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PODCAST

Unlocking Behaviour Change

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

science social sciences

All Episodes

27:45

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 44: The...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/03/24

Robert has been busy making a list of things we like and things we dislike... Or do we? One person’s meat is another person’s poison. The duo also discuss drinking culture, life and death, and wanting to feel less bored... and make a passing reference to the wonderful Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for no very good reason... Want more? 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

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25:56

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 43: Are...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/03/17

So much of what we do stems from anticipated comfort, pleasure or satisfaction, or relief from pain or discomfort. So a really important target when trying to change behaviour is creating these anticipated feelings. We do this in lots of different ways, from rewarding and punishing behaviours, through prompting them to vividly imagine what may happen if they do the behaviour. Robert and Jamie continue their exploration of the updated COM-B model and the CACTIS tool to help create effective

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28:23

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 42: What...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/03/10

As part of their exploration into the updated COM-B and the CACTIS tool, Robert and Jamie discuss one of the big reasons for changing behaviour: because people think it's a good idea! But there is so much to unpack here when it comes to how we can provoke behaviour change. Do we improve their capability by helping them truly understand the benefits of changing over the costs, or try to persuade them about the merits of change when they already know the facts? Or something else. And how do lotteries

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26:41

Unlocking Behaviour Change Episode 41: Using CACTIS...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/03/03

How can we make practical use of the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour) Model when developing behaviour change interventions? The answer is the CACTIS (COM-B Assessment To Intervention Strategy) tool! It was CACTISS with 'Spreadsheet' at the end, but since the podcast, a decision has been made to drop the last S because although the original version was a spreadsheet, the new improved version (watch this space) will be a more interactive website.Here's a link to the spreadsheet

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26:01

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 40: How...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/02/24

Robert has been wondering whether the updated COM-B is enough of an advance to merit the label COM-B 2.0! But more importantly, Robert and Jamie drill down on the concept of 'intention' and explore the intention-action gap. This leads to evidence-based tips for increasing the chances that we will do what we intend to do using the COM-B model.Want more? Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal

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28:32

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 39:...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/02/17

This week Jamie has been playing Animal Crossing and Robert has been trying not to eat chocolate biscuits. Also, Robert offers tips on making marginal but meaningful changes to behaviour as the duo delves deeper into COM-B. Robert talks about how identity and imagination are important in turning 'should' into 'want' ... and how 'want' becomes 'should'! Want more? Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal

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24:47

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 38: More...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/02/10

Why does Robert keep hitting tennis drop shots into the net? How does ‘Atomic/Individual COM-B’ affect ‘Population COM-B’? Robert continues his preview of COM-B 2.0 while Jamie wonders if England’s cricketers will ever learn how to make the right decisions ‘in the moment’ . . . Oh yes and they make a start, looking at the granular COM-B targets of: awareness of the behaviour and stuff to do with social norms and rule. Robert brings up the CACTISS Tool for which a video on the first version can be

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25:38

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 37:...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/02/03

An updated version of the COM-B model is nearly ready to roll. It clarifies some things and expands others. It is 'backwardly compatible' with 'classic COM-B'. This episode is the first of several discussing what's new in COM-B 2.0 covering: 1) distinguishing 'individual' and 'population' level COM-B, 2) expanding the specification of 'behaviour', and 3) making a start on covering the more specific features of capability, opportunity and motivation. This episode covers the 'individual' versus

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28:52

Unlocking Behaviour Change Episode 36: Introduction...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/01/27

You can do it! Or . . . can you? When does believing in your own abilities help you achieve your goals? In this episode, Robert and Jamie explore how the different elements of the COM-B model interact. They clear up a bit of confusion about whether self-efficacy sits better with capability or motivation, and why the capability factor 'understanding the costs and benefits of doing something' primarily exerts its influence through motivation ... Even seasoned COM-B aficionados should find something

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27:12

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 35: An...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/01/20

