When we watch the Olympics and Paralympics on TV, we mostly see the highlight reel: the medals, the tears, the interviews, the national anthem, and the occasional inspirational backstory.

And that’s natural – we’re spectators. We focus on performance.

But the games aren’t really just a two-week sporting event. For the athletes, it’s better understood as a multi-year psychological transition – and it comes with a real emotional price tag.

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Binna Kandola OBE to unpack the psychological journey of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. We explore how elite performance shapes identity, the emotional instability of the games themselves, and why the most intense moments often occur far from the podium. 

References:

• Roy David Samuel, Itay Basevitch, The Olympic Games transition: a narrative review and a conceptual model, Performance Enhancement & Health, Volume 13, Issue 4, October 2025 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211266925000660
• David Awosoga, Matthew Chow, Peaks and primes: Do athletes get one shot at glory?, Significance, Volume 21, Issue 3, July 2024, Pages 6-9, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrssig/qmae038
• Starting and Specialisation Ages of Elite Athletes across Olympic Sports: An International Cross-sectional Study. (2023). European Journal of Sport Sciences, 2(5), 9-19. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejsport.2023.2.5.100

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A racing heart before a big moment, a knot in the stomach when we’re stressed, or a sudden sense of calm after a deep breath.

Why do emotions feel so physical? Emotions are not just experiences in the mind - they are whole-body events.

This episode explores the psychology of emotion, focusing on how the brain and body constantly communicate to shape what we feel. From fear and anger to joy and love, emotional experiences emerge from a dynamic feedback loop between the brain and the body.

This week, we’re joined by Dr Jo Kandola to examine how the brain interprets signals from the body, why emotions are accompanied by physical sensations, and how this process influences our behaviour and decision-making.

Follow for a new episode every Friday!

References:

• Nummenmaa, L., Hari, R., Hietanen, J. K., & Glerean, E. (2018). Maps of subjective feelings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(37), 9198–9203. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1807390115
• Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain. New York: Putnam.
• James, W. (1884). What is an emotion? Mind, 9(34), 188–205. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/os-IX.34.188

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s turbulent political climate, trust in leadership is under intense scrutiny. Expectations are high, scepticism is widespread, and the margin for error is small.

In this episode, we’re joined by Stuart Duff, Partner and Head of Leadership at Pearn Kandola, to unpack the critical role of trust in effective leadership. We explore the psychology behind different types of trust, how these are built, and the key qualities people seek in leaders they can rely on.

Through this lens, we examine Keir Starmer’s recent political challenges and consider how his ability to foster trust within his party may be integral to navigating these uncertain times.

Follow for a new episode every Friday!

References:

• Conlin, M. (2009), ‘The ideal virtual worker?’, Business Week, 27 July.
• Pearn Kandola (2006). The Psychology of Effective Business Communications in Geographically Dispersed Teams.
• Washington, Michel G. (2013), "Trust and Project Performance: The Effects of Cognitive-Based and Affective-Based Trust on Client-Project Manager Engagements". Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics Theses. 67. http://repository.upenn.edu/od_theses_msod/67

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us believe our personality, habits, and emotional responses are fixed. It's just who we are.

But your brain isn't the rigid structure you might think.

It's constantly changing – rewiring itself based on the thoughts and habits you repeat every single day.

This week, Grace sits down with Louise Weston, Chartered Psychologist and Partner at Pearn Kandola, to unpack one of the most exciting and empowering areas of modern psychology – neuroplasticity.

Together, they break down what neuroplasticity means, how it works, and – most importantly – how you can use it. If you’ve ever felt stuck in certain behaviours or ways of thinking, this episode will give you a new perspective on how to move forward.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do we talk too much?

New research suggests we may be communicating less effectively than we think - and it comes down to how much we talk.

In this episode of What's going on up there?, Grace is joined by Professor Binna Kandola OBE to look at a new Scandinavian research idea called Cyclic Verbal Load Modulation. Or, more simply, Interval Talking.

Could the number of words we speak each day affect fatigue?

