The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

What if grit isn’t the whole story behind success? Psychologist and author Angela Duckworth joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant to talk about her new book, Situated, and how the situations around us can shape our behavior, motivation, creativity, and ability to reach our goals. They unpack situational awareness, the paradox of self-control, and why willpower alone can be an unreliable tool for change. Angela also shares practical ways to shape your environment, reduce friction around your goals, and think through when to keep going versus when a different path may serve you better. Together, they explore how becoming more intentional about our surroundings, relationships, and support systems can sometimes be more powerful than simply trying harder.

Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best - Angela Duckworth, 2026, Scribner (author's book page)

Situated Preface (excerpt) - Angela Duckworth, 2026, web excerpt with audiobook sample, angeladuckworth.com

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - Angela Duckworth, 2016, Scribner

Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals - Angela Duckworth, Christopher Peterson, Michael Matthews & Dennis Kelly, 2007, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Too Much of a Good Thing: The Challenge and Opportunity of the Inverted U - Adam Grant & Barry Schwartz, 2011, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Situational Strategies for Self-Control - Angela Duckworth, Tamar Szabó Gendler & James Gross, 2016, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Beyond Willpower: Strategies for Reducing Failures of Self-Control - Angela Duckworth, Katherine Milkman & David Laibson, 2018, Psychological Science in the Public Interest

Oxford Essential Quotations (George Bernard Shaw entry) - Susan Ratcliffe (ed.), 2018, reference-work entry, Oxford Reference / Oxford University Press

Maxims for Revolutionists - George Bernard Shaw, 1903; Project Gutenberg edition 2008, public-domain e-text, Project Gutenberg

Figure This: Deciding What's Figure, What's Ground - Adelson, 2002, Monitor on Psychology (American Psychological Association)

LinkedIn post on situations - Angela Duckworth, 2025, social-media post, LinkedIn

The Four Essential Elements of Successful Situations - Duckworth, 2026, book excerpt (online article), Knowledge at Wharton

Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit - Brené Brown, 2025, Random House

Angela Duckworth on Her New Book, ‘Grit’ Controversy, and Parenting in a Digital Age - Fiorillo, 2026, Philadelphia Magazine

Rethinking Rumination - Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Blair Wisco & Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2008, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Self-Focused Attention and Negative Affect: A Meta-Analysis - Nilly Mor & Jennifer Winquist, 2002, Psychological Bulletin

Situated Scorecard - Angela Duckworth, 2026, interactive self-assessment (web page), angeladuckworth.com

Situated Scorecard Handout - Angela Duckworth, 2026, PDF handout, angeladuckworth.com

Self-Control and SAT Outcomes: Evidence from Two National Field Studies - Chayce Baldwin, Kyla Haimovitz, Priya Shankar, Robert Gallop, David Yeager, James Gross & Angela Duckworth, 2022, PLOS ONE

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini, 2021; first published 1984, Harper Business (author's organization site)

As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7 - William Shakespeare, c. 1599, Folger Shakespeare Library

More Than Resisting Temptation: Beneficial Habits Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Control and Positive Life Outcomes - Brian Galla & Angela Duckworth, 2015, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Wendy Wood – Publications - Wendy Wood, faculty web page, USC Dornsife

Habits in Everyday Life: Thought, Emotion, and Action - Wendy Wood, Jeffrey Quinn & Deborah Kashy, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Asaf Mazar - Asaf Mazar, personal website

Alistair Brownlee | The Greatest to Ever Do It - World Triathlon, 2024, video, YouTube

The Paradox of a Pair of Clocks. The Magic of Chronos and Kairos or Why I Wear Two Watches! - Brené Brown, 2026, social-media post (from an AMA), LinkedIn / The Curiosity Shop

Quote Origin: Between Stimulus and Response There Is a Space. In That Space Is Our Power To Choose Our Response - O'Toole, 2018, Quote Investigator

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment - Eckhart Tolle, 1997, Namaste Publishing / New World Library (author site)

32% of Americans Have a Tattoo, Including 22% Who Have More Than One - Schaeffer & Dinesh, 2023, short-read survey report, Pew Research Center

Prepared Environment - Association Montessori Internationale, glossary entry, AMI glossary

Understanding the Three-Year Cycle in Montessori - Maria Rodriguez, web article, The Montessori Foundation

Piagetian Theory - American Psychological Association, dictionary entry, APA Dictionary of Psychology

For the Fun of It: Harnessing Immediate Rewards to Increase Persistence in Long-Term Goals - Kaitlin Woolley & Ayelet Fishbach, 2016, Journal of Consumer Research

Mask-Wearing Needs to Be Easy, Understood and Expected - Duckworth, Ungar & Emanuel, 2020, op-ed reprint, Penn Almanac (original in The New York Times)

Everyday Temptations: An Experience Sampling Study of Desire, Conflict, and Self-Control - Wilhelm Hofmann, Roy Baumeister, Georg Förster & Kathleen Vohs, 2012, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Trait Self-Control and the Avoidance of Temptation - Michael Ent, Roy Baumeister & Dianne Tice, 2015, Personality and Individual Differences

More Than Resisting Temptation: Beneficial Habits Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Control and Positive Life Outcomes - Brian Galla & Angela Duckworth, 2015, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

The Myth of Self-Control - Resnick, 2016, Vox

The Power of Vulnerability - Brené Brown, 2010, TED Talk (video), TEDxHouston / TED

Beyond Grit: The Science of Creativity, Purpose, and Motivation - Grant & Duckworth, 2016, published conversation, Next Big Idea Club Magazine

Knee-Deep in the Big Muddy: A Study of Escalating Commitment to a Chosen Course of Action - Barry Staw, 1976, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance

Hope (Psychology) - EBSCO, encyclopedia-style research overview, EBSCO Research Starters

'Grit' and Circumstance: Bestselling Author Angela Duckworth Brings Her Wisdom to BYU - Walch, 2023, Deseret News

The Four Essential Elements of Successful Situations - Duckworth, 2026, book excerpt (online article), Knowledge at Wharton

Workspace Disorder Does Not Influence Creativity and Executive Functions - Alberto Manzi, Yana Durmysheva, Shannon Pinegar, Andrew Rogers & Justine Ramos, 2019, Frontiers in Psychology

A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder - Eric Abrahamson & David Freedman, 2007, Little, Brown (Goodreads listing)

Physical Order Produces Healthy Choices, Generosity, and Conventionality, Whereas Disorder Produces Creativity - Kathleen Vohs, Joseph Redden & Ryan Rahinel, 2013, Psychological Science

Documenting Anne Lamott - SFGate / San Francisco Chronicle (no byline), SFGate

Genius of the AND - Jim Collins, concept page (with excerpts from Built to Last), JimCollins.com

Self-Control and Grit: Related but Separable Determinants of Success - Angela Duckworth & James Gross, 2014, Current Directions in Psychological Science

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Short Grit Scale - Oscar Gonzalez, Jessica Canning, Heather Smyth & David MacKinnon, 2020, European Journal of Psychological Assessment

In 'Situated,' Angela Duckworth, the Author of 'Grit,' Does an About-Face - O'Gieblyn, 2026, The New Yorker

How Willpower Wasn't: The Truth About Ego Depletion - Danvers, 2020, blog post ('How Do You Know?'), Psychology Today

A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect - Kathleen Vohs and colleagues, 2021, Psychological Science

The Impact of Sleep Interventions on Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review - Lúcio Cunha and colleagues, 2023, Sports Medicine – Open

The Attentional Cost of Receiving a Cell Phone Notification - Cary Stothart, Ainsley Mitchum & Courtney Yehnert, 2015, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

Wear Eye Protection When Playing Pickleball - Reena Mukamal, patient-education web article, American Academy of Ophthalmology

Breaking Up with Perfectionism - Adam Grant with Eric Best, 2022, podcast episode, WorkLife with Adam Grant / TED Audio Collective

Adam Grant on How to Reach New Heights - Wharton Magazine (no byline), 2023, Wharton Magazine

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things - Adam Grant, 2023, Viking (Penguin Random House page)
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In this solo episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam Grant answers questions about leadership, rethinking, careers, AI, and the future of work. He explores how leaders can make people feel heard without adopting every idea, why seeking feedback early can shape a transformational leader, and how to speak up in ways that actually create change. Adam also reflects on a hiring mistake that challenged his own thinking, explains why he’s changed his mind about tradition, and considers why political beliefs are so difficult to rethink. Along the way, he shares his perspective on the jobs most likely to preserve human connection in the age of AI, the benefits and limitations of remote and hybrid work, and how people can reshape and grow beyond their job descriptions. He also takes on a few lighter questions, sharing whether he still practices magic, his favorite food, and what he admires about Tom Brady.

Be Careful What You Ask For: How Highly Inclusive Leaders Diminish Upward Communication Quality – John J. Sumanth, 2011, (doctoral dissertation) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Carolina Digital Repository

Does Having a Say Matter Only If You Get Your Way? Instrumental and Value-Expressive Effects of Employee Voice – McFarlin, D. B., & Sweeney, P. D., 1996, (journal article) Basic and Applied Social Psychology

The Impact of Leader Eye Gaze on Disparity in Member Influence: Implications for Process and Performance in Diverse Groups – Shim, S.-H., et al., 2021, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Feeling Seen: Leader Eye Gaze Promotes Psychological Safety, Participation, and Voice – Nicole Abi-Esber, Alison Wood Brooks & Ethan Burris, 2022, (working paper) Harvard Business School Working Paper

About Katherine Phillips – Columbia Business School, (web page) Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership

Rocking the Boat but Keeping It Steady: The Role of Emotion Regulation in Employee Voice – Grant, A. M., 2013, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Win Over an Opponent by Asking for Advice – Liljenquist, K., & Galinsky, A. D., June 27, 2014, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success – Adam Grant, 2013, (book) Viking

I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963, (speech video) Internet Archive

Martin Luther King Jr., Man of the Year – TIME, January 3, 1964, (magazine cover story) TIME

Early Recording Found of King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech – Montagne, R., August 17, 2015, (radio segment) NPR Morning Edition

Feedback Seeking – Susan J. Ashford, (author research page) susanashford.com

The Dynamics of Proactivity at Work – Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J., 2008, (journal article) Research in Organizational Behavior 28

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things – Adam Grant, 2023, (book) Viking

The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work – Ludmila N. Praslova, 2024, (book) Berrett-Koehler

Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage – Austin, R. D., & Pisano, G. P., May–June 2017, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 95(3)

Adam Grant: How Future-Ready Leaders Must Rethink the Work Day – Linda Lacina with Adam Grant, February 28, 2025, (podcast episode) Meet the Leader, World Economic Forum

Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World – Adam Grant, 2026, (book) Viking

The Group Polarization Phenomenon – Myers, D. G., & Lamm, H., 1976, (journal article) Psychological Bulletin 83(4)

The Law of Group Polarization – Sunstein, C. R., 2002, (preprint of journal article) Journal of Political Philosophy

Adam Grant – The Potential of Your Potential – The Imperfects, March 11, 2024, (card trick video) YouTube

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race – Walter Isaacson, 2021, (book) Simon & Schuster

What the Return-to-Office Debate Gets Wrong – Brené Brown & Adam Grant, April 30, 2026, (podcast episode video) The Curiosity Shop, YouTube

Jennifer A. Doudna – Biographical – The Nobel Prize, 2020, (autobiographical essay) NobelPrize.org

Tom Brady Improves 40-Yard Dash Time – NOBULL, September 19, 2024, (video) YouTube

Tom Brady on the Art of Leading Teammates – Brady, T., & Nohria, N., September–October 2024, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review

Hybrid Working From Home Improves Retention Without Damaging Performance – Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J., 2024, (journal article) Nature

What the Data Says About Pandemic School Closures, Four Years Later – Mervosh, S., Miller, C. C., & Paris, F., March 18, 2024, (newspaper article) The New York Times, The Upshot

The Consequences of Remote and Hybrid Instruction During the Pandemic – Dan Goldhaber, Thomas J. Kane, Andrew McEachin, Emily Morton, Tyler Patterson & Douglas O. Staiger, 2022, (working paper) CALDER Working Paper

Crafting a Job: Revisioning Employees as Active Crafters of Their Work – Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E., 2001, (journal article) Academy of Management Review

Managing Yourself: Turn the Job You Have Into the Job You Want – Wrzesniewski, A., Berg, J. M., & Dutton, J. E., June 2010, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 88(6)

