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Person

Richard Wiseman

Guest; psychologist and former magician, Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire; author Quirkology and 59 Seconds

Started his career as a magician before training in psychology at University College London and the University of Edinburgh; has spent over three decades at the University of Hertfordshire, Britain's only professor of the public understanding of psychology. Winner of the Royal Society's David Attenborough Award (2023). Known for large-scale, unusually creative real-world field experiments, often run for BBC science programming (Tomorrow's World, People Watchers). Across three Nudge episodes covers: self-perception theory applied to littering and payment (see Wiseman Litter Payment Self-Perception Study), a live replication of the Pratfall Effect in a shopping centre, wallet-return studies (see Hornstein Positive-Note Wallet-Return Study and Wiseman Baby-Photo Wallet-Return Study), speed-dating chat-up-line research, his "Megalab" nationwide lie-detection study with Sir Robin Day (see Wiseman Robin Day Megalab Truth Test), UK replications of Milgram's small-world experiment, luck research linking social connectivity to noticing opportunities, a split-transmission jury-attractiveness-bias study, ATM and supermarket honesty field experiments, a book-cover pupil-dilation marketing test, and humor research.

Third appearance, on humor research and further replication failures (Episode 292). Covers his LaughLab project (see Wiseman LaughLab World's-Funniest-Joke Study), the founding 1934 superiority-theory study (see Wolff Race-Disparagement Humor Study), a red/blue-badge placebo-alcohol field study (see Wiseman Placebo-Alcohol Red-Blue Badge Study), a blind wine-tasting field study (see Wiseman Wine-Tasting Price-Blind Study), and a second on-air account of his failed attempt to replicate Solomon Asch's conformity findings with modern participants.

Discussed in

  • Episode 288 — 288-what-the-world-s-best-chat-up-line-reveals-about-human-psychology
  • Episode 290 — 290-prof-wiseman-this-is-how-you-spot-a-liar
  • Episode 292 — 292-prof-wiseman-my-failed-search-for-the-world-s-funniest-joke

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