Why are we so drawn to stories about transformation? About leaving the ordinary world, facing a crisis, and returning changed?

From King Lear to The Lion King, from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, the same plot shape appears again and again: a lone hero sets off on a journey, struggles, grows, and triumphs.

This structure — famously named The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell — has come to dominate the way we tell stories. But why? Why this structure? And what does its popularity say about us, psychologically?

In this episode, I’m joined by writer and radio producer Eliane Glaser, whose Aeon article “Our Narrative Prison” unpacks the history, psychology, and cultural consequences of the Hero’s Journey.

Together, we’ll explore how the monomyth taps into deep behavioural drivers — and whether it’s time to rethink the stories we live by.

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You'll find Eliane's article here: https://aeon.co/essays/why-does-every-film-and-tv-series-seem-to-have-the-same-plot

You can find out more about Eliane and her books here: https://www.elianeglaser.com/

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

I chat with Dr Paul Sacher about the state of AI within the behavioural sciences. Should we be scared how AI will be used or excited about the opportunities it opens for research and the application of psychology?

Paul is an AI and Behavioural scientist, CEO of Sacher.ai, and a senior lecturer in AI and behavioural science in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London.

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

Do habits really take 66 days to form? Should you rely on willpower? How does a psychologist approach overcoming their own bad habits and starting good ones?

Professor Ben Gardner leads us through the intricate world of habits, exploring their definitions, the distinction between habits and routines, and the psychological mechanisms behind habitual behaviour.

Professor Gardner shares insights from his extensive research, highlighting the importance of instigation habits that trigger actions and the role of willpower in habit formation and the need for a nuanced understanding of habits to effectively implement behaviour change in daily life.

Find out more about Ben's work at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/benjamin-gardner

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology