From the Archives: Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit

From the Archives: Persuasion, Manipulation and Behavioural Psychology: How Consumer Choice is Shaped w. Thinkerbell's Dan Monheit

December 16, 2025 · 49 min · Season 4

About this episode

James Lawrence discusses the nuances of persuasion and manipulation in marketing with Dan Monheit, exploring behavioural science principles and ethical considerations.

In marketing, there exists a fine line between influencing decisions and crossing into manipulation. The difference? One builds trust while the other erodes it. Host James Lawrence chats with Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell and former CEO of creative behavioural science agency HardHat, about applying behavioural science principles like default bias and anchoring to your marketing, related ethical considerations and how to draw the line between persuasion and manipulation. Key Takeaways: Dan’s journey - starting Hardhat and his interest in behavioural science Introduction to behavioural science and it’s connection to marketing What are some common behavioural biases you see everyday? -Default bias -Framing -Anchoring -Loss aversion -Effort bias Ethics in persuasion vs manipulation Navigating dark patterns How context impacts perception and shapes biases Essential behavioural science resources for marketers Guest: Dan Monheit is a leader in creative behavioural science. In 2005, he founded Hardhat, a pioneering agency that worked with top brands like Mattel, Bega Dairy, the Victorian Government, Kogan, DocuSign and Afterpay. Under his direction, Hardhat became a go-to…

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