They discuss the evolution of language and how it has shaped the way we communicate today, before diving into the research into CVLM and what the research tells us about its benefits. Binna also shares practical steps you can take to increase efficiency in your own communication.

References:

The study appears in Applied Psychological Research in Language (APRIL) and was conducted by the Franz Olaf Olsen Laboratory (FOOL) in Oslo.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the most influential voice in the room isn't human?

Influence has always been built on credibility. We trust experts for their credentials. We follow leaders for their judgment. But AI is reshaping that dynamic - changing not just how we find information, but how we decide what, and who, to believe.

In this episode, Grace is joined by James Meachin, Chartered Psychologist and Partner at Pearn Kandola, to unpack the psychology of AI and influence. Together, they explore how we evaluate sources of information, why AI complicates that process, and the growing tension between AI output and human expertise.

They also get practical, examining the mental shortcuts we all rely on, how AI exploits them without even trying, and what we can do to stay critically aware in an age of increasingly convincing artificial intelligence.

References:

• Cialdini, R. B. (2021). Influence, new and expanded: The psychology of persuasion. Harper Business

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

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Think sleep is just downtime? Think again.

It's actually when your brain does some of its most critical work.

This week, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola to explore the science behind what happens to your brain when you don't get enough sleep.

Jo draws on extensive research to dispel common sleep myths and reveal the ways poor sleep affects how we think, feel, and function – from clouded decision-making and heightened irritability to its surprising impact on collective creativity. She also shares evidence-based tips to improve your sleep, starting tonight!

If you often talk yourself into late nights thinking you'll be fine in the morning, this episode might change your mind.

References:

• Killgore, W. D. S. (2010). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. Progress in Brain Research, 185, 105–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53702-7.00007-5
• Harrison, Y., & Horne, J. A. (1999). One night of sleep loss impairs innovative thinking and flexible decision making. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 78(2), 128–145. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.1999.2827
• Banderet, L. E., Stokes, J. W., Francesconi, R., Kowal, D. M., & Naitoh, P. (1981). Artillery teams in simulated sustained combat: Performance and other measures. Proceedings of the 26th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, 28–32.
• Harrison, Y., & Horne, J. A. (2000). The impact of sleep deprivation on decision making: A review. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 6(3), 236–249. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.6.3.23
• Li, J., Barnes, C. M., Yam, K. C., & Lian, H. (2019). Leader sleep deprivation and team creativity: The role of leader self-regulation and processing of creative ideas. Journal of Applied Psychology, 104(9), 1058–1073. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000397
• Venkatraman, V., Huettel, S. A., Chuah, L. Y. M., Payne, J. W., & Chee, M. W. L. (2011). Sleep deprivation biases the neural mechanisms underlying economic preferences. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(10), 3712–3718.
• Wild, C. J., Nichols, E. S., Battista, M. E., Stojanoski, B., & Owen, A. M. (2018). Dissociable effects of self-reported daily sleep duration on high-level cognitive abilities. Sleep, 41(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsy182

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we talk about power, we often focus on who has it.

But the more important question is: what does it do to us?

While the Epstein files continue to dominate headlines, most coverage focuses on allegations and those implicated. We're taking a different approach, examining the role power played and how possessing it changed people in ways that made this kind of behaviour possible.

Grace is joined by Stuart Duff, Chartered Psychologist, Partner and Head of Leadership at Pearn Kandola, to examine the psychology of power - how it is defined, how it influences behaviour, and how it can distort moral judgement if it is not understood.

References:

• Cuddy, A. (2017) Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges. London: Orion.
• Deng et al. (2018) When does power trigger approach motivation? Threats and the role of perceived control in the power domain. Social and Personality Compass, 12(5), e12390
• Fiske, S.T. (1993) ‘Controlling other people: The impact of power of stereotyping.’ American Psychologist, 48, 621-28.
• Guinote, A. (2017) ‘How power affects people: Activating, wanting and goal-seeking’. Annul Review of Psychology, 68(1), 353-81.
• Scholl, A. and Sassenberg, K. (2015) ‘Better know when (not) to think twice: How social power impacts pre-factual thought.’ Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(2), 159-70.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Empathy is one of the most powerful leadership skills available to us, yet it's consistently underestimated.

