Speaking of Psychology
333 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 704 ratings"Speaking of Psychology" is an audio podcast series highlighting some of the latest, most important and relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these podcasts will help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives.
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Episodes
The future of brain-computer interfaces, with Nicholas Hatsopoulos, PhD
July 10, 2024 07:30 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBA few decades ago, the idea of being able to interact directly with a computer using only your thoughts would have sounded like science fiction. But today researchers and companies are testing brain-computer interfaces that allow patients to move a computer cursor or control a prosthetic limb directly with their thoughts. Nicholas Hatsopoulos, PhD, discusses the future of brain-computer interfaces, how they work, the practical challenges researchers face, and what scientists have learned abo...
How to use psychology to write a best seller, with Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD
July 03, 2024 07:30 - 49 minutes - 68.1 MBFrom getting lost in a novel to binge-watching a favorite TV show, we humans spend a lot of time in fictional worlds. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD, a psychologist and novelist, talks about why we’re drawn to fictional worlds; the psychology of fandom and fan fiction; and how insights from psychology helped her write her best-selling series “The Inheritance Games.”
How noise pollution harms our health, with Arline Bronzaft, PhD
June 26, 2024 07:30 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBFrom roaring leaf blowers to screeching trains, the world is full of unwelcome noise – and researchers have found that noisy environments can take a real toll on people’s mental and physical health. Arline Bronzaft, PhD, talks about how noise affects health and well-being, how it can harm kids’ learning, why it’s not just a problem in big cities, and the most unusual noise complaints she’s heard in her five decades of advocacy combating noise pollution.
Mental health in a warming world, with Kim Meidenbauer, PhD, and Amruta Nori-Sarma, PhD
June 19, 2024 07:30 - 39 minutes - 54.7 MBLast year -- 2023 -- was the world’s warmest on record, and 2024 could bring another record-shattering summer. Psychologist Kim Meidenbauer, PhD, and public health researcher Amruta Nori-Sarma, PhD, discuss how heat affects people’s mental health, emotions and even cognitive abilities; the link between heat, violence and aggression; who is most vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat; and what policy makers could be doing to mitigate its effects.
How to motivate yourself and others, with Wendy Grolnick, PhD, and Frank Worrell, PhD
June 12, 2024 07:30 - 36 minutes - 51.3 MBWhy can’t I get myself to run that 5K? Why isn’t my child getting better grades? We all have things that we struggle to accomplish – or that we struggle to get someone else to accomplish. Frank Worrell, PhD, and Wendy Grolnick, PhD, co-authors of “Motivation Myth Busters: Science-based Strategies to Boost Motivation in Yourself and Others,” discuss how our misconceptions about motivation get in the way of reaching our goals, why there’s no such thing as an “unmotivated” person, and the merit...
The benefits of solitude, with Thuy-vy Nguyen, PhD, and Netta Weinstein, PhD
June 05, 2024 07:30 - 45 minutes - 63 MBThe average American adult spends up to one-third of their waking hours alone. Psychologists are exploring how those hours spent on our own affect us – including the potential benefits, as well as the challenges, of solitude. Thuy-vy Nguyen, PhD, and Netta Weinstein, PhD, discuss the difference between solitude and loneliness, how solitude affects our emotions and stress levels, why some people crave solitude more than others, and why the stigma against solitude can make us uncomfortable wit...
Which countries are happiest and why? With Lara Aknin, PhD
May 29, 2024 07:30 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MBThe 2024 World Happiness Report, which ranks the happiness levels of countries around the world, found that young Americans are less happy than their peers in many other countries. Psychology professor Lara Aknin, PhD, an editor of the report, talks about how the report defines happiness, why young people’s happiness levels may have dropped in the U.S, what drives happiness, and why being generous makes people happy – even when they don’t have much to spare.
Choosing to be child free, with Jennifer Watling Neal, PhD
May 22, 2024 07:30 - 31 minutes - 43.6 MBA growing number of adults in the U.S. are choosing not to have children. Jenna Watling Neal, PhD, of Michigan State University, talks about her research that’s found 1 in 5 adults are child free, why people are choosing not to have kids, the stigma child-free adults face, whether people who decide not to have kids early in life usually stick with that choice, and how the prevalence of child-free adults in the U.S. compares with other countries.
How to cope with political stress this election season, with Brett Q. Ford, PhD, and Kevin Smith, PhD
May 15, 2024 10:30 - 35 minutes - 49.5 MBIf the thought of the upcoming election sends your stress level through the roof, you’re not alone. Psychologist Brett Q. Ford, PhD, and political scientist Kevin Smith, PhD, talk about how political stress affects people’s well-being; what high levels of political stress mean for people’s lives, for the U.S. and for democracy; and how to stay politically engaged while still maintaining your mental health. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology...
