Freakonomics Radio

Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But she did have a Ph.D. in psychology, a brilliant coach, and a burning desire to know whether life is driven more by skill or chance. She found some answers in poker — and she’s willing to tell us everything she learned.   * SOURCES: * Maria Konnikova [http://www.mariakonnikova.com/about/], author of The Biggest Bluff.   * RESOURCES: * “Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5089055/],” by Patrick Ring, Levent Neyse, Tamas David-Barett, and Ulrich Schmidt (Frontiers in Psychology, 2016). * “The headwinds/tailwinds Asymmetry: An Availability Bias in Assessments of Barriers and Blessings [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27869473/],” by Shai Davidai and Thomas Gilovich (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2016). * “The Two Settings of Kind and Wicked Learning Environments [https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5c5d/33b858eaf38f6a14b3f042202f1f44e04326.pdf],” by Robin M. Hogarth, Tomás Lejarraga, and Emre Soyer (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015). * "The Limits of Self-Control: Self-Control, Illusory Control, and Risky Financial Decision Making [https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8QR54B5],” by Maria Konnikova (Columbia University, 2013). * “Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement [https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-19211-001]” by J.B. Rotter (Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 1966).   * EXTRAS: * The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052552262X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=052552262X&linkId=586bf6b46d43f6d1a06f3ef3bd662d1d], by Maria Konnikova. * Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014312434X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=014312434X&linkId=ebf7760d699a97c5b9e2cb62bdcb22f4], by Maria Konnikova. * The Confidence Game [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143109871/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0143109871&linkId=fa7b44245528020806a8781bbadd58f1], by Maria Konnikova. * Theory of Games and Economic Behavior [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0691130612/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0691130612&linkId=5ec5b9d5a08678e0bae0a77bb198c90e], by John Von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern. * "This Year’s World Series Of Poker Is Different [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-years-world-series-of-poker-is-different/id1743213122?i=1000712504037]," by Risky Business with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova (2025).

Cory Booker on the politics of fear, the politics of hope, and how to split the difference.   * SOURCES: * Cory Booker [https://www.booker.senate.gov/], senior United States Senator from New Jersey.   * RESOURCES: * "'When Are More Americans Going to Speak Up? [https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/cory-booker-america-needs-moral-leadership-and-not-political-leadership]'" by The New Yorker Radio Hour (2025). * "Cory Booker’s Marathon Floor Speech [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2utlMxAwtE&t=51059s]," (2025). * "Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show [https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739]," by Georgia Wells, Jeff Horwitz, and Deepa Seetharaman (Wall Street Journal, 2021). * "Tucked Into the Tax Bill, a Plan to Help Distressed America [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/29/business/tax-bill-economic-recovery-opportunity-zones.html]," by Jim Tankersley (New York Times, 2018). * United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good [https://amzn.to/3ZYw3W6], by Cory Booker (2017). * "But What Did Cory Booker Actually Accomplish in Newark? [https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-what-cory-booker-accomplished.html]" by J.B. Wogan (Governing, 2013).   * EXTRAS: * "Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/ten-myths-about-the-u-s-tax-system/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2025). * "The United States of Cory Booker [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-united-states-of-cory-booker/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

In the U.S., there will soon be more people over 65 than there are under 18 — and it’s not just lifespan that’s improving, it’s “healthspan” too. Unfortunately, the American approach to aging is stuck in the 20th century. In less than an hour, we try to unstick it. (Part three of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave [https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/cradle-to-grave/].”)   * SOURCES: * James Chappel [https://scholars.duke.edu/person/james.chappel], professor of history at Duke University. * Katy Fike [https://generatorvc.com/team], co-founder of Aging 2.0 and managing partner of Generator Ventures. * Kristen Fortney [https://bioagelabs.com/team], co-founder and C.E.O. of BioAge. * Celine Halioua [https://www.celinehh.com/about], founder and C.E.O. of Loyal. * Kyla Scanlon [https://kylascanlon.com/], economic commentator. * Andrew Scott [https://profandrewjscott.com/], professor of economics at London Business School.   * RESOURCES: * In This Economy?: How Money & Markets Really Work [https://amzn.to/4l1Q1Yp], by Kyla Scanlon (2024). * Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age [https://amzn.to/3HZXLeY], by James Chappel (2024). * The Longevity Imperative: How to Build a Healthier and More Productive Society to Support Our Longer Lives [https://amzn.to/44hswU5], by Andrew Scott (2024).   * EXTRAS: * "Off Leash [https://freakonomics.com/series/off-leash/]," by The Freakonomics Radio Network (2022). * "Are You Ready for a Glorious Sunset? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/are-you-ready-for-a-glorious-sunset/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2015).

In this episode from 2013, we look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.   * SOURCES: * Benedikt Herrmann [https://cepr.org/about/people/benedikt-herrmann], research officer at the European Commission. * Steve Levitt [https://freakonomics.com/series/people-i-mostly-admire/], co-author of Freakonomics and host of People I (Mostly) Admire. * Dave O'Connor [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-o-connor-a75a829/], president of Times Studios. * Lisi Oliver [https://www.oenewsletter.org/OEN/archive/46_1/oliver.php], professor of English at Louisiana State University. * E.O. Wilson [https://eowilsonfoundation.org/about-us/e-o-wilson/], naturalist and university research professor emeritus at Harvard University.   * RESOURCES: * You Don't Know Bo: The Legend of Bo Jackson [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2356302/?ref_=ttfc_ov_i], documentary (2012). * "Amputation of the nose throughout history [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2689568/pdf/0392-100X.29.044.pdf]," by G. Sperati (ACTA Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, 2009). * "The Appearance of Homo Rivalis: Social Preferences and the Nature of Rent Seeking [https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cedex/documents/papers/2008-10.pdf]," by Benedikt Herrmann and Henrik Orzen (Center for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, 2008).   * EXTRAS: * "What It’s Like to Be Middle-Aged (in the Middle Ages) [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/what-its-like-to-be-middle-aged-in-the-middle-ages/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2025).

The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don’t mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave [https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/cradle-to-grave/].”)   * SOURCES: * Jordan Cavalier [https://jordancavalier.com/about-me], performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. * Matt Schwarz [https://njrenfaire.com/wordpress/matt-schwarz-harper/], harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. * Phillipp Schofield [https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/history/staff-profiles/listing/profile/prs/], professor of history at Aberystywth University. * Neslihan Şenocak [https://history.columbia.edu/person/neslihan-senocak/], professor of history at Columbia University.   * RESOURCES: * A People's Church: Medieval Italy and Christianity, 1050–1300 [https://amzn.to/3ZAnEYK], co-edited by Agostino Paravicini Bagliani and Neslihan Şenocak (2023). * The Routledge Handbook of Medieval Rural Life [https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003194866-12/famine-medieval-england-phillipp-schofield], edited by Miriam Müller with a contribution by Phillip Schofield (2021). * Monty Python and the Holy Grail [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/], film (1975).   * EXTRAS: * "Are You Having a Midlife Crisis? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/are-you-having-a-midlife-crisis/]" by No Stupid Questions (2022).