University Psychologists analyse the latest twists in fourth series of The Traitors

In The Psychology Of... The Traitors podcast Dr Kevin Hochard, Head of Psychology at the University is joined by Forensic Psychology Lecturer Connor Pell, to discuss the first three episodes of the fourth series. 

The pair discuss the twist of the ‘Secret Traitor’ and how it has switched up the dynamics noting that even Traitor Hugo commented that he felt he was in ‘middle management’. 

Kevin observed that the loss of control for the three Traitors enabled them to potentially look more Faithful as they too were trying to work out who a Traitor was while Connor felt the extra element added to their cognitive load. They also shared their theories on who they felt the Secret Traitor could be. 

Kevin explored how he felt this latest series ‘feels like a different game’ with the missions feeling more like competitions than friendly bonding sessions as in previous episodes and whether this potentially will create more drama in the future. They noted that this is already having an effect with the players not forming cliques as quickly. 

The pair also looked at the different analytical styles of contestants with backgrounds as police officers, barristers and psychologists; examples of psychological theories such as Social Identity Theory and Contact Theory and who they think is doing well to convince others that they are ‘100% faithful’. 

Kevin said: “We’re thrilled to see how this latest series of The Traitors unfolds and sharing our insights on the podcast every week.” 

To listen to The Psychology Of... The Traitors, visit the team’s Spotify page at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7qKt3KKH26Mw3bf0lnEudF?si=O-Wiju7MQtCFz831E3GM0Q