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Nudge

Nudge

By: Phill Agnew
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Nudge is the UK's #1 marketing podcast, breaking down the hidden psychology behind what we do and why we do it. No BS, just smart, science-backed insights that actually work.Phill Agnew Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Were the 2018 Gatwick drones real?

    Were the 2018 Gatwick drones real?
    Jun 22 2026
    In December 2018 Gatwick Airport shut down. 109 eyewitnesses reported sighting 170 drone flights over the airport. All flights were grounded, and the nation braced for a terrorist attack. But what if those sightings weren’t real but instead an imagination caused by expectations? In today’s episode with award-winning science journalist David Robson, we explore the science of the expectation effect. Link to the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/86d3e39845 Become an FSB member: https://get.fsb.org.uk/nudge/ Read the Expectation Effect: https://amzn.to/4dvkb3s David’s website: https://davidrobson.me/ David’s Substack: https://davidarobson.substack.com/ --- Today’s sources: Benedetti, F., Durando, J., & Vighetti, S. (2014). Nocebo and placebo modulation of hypobaric hypoxia headache involves the cyclooxygenase-prostaglandins pathway. Pain, 155(5), 921–928. Job, V., Dweck, C. S., & Walton, G. M. (2010). Ego depletion—Is it all in your head? Implicit theories about willpower affect self-regulation. Psychological Science, 21(11), 1686–1693. Langer, E., Djikic, M., Pirson, M., Madenci, A., & Donohue, R. (2010). Believing is seeing: Using mindlessness (mindfully) to improve visual acuity. Psychological Science, 21(5), 661–666. Merckelbach, H., & van de Ven, V. (2001). Another white Christmas: Fantasy proneness and reports of 'hallucinatory experiences' in undergraduate students. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 32(3), 137–144. Montes, J., Wulf, G., & Navalta, J. W. (2018). Maximal aerobic capacity can be increased by enhancing performers' expectancies. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 58(5), 744–749. Pirson, M., Ie, A., & Langer, E. (2012). Seeing what we know, knowing what we see: Challenging the limits of visual acuity. Journal of Adult Development, 19(2), 59–67. Robson, D. (2022). The expectation effect: How your mindset can transform your life. Canongate.
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    31 mins
  • Do broken windows cause crime?

    Do broken windows cause crime?
    Jun 15 2026
    The broken windows theory suggests that one broken window can cause a neighbourhood to descend into disrepair. But is it true? Today, with the award-winning professor Leidy Klotz, we investigate the broken windows theory and explain how environments shape our behaviour. --- Become an FSB member: https://get.fsb.org.uk/nudge/ Leidy’s book Subtract: https://amzn.to/4df4duk Leidy’s latest book In a Good Place: https://amzn.to/4tzjCvE Join 11,934 readers of the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Unlock the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/ --- Today’s sources: Brown, G., & Baer, M. (2011). Location in negotiation: Is there a home field advantage? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 114(2), 190–200. Cialdini, R. B. (2016). Pre-suasion: A revolutionary way to influence and persuade. Simon & Schuster. Langer, E. J., & Rodin, J. (1976). The effects of choice and enhanced personal responsibility for the aged: A field experiment in an institutional setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34(2), 191–198. Pinsker, H., Kupfermann, I., Castellucci, V., & Kandel, E. R. (1970). Habituation and dishabituation of the gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia. Science, 167(3926), 1740–1742. Rajecki, D. W. (1974). Effects of prenatal exposure to auditory or visual stimulation on postnatal distress vocalizations in chicks. Behavioral Biology, 11(4), 525–536. Rodin, J., & Langer, E. J. (1977). Long-term effects of a control-relevant intervention with the institutionalized aged. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(12), 897–902. Wells, M. M. (2000). Office clutter or meaningful personal displays: The role of office personalization in employee and organizational well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 20(3), 239–255.
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    24 mins
  • “How we used nudges reach £12 billion in sales” Octopus Energy's Pete Miller

    “How we used nudges reach £12 billion in sales” Octopus Energy's Pete Miller
    Jun 8 2026
    Octopus Energy went from £0 in revenue to £12 billion in 10 years. Today, on Nudge, I chat with their first employee Pete Miller, who explains how they used nudges to grow. Hear why they: 1) Encourage customers to spin a wheel to reward metre readings. 2) Give away free electricity at 4pm. 3) Play you the number one song from the year you turned 14. 4) And gave away 40,000 electric blankets during an energy crisis. --- Become an FSB member: https://get.fsb.org.uk/nudge/ Unlock the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/ --- Today’s sources: Shampanier, K., Mazar, N., & Ariely, D. (2007). Zero as a special price: The true value of free products. Marketing Science, 26(6), 742–757. Shen, L., Fishbach, A., & Hsee, C. K. (2015). The motivating-uncertainty effect: Uncertainty increases resource investment in the process of reward pursuit. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(5), 1301–1315 Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
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    41 mins
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