The Why Factor

What makes some people want to base jump off a building, or climb a cliff with no ropes? A thrill-seeking personality may be necessary, but is it enough to court the sort of danger that could kill? In this week's Why Factor, we explore why some people risk death in pursuit of adventure.CONTRIBUTORS Hazel Findlay, Professional climber. Erik Monasterio, consultant in Forensic Psychiatry, clinical director of the regional forensic service in Canterbury New Zealand and senior clinical lecturer with the University of Otago. Mary Philips, Professor in Psychiatry in chemical and translational science, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Tim Woodman, Professor of Psychology, School of Sport Health and Life Sciences at Bangor University. Roberta Mancino, BASE jumper and stunt woman. Rob Fletcher, associate professor of sociology of development and change at Hanagen University in the Netherlands. Steven Lyng, Professor emeritus at Carthage College and Kenosha Wisconsin.Photo: Male climber gripping on handhold while climbing in cave Credit: Getty Images

Our attitude to taxation is determined by a wide range of factors: whether we think our neighbours are tax dodgers, how much control we have over how funds are spent and even our gender, age and religious beliefs. Nastaran Tavakoli-Far hears tales of tax avoidance by the world’s super-rich and finds out how governments around the world are using simple ‘nudge’ techniques to get people to feel positive about paying up.Guests: Carla Gericke, President Emeritus of the Free State Project Brooke Harrington, Professor of Sociology, Dartmouth College Stewart Kettle, Senior Advisor at the Behavioural Insights Team Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Associate Professor of Economics and Strategy at Saïd Business School Benno Torgler, Professor of Economics in the School of Economics and Finance, QUT Kelly Sarri, filmmakerPhoto: Calculating Tax Credit: Getty Images

How confidence can motivate, get us off the couch, make us healthier, enterprising, decisive and help us live up to our potential We also learn how doctors, entrepreneurs and whole economies can benefit from the right kind of confidence and the ways in which we can tell the good from the bad. In this edition of the Why Factor, Michael Blastland asks: why do we admire confidence? Contributors: Ed O’Brien - Associate Professor of Behaviour Science, University of Chicago Booth School of Business Maria Konnikova - Psychologist and Author: The Confidence Game Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic - Psychologist and Author: Confidence, The Surprising Truth About How Much You Need and How To Get It. Dr Anne McGuinness – University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Dr Josephine Perry – Sports Psychologist Don Moore – Professor of Management of Organizations, Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

From doctors to politicians to your boss, people often ask us to put our confidence in them. We’re often urged to build more confidence in ourselves. But one of the most consistent findings in psychology is that there is very little overlap between confidence and competence; how good people think they are, and how good they really are. In this edition of the Why Factor, Michael Blastland asks: why do admire confidence?Contributors Ed O’Brien - Associate Professor of Behaviour Science, University of Chicago Booth School of Business Maria Konnikova, Psychologist and Author: The Confidence Game Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Psychologist and Author: Confidence, The Surprising Truth About How Much You Need and How To Get It. Glen Fukushima -Senior Fellow, Center For American Progress Dr Anne McGuinness – University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustPhoto Credit: Multiple exposure of businesswoman arms crossed / Getty ImagesFilm Credit: The Great Imposter Trailer 1960 / Universal Studios Home Entertainment / Director Robert Mulligan

At some point in our lives, we’re all likely to make an investment, in time or money or effort, which goes wrong. But, when we know we’re in a hole, why do we find it so hard to stop digging? Realising when we should cut our losses is a decision making skill that’s important in all areas of our lives. In this Why Factor Sandra Kanthal examines why we should all learn how to avoid the 'sunk cost' fallacy.Guests:Spencer Christian - author, You Bet Your Life Wandi Bruine de Bruin - professor of behavioural decision making, Leeds University Business School Dean Yeong - Malaysian writer and entrepreneur Lior Sheffer – post-doctoral fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto Christopher Olivola - assistant professor of marketing, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University Claire Gregory – co-founder, The Female Fitness AcademyPresented and produced by Sandra Kanthal Editor: Richard Knight

Many jobs require workers to manage their emotional expressions with others. Flight attendants are expected to smile and be friendly even in stressful situations, carers are expected to show empathy and warmth, whereas bouncers and prison guards might need to be stern or aggressive. This management of emotions as part of a job is called ‘emotional labour’. It is something many people perform on top of the physical and mental labour involved in their work. Psychologists have shown that faking emotions at work, and suppressing real feelings, can cause stress, exhaustion and burnout. These efforts can be invisible, and that sometimes allows employers to exploit them. Nastaran Tavakoli-Far speaks to sociologists, psychologist, economists and bartenders and asks why we should value emotional labour.

People on the left are more likely to accept climate change than those on the right in the USA, Australia and much of Western Europe. But it’s a question that starts with little more than a thermometer, a measurement of the temperature at the earth’s surface. Why does a science question divide people along party lines? Was it the oil industry, fuelling doubt about the science? Or something deep in our psychology, that causes us to push the science aside in favour of belonging to a tribe, a feeling that who our friends are and what they believe, matters more?Presenter: Michael Blastland Producer: Phoebe Keane Editor: Richard Vadon

Why can’t we judge art at face value? How does the identity, behaviour and cultural context of the artist play a part in how we approach their artwork? Edwina Pitman explores why we can’t seem to separate the art from the artist.Guests: John Myatt, artist Paul Bloom, Professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University Michelle Hartney, artist Lionel Shriver, novelist Ananya Mishra, PhD researcher in English, University of Cambridge Svetlana Mintcheva, Director of Programs, National Coalition Against Censorship, New York Bob Sturm, Associate Professor in Speech, Music and Hearing at Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmPresented and Produced by Edwina Pitman Editor: Richard Knight(Photo: Woman looking at the Pablo Picasso painting The Dream. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Popularly known through the1950 Disney film of the same name, Cinderella has become a childhood classic all over the world. But different versions of her story can be traced all the way from Asia to Africa and beyond. These variants provide a snapshot of the history and cultures from which they emerge, providing clues to the tale’s longevity. In this episode Sandra Kanthal asks: Why is Cinderella such a popular story to tell. Guests: Gessica Martini – PhD Student, Durham University Juwen Zhang – Professor of Chinese, Willamette University Rym Tina Ghazal – Author and Journalist Ousseina Alidou – Professor of African Languages and Literatures, Rutgers University Dee Dee Chainey – Author and Co-founder of Folklore ThursdayEditor: Richard Knight Producer: Tural AhmedzadePhoto: Cinderella About to Try on the Glass Slipper by Richard Redgrave Credit: Historical Picture Archive/Corbis via Getty Images

Telling stories is one of the ways we connect to one and other. Stories teach us empathy and allow us to feel what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. They evolve to show us what our society considers acceptable - and what will not be forgiven. Sandra Kanthal explores why stories matter. Guests: David JP Philips – Communications Expert John Yorke - Author: Into The Woods Mirta Galesic - Professor in Human Social Dynamics, Santa Fe Institute Jamie Tehrani, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Durham University Elizabeth Kperrun - Founder; Zenafri Limited Samantha Armstrong - Senior Publisher, Oxford University Press Sandra Newman – Author: The Heavens and How Not To Write a NovelMusic Track: Make America Great Again – performed by Dave Fenley(Photo: Woman holding an open book bursting with light. Credit: Getty Images)