• A deeper dive into behaviour change techniques and the 'Behaviour Change Technique Ontology'
    Jun 16 2026

    What if you had a list of everything you could possibly do to change behaviour? Well, today Robert talks about such a list: The Behaviour Change Technique Ontology and also how you can see it and use it yourself! Robert and Jamie then take a deeper dive into one of the categories of behaviour change technique: 'Advise how to change emotions BCT' and its sub-categories.

    Here is a link to the Behaviour Change Technique Ontology (BCTO) as part of the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO).

    For the academics among you, here is a link to the scientific paper introducing the BCTO.

    And while we are at it, here is a link to the Theory and Techniques Tool that links behaviour change techniques to 'mechanisms of action' for behaviour change. And finally, here is a link to the CACTIS tool that links COM-B targets to behaviour change techniques.

    Listen out for the sound check at the end ...

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    26 mins
  • What are Behaviour Change Techniques?
    Jun 9 2026

    What is a ‘behaviour change technique’ (BCT)? How does the way you deliver a technique affect the outcome? What is the difference between a thought and a behaviour? Join Robert and Jamie as they introduce this highly useful and widely applicable concept.

    Robert makes reference to the Behaviour Change Technique Ontology (BCTO) which is part of the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Here is a link to the BCIO home page. But if you want to go straight to the full list of BCTs here is a link.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    29 mins
  • We have to talk about AI
    Jun 2 2026

    AI - curse or cure, or both or neither? Most behavioural researchers are using AI in some aspects of their work. But are the benefits outweighing the costs? How can we do it most productively, and what are the pitfalls to look out for? Robert uses it a lot but also recognises the limitations and the need for new skills to interact effectively with this new technology.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    31 mins
  • Where do values come from and where do they go?
    May 26 2026

    Robert and Jamie ask the deepest questions imaginable . . . At least according to AI chatbots. Where do our values and moral intuitions come from and what do we do with them? Why are ideas that seem ‘obvious’ to us not universally accepted? Are today’s morals better than those of the past?

    Want more? Check out this lot:

    Book: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y

    Book: React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9

    Substack: Unlocking Behaviour Change https://robertwest100.substack.com/

    YouTube channel: Unlocking Behaviour Change https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    28 mins
  • What role do values play in our behaviour?
    May 19 2026

    Is stealing always bad? Are we all hypocrites? What do we do when our morals conflict with our own self-interest? Join Robert and Jamie as they discuss values, ethics and judgements, exploring ideas from a Substack article Robert has written drawing together key writings of psychologists and others on values. Here is a link to the article.

    An important point that Robert brings out is that values such as kindness and understanding always operate within our personal spheres of affiliation - who we identify with and feel some attachment to.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    25 mins
  • Justice is in the eye of the beholder
    May 12 2026

    Our sense of justice plays a huge role in our moral judgements and our behaviour. But there are many different versions of justice - what is justice for one person is gross unfairness for another.

    In their journey through things we like and dislike, Robert and Jamie delve into this thorny topic and what it means for behavioural scientists.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    27 mins
  • Power struggles and group identity
    May 5 2026

    Robert and Jamie continue to explore sources of likes and dislikes (in the broadest sense) and in this episode move on to 'power' and how that relates to leadership. Robert reflects on the idea that often people don;t just want power for themselves, but for groups with whom they identify - and this is an extremely important source of conflict.

    Here is a link to the Substack article containing the pretty comprehensive list of sources of likes and dislikes.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    28 mins
  • The extraordinary motivating force of 'purpose' and 'transcendence'
    Apr 28 2026

    Humans appear to need some kind of purpose to our existence. It might be directed at spiritual enlightenment, furthering the well-being of the species, personal growth, getting good at something, or even just collecting stamps. Robert and Jamie discuss this as part of their examination of things that act as sources of wants and needs.

    They also delve briefly into the related topic of 'transcendence' - the sense of there being something beyond the physical world.

    Like other sources of wants and needs, these can be extremely pervasive and powerful influences on our behaviour and need to be considered when examining why people do things and how we can influence what they do.

    The full list of things we like and dislike can be found in this substack article.

    Before they get into the nitty-gritty of the topic, Robert raves about a new musical phenomenon, Angine do Poitrine. For anyone interested, here is a link to one of the very rapidly growing list of YouTube videos.

    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 channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    29 mins