People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast

How do visa officers read visa-seeker behaviors?, with Travis Feuerbacher

26 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Visa officers make life-changing decisions in minutes—often after just a brief conversation through a glass window. I talk with former U.S. visa off...

Cards Against Humanity's David Pinsof, PhD, has deep theories on status-seeking and humor

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if much of human behavior—from everyday interactions to politics and culture—is driven by hidden “status games” we’re all playing witho...

MK Ultra fact vs. fiction: Exaggerated claims of mind control and Manchurian candidates | with Stephen Kinzer

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Did MK Ultra actually accomplish anything impressive in brainwashing- and mind-control-related areas? Did the US government, as some people claim, cre...

The dangers of “reading people,” with former behavior pseudoscience believer Vincent Denault

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Vincent Denault once believed he was learning how to read people’s hidden thoughts through analyzing body language. As a young lawyer in Quebec, he ...

Con man Chase Hughes' military record versus his grandiose claims

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How does someone who makes wildly grandiose claims about mind control, interrogation mastery, neuroscience credentials, and secret military psychology...

Epstein Hysteria! Moral panic and dumb overreactions from Kyle Kulinski, others

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Epstein files release has resulted in many people seeming to lose their minds: engaging in moral panic, having hysterical overreactions, filtering...

Is your existence improbable? Or inevitable? Exploring universalism with Arnold Zuboff

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many view the fact that they are here, experiencing the world, as something insanely improbable... but what if it were instead entirely inevitable? T...

Waco negotiator Gary Noesner shares tips on de-escalation and reading behavior

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What actually works to avoid violent outcomes when someone is armed, emotional, and on the edge? I talk with former FBI chief hostage negotiator Gary ...

Pro negotiator on body language and the “power of nice” | with Andres Lares

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What actually makes negotiations work—and why do so many “tough” tactics backfire? In this episode, Zach talks with professional negotiator Andr...

FBI agent discusses interrogation tactics, body language, the lie detector, and more

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Eric Robinson, a recently retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and former pastor, about what actually works in real-world interro...

Some scoff at political bridge-building efforts. What are they missing?

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Doug Teschner and Beth Malow—co-authors of the book Beyond the Politics of Contempt—about an aspect of bridge-building/depolarization-...

Ex-CIA officer on exposing top-secret imposters Wayne Simmons and Chase Hughes

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with former CIA officer Kent Clizbe about his exposure of Wayne Simmons, a man who spent more than a decade on Fox News posing as a CIA counter...

The psychology of narcissistic abuse—and how it can continue after separation

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Jackie Miller, host of the podcast “Out of Crazy Town: Your Guide to Divorcing a Narcissist.” Jackie shares her personal story of esca...

Body language lies: The pseudoscience and silliness spread by alleged behavior "experts"

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Can you really tell who’s lying just by watching their body language? Are there any practical takeaways you can reliably and regularly get from stud...

How a news site uses social network mapping to reduce polarization

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Aemula is a new kind of news media platform that’s trying to tackle a big problem: the fact that the structure of our news media leads to various ou...

Does contempt for Trump voters help Trump? Are we in a feedback loop?

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For many people, Trump represents a uniquely dangerous figure in American history. But what if the contemptuous, maximally pessimistic ways many peopl...

The Orgasmic Meditation story: Origins and psychology of OneTaste and Nicole Daedone

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I talk with journalist Ellen Huet, whose new book Empire of Orgasm digs into the strange origins and evolution of Nicole Daedone and OneTaste, and goe...

Can behavior clusters help determine a lie? Tim Levine on deception detection science

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many people think there are telltale signs of lying — shifty eyes, nervous fidgeting, maybe a quick smile — that can give someone away to trained ...

Tracking people over terrain: What's real, what's fiction?

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how tracking people actually works? You’ve probably seen a lot of Hollywood depictions of how law enforcement track people ov...

NLP pseudoscience and its use by Chase Hughes and other con artists and deceptive faux-gurus

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably heard of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). It’s a popular thing. It’s the foundation for the work of popular life/business coa...