Job Crafting Exercise – Center for Positive Organizations, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, (tool / web page) positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu

Getting Unstuck: The Effects of Growth Mindsets About the Self and Job on Happiness at Work – Berg, J. M., et al., 2023, (journal article) Journal of Applied Psychology
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Does conflict really have the power to bring us closer together? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, facilitator and author Priya Parker joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant to rethink how we approach conflict. Drawing from her new book, The Art of Fighting, Priya explores why avoiding conflict can create distance in our relationships, how “healthy heat” differs from destructive conflict, and why practicing disagreement when the stakes are low can prepare us for the conversations that matter most. Together, they unpack toxic politeness and why meaningful relationships require us to embrace discomfort instead of avoiding it. They also explore how preparation and collective humanity can be powerful tools to de-escalate conflict. The conversation leads Brené and Adam to reflect on their own history and how some of their hardest conversations have ultimately deepened their friendship.

About Priya Parker | Her Story – Priya Parker, priyaparker.com (web page)

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters – Priya Parker, 2018, Riverhead Books (book)

Brené with Priya Parker on The Art of Gathering – Brené Brown and Priya Parker, 2020, Unlocking Us (podcast episode)

Brené with Priya Parker on How We Return and Why It Matters, Part 1 of 2 – Brené Brown and Priya Parker, 2021, Dare to Lead (podcast episode)

Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On – Brené Brown and Adam Grant, 2026, The Curiosity Shop (video/podcast episode, YouTube)

Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis – Carsten K. W. De Dreu and Laurie R. Weingart, 2003, Journal of Applied Psychology (journal article)

The Science of Productive Conflict – Adam Grant, 2021, WorkLife with Adam Grant (video episode, YouTube)

Heat is relevance (and other things I've learned about healthy heat) – Priya Parker, 2026, Group Life (newsletter post, Substack)

Group Life – Priya Parker, n.d., Substack (newsletter)

Prentis Hemphill – Prentis Hemphill, n.d., prentishemphill.com (personal website)

Clear Is Kind. Unclear Is Unkind. – Brené Brown, 2018, brenebrown.com (article)

Working at Canlis – Canlis, n.d., canlis.com (careers page)

Do I stay or do I go? – Priya Parker, 2026, Group Life (newsletter post, Substack)

Why Avoiding Conflict Is Actually Hurting Your Relationships | Priya Parker on 'The Interview' – The New York Times, 2026, YouTube (video)

Festivus: The Airing of Grievances – Seinfeld, “The Strike,” 1997, YouTube (video clip)

The Rituals Of Reality TV Reunions: An In-Depth Examination – Gibson Johns, 2024, Betches (article)

Resources – Conscious Leadership Group, conscious.is (resource library)

Fairy Tales and Script Drama Analysis – Stephen B. Karpman, 1968, Transactional Analysis Bulletin (journal article)

How to Use the Drama Triangle at Work – Conscious Leadership Group, n.d., conscious.is (blog post)

Martin B. Copenhaver – The Christian Century, christiancentury.org (contributor page)

The Rev. Martin

B. Copenhaver: "Divided We Stand" – Martin B. Copenhaver, 2007, Washington National Cathedral (sermon)

Open and Affirming – UCC Open and Affirming Coalition, openandaffirming.org (organisation page)

Open and Affirming – United Church of Christ, n.d., ucc.org (denomination page)

Robert's Rules of Order – Henry M. Robert, 1876, Project Gutenberg (book)

Zohran Mamdani Campaign Rally, United Palace, Washington Heights – uploader not confirmed, 2025, YouTube (video, deep link at 7:41)

The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy – Anand Giridharadas, 2022, Knopf (book)

Remembering Hal Saunders, Founder and Mentor – Sustained Dialogue Institute, 2016, sustaineddialogue.org (memorial notice)

Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City – Anand Giridharadas, 2026, Knopf / Penguin Random House (book)

The 12 New Books to Spice Up Your Fall – Adam Grant, 2026, Granted (newsletter post, Substack)

The Story Rumble Process: A Guide for Groups and Teams – Brené Brown, 2018, brenebrown.com (downloadable resource)
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Primatologist Aaron Sandel has spent over a decade studying the Ngogo chimpanzees, witnessing one of the largest known chimp communities split into two factions. In this episode, Aaron joins Brené and Adam to explore what chimpanzees can teach us about friendship, conflict, belonging, and human nature. He shares what he learned from watching these chimps show affection, navigate dominance hierarchies, and face the effects of division within their own community. Aaron also reflects on what it was like to watch chimps he knew by name turn against one another, while exploring the surprising depth of bonds between chimpanzees. Together, they explore the parallels between chimpanzee behavior and the ways we harmonize, polarize, and build communities in our own lives.

