Nat Geo uses new hidden camera show, ‘Crowd Control’ to curb ‘bad behavior’
What if we could make the DMV a happier place by adding a little laughter? Or curb America’s speeding epidemic without issuing a single ticket? Or reduce the rate of pedestrian collisions by making it worth the wait at the crosswalk?
In National Geographic Channel’s (NGC’s) new 12-part series Crowd Control, premiering Monday, Nov. 24, at 9 & 9:30 p.m., viewers will discover that sometimes all you need is a little science to help make the world a better place.
Best-selling author and behavior change expert Daniel Pink (@DanielPink) will use behavioral science to lead a series of experiments that show how we can apply the power of persuasion in our daily lives to reduce stress, minimize annoyances, improve health and increase happiness. Using hidden cameras to record his results, Pink will tackle the seemingly impossible task of righting everyday wrongs — from convincing partygoers to clean up their streets to stopping the senseless rush at an airport baggage claim.Crowd Control will air globally on National Geographic Channels in 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages later this fall. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.
With 20 years of experience studying why we do the things we do, Pink will draw on academic theories and enlist an elite team of designers, builders and technologists to change bad behavior into good.
Using the power of guilt, fear, shame and outright lying, Crowd Control will curate social behavior in fun and eye-popping ways that have real-life applications. He’ll introduce targets in men’s restrooms to reduce cleaning bills, lie to the elderly to make them stronger and scare the pants off air travelers to reduce their chances of death.
Scientifically based but shamelessly entertaining, Pink travels the country to catch unsuspecting members of the public in the act — from Brooklyn, where he’ll calm a long line of patrons waiting to get into a popular pizza joint, to New Mexico, where a “musical road” will reward drivers for obeying the speed limit. He’ll also convince New Orleans revelers to clean up Bourbon Street and corral oblivious texting pedestrians with a special cellphone lane in Washington, D.C. Additional stops on Pink’s itinerary include Orlando, Dallas, Providence and the Jersey Shore.
“We made a list of the most annoying social situations we face on a daily basis, and then used science to fix them,” said Pink. “Viewers will be amazed at just how much we can influence behavior by slightly altering the situation, and how these small adjustments can actually make a big difference in our world.”
Crowd Control begins with Lawbreakers (series premiere)
Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Millions of us routinely break the law by driving too fast, but countless speeding tickets don’t seem to make any difference. Thirteen thousand people are killed each year on U.S. roads due to speeding. Behavior change expert Daniel Pink has a radical new approach: What if we were rewarded for NOT speeding instead of punished for going too fast? Pink puts his plan into action with spectacular results. Later, he heads to Austin, Texas, to curb a terrible trend: able-bodied motorists parking in handicapped spots.