Is the internet a methamphetamine of the masses?

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that internet communication, by speeding up and distorting our interactions, is agitating us and deranging us? Is it possible that by p...

"They're the violent, crazy ones!": How polarization warps our views of our political opponents

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A major barrier to reducing toxic polarization is that so many of us—especially those who are highly politically involved—see our current toxic co...

Are you and I (and everyone) the same person? A talk on Open Individualism with Joe Kern

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if your sense of existence, your self-awareness, isn’t unique at all—but the very same “I” that exists in everyone, everywhere? What if y...

The psychology of Bad Vegan: Sarma Melngailis on narcissistic abuse and life after

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The documentary "Bad Vegan" was about Sarma Melngailis’s nightmarish journey from successful New York City restaurant owner to Rikers inmate jailed ...

The surprising power of nostalgia — and how it can be used on you

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does nostalgia do to our minds — and our wallets? In this talk with Jannine Lasaleta, we talk about her research into the surprising psychologi...

My life-changing experience with meditation

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the summer of 2024, I went on a five-day solo retreat in the mountains of New Mexico. It was the first time I’d ever really committed to meditati...

Are you a psychopath? Debunking myths and looking for nuance in "dark" traits

09 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does the word “psychopath” really mean—and how often are we getting it wrong? Can someone have some psychopathic traits and still be empa...

Penalty kick mind games: Reading and using body language in sports

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I talk with sports psychology and behavior researcher Philip Furley about how athletes' body language communicates far more than we realize — and ho...

Madness explained: How trauma and stress can break the mind

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I talk to psychologist Richard Bentall about psychosis, schizophrenia, and the psychological roots of mental illness. Bentall is the author of the wel...

Our memory and sense of self are full of illusions | with Anne Wilson

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist Anne Wilson studies how we construct our identities over time—how we remember the past, imagine the future, and tell ourselves stories ...

Are you a narcissist? The psychology and spectrum of narcissism

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if we’ve been thinking about narcissism all wrong — and some forms of it are not only normal, but healthy? Why do we so often confuse genuine...

The "deep whys" behind autistic behaviors | with Barry Prizant

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I talk to Barry Prizant, author of the popular book "Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism," about the often misunderstood world of autism....

The psychology of how we react when our sense of meaning is threatened

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we feel so unsettled and agitated when the world doesn’t make sense? In this episode, I talk with psychologist Steven Heine about his Meaning...

A Bitcoin for news? Could Aemula.com revolutionize journalism and reduce polarization?

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can blockchain tech reinvent journalism—and reduce toxic political polarization in the process? Zach Elwood talks with Don Templeman, founder of Aem...

Can eye direction reveal a lie? Or is that psychology bullshit? | with Tim Levine

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe you’ve heard that you can get clues about whether someone is lying by what direction they look when they talk. The most common form of this id...

Why some see liberals as the undemocratic ones: A talk about democracy and polarization with Elizabeth Doll

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many Americans think Trump is harming democracy; they see him as acting undemocratically in various ways. At the same time, Republicans and Trump supp...

On hypnosis and mind control: separating psychology fact from fiction | with Martin S. Taylor

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A talk about hypnosis and mind control with Martin S. Taylor, a well known British hypnotist (hypnotism.co.uk). Martin is known for his stage hypnosis...

What happened to Keith Olbermann? A look at his descent.

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In March of 2024, the newsman and sports commentator Keith Olbermann tweeted that the “Supreme Court had betrayed democracy” and called for it to ...

Mirror selfies, duck faces, and party pics: The psychology of dating app communication

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I talk to Dr. Jess Snitko, who has researched online dating and other online communication, about the signals and messages we send, intentionally and ...

Is the left-right political spectrum concept a false illusion? A talk with Hyrum Lewis

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if I told you the left-right political spectrum was an illusion? What if I told you there is no “left” or “right”? My guest is Hyrum Lewi...

Does Trader Joe's pressure its employees to talk to customers?