Prof. Aaron Sandel – Aaron Sandel, aaron-sandel.com

The Ngogo Chimpanzee Project – Watts, D., et al., ngogochimpanzeeproject.org

Male-Male Relationships and the Transition to Adulthood in Chimpanzees – Sandel, A., 2017, University of Michigan (PhD Dissertation)

First Clearly Documented Split in World’s Largest Known Chimpanzee Community Leads to Deadly Violence – Erin Walters, April 9, 2026, UT Austin News

Lethal Conflict After Group Fission in Wild Chimpanzees – Sandel, A., et al., 2026, Science

Hunting Behavior of Chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda – Watts, D. & Mitani, J., 2002, International Journal of Primatology

Is a chimp a monkey? – Catherine Annau & Tatiana Hayek, January 4, 2017, Jane Goodall Institute Canada

Chimp Empire – Directed by James Reed, narrated by Mahershala Ali, April 19, 2023, Netflix (Documentary Series)

Chimp Empire | Mahershala Ali | Official Trailer – Netflix, March 22, 2023, YouTube (Video)

Conflicted Opinion: Yale Chimpanzee Expert Weighs In on 'Chimp Empire' – Mike Cummings, June 8, 2023, YaleNews

Which Chimp Is Which in Chimp Empire? – Netflix, April 26, 2023, Netflix Tudum

What Happened to the Chimps in ‘Chimp Empire?’ – Netflix Tudum, May 2, 2023, Netflix

Kibale National Park – Google, Google Maps (Map)

Kibale National Park – Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Harvard University

Uganda Wildlife Authority – Uganda Wildlife Authority, ugandawildlife.org

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience – Brené Brown, 2021, brenebrown.com (Book)

The Social Self: On Being the Same and Different at the Same Time – Brewer, M., 1991, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

How Was Chimp Empire Made? – Netflix Tudum, May 2, 2023, Netflix

Male Chimpanzees Form Enduring and Equitable Social Bonds – Mitani, J., 2009, Animal Behaviour

My Life Among the Apes – Mitani, J., 2020, American Journal of Primatology

Rise of the Warrior Apes – James Reed (Director), 2017, KEO Films (Film - Prequel to Chimp Empire)

Most VIOLENT Chimpanzee Society Ever Discovered | Rise of the Warrior Apes – Discovery Australia, February 16, 2018, YouTube (Video)

What a Chimpanzee ‘Civil War’ Can Teach Us About How Societies Fall Apart – Nathan Rott, April 13, 2026, NPR

Lethal Aggression in Pan Is Better Explained by Adaptive Strategies Than Human Impacts – Wilson, M., et al., 2014, Nature

Intergroup Aggression in Chimpanzees and War in Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers: Evaluating the Chimpanzee Model – Wrangham, R. & Glowacki, L., 2012, Human Nature

UT Researchers Find Polarization, Lethal Conflict Among Chimpanzees – Khoi Nguyen, April 21, 2026, The Daily Texan

Adolescent Male Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Form Social Bonds With Their Brothers and Others During the Transition to Adulthood – Sandel, A., et al., 2020, American Journal of Primatology

Glimpses of Fatherhood Found in Non-Pair-Bonding Chimps – University of Texas at Austin, January 15, 2020, ScienceDaily

Human Respiratory Viruses Continue to Spread in Wild Chimpanzees – University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, January 2019, UW-Madison

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead – Brené Brown, 2012, brenebrown.com (Book)

Anthropomorphism and Anthropodenial: Consistency in Our Thinking About Humans and Other Animals – de Waal, F., 1999, Philosophical Topics

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? – Frans de Waal, 2016, W. W. Norton (Book)

Constraints on Relationship Formation Among Female Primates – Barrett, L. & Henzi, S., 2002, Behaviour

