Ethics in Experiments and Nudges

Psych Experiments, Rogue Chatbots, and the Ethics of Influence What do a broken-fingered chess prodigy, a rogue AI chatbot, and a cafeteria fruit bowl have in common? In this wide-ranging episode, Kate and Andrew explore how power, influence, and *ethical blind spots* play out across psychology, technology, and behavioural science. From the dark legacy of the Stanford Prison and Milgram experiments to modern-day AI failures and manipulative nudges, they ask: when does guidance become control — and who gets to decide? They unpack the promise and risk of behavioural nudging, the rise of ethical oversight in tech, and the fine line between empowering users and quietly steering them. Along the way, they confront the replication crisis in psychology, the dangers of unchecked data, and what it really means to build *trust* in systems designed to influence. This is an unflinching conversation about accountability, transparency, and why ethical design matters more than ever in a world increasingly shaped by invisible forces.