Episode 146

full
Published on:

7th Aug 2024

Social Constructs...Game Theory...and Auto Repair [E146]

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech

Matt Fanslow explores social constructs, relationships, and game theory. Inspired by a wedding he attended and a personal story about a friend dealing with infidelity, he highlights the importance of clear communication and expectations. He connects these themes to game theory, illustrating its relevance in both personal and professional interactions. 

Show Notes

  • Economics with Dr. Joshua Rosenbloom [E038]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/038
  • Automotive Technician Suicide with Margaret Light [E049]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/049
  • Relationships 101 with Margaret Light [E058]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/058
  • Dating Isn't Emotional Rehab with Margaret Light [E081]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/081
  • Shame with Margaret Light [E103]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/103
  • Good Grief with Margaret Light [E116]: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/116
  • Contemplating Game Theory (00:01:14) Matt reflects on his desire to discuss game theory, referencing a previous episode with an economist.
  • Wedding Observations (00:02:27) Matt shares his experience attending a wedding and listening to the couple's vows.
  • Social Constructs in Relationships (00:04:59) Matt discusses the social constructs couples create and their potential misunderstandings.
  • Friend's Affair and Reflection (00:06:15) He reveals a friend's marital affair, prompting thoughts on social constructs and personal experiences.
  • Expectations and Social Constructs (00:07:42) Matt explains how social constructs shape behavior and expectations in relationships.
  • Game Theory Basics (00:09:59) He introduces game theory, linking it to social interactions and relationships.
  • Defining Game Requirements (00:12:15) Matt outlines the requirements for a game, including players, rules, and payoffs.
  • Social Constructs and Expectations (00:14:52) He emphasizes the importance of understanding and communicating expectations in relationships.
  • Impact of Broken Rules (00:16:08) Matt discusses the consequences of unspoken rules being broken in relationships and service experiences.
  • Inspiration from Experiences (00:18:34) He encourages listeners to draw inspiration from experiences in both personal and professional contexts.
  • Setting Expectations (00:20:56) Importance of clear communication about processes and customer expectations in automotive services.
  • Building Trust (00:22:05) Establishing trust through consistent service, transparency about costs, and addressing customer concerns.
  • Concepts of Game Theory (00:23:16) Overview of game theory's relevance to relationships and social constructs, emphasizing common sense applications.

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com

Email Matt: mattfanslowpodcast@gmail.com

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HERE

Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Automotive Field Theory

About the Podcast

Automotive Field Theory
From Automotive Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health
Automotive Field Theory explores the forces that shape automotive repair, including the ones measured with a meter or oscilloscope and the ones that cannot be found on a wiring diagram.

Hosted by automotive diagnostic specialist, shop manager, and instructor Matt Fanslow, the podcast begins in the automotive aftermarket but rarely stays inside its traditional boundaries. Diagnostics, electricity, technology, leadership, psychology, economics, game theory, history, music, movies, family, and human behavior may appear unrelated. Look closely enough, however, and connections begin to emerge.

A vehicle may arrive with a technical fault, but the work surrounding it is rarely technical alone.

Information is incomplete.

People make decisions under pressure and uncertainty. Incentives shape behavior. Standards gradually drift. Good intentions produce unexpected results. The official process may say one thing while the system quietly rewards another.

Automotive Field Theory is an attempt to understand those interactions.

Drawing from real diagnostic work, shop management, industry conversations, personal experience, and an occasionally inconvenient level of curiosity, Matt examines not only how things work, but why they work that way, how they became what they are, and what apparently unrelated subjects might teach us about repairing vehicles, leading people, running businesses, and improving the automotive industry.

Some episodes begin with a failed component. Others begin with Metallica, quantum physics, professional wrestling, a historical disaster, a round of golf, or a question that refuses to leave Matt alone.

Eventually, they all enter the same field.