It's dismissed as a "soft skill" or a nice-to-have, rather than the performance driver decades of research show it to be.

This week, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Louise Weston to explore why empathy is a genuine leadership essential.

Together, they examine the three core elements of empathy and unpack what the research actually shows – from how empathetic leaders deliver feedback, to its measurable impact on physical and mental wellbeing, and the critical role it plays in team performance during uncertain times.

References:

• Muss, C., Tüxen, D. and Fürstenau, B. (2026) 'Empathy in leadership: a systematic literature review on the effects of empathetic leaders in organizations', Management Review Quarterly, 76, pp. 333–369.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I can't remember where I heard this, but…” 

We've all said it, and it seems harmless, but losing that context is precisely how unreliable information becomes believable.

The sleeper effect is a common psychological phenomenon: over time, we retain the message but lose the memory of where it came from. Without the context, our brains accept it as fact, regardless of the source's credibility.

In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist James Meachin to unpack why this happens and what we can do about it. Together, they explore how we assess the credibility of information, why source memory matters more today than ever before, and practical ways to counteract this mental shortcut.

In a world where we're inundated with information from hundreds of channels, this episode gives you the tools to think more critically and share more responsibly. 

References:

Kumkale, G. T., & Albarracín, D. (2004). The Sleeper Effect in Persuasion: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin, 130(1), 143–172.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the glitz and glamour of Eurovision lies one question – how fair is the voting?

This week, Grace is joined by Professor Binna Kandola OBE ahead of this year's event to explore the science behind the scores.

Together, they unpack what the data reveals about recurring voting patterns, how ‘framing effects’ shape the way we judge performances, and what Eurovision ultimately tells us about the way people think, feel, and connect across countries.

Whether you're a lifelong Eurovision fan or a first-time viewer, this episode will change the way you watch the scoreboard.

References:

• Ginsburgh, V. and Moreno-Ternero, J.D. 2023. The Eurovision Song Contest: voting rules, biases and rationality. Journal of cultural economics. 47(2), pp.247–277.
• Mantzaris, A.V., Rein, S.R. and Hopkins, A.D., 2017. Examining collusion and voting biases between countries during the Eurovision Song Contest since 1957. arXiv preprint arXiv:1705.06721.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you really know when you're being lied to?

Most of us believe we do, but research suggests we're far worse at detecting deception than we'd like to think.

This week, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Stuart Duff to explore the fascinating psychology of lying. Together they examine what we mean by lying, the line between a white lie and calculated manipulation, and what personality can reveal about how, and why, people deceive.

Drawing on the latest behavioural science, they also challenge the biggest myths around lie detection and uncover what research actually says about spotting a liar.

References

• Cantarero, K., Van Tilburg, W., Szarota, P. (2018) Differentiating everyday lies: A typology of lies based on beneficiary and motivation. Journal of Personality and Individual Differences Volume 134, November 2018
• Dr Julia Shaw How to actually catch a liar, according to the new science of lie detection. BBC Science Focus. December, 2025
• Luke, T. et al. (2025) What have we learned about cues to deception? A survey of expert opinions. Psychology, Crime and Law. Vol. 31, 2025

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've never had more ways to entertain ourselves. So why are so many of us more bored than ever?

This week, Grace sits down with Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola to explore the paradox of modern boredom: how the very devices designed to keep us entertained are rewiring our brains to crave constant stimulation and are ultimately making the problem worse.

From the way social media is fuelling a boredom epidemic, to the point at which scrolling stops being a distraction and starts becoming an addiction, to the impact of boredom on our mental health and wellbeing, this conversation might just change the way you think about reaching for your phone.

References:

• Dora, J., van Hooff, M., Geurts, S., Kompier, M., & Bijleveld, E. (2020). Fatigue, boredom, and objectively-measured smartphone use at work (preprint). Radboud University. Date taken from manuscript (May 1, 2020).
• Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). People are increasingly bored in our digital age. Communications Psychology, 2, 106.
• Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). Fast-forward to boredom: How switching behavior on digital media makes people more bored. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're more divided than ever – and mostly avoiding the conversations that could change that.

