The Human Behavior Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Night vision keeps getting smarter, but our brains do not update on the same schedule. We’re joined by defense expert Alan Kearney, a former Irish Defence Forces officer who now works in European defense industry, to explore a problem that reaches far beyond goggles and helmets: what happens when advanced soldier systems outpace human cognition in the exact moments stress is highe...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re talking about probabilistic thinking and why language matters more than most people realize. The central idea is simple: most bad decisions don’t come from a lack of information, they come from mislabeling information.  When we apply labels too early, we collapse probability, reduce our options, and lock ourselves into conclusions that may not be accurate. W...

Send us Fan Mail Your gut has tried to warn you before. That flicker when someone lingers by a bathroom door, shadows you to the elevator, or blocks your path with a smile and a prop—it’s not paranoia, it’s a baseline breaking. We dig into a practical method for spotting a cunning opponent early, whether it’s a low-level hustler at the pump or a higher-stakes actor at a major event. The mechanics...

Send us Fan Mail When decisions can’t wait for perfect data, you need methods that actually work in the real world. We sit down with Brian Moon to pull naturalistic decision making out of journals and into the field where cops, medics, operators, and executives make consequential calls under stress, time pressure, and uncertainty. The conversation opens with a clear critique: elegant lab studies o...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we’re flipping the lens inward. You’ve heard us talk about reading the world around you — the external baseline — but what about reading yourself?  What It Is (Street Definition) Your internal baseline is your mental operating system. It’s the framework that shapes how you see, think, and react under stress. It’s built from everything you’ve lived, learned, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and highly practical episode, we unpack one of the most important (and misunderstood) aspects of human behavior analysis: the concept of baseline plus anomaly equals decision (B + A = D).  During the episode, we dive deep into why our cultural obsession with "red flags" and anomalies often leads us astray, and why everything starts with understanding nor...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when theory meets reality in a life-or-death situation? Dan Chavez found out firsthand when he and his wife suddenly found themselves in the middle of an active shooter incident. In this riveting conversation, Dan walks us through the split-second decisions that likely saved his life and, more importantly, how his training in behavioral awareness created automatic res...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling like you missed something important? The truth is, you probably did; and it's likely because you didn't ask the right questions. In this illuminating episode, we dive deep into the art and science of asking better questions – not just to avoid awkward small talk, but to genuinely understand people, spot intentions, an...

Send us Fan Mail What if your memory's "flaws" are actually its most powerful features?  The startling truth is your memory was never designed to function like a perfect recording—it's a creative, adaptive system built to help you survive and thrive. Those moments when you confidently recall something that never happened exactly as you remember? That's not a glitch—it&apos...

Send us Fan Mail We explore why organizations rush toward new tech, convinced that shiny equipment will solve their deepest problems when often the issues are fundamentally about training, judgment, and decision-making. • The Boeing 737 MAX case study demonstrates how technological "fixes" without proper training led to catastrophic failures • Most resource decisions are reactive, not st...

Send us Fan Mail Mental errors don't just lead to embarrassing moments—they can be fatal. When your brain categorizes something as familiar and routine, it filters out critical information that could save your life. The duck versus platypus problem perfectly captures this dangerous cognitive trap. Both creatures share remarkably similar features—broad bills, webbed feet, semi-aquatic lifestyl...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show Website: https://thehumanbehaviorpodcast.buzzsprout.com/share Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHumanBehaviorPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumanbehaviorpodcast/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ArcadiaCognerati More about Greg and Brian: https://arcadiacognerati.com/arcadia-cognerati-leadership-team/  

Send us Fan Mail Gary Klein, renowned cognitive psychologist and pioneer of the Recognition-Primed Decision Model, takes us deep into the minds of experts operating under the most demanding conditions. Drawing from decades studying firefighters, law enforcement officers, and military personnel, Klein reveals the surprising truth about expertise - it's not about comparing options or following...

Send us Fan Mail The sciences behind human behavior are complex, yet the practical applications are what truly matter in our daily lives. In this illuminating discussion, we peel back the layers of scientific theory to reveal how concepts like gestalt psychology, emergence, and reification shape the way we perceive and interact with the world around us. Our brains are constantly working to create...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could spot danger before it materializes? What if your decision-making advantage wasn't about reacting faster, but about seeing what others miss entirely?  The gift of time and distance isn't just tactical jargon—it's a profound cognitive framework that separates reactive individuals from those who shape outcomes. This episode dives deep into how early d...

Send us Fan Mail Are you overwhelmed by uncertainty? In our latest episode, we tackle the intricate relationship between uncertainty, risk, and the anxiety they provoke. As we explore the brain science behind these emotions, we break down how they influence our decision-making and daily lives. The discussion also emphasizes the crucial distinction between uncertainty—the unknowns we face—and risk—...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we have a truly special guest: John A Dailey —a retired Marine Corps Force Recon sniper, founding member of MARSOC, the Marine Corps’ first official unit under SOCOM, and author of Tough Rugged Bastards . If you’re curious about how an elite group of Marines forged a brand-new special operations detachment at the height of the post-9/11 conflicts, then this episode is for y...

Send us Fan Mail What if fear, rather than fairness or loyalty, is the ultimate compass guiding our moral judgments? On this episode of the Human Behavior Podcast, we explore this provocative question inspired by Elizabeth Colbert's article in the New Yorker. Joining us is moral psychologist Kirk Gray, whose compelling theory suggests our ethical decisions are deeply rooted in the fear of har...

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the complex relationship between violence and communication, positing that violence can be a maladaptive language used by individuals when they feel unheard or powerless. The hosts discuss behavioral distinctions, the significance of feeling heard, and how effective communication can prevent violent escalations while providing insights from real-world example...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered how our brains transform chaotic sensory inputs into meaningful information that guides our actions and decisions? Tune in to uncover the fascinating mechanisms behind human perception and orientation, and how these processes are essential for navigating our complex world. We promise you'll gain insights into how our senses seamlessly align to enhance s...

Send us Fan Mail What if building a genuine connection could be the key to cracking complex intelligence operations? This episode features Doug Laux, a former CIA case officer and bestselling author of "Left of Boom," who lifts the veil on his secretive world. Doug shares stories from his time working undercover in perilous environments like Afghanistan and Syria, where he learned the in...

Send us Fan Mail Hello everyone and welcome back to The Human Behavior Podcast ! After a brief hiatus filled with some exciting projects, I'm thrilled to jump into a topic that's both timeless and timely—the concept of time itself. In this episode, Greg and I unravel the complexities of how we perceive time and how it shapes our experiences, decisions, and behaviors. Drawing from ancient...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we're debunking the myth that "anything can happen."   In today's episode, we'll explore how adopting this mindset can increase uncertainty and cognitive load—especially in high-risk environments—and how it might set us up for failure. Instead of believing that "anything can happen," we'll focus on reducing uncertainty by deepenin...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's podcast episode, we are joined by one of our Advisory Board members, Dr. Joan Johnston, to talk about why high functioning teams fail. With over 30 years of experience working with the Department of Defense, Dr. Johnston is an expert on decision making and simulation training. Throughout her career she has made a significant impact on advancing the science of L...

Send us Fan Mail Join us this week us for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Kenneth Trump, a renowned authority in school safety with a distinguished career spanning more than 40 years. Dr. Trump takes us on a compelling journey from his early days tackling gang issues in Cleveland schools to becoming a pivotal figure in school safety consulting. Learn how his academic background in social serv...