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every time I go in Trader Joe's, the checkout person asks me a question of some sort. I used to think everyone there was just happy and friendly, but ...

Psychology and influence charlatan Chase Hughes promoted by gullible popular podcast hosts

18 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The fraud Chase Hughes, whose major lies and unethical behaviors I’ve examined in past episodes, continues to succeed in getting popular podcasts wi...

The polarization of Elon Musk: His high-contempt approach to political disagreement

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In June of 2024, I got an op-ed published in TheHill.com about Elon Musk's polarization -- specifically his affective polarization, which refers to ho...

Explanations for those UFO videos released in 2017 (Gimbal, GoFast, others)

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Dunning, creator of the podcast Skeptoid, made a documentary that brings a skeptical, analytical eye to the recent UFO craze – including those...

Reading faces: A dumb 1960s book on reading physical facial traits

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I thought it'd be interesting to read a very dumb book from 1969 called "Face Reading: A Guide to How the Human Face Reveals Personality, Sexuality, I...

I interrogate an 8-year-old about her belief in Santa, Easter Bunny, and other creatures

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I ruthlessly interrogate an 8-year-old about her belief in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and other magical creatures.  Learn more ...

The psychology behind the self-reinforcing nature of conflict and polarization

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A piece I wrote for my Defusing American Anger Substack (learn more at american-anger.com) about the psychological aspects of how toxic conflict grows...

Many take Trump's words out of context: How this relates to toxic polarization

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent Fox News interview, Trump was asked whether he thought there would be chaos and violence if he won the election, and his response included...

Analyzing the behavior of Peter Todd, who's accused of being Bitcoin creator | Jeremy Clark

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the documentary Money Electric, filmmaker Cullen Hoback put forth the theory that developer Peter Todd was Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator...

Scammer on Nextdoor gets my personal info: Tips for spotting online marketplace scam tells

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On the Nextdoor app, a fake account succeeded in getting some personal info from me before I realized they were a scammer. I discuss how that scam wen...

What’s the problem with the Myers-Briggs personality test?, with Randy Stein

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test is used by many organizations and consultants, but it's been criticized by many as pseudo-scie...

Some useful and reliable poker tells: A talk with Zach Elwood

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode includes part of a poker tells webinar that I, Zach Elwood, did with Terry Wood, owner of PokerRailbird.com. I'm the author of three resp...

Chase Hughes, NLP, & hypnosis: A "top-secret" military spin on old NLP seminar ideas

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is my third episode about Chase Hughes, the self-titled “#1 expert in behavior and influence.” My first episode about him examined his early ...

We’re MASSIVELY overstating our political violence problem — and that’s dangerous! | Sean Westwood

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many surveys and headlines have claimed there's a large percentage of Americans who support political violence. Some estimates have been around 25% –...

Angry Chase Hughes’ fans lash out after his lies are revealed

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a follow up to my last episode, in which I shared information about the many lies of Chase Hughes, the self-described “#1 expert in behavior...

The many lies of Chase Hughes, the "#1 expert in behavior" and Behavior Panel star

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An examination of the deceptive and strange background of Chase Hughes, who refers to himself as the “#1 expert in behavior and influence.” A popu...

An astrology non-believer talks to an astrologist

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I talk to a professional astrologist named Ophira Edut. I myself don't believe in astrology but I was interested in asking her questions I've wanted t...

Fake psychology/behavior expert Jack Brown analyzes Trump's behavior

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I talk again about fake behavior expert Jack Brown, whose pseudoscientific behavior analysis work I devoted a past episode to. Brown got some recent a...

A cry for help from failed podcast host and author Zachary Elwood

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Apologies for the sad clickbait-y title. I'll be okay. I was trying to be a little funny. This is just some updates on things I've been working on and...

Psychological tactics magicians use to misdirect attention and manipulate audiences | Anthony Barnhart

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist and magician Anthony Barnhart discusses some behaviors magicians use to misdirect attention and manipulate an audience. Other topics incl...