How Sesame Street teaches kids about emotional well-being, with Rosemarie Truglio, PhD
May 08, 2024 14:15 - 34 minutes - 48.1 MBSesame Street has entertained and educated generations of children. Developmental psychologist Rosemarie Truglio, PhD, Sesame Workshop’s senior vice president of curriculum and content, talks about why the show has a new focus on young children’s emotional well-being; how Sesame Street translates complicated concepts into stories that young kids can connect with; the research that underpins all of the content on Sesame Street; and why the Sesame Street characters still resonate with so many ...
What déjà vu can teach us about memory, with Chris Moulin, PhD
May 01, 2024 10:30 - 39 minutes - 54.4 MBThe eerie sensation of “déjà vu” -- feeling a strong sense of familiarity in a new place or situation -- is one of memory’s strangest tricks. Researcher Chris Moulin, PhD, of Grenoble Alpes University, talks about why déjà vu happens; why both déjà vu and its lesser-known opposite, jamais vu, may actually be signs of a healthy memory at work; why young people are more prone to déjà vu; how he and others study déjà vu and jamais vu in the lab; and what these experiences can teach us about mem...
The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD
April 24, 2024 10:30 - 40 minutes - 56.3 MBAre you a sports “superfan”? Or do you wonder what’s driving the superfans in your life? Daniel Wann, PhD, of Murray State University, talks about why being a fan is usually good for people’s mental health, how they choose the teams they root for, why some are fair-weather fans while others love to cheer for the underdog, how fandom is changing among younger people, and whether a crowd of supportive fans can affect the outcome of a game. For transcripts, links and more information, please...
You can learn new things at any age, with Rachel Wu, PhD
April 17, 2024 10:30 - 25 minutes - 36.1 MBPicking up a new skill as an adult can seem daunting. But research suggests that learning new things as you age may be key to keeping your cognitive skills sharp -- and that middle aged and older adults may be just as good at learning as younger people are. Rachel Wu, PhD, of the University of California Riverside, talks about why lifelong learning matters, how adults can learn more like kids, why feedback and failure are important, and what types of learning opportunities to seek out. For...
Understanding the mind of a serial killer, with Louis Schlesinger, PhD
April 10, 2024 10:30 - 46 minutes - 64.1 MBFrom Jack the Ripper to Jeffrey Dahmer to the Gilgo Beach killer, serial killers have long inspired public fear – and public fascination. Louis Schlesinger, PhD, a professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and co-investigator of a research project on sexual and serial murder with the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, talks about what we really know about these murderers’ motivations and their methods, how some manage to avoid capture for so long, and how fore...
Coping with family estrangement, with Lucy Blake, PhD
April 03, 2024 10:30 - 28 minutes - 39 MBBeing estranged from a family member -- a parent, sibling or adult child -- is far more common than people think. Dr. Lucy Blake, author of “No Family is Perfect: A Guide to Embracing the Messy Reality,” talks about why family estrangement happens, why estrangement encompasses more than just “no contact,” the stigma around estrangement, and where and how to find support. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
How to help kids navigate friendship, with Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD
March 27, 2024 10:30 - 44 minutes - 61.6 MBIt isn’t always easy to navigate the complicated social dynamics of elementary, middle or high school. Clinical psychologist and kids’ friendship expert Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, talks about how kids make and keep friends; how their understanding of friendship changes as they grow; why most kids are mean sometimes; and how to help kids navigate tough situations including arguments and friendship breakups. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology...
Bridging the generation gap at work, with Megan Gerhardt, PhD
March 20, 2024 10:30 - 44 minutes - 62.2 MBAs Gen Z enters the workforce and older workers put off retirement, some workplaces may see five generations sharing an office -- from the Silent Generation all the way to Gen Z. Megan Gerhardt, PhD, of Miami University, talks about why it’s important to move past generational stereotypes, why age diversity is a strength, and what older and younger workers can learn from each other. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
Expressive writing can help your mental health, with James Pennebaker, PhD
March 13, 2024 10:30 - 44 minutes - 60.9 MBWriting can be a powerful tool to help people work through challenges in their lives and improve their mental health. James Pennebaker, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin, talks about why expressive writing can be good for mental health and how to try it. He also discusses his research on language use, and how analyzing the words that people use in their daily lives can offer insights into their emotions, motivations and personality. For transcripts, links and more information, plea...