The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle – Aristotle, translated by F. H. Peters, 1893, Project Gutenberg (Book)

Think Your Adolescence Was Hard? Try Being a Chimp – Harvard Gazette, May 21, 2026, Harvard University

Social Relationships Between Chimpanzee Sons and Mothers Endure but Change – Reddy, R. & Sandel, A., 2020, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Puberty Initiates a Unique Stage of Social Learning and Development Prior to Adulthood: Insights From Studies of Adolescence in Wild Chimpanzees – Reddy, R., et al., 2022, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Male–Male Relationships in Chimpanzees and the Evolution of Human Pair Bonds – Sandel, A., 2023, Evolutionary Anthropology

Romantic Love in Humans May Have Evolved From Same-Sex Friendship – Lauren Macknight, June 7, 2023, Phys.org

‘It’s Like ‘Game of Thrones’’: Otter Clans Wage War Over Space in Singapore – Maina Chen, October 25, 2021, Yahoo News

Conservation – The Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, ngogochimpanzeeproject.org

Mass Communication and Para-Social Interaction: Observations on Intimacy at a Distance – Donald Horton & R. Richard Wohl, 1956, Psychiatry 19(3):215-229

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know – Adam Grant, 2021, adamgrant.net (Book)

Callings – Amy Wrzesniewski, 2010, September 1, 2010, The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship

Unpacking Emotion Differentiation: Transforming Unpleasant Experience by Perceiving Distinctions in Negativity – Kashdan, T., et al., 2015, Current Directions in Psychological Science

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain – Lisa Feldman Barrett, 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Book)

Does Language Do More Than Communicate Emotion? – Lindquist, K., et al., 2015, Current Directions in Psychological Science

Brené Brown Says You’re Doing Feelings Wrong – Dan Harris, April 2022, Ten Percent Happier (Podcast)

Ancestral Diversity – Niedenthal Emotions Lab, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Great Ape Gestures: Intentional Communication With a Rich Set of Innate Signals – Byrne, R., et al., 2017, Animal Cognition

Towards a Great Ape Dictionary: Inexperienced Humans Understand Common Nonhuman Ape Gestures – Graham, K. & Hobaiter, C., 2023, PLOS Biology

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What happens to integrity when cheating becomes easier and the world seems to reward people for cutting corners? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam shares what happened when he discovered that students were planning to use AI to cheat on an exam. Brené and Adam move into a much larger conversation about honesty, character, and moral identity. Together, they explore when using AI is inherently cheating, why monitoring people isn’t enough to make them trustworthy, the difference between shame and adaptive guilt, and what research reveals about building a stronger moral compass. They also unpack why honor codes can sometimes backfire, how inconsistent accountability undermines trust, and what dimension of character we often overlook. Ultimately, Brené and Adam explore the difference between wanting to be seen as a good person and choosing to become the kind of person who does the right thing even when no one else is watching.

There’s Really Only One Way to Stop Students From Cheating – Adam Grant, August 26, 2026, The New York Times

Cheating: Why Students Do It and How We Can Help Them Stop – Donald McCabe, 2001, American Educator

Brené Brown: The Rage Bucket Theory – Trevor Noah, June 4, 2026, What Now? with Trevor Noah

Adam Grant Gives Trevor an Intellectual Wedgie – Trevor Noah, August 2024, What Now? with Trevor Noah

Pickleball Line Rules: Calling the Ball “In” or “Out” – PlayPickleball.com, July 31, 2024, YouTube

Cheating in the Age of Generative AI: A High School Survey Study of Cheating Behaviors Before and After the Release of ChatGPT – Lee et al., 2024, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence

Addressing Academic Dishonesty in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Generative AI’s Impact – Sharma & Panja, 2025, Open Praxis

As Schools Reconsider Cursive, Research Homes in on Handwriting’s Brain Benefits – Jonathan Lambert, May 11, 2024, NPR

How Learning Handwriting Trains the Brain: The Science Behind the Cursive Wars – Mariana Lenharo, February 2, 2026, Nature

The Importance of Cursive Handwriting Over Typewriting for Learning in the Classroom – Ose Askvik et al., 2020, Frontiers in Psychology

Why Cursive Handwriting Is Good for Your Brain – Christopher Bergland, October 2, 2020, Psychology Today

