about his new book, ‘The Hypocrisy Trap.'

https://lnkd.in/ehvu8Yxj

In his book and on our podcast, Michael Hallsworth, PhD explains how our relentless attempts to 'stamp out' or expose inconsistency can actually backfire, leading to more hypocrisy or corrosive cynicism.

He argues that instead of aiming for total elimination of hypocrisy, should we be taking a more nuanced approach, focusing on the more harmful hypocrisy while tolerating the minor inconsistencies that are part of human nature.

https://lnkd.in/eZhnj2vc

Rafael Behr talks to Dr Michael Hallsworth, Chief Behavioural Scientist at the Behavioural Insights Teams in America

18/12/2025

Rafael Behr talks to Psychology Professor Jay Van Bavel about the corrosive effects of social media on politics and democracy, and what we can do about it

11/11/2025

How to talk about immigration with ‘authoritarian’ voters: Rafael Behr in conversation with Dr Tessa Buchanan from the Cambridge Political Psychology Lab

02/07/2025

New Politics on the Couch, and a timely one, too, on breaking the "democratic doom loop".

Conversation with the excellent Polly Curtis from Demos.

Host Rafael Behr talks to Polly Curtis, Demos CEO, about the urgent case for upgrading democracy

14/05/2025

Listen to Appetite for Chaos: Why some voters just want to watch the world burn from Politics on the Couch. Host Rafael Behr is joined by political scientist Prof. Michael Bang Petersen, whose research challenges the common belief that those who share misinformation are simply uninformed or gullible...

29/04/2025

https://shows.acast.com/politicsonthecouch/episodes/five-years-our-brains-hurt-a-lot

Rafael Behr looks back at five years of Politics on the Couch

29/04/2025

https://shows.acast.com/politicsonthecouch/episodes/the-ideological-brain-are-some-people-hard-wired-for-radical

Rafael Behr talks to award-winning political psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Leor Zmigrod

23/07/2024

Episode 43: "Is this what hope feels like?"

Our previous 42 Politics on the Couch editions were all recorded under Conservative governments, so it felt fitting to mark the dawn of a new era and the changing mood around British politics since Labour's election victory.

We discuss the restoration of seriousness after years of triviality, why some people can't adapt, why others want to believe that Keir Starmer can deliver the change he has promised, and whether they are right.

Rafael Behr's reflections on Labour's 2024 victory

17/12/2023

Latest Politics on the Couch now out!

'Moving the needle' - Rafael Behr talks to Tom Gray (of Mercury Prize winning band Gomez) on his bid to become a Brighton MP, and his campaign to help musicians get a better deal on copyright.

Caroline Lucas, the UK's only Green MP, is standing down at the next general election and Tom wants to represent Labour for this seat.

Tom's had a hugely successful career in music with Gomez rocketing to fame in 1998, beating Pulp and Massive Attack, among others, to the Mercury Prize.

More recently he launched the Broken Record campaign, calling for a fairer deal for musicians from streaming services, among other industry reforms.

And now, having banged on the doors to demand political change from the outside, Tom wants to get on the inside.

Raf finds out what makes someone want to swap what looks like the perfect job, recording and performing music for eager fans, for the grim, and potentially thankless life of a politician where audiences are often less than adoring.

Also, what can being in a band teach you about politics, performance and messaging?

STOP PRESS

When we recorded the episode Tom hadn't yet made it onto the shortlist but today (Sunday 17 December) he was voted Labour's candidate for the Brighton and Pavilion constituency at the next general election, beating off competition from Eddie Izzard.

This is the second time Eddie hasn't been successful in a bid to become a Labour candidate, with a previous attempt in Sheffield.

This Brighton, Green v moderate Labour contest (in a seat with quite low Tory support) will be fascinating, and maybe only replicated in a few places in the country, Bristol or Cambridge, Oxford? Interesting times ahead!

The psychology behind political thought and behaviour.