Dr. Jud on the Armchair Expert Podcast: Why We Behave The Way We Do

Overview

In this episode of Armchair Expert, Dax Shepard and Dr. Jud dig into the brain science behind why we do what we do — from food cravings to compulsive behaviors to the way meditation can fundamentally alter your sense of self. Dax, who is open about his own history with addiction, brings a personal edge to the conversation that goes beyond typical interview questions.

Dr. Jud breaks down the neurological reasons behind cravings, explaining how the brain’s habit loop — trigger, behavior, reward — evolved to keep us alive but now drives behaviors that often work against us. He and Dax explore the difference between contentment and excitement: why the brain’s dopamine system keeps pushing you toward the next thing (excitement) while real satisfaction (contentment) comes from a fundamentally different process. Dr. Jud also walks Dax and Monica through a personality test measuring openness, connecting the trait to how readily people can shift out of habitual patterns.

One of the more compelling threads is the discussion of how food scientists engineer products to lose their flavor quickly — forcing you to keep eating to chase a taste that fades. Dr. Jud uses this as a concrete example of how the reward system can be hijacked: the habit loop keeps firing, but the reward keeps shrinking, which is the same dynamic behind many habit change strategies people struggle with. The conversation also touches on how meditation can dissolve the sense of self, and why that experience — far from being abstract or mystical — has real neurological correlates that Dr. Jud has measured in his lab.

Key Takeaways

• Contentment and excitement are neurologically different: Excitement is dopamine-driven — it’s always chasing the next reward. Contentment comes from present-moment awareness and doesn’t require constant stimulation. Understanding this distinction helps explain why breaking bad habits through substitution often fails.
• Food science reveals how the reward system gets hijacked: Processed foods are engineered so that flavor fades quickly, keeping you eating to chase a disappearing reward. This same mechanism drives many compulsive behaviors — the reward shrinks but the craving persists.
• Cravings are learned, not permanent: Every craving follows the same reward-based learning process. Because cravings are learned, they can be unlearned through mindfulness exercises that change your relationship to the craving itself.
• Meditation can dissolve the sense of self: Dr. Jud describes research showing measurable changes in brain activity — specifically reduced default mode network activation — when experienced meditators report a diminished sense of self. This isn’t mysticism; it’s observable neuroscience.

Dr. Jud chats with the Armchair Expert about contentment vs. excitement, how meditation dissolves the sense of self, and the biological reasons humans have cravings. Dax talks about how food scientists flavor foods to lose their taste and Jud gives Dax and Monica a test on openness. The two talk about the neurological reasons we behave the way we do and Monica reveals a big update in the fact check. Listen to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or online here.

Related Resources

• What Is the Habit Loop? — The brain science behind why we behave the way we do
• Habit Change Strategies Reviewed — Evidence-based approaches to changing behavior
• A Simple Way to Break Bad Habits — Dr. Jud’s TED talk on habit change
• The Craving Mind — Dr. Jud’s book on craving, addiction, and the brain