The Effects of Handwriting Experience on Functional Brain Development in Pre-Literate Children – James & Engelhardt, 2012, Trends in Neuroscience and Education

How Handwriting Trains the Brain – Gwendolyn Bounds, October 5, 2010, The Wall Street Journal

The Self-Importance of Moral Identity – Aquino & Reed, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Does Moral Identity Effectively Predict Moral Behavior? A Meta-Analysis – Hertz & Krettenauer, 2016, Review of General Psychology

Competition and Cheating: Investigating the Role of Moral Awareness, Moral Identity, and Moral Elevation – Vadera & Pathki, 2021, Journal of Organizational Behavior

Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior – Tangney et al., 2007, Annual Review of Psychology

Shame and Guilt – Tangney & Dearing, 2002, Guilford Press

Shame, Guilt, and Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analytic Review – Kim et al., 2011, Psychological Bulletin

Shame v. Guilt – Brené Brown, January 14, 2013, brenebrown.com

Protecting Our Attention, Time and Humanity in a World That Won’t Slow Down – Brené Brown, August 20, 2026, The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

Effectiveness of Ex Ante Honesty Oaths in Reducing Dishonesty Depends on Content – Zickfeld et al., 2025, Nature Human Behaviour

Committed Dishonesty: A Systematic Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Social Commitment on Dishonest Behavior – Zickfeld et al., 2024, Psychological Bulletin

Detecting and Preventing Cheating in Exams: Evidence From a Field Experiment – Cagala et al., 2024, Journal of Human Resources

The Honor Committee – University of Virginia, honor.virginia.edu

Effects of Honor Code Reminders on University Students’ Cheating in Unproctored Exams – Zhao et al., 2023, Contemporary Educational Psychology

Honor Codes and Other Contextual Influences on Academic Integrity: A Replication and Extension to Modified Honor Code Settings – McCabe et al., 2002, Research in Higher Education

Academic Dishonesty: Honor Codes and Other Contextual Influences – McCabe & Treviño, 1993, Journal of Higher Education

Bicentennial Analysis – UVA Honor Committee, 2019, University of Virginia

Culture Is Not the Problem. Tolerated Behaviour Is. – John Amaechi, February 15, 2026, Giant! with John Amaechi

Making a Pledge Can Encourage Honest Behavior—If the Wording Is Right – Simon Makin, Scientific American, February 26, 2025, Scientific American

"Do or do not. There is no try” - Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back, Screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, 1980, [Video] YouTube

I Solemnly Swear I’m Up to Good: A Megastudy Investigating the Effectiveness of Honesty Oaths on Curbing Dishonesty – Zickfeld et al., 2024, HAL Preprint

Trump Reports Over $1 Billion in Income From Crypto Ventures – TIME, June 30, 2026, TIME

Now Available: The President’s and Vice President’s Public Financial Disclosure Reports – U.S. Office of Government Ethics, 2026, U.S. Office of Government Ethics

Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 – U.S. Congress, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-105

This Is Your Brain on Drugs – Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 1987, YouTube

Project D.A.R.E. Outcome Effectiveness Revisited – West & O’Neal, 2004, American Journal of Public Health

New Approaches to Youth Substance Misuse – American Psychological Association, March 2024, Monitor on Psychology

Beyond Pleasure and Pain – Higgins, 1997, American Psychologist

Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect – Higgins, 1987, Psychological Review

Possible Selves – Markus & Nurius, 1986, American Psychologist

Unwanted Identities: A Key Variable in Shame–Anger Links and Gender Differences in Shame – Ferguson et al., 2000, Sex Roles

Shame Resilience Theory: A Grounded Theory Study on Women and Shame – Brown, 2006, Families in Society

The BRAVING Inventory – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com

An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust – Mayer et al., 1995, Academy of Management Review

The Halo Effect: Evidence for Unconscious Alteration of Judgments – Nisbett & Wilson, 1977, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Integrity Is Choosing Courage Over Comfort – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com

The Self-Importance of Moral Identity – Aquino & Reed, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

The Optics of Lying: How Pursuing an Honest Social Image Shapes Dishonest Behavior – Guzikevits & Choshen-Hillel, 2022, Current Opinion in Psychology

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear, 2018, Avery
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