How music, memory and emotion are connected, with Elizabeth Margulis, PhD
March 06, 2024 11:30 - 39 minutes - 56.5 MBThe right song can make us feel chills, help pull us out of a bad mood, or take us back in time to the first time we heard it. Elizabeth Margulis, PhD, director of the Music Cognition Lab at Princeton University, talks about how music, memory, emotion and imagination intertwine; why people are especially attached to music from their teen years; whether there’s any music that’s considered universally beautiful; why repetition is important in music; and why we so often get “earworms” stuck in ...
What’s going on inside your cat’s head? With Kristyn Vitale, PhD
February 28, 2024 11:30 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBCats have long had a reputation as standoffish pets, but many cat owners will tell you that the cat-human bond can run deep. Cat psychologist Kristyn Vitale, PhD, talks about new research on cats’ cognitive and social abilities; why cats really are as emotionally attached to us as we are to them; the best ways to enrich your cat’s life; and how to finally get your cat to stop scratching your couch. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
Designing cities to improve mental health, with Jenny Roe, PhD
February 21, 2024 11:30 - 29 minutes - 42.8 MBThe world is an increasingly urban place, and with urban living comes traffic, noise, pollution and other hassles. But cities don’t have to wear us down. Jenny Roe, PhD, of University of Virginia, talks about how to design cities that support mental health and well-being with elements like access to nature and spaces that encourage community, how our physical environment affects our mental health and the importance of equity and access in city design. For transcripts, links and more inform...
Love and algorithms: The future of dating apps, with Liesel Sharabi, PhD
February 14, 2024 11:30 - 32 minutes - 45.8 MBOver the past two decades, dating apps have become the most common way for people to meet a partner. Liesel Sharabi, PhD, director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at Arizona State University, discusses how that shift has changed how people meet and form relationships, whether relationships that start online are more or less likely to succeed, what you can do to avoid dating app burnout, and how developing technologies such as AI and virtual reality could change dating in the future. ...
How video games can help kids learn and grow, with Susan Rivers, PhD
February 07, 2024 11:30 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBVideo games get a bad rap -- but the right games can be a tool to reach kids and teach them important social emotional and academic skills. Susan Rivers, PhD, chief scientist at the nonprofit iThrive Games, talks about how to design games that are both entertaining and educational, what kinds of skills kids can learn through gaming and how parents can balance screen time concerns with recognizing the important role games play in their kids’ lives. For transcripts, links and more informatio...
How to use AI ethically, with Nathanael Fast, PhD
January 31, 2024 11:30 - 29 minutes - 40.6 MBArtificial intelligence is already changing how people work, learn, play and live. As these technologies develop, it will be crucial to understand how they interact with human behavior to make sure we use AI safely and ethically. Nathanael Fast, PhD, executive director of the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making at the USC Marshall School of Business and co-director of the Psychology of Technology Institute, talks about how AI affects people’s decision-making, whether most...
How to learn from regret, with Robert Leahy, PhD
January 24, 2024 11:30 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MBRegret is painful – but it can also be productive, pushing us to make better decisions and needed changes in our lives. Dr. Robert Leahy, author of the book “If Only…Finding Freedom From Regret,” talks about the difference between productive and unproductive regret, why some people seem to ruminate on their regrets more than others, what to do if regret is consuming your thoughts, and whether people have more regrets than they used to. For transcripts, links and more information, please v...
How to fail successfully, with Amy Edmondson, PhD, and Samuel West, PhD
January 17, 2024 11:30 - 48 minutes - 67.6 MBRemember New Coke? Colgate frozen lasagna? The Hawaii chair? History is littered with commercial failures. Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, PhD, author of “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well,” and organizational psychologist Samuel West, PhD, curator of the Museum of Failure, talk about some of commerce’s biggest flops, the difference between simply failing and “failing well;” and how individuals and organizations can get past the fear of failure, recognize its ...
Why diversity matters, with Robert Sellers, PhD
January 10, 2024 11:30 - 40 minutes - 55.6 MBThe words diversity, equity and inclusion have become political flashpoints -- but the science and evidence on why diversity matters is often ignored. Robert Sellers, PhD, of the University of Michigan, talks about why diverse groups lead to better outcomes and how psychologists’ research has informed our understanding of diversity in our schools, workplaces and other institutions. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
The benefits of being bilingual, with Viorica Marian, PhD
January 03, 2024 11:30 - 43 minutes - 59.2 MBMore than half the world’s population speaks more than one language. Viorica Marian, PhD, of Northwestern University, talks about why speaking multiple languages may have far-reaching cognitive benefits, how the bilingual brain processes language and how the languages we speak shape the way we think and perceive the world. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
Encore - How to get unstuck with Adam Alter, PhD
December 27, 2023 11:30 - 34 minutes - 47.9 MBEveryone gets stuck sometimes: in a creative pursuit that stalls, in a job or a relationship that isn’t working out, or even just at an exercise plateau. NYU psychologist Adam Alter, PhD, author of “Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most,” talks about why getting stuck is such a universal experience, what you can do to get stuck less often, how you know when it’s time to quit versus push ahead, and the practical steps you can take to get past the mental or emotion...
