During our recent trip to the UK, we started catching up on season three of The Traitors UK.

I find the series so fascinating due to the psychology and regular logical fallacies the contestants commit. The environment no doubt drives this but it’s such a powerful warning of how easily manipulated most of us are and how our own brains can work against us.

As I’ve watched this time, I’ve looked carefully for actual good evidence the contestants could latch on to in order to work out whom the traitors are — it’s been slim pickings.

That’s one of the main reasons it’s so easy to jump onto any conspiracy theory that comes along; when there’s no actual evidence and you have to bring a theory, you’ll go along with the “best” you hear.

Here’s a couple more observations:

  • Evidence can often be spun either way (X was murdered which means it must/can’t be Y)
  • When people defend themselves, they often incriminate themselves more.
  • Drawing attention to yourself (even by not drawing attention to yourself) is dangerous.
  • Unless a traitor really slips up, you’re going to eliminate faithful at the start purely due to the numbers.
  • The narrative can change in an instant. Someone who wasn’t suspicious at all can become the suspect of the day with just a few mentions.

How do you actually find the Traitors?

The other big question I wonder about is how to actually find the traitors. I think the key is to set traps and then validate evidence. For example, leaking some information to different groups and seeing if they act on it.

For example, imagine you get a shield. You could then tell different groups of people someone else has a shield. Now, you the person who does get murdered can help guide you to who the traitor is (Of course this won’t work if the traitors are part of two groups you tell).

There is a danger with tactics like this though, they draw the traitors attention to you and make them more likely to murder you. So in many ways, the best tactic as a faithful is to be good at tasks, a little bit suspicious but not so much so no one fears you.

The danger of watching with knowledge

As spectators, we have an unfair advantage. We know who are/aren’t traitors and it makes the theories and speculation from everyone look so silly. I’d actually love to watch a series with no idea, then watch again with the private room insights.

The Traitors and real life conspiracy theories

One final wonder: How much does this reflect other situations?

The contestants are at a massive disadvantage. They know there are people out to get them and they are forced to eliminate someone, but the mistakes they make are reflective of the real world.

If someone comes along confidently enough with a theory that explains a mystery, perhaps it isn’t so surprising that it takes hold of so many people.

Are you a traitors fan?

I’d love to know what you’ve noticed or how you think you’d win at the game.