Kåre Quist welcomes you to the election debate. A politician says something that makes your pulse race. The comments section is buzzing. Suddenly, the election feels like a soccer game: we think in terms of teams, react to the pace, and remember moments rather than the whole picture.
Why do we support some people even when they perform poorly? What makes some stories feel true before we have checked the facts? And what tricks are used when our unconscious behavior is influenced?
KOMPAS til Valgets Psykologi (COMPASS to Election Psychology) is a podcast series in which host Lars Hvidberg, together with Sigge Winther Nielsen and selected guests, takes you behind the scenes of the election campaign and into the psychological mechanisms that shape our political reality.
This is not about who won yesterday's debate, but about why certain tactics get under your skin. We translate political psychology into concrete explanations of the election campaign you follow in the news and invite you to understand why you vote the way you do.
LISTEN HERE
HOSTS
SIGGE WINTHER is the founder and director of the INVI think tank. Sigge insists on complex explanations of a crazy world – and his early research into psychological bias shapes his view of political reality.
LARS HVIDBERG is a senior communications advisor at INVI. Throughout the election campaign, he invites listeners into a universe of unconscious biases – and discusses how we make democracy's most important political decisions without being guided by mental shortcuts.
GUESTS
LASSE RIMMER is a stand-up comedian, media personality, and known as "Denmark's smartest comedian." He is a twisted mind with a persistent curiosity about why the human brain twists. Lasse has previously explored human unconscious patterns in the podcast series Primus Optimus – Det irrationelle menneske(Primus Optimus – The Irrational Human), because he believes that the most sensible thing to do is to understand why we humans think, feel, and act irrationally.
CAROLIN HJORT RAPP is an associate professor of political science at the University of Copenhagen, where she conducts research in political psychology. Her work focuses on voter behavior, particularly nationalism and national identity, political tolerance, and discrimination against minorities. Her research has a strong focus on how identities and group affiliations influence political values and democratic participation.
ANNEMETTE STAAL is a behavioral psychologist who helps companies and public authorities bring about change on a daily basis. She is the author of the book Valdemar elsker broccoli (Valdemar Loves Broccoli) and shares her knowledge of psychology and behavior in lectures. She often appears in the media as a behavioral expert and is known from DR's "Gift ved første blik" (Married at First Sight) and "Mere tid til gaming" (More Time for Gaming),TV2's " Børn på druk" (Kids on Drunk) and radio and podcasts.
EPISODES
SECTION 1
Action Bias
DATE 6/3/2026
SECTION 2
The Identification Effect
DATE 3/10/2026
SECTION 3
Tabsaversion
DATE 3/12/2026
SECTION 4
In-group bias
DATE 3/13/2026
KOMPAS
Right now, a wild world is crashing down on us. KOMPAS gives you an in-depth fix for the societal changes that are already underway, but which we rarely fully understand. In each episode, host Sigge Winther dives into a current topic with a special knowledge person. Together they focus on what we miss in the noise - and explore what we can do differently when the old compass no longer works. A podcast for those who love politics like the world loves Taylor Swift. Not just opinions. Direction.
Find all episodes and listen here.