Objections to efforts to reduce American political polarization

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Media bias specialist Vanessa Otero, founder of Ad Fontes Media, talks to me (Zach Elwood) about my books aimed at reducing toxic political polarizati...

The psychology of how minor language choices can influence and manipulate, with Liz Stokoe

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I talk with Liz Stokoe, who studies conversation analysis (CA) and is the author of the book "Talk: The Science of Conversation." Stokoe studies how l...

If lie detectors don't work, why are they used?, with Leonard Saxe

14 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with psychologist Leonard Saxe, who is known for, amongst other things, his research into lie detectors (also known as polygraphs). Topics disc...

Indicators that a 2020 video depicting racist harassment was staged

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode examines a video from 2020 that seemed to show a black person being harassed by a racist white woman. The video was shared by the celebri...

The awe and horror of existence, with existential psychologist Kirk Schneider

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A reshare of a 2022 talk I had with existential psychologist Kirk Schneider. We talk about existential psychology and the power of being able to bette...

Life is *%$@ing strange: how does that relate to existential psychology?

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thoughts about how an awareness of life's strangeness might impact us, both positively and negatively, and how that might relate to existential psycho...

Psychological tactics in waiting tables and running restaurants, with Robin Dibble

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

 A talk with Robin Dibble, an experienced Albuquerque-area service industry professional who’s worked in every aspect of the business, from waiting...

Two former congresspeople, a Democrat and a Republican, discuss political polarization

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I talk to former members of the House of Representatives Luke Messer (Republican) and Elizabeth Esty (Democrat). We talk about: political polarization...

The complexity of aphantasia, inner narration, and other inner experiences, with Russell Hurlburt

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Russell Hurlburt, who’s researched inner experience for more than five decades. He's the author of six books and many articles on the to...

The psychology of bus driving: reading the behavior of pedestrians, riders, and other drivers

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a talk with Brendan Bartholomew, who’s a professional bus driver in San Francisco. We talk about the role understanding and predicting human...

Systemic change vs. cultural change in efforts to reduce polarization, with David Foster

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with David Foster, who writes about polarization and media at knowthesystem.org and is the author of "Moderates of the World Unite!: Reworking ...

How simplistic ideas of power (e.g., the oppressed/oppressor framework) can reduce empathy

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Elizaveta Friesem writes about media and about social power (i.e., the power people exert over other people).  I first interviewed her about media an...

Living without free will: A talk with physicist Daniel Whiteson

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Daniel Whiteson, a professor of physics and astronomy, about free will, with a focus on what the effects in one's life are when one doesn'...

The news is deepening our divides. Does Tangle News have a solution?

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with journalist Isaac Saul, founder of Tangle News (readtangle.com), which shares takes from across the political spectrum. I think Tangle is d...

Rounders and Billions screenwriter Brian Koppelman on poker tells and reading behavior

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with screenwriter/producer Brian Koppelman, known for many TV and film projects, including the poker movie Rounders, the show Billions, and the...

The psychology of poker tells: A talk with pro poker player Dara O'Kearney

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with professional poker player Dara O’Kearney about poker tells (aka, physical and verbal behaviors in poker). Dara is the co-host of the pop...

Psychological tactics in interrogations and getting confessions, with David Zulawski

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with David Zulawski from 2018. Zulawksi is an expert in interrogation and interview techniques and the cofounder of Wicklander Zulawski and Ass...

The Robbi Jade Lew poker scandal: reading behaviors and motivations, with Yakov Hirsch

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with professional poker player Yakov Hirsch about the well known high-stakes poker situation where amateur Robbi Jade Lew was accused of cheati...

Understanding Republican-side animosity towards the media, with Yakov Hirsch

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk about trying to understand Trump's anger at the American media, Republicans' anger at the media, and how this relates to toxic polarization in ...

The exaggeration of antisemitism, and the importance of understanding the "other side," with Yakov Hirsch

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A second talk with Yakov Hirsch, who writes about the Middle East conflict and about "Hasbara culture": what he sees as the tendency of some Israel-de...

