logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
33m 42s

How to manipulate the masses

Phill Agnew
About this episode

Can governments manipulate their citizens? Can everyday people be convinced to munch on insects? Are humans akin to wild hogs? And can we learn how to resist manipulation? In today’s episode, ex-Cambridge Analytica employee Patrick Fagan attempts to answer these questions, and more.


Sign up for the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Patrick’s book Free Your Mind: https://tinyurl.com/bddd6vce

Follow Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfagan87/

Up next
Jul 7
This single text made girls 45% more likely to get vaccinated
Can one text message save 100s of girls from cervical cancer? Today on Nudge, Niall Daly and Dr Giulia Tagliaferri discuss their county-wide study involving 55,000 girls. Their experiment had some eye-opening results, so I decided to copy it. I ran my own study on my listeners to ... Show More
22m 59s
Jun 30
A surprisingly effective way to persuade (almost) anyone
It’s a psychological principle that helped end South African apartheid. It reversed the Pope’s declining popularity. It reduced university students’ binge drinking by 30%. And can predict romantic breakups with 60% accuracy. Today, bestselling author Will Storr reveals the surpri ... Show More
25m 44s
Jun 23
I debunked psychology’s greatest myth
I interviewed 60 Brits to debunk one of psychology’s greatest myths. Priming is one of the best-known biases in behavioural science. Kahneman mentions it 35 times in his best-selling book Thinking Fast and Slow. And yet, I’m not convinced it really works. In five separate experim ... Show More
25m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
The Language of Persuasion: Magic Words to Get Your Way
Want to be more persuasive? Wondering which words will influence people to take action? To discover how to use language to guide people to a desired outcome, interview Jonah Berger.Guest: Jonah Berger | Show Notes: socialmediaexaminer.com/554Review our show on Apple Podcasts.See ... Show More
44m 56s
Jan 2025
Episode 247: Activate the DOING Part of the Brain and Get Things Done (Stew Smith and Jim Edwards)
Jim Edwards and Stew Smith talk about getting things done and tapping into the brain's hidden potential.  Whenever this question is asked, I go down a rabbit hole in psychology and physiology studies. While these are useful in naming the chemical processes that occur when people ... Show More
50m 40s
Jun 6
How to Persuade Without Pressure — The Magic Question That Changes Everything
You don’t need pressure to persuade — you need the right question. In this episode, Yale professor and bestselling author Zoe Chance joins Kwame Christian to share the most practical, science-backed influence strategies used by top leaders, negotiators, and communicators. You'll ... Show More
36m 15s
Jan 2025
Life Lesson: The 10-Minute Rule That Beats ANY Bad Habit & This Weird Trick Forms Good Habits Instantly! Professor Steve Peters & Nir Eyal
In this episode we discover the science behind habits, how they're formed, how they can be broken, and the fascinating role self-perception plays in the process. We explore the power of reframing uncomfortable tasks, how habits are influenced by our self-image, and why pushing yo ... Show More
32m 18s
May 2024
How to Master the Psychology of Persuasion, with Michael McQueen
#510: Maybe you’re trying to convince:– Your spouse | to embrace the FIRE movement.– Your teenage kids | to invest some of their summer job money in stocks.– Your neighbor | to sell you their house in a private, off-market deal.– Your boss | to give you more vacation time.– Your ... Show More
53m 44s
Mar 2025
Mel Robbins: How to Handle Difficult People with the Let Them Theory
Ever find yourself stuck in your own head, overthinking a conversation, or worrying about how someone will react? This episode is for you. Today I sit down with the legendary Mel Robbins – NYT #1 bestselling author, speaker, and the force behind The Let Them Theory. She breaks do ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2024
E12 - The Art of Manipulation
In this episode of Break the Psycle Podcast, we explore the twisted world of manipulation — its history, its many forms, and whether it’s always as bad as it sounds. From the origins of gaslighting (shoutout to the 1938 play Gas Light) to the emotional maneuvers that make us ques ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2024
How to Master the Skill of Quitting & Deconstructing Conspiracy Theories - SYSK Choice
Do you suffer from any of these symptoms: Tiredness, stomach issues, dizziness, headaches, joint problems, dry skin or depression? What’s interesting is they all can be caused or aggravated by one thing which is really easy to fix. You’ll need a glass and some water. Listen and I ... Show More
51m 26s
Nov 2024
#776: Derren Brown — A Master Mentalist on Magic, Mind Reading, Ambition, Stoicism, Religion, and More
Derren Brown is a psychological illusionist who can predict, suggest, and even control human behavior. Sponsors:Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating: https://eightsleep.com/tim (save $350 on the Pod 4 Ultra)LinkedIn Ads, the go-to tool for B ... Show More
1h 40m