Research shows that a single civil conversation reduces polarisation more than people expect. Not a debate. Not a lecture. Just a chat.

In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Louise Weston to explore the psychology behind polarisation. Together, they unpack the "online disinhibition effect", the algorithms that reward outrage over nuance, and the new research that proves talking across difference works to depolarise attitudes.

They close with four ground rules for how to have challenging conversations effectively and move towards a less divided society.

References:

• Suler, John. (2004). The Online Disinhibition Effect. Cyberpsychology & behavior : the impact of the Internet, multimedia and virtual reality on behavior and society. 7. 321-6. 10.1089/1094931041291295.
• Kardas, M., Nordgren, L., & Rucker, D. (2026). Unnecessarily divided: Civil conversations reduce attitude polarization more than people expect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 130(2), 187–214. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000469

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past decade, words like 'triggered' have become part of everyday speech, and the psychology behind that shift is more significant than it might seem.

In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist James Meachin to explore why the language we use to describe our emotions can profoundly shape how we experience them and, in turn, undermine our resilience.

Drawing on insights from ancient Greek philosophy through to modern psychology, they examine how our internal dialogue often has more influence over our emotional responses than the situations themselves. Along the way, they identify the thinking patterns that can keep us stuck and explain why recognising them is the crucial first step towards building genuine, lasting resilience.

References

• Ellis, A. The revised ABC's of rational-emotive therapy (RET). J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther 9, 139–172 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061227

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in history — but beyond the viewing figures and commercial spectacle, what does it do to us psychologically?

In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Professor Binna Kandola OBE to explore the psychology behind the world's biggest sporting, and emotional, event.

Drawing on research from the 2018 FIFA World Cup, they examine how expectation gaps shape supporter wellbeing, why moderate hope tends to produce healthier emotional outcomes than either blind optimism or low expectations, and how football can influence our mood without fundamentally changing overall life satisfaction.

A conversation that reveals more about human psychology than you might expect from a football tournament.

References:

• Robinson, M. A., Davis, M. C., & Unsworth, K. L. (2023). Expectation-achievement gaps and satisfaction in World Cup football supporters: a quasi-experiment. European Sport Management Quarterly, 23(5), 1304–1327. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2021.2007278

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all had that awkward moment where we recognise someone instantly, but their name has completely vanished.

Why does that happen? And are we really worse with names than faces, or does it just feel that way?

In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola explore one of the most relatable mysteries of human memory. From everyday social slip-ups to the psychology of recognition and recall, they unpack why names can be so difficult to remember and what that reveals about how memory actually works.

Along the way, they delve into research on metamemory and the brilliantly named “Butcher on the Bus” phenomenon, revealing why our intuitions about memory are not always as reliable as they seem.

If you’ve ever smiled confidently at someone while silently panicking over what they’re called, hopefully this episode will make you feel a little less embarrassed.

References

• Jenkins, R., Murray, A., & Dowsett, A. J. (2021). "I recognise your name but I can't remember your face": Name recognition outperforms face recognition. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74(12), 2157–2165.
• Jenkins, R., Dowsett, A. J., & Burton, A. M. (2018). How many faces do people know?
• Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1888), 20181319.
• Bruce, V., & Young, A. (1986). Understanding face recognition. British Journal of Psychology, 77(3), 305–327.
• Burke, D. M., MacKay, D. G., Worthley, J. S., & Wade, E. (1991). On the tip of the tongue: What causes word finding failures in young and older adults? Journal of Memory and Language, 30(5), 542–579.
• Mandler, G. (1980). Recognizing: The judgment of previous occurrence. Psychological Review, 87(3), 252–271.

A podcast exploring the psychology behind current events, daily decision-making, and the ideas that frame our thinking.

Brought to you by the expert team of chartered business psychologists at Pearn Kandola LLP.

Find out more at pearnkandola.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.