Behaviorally, poker and interrogations are very different

Behaviorally, poker and interrogations are very different

Author: Zachary Elwood July 10, 2026 Duration: 54:16
Zach Elwood, author of influential books on poker tells and host of the People Who Read People podcast, joins The Deductionist podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about what we can and can't learn from human behavior. Drawing on his years studying poker tells and consulting for high-stakes players, Zach explains why reading behavior in structured games like poker is fundamentally different from reading people in real-world situations like interrogations, negotiations, or everyday conversations. The discussion explores why nonverbal behaviors are almost always far less informative than what people say (and what they don’t say), why we can be drawn to overconfident behavior “experts" who promise certainty in uncertain situations, and how context and environment can dramatically change the meaning of behavior. We also discuss why some law enforcement professionals claim that understanding nonverbal behavior is hugely important in their work, while others claim it has close to zero impact. Sometimes, people are talking past each other, and thinking about entirely different aspects of behavior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder what a professional poker player notices about your tells, or how an FBI interrogator knows when someone’s lying? People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast digs into these questions through conversations with a fascinating array of experts. Host Zachary Elwood sits down with people whose jobs depend on accurately interpreting others-from jury consultants and behavior researchers to sports analysts and deception detection professionals. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the practical frameworks these individuals use to make sense of why we act the way we do, moving beyond textbook theory into the messy, applied reality of human interaction. With over 135 episodes in the archive, this podcast offers a deep and varied library exploring the subtle signals, hidden motivations, and cognitive patterns that drive our daily lives. You’ll hear specific stories and case studies that reveal how understanding behavior plays out in high-stakes courtrooms, strategic games, and everyday relationships. It’s for anyone curious about the mechanics of social dynamics, self-awareness, and the art of observation. Elwood’s grounded, interview-led approach makes complex psychological concepts accessible and immediately relevant, building a resource that feels both insightful and genuinely useful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How do visa officers read behavior?, with Travis Feuerbacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:55
Visa officers make life-changing decisions in minutes—often after just a brief conversation through a glass window. I talk with former U.S. visa officer Travis Feuerbacher (ZFvisa.com) about what really goes into those r…
How do visa officers read behavior?, with Travis Feuerbacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:40
Visa officers make life-changing decisions in minutes—often after just a brief conversation through a glass window. I talk with former U.S. visa officer Travis Feuerbacher (ZFvisa.com) about what really goes into those r…
MK Ultra: Fact vs fiction, with Stephen Kinzer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:56
Did MK Ultra actually accomplish anything impressive in brainwashing- and mind-control-related areas? Did the US government, as some people claim, create "Manchurian candidates," who would kill on command? In this episod…
MK Ultra: Fact vs fiction, with Stephen Kinzer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:41
Did MK Ultra actually accomplish anything impressive in brainwashing- and mind-control-related areas? Did the US government, as some people claim, create "Manchurian candidates," who would kill on command? In this episod…
From body language bullshit to behavior science, with Vincent Denault [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:50
Vincent Denault once believed he was learning how to read people’s hidden thoughts through analyzing body language. As a young lawyer in Quebec, he attended behavior analysis and “synergology” trainings that promised the…
From body language bullshit to behavior science, with Vincent Denault [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:35
Vincent Denault once believed he was learning how to read people’s hidden thoughts through analyzing body language. As a young lawyer in Quebec, he attended behavior analysis and “synergology” trainings that promised the…