Having finished their series on decision-making, Robert and Jamie start a new series that delves into a widely used model of human behaviour, designed to guide interventions that influence behaviour. Many podcast listeners will be very familiar with this model, and many won't. Either way, Robert and Jamie try to bring the model to life in a way that is accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike. Want more? Check out our latest books: Energise: The

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26:56

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 34: Key...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/01/13

It’s the last episode of the season! Robert and Jamie go on a whistle-stop tour through the FACET framework for understanding real-world decision-making: (Framing, Assessing, Comparing, Enacting and Time). They offer some of their favourite decision-making tips from the last season. These include: the importance of getting the decision 'frame right' as this conditions everything that follows; getting the right decision rule when choosing between options, taking account of our attitude to risk; the

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26:09

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 33: How to...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2026/01/06

How do you spot a ‘dubious’ expert? What signs should you look out for? What counts as reliable evidence? And ultimately . . . who can you trust? Robert and Jamie offer tips and advice on navigating the information that bombards us every day. Want more? 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

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27:04

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 32:...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/12/29

This is the first of a two-part episode on how best to use advice and information from so-called 'experts'. When and how much should we trust them? What does healthy scepticism look like? Robert reflects on his time in SPI-B advising the UK government and discusses the importance of behavioural science in helping shape and understand behaviour. Want more? Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal

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28:30

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 31: The...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/12/22

How do democracies work? Can there ever be a perfect voting system? What is the difference between desire and willingness? Deep dive with Robert and Jamie into the often murky and fraught world of democratic decision-making. Want more? 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

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26:06

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 30:...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/12/16

In this episode Robert gets it the wrong way round, citing the Cuban Missile Crisis as an example of how groupthink brought the West to the brink of nuclear war when in fact it was previous decisions such as authorising the failed invasion of Cuba that had exhibited groupthink and President Kennedy learned the lessons from this and set up decision-making processes that addressed this particular bias. For more info see

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26:48

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 29: The...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/12/09

Crucial decisions that affect our lives are made in 'groups', which technically can range from two or more people, as in the flight crew of a commercial jet, to the voting population of a country. This episode begins to examine how group decisions are made. Robert and Jamie analyse the ebb and flow of discussions and the art of skilful chairing. Want more? Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal

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27:20

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 28: What...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/12/02

Robert was fed up with asking for a flat white and getting heaven knows what, so with the help of his AI friend, Claude, he created an 'ontology' of milk-containing coffee drinks! Claude and Robert got carried away and ended up writing a Substack article about the power of ontologies as a way of clarifying meaning - something that is sorely needed in behavioural and social sciences. https://robertwest100.substack.com/p/a-flat-white-by-any-other-nameThis episode of the Unlocking Behaviour Change

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28:05

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 27: The...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/11/25

Robert argues that we should assume people pretty much always believe things because we want or need to believe them. Some of us value evidence and truth and so want to believe things based on evidence, but clearly that is only one source of desire. So when we hear someone espousing a belief, it is worth asking 'Why does this person want or need to believe this?' And then Robert and Jamie discuss the potential adaptive advantages of unjustified beliefs ...Want more? Check out our latest

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23:52

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 26:...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/11/18

Jamie has been watching Celebrity Traitors while Robert has been learning about Cicero. In this episode, the duo talk about why it can be stressful to explain your decisions to others, the pros and cons of focusing on ‘optics’, and how the simple 'lose-change/win-stay' heuristic can lead to bad decisions. Want more? 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

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24:06

Unlocking Behaviour Change Podcast Episode 25: Hot...

Unlocking Behaviour Change ·

2025/11/11

Decisions can be stressful – sometimes so stressful that we procrastinate or even avoid making them at all. In this episode, Robert and Jamie explore how to use our emotions to clarify rather than cloud our judgements. They also reveal the honest truth about how they feel receiving feedback . . . Want more? 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

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