Armchair Expert episode 737

Michael Norton (on rituals)

Michael Norton (The Ritual Effect, Happy Money) is a social psychologist and professor. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like having his parents own a greeting card store, where his interest in psychology came from, and why he loves to design social experiments. Michael and Dax talk about humble bragging, why people don't like braggers, and why studying people's rituals can be an insight into their state of mind. Michael explains why people develop irrational habits to avoid admitting failure, why people need a diversity of emotions, and how couples create custom behaviors to show their affection for each other.

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Episode overview

Michael Norton (The Ritual Effect, Happy Money) is a social psychologist and professor. Michael joins the Armchair Expert to discuss what it was like having his parents own a greeting card store, where his interest in psychology came from, and why he loves to design social experiments. Michael and Dax talk about humble bragging, why people don't like braggers, and why studying people's rituals can be an insight into their state of mind. Michael explains why people develop irrational habits to avoid admitting failure, why people need a diversity of emotions, and how couples create custom behaviors to show their affection for each other.

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Short transcript highlights

These brief excerpts are navigation aids selected from different points in the transcript.

  1. 0:00welcome welcome welcome to armchair expert experts on Expert I'm Dan Rather and I'm joined by the minister of Mayhem
  2. 57:39Braveheart before the battle started you do the exact same thing to freak out the other side they're doing it in the
  3. 1:56:37learning to ride a bicycle in a closet basically it's like I just walked in and saw you just riding in circles
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