Politics on the Couch

Larchmont Productions
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Politics

The political psychology podcast where Rafael Behr examines how our minds respond to politics and how politicians mess with our minds. In each episode an expert from the world of politics, psychology, history or philosophy joins Raf on our 'couch' to discuss what's driving our political thought and behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Jun 16

    Why Populists Are Winning (and How To Beat Them)

    Rafael Behr talks to the Rt Hon. Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill & Solihull North, Chair of the Commons Business & Trade Committee, former minister under Blair & Brown, and author of Why Populists Are Winning and How to Beat Them. They cover: The "three chords" of populism — national renewal, nostalgia, and crisis. Liam breaks down the deep emotional structure behind every populist message, from Orbán to Farage.Why the economic conditions are ripe —The populist media machineWhy Farage is differentHow the left fights backTaking aim at the "selfish minority"Why Liam is optimistic — the new generation of MPs who are "entrepreneurial, energetic, super smart, and deeply rooted in their communities. Link to Liam's book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Jan 17

    Hypocrisy – why we hate it and why we can’t do without it

    Rafael Behr talks to behavioural scientist Dr Michael Hallsworth about his new book, “The Hypocrisy Trap: How Changing What We Criticise Can Improve Our Lives.” They discuss: How the concept of hypocrisy first emerged as part of an evolutionary status game; How calling others out can be more powerful than proclaiming our own virtue; Why we might tolerate some ‘polite’ hypocrisy at home but not in Westminster;How hypocrisy is an inescapable part of any ‘civilisation, according to Sigmund Freud;Should we be more discerning in the types we call out, but much tougher on the ‘double standards’ hypocrisy that corrodes trust, fairness and the basic promise that citizens stand equal before the law? Dr Michael Hallsworth is Chief Behavioural Scientist at the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in the Americas, where he applies behavioural science to policy, organisational design and real‑world behavioural change. He describes himself as someone “helping people apply behavioural science to real‑world problems.”  At BIT, Michael has led numerous projects spanning government and private sector domains, bridging rigorous academic research with operational behavioural insight.  More information about Dr Michael Hallsworth and his new book: https://www.michaelhallsworth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 12/18/2025

    Can Democracy Survive Social Media?

    Politics feels angrier, harsher and more tribal than it used to - but how much of the blame can be laid at the door of social media? Rafael Behr talks to NYU Psychologist Professor Jay Van Bavel, about how our ancient group instincts collide with 'god-like' digital technology to distort what we see, reward outrage, and erode trust in democratic institutions.  Drawing on datasets of millions of social media posts, Professor Van Bavel discusses how; a tiny minority can dominate the online political conversation; platforms can make people seem more extreme, and silence the moderate voices. He also discusses what can be done about it; from redesigning incentives and rebuilding solidarity across group lines; to the small, practical choices individuals can make to resist the pull of performative moral outrage. Jay Van Bavel's professional website - with links to academic papers https://www.jayvanbavel.com Inside the funhouse mirror factory: How social media distorts perceptions of norms https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X24001313 How to strengthen democracy https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2022/08/how-to-strengthen-democracy Heineken Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3a8MdloAAM&themeRefresh=1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. 11/09/2025

    Changing minds about immigration

    Rafael Behr talks to Dr. Tessa Buchanan, a former civil servant and now an academic at Cambridge’s Political Psychology Lab, about the psychology behind changing how some voters think about outsiders or immigrants, revealing why she believes attitudes aren’t always as fixed or hostile as they may seem. From the media’s obsession with “small boats” to conflicting anxieties about national identity, Rafael and Tessa discuss how easy is it to move public opinion, and so public policy, on a topic that has dominated political debate in the UK, EU and US for almost a decade. Links to topics mentioned in the podcast How an authoritarianism-compatible text changes British attitudes towards EU immigration Study from Cambridge University Political Psychology Lab 2019 YouGov survey looking at EU immigration 2024 US survey pre-Presidential election Cambridge University Political Psychology Lab Podcasts mentioned Rafael Behr and Karen Stenner https://shows.acast.com/politicsonthecouch/episodes/theauthoritatianpersonalitywithkarenstenner Rafael Behr and Dr Lee de-Wit https://shows.acast.com/politicsonthecouch/episodes/theleftstroublewithconnectingwithsocialonservatives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. 07/02/2025

    How to break the ‘democratic doom loop’

    Rafael Behr talks to Demos' CEO Polly Curtis about the urgent case for upgrading our democracy and repairing the broken relationship between citizen and state. The conversation is loosely based around this new Demos paper released today (2 July) that sets out the challenges of the global democratic emergency, how this is threatening the political landscape in Britain and what we can do about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. 05/14/2025

    Appetite for Chaos: Why some voters just want to watch the world burn

    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. Instead, Petersen suggest that many of these individuals are politically savvy and highly motivated, not by truth, but by the usefulness of information in advancing their political goals. The conversation also explores the concept of the "need for chaos": a psychological drive found in a significant minority who actively seek to destabilise political systems, not just support one side over another. Petersen also talks how status anxiety, feeling stuck or left behind in a rigid social hierarchy, fuels this destructive impulse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. 04/30/2025

    'Post-Pandemic Politics' – Did Covid change everything? Did it change anything?

    A conversation between Rafael Behr and writer and broadcaster David Aaronovitch, about ripples from the pandemic that still shape politics, with a digression on the ways that Britain is not America and whether that makes 'Maga-populism' less contagious. Links David Aaronovitch's substack - https://davidaaronovitch.substack.com BBC's Briefing Room presented by David Aaronovitch - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002bj77 This is a Behr and Berman podcast production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. 04/21/2025

    Five Years: Our Brains Hurt A Lot

    An anniversary episode in which host Rafael Behr and producer Philip Berman look back over a tumultuous time and ponder what they have learned from putting politics on the couch. Links to Politics on the Couch episodes discussed in this podcast Anti-vaxxers – fear, anxiety and the psychology of misinformation The authoritarian personality - why some voters feel drawn to populism and how to lure them away  The Madness of King Don - a journey to the dark side of charisma, with Drew Westen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hosts & Guests

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The political psychology podcast where Rafael Behr examines how our minds respond to politics and how politicians mess with our minds. In each episode an expert from the world of politics, psychology, history or philosophy joins Raf on our 'couch' to discuss what's driving our political thought and behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Larchmont Productions
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Politics on the Couch

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