The psychology behind the "need for chaos," a desire to "burn it all down"

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Kevin Arceneaux, whose research found that a surprising number of people (around 40%) either agreed with or did not disagree with statemen...

Psychology and behavioral clues in football, baseball, and other sports, with Jon Hoefling

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Jon Michael Hoefling, a sports analyst, about reading behavioral tells and indicators in football, baseball, tennis, and other sports. We ...

Psychological strategies for dealing with extreme anxiety, with The Atlantic's Scott Stossel

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Scott Stossel, author of "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind." Scott is also national editor of The At...

Lie detectors measure electrodermal activity: What is that?

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I talk with psychologist Christopher Moyer about electrodermal activity (EDA), also known as galvanic skin response (GSR), which is what lie detectors...

Reading dog and cat behaviors and human interactions, with Daniel Mills

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Animal behavior researcher Daniel Mills talks about various aspects of the human-pet relationship, with a focus on his research. Topics include: dogs'...

On the art of listening and the challenges of being an introvert, with Joel Berman

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joel Berman is a practitioner of Compassionate Listening (compassionatelistening.org). Joel has travelled to the Middle East and talked with Israelis ...

Psychological tricks and strategies in door-to-door sales

11 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with two people with door-to-door sales experience. We talk about the tricks and strategies they used to close sales, and the psychological fac...

How does bias in news amplify political polarization?, with Vanessa Otero

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Vanessa Otero is the creator of a popular and well respected media bias chart that ranks the bias of many news outlets, and she's the founder of Ad Fo...

Why is criticism of Israel so often described as antisemitic?, with Yakov Hirsch

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Yakov Hirsch, who thinks that some Jewish people have exaggerated ideas about the amount of antisemitism in the world, and overly pessimis...

Our psychological need for certainty and closure: Is that our biggest weakness? | with Maria Konnikova

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Konnikova is the best-selling author of the books The Biggest Bluff, The Confidence Game, and Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes. Top...

The hidden meaning behind orchestra conductor gestures, with Ming Luke

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with orchestra conductor Ming Luke (mingluke.com). Topics discussed include: what a conductor's body language and gestures can communicate to t...

Examining behavior bullshitter Dr. Jack Brown, who spreads bad behavior info to many

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is about "behavior bullshit." There are many self-proclaimed behavior experts spreading bad, misleading, and irresponsible concepts about...

Understanding MAGA rage, with ex-Trump voter Rich Logis

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To reduce toxic polarization, I think it's important to understand the us-vs-them political narratives around us. This is a talk with Rich Logis, who ...

Common scams and how they exploit psychological and social weaknesses

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Martina Dove, author of the book "The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion and Scam Techniques," about some common scams you and people you kno...

Rethinking narcissism: Is some narcissism healthy? What are the psychological roots of toxic forms?

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Craig Malkin is the author of "Rethinking Narcissism: The Secret to Recognizing and Coping with Narcissists," in which he describes the spectrum of na...

Psychological similarities between couples therapy and resolving political conflict, with therapist Bill Doherty

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Bill Doherty, a relationship therapist and the co-founder of Braver Angels, a political depolarization-aimed group. Topics discuss include...

The weird behaviors of people under anesthesia, with anesthesiologist Dr. Ashita Goel

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with anesthesiologist Ashita Goel about her work. Topics include: the sometimes strange behaviors of people under anesthesia; the hypnotic and ...

Psychological factors in lizard-people beliefs, and other unlikely conspiracy theories

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with psychology researcher Mikey Biddlestone, who specializes in conspiracy theory beliefs, about some of the more psychological factors that c...

Understanding the behaviors of autistic children, with Barry Prizant

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Barry Prizant (barryprizant.com), author of the influential book Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism, and co-host of the Uniq...

How do anxious behaviors affect a job interview?, with Simonne Mastrella

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A talk with Simonne Mastrella, author of the research paper "Acting Anxious: The Impact of Candidates' Anxious Nonverbal Behavior on Interview Perform...