Encore - Living a happy single life, with Geoff MacDonald, PhD
December 20, 2023 11:30 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBMore Americans than ever before are single -- about half of American adults are unmarried and close to three in 10 are not in a committed relationship. Geoff MacDonald, PhD, of the University of Toronto, talks about how relationship status is related to well-being, whether there is a societal stigma against singles, and why there is so much more research on being in a happy relationship than there is on being happily single.
Why we learn best through play, with Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
December 13, 2023 11:30 - 39 minutes - 54.3 MBPlaytime isn’t just for fun -- psychologists who study children’s learning have found that kids learn best through play. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, of Temple University, talks about why kids need playtime, what playful learning looks like in a classroom, how technology is changing children’s play, why adults need recess, too, and what parents can do to encourage more play in their kids’ lives. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
Why we need hope, with Chan Hellman, PhD, and Jacqueline Mattis, PhD
December 06, 2023 11:30 - 36 minutes - 50.8 MBWhen the news is filled with war and climate change and other disasters, remaining hopeful about the future can feel impossible. But psychologists’ research has found that hope is not an unrealistic luxury, but a necessity. Jacqueline Mattis, PhD, of Rutgers University, and Chan Hellman, PhD, of the University of Oklahoma, discuss the difference between hope and optimism, why cultivating hope can help people facing adversity and trauma, and what all of us can do to find hope in trying and un...
Stopping the spread of misinformation, with Sander van der Linden, PhD
November 29, 2023 11:30 - 40 minutes - 55.6 MBMisleading news stories. Propaganda. Conspiracy theories. Misinformation has always been with us, but with the rise of social media it can spread farther and faster than ever. Sander van der Linden, PhD, of Cambridge University, talks about why we’re so vulnerable to misinformation, how much we’re really all exposed to, why misinformation spreads like a virus and how we can “inoculate” people against it, and how AI is changing the landscape of misinformation. For transcripts, links and...
Treatment and recovery from serious mental illness, with Kim Mueser, PhD
November 22, 2023 11:30 - 36 minutes - 51.4 MBAmong the many challenges people with serious mental illness face is the stigma surrounding illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Kim Mueser, PhD, of the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, talks about the progress psychology has made in treating serious mental illness; the role of both medication and psychosocial interventions; why meaningful work can play a critical role in recovery; and the truth about the connection between violence and mental illn...
How to have great conversations, with Charles Duhigg and Michael Yeomans, PhD
November 15, 2023 11:30 - 48 minutes - 68.2 MBConversational chemistry might seem intangible, but psychologists are beginning figure out what makes some conversations work while others fall apart. Charles Duhigg, author of the upcoming book “Supercommunicators,” and conversation researcher Michael Yeomans, PhD, talk about how anyone can learn to communicate better, the best way to build rapport with someone you just met, why it’s important to think about your goals in a conversation, how to have a productive conversation about a disagre...
Caregiving as a source of stress and strength, with William Haley, PhD
November 08, 2023 11:30 - 36 minutes - 52.1 MBMillions of people in the U.S. are caregivers for their family members and other loved ones, providing billions of dollars worth of unpaid care to loved ones with dementia, cancer, and other long-term illnesses. William Haley, PhD, of the University of South Florida, discusses the mental and physical health effects of caregiving, interventions that can help buffer caregivers against stress, how society could better support caregivers, and how caregiving can be a source of strength as well as...
OCD myths and realities, with Dean McKay, PhD, and Uma Chatterjee
November 01, 2023 10:30 - 49 minutes - 67.9 MBHave you heard people say, “I’m so OCD”? There are a lot of myths around obsessive compulsive disorder. In reality, it’s a multi-faceted mental health disorder that seriously affects people’s lives – but is also treatable with evidence-based therapies. Psychologist Dean McKay, PhD, and OCD advocate Uma Chatterjee talk about what obsessive compulsive disorder is, how it differs from the stereotypes, why it is so often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, and what effective treatments are available...
Why do we love scary movies? with Coltan Scrivner, PhD
October 25, 2023 10:30 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MBOctober may be the month that our fascination with all things ghoulish and grisly reaches its peak, but for many people, a fascination with the darker side of life isn’t limited to Halloween. Coltan Scrivner, PhD, talks about why people are drawn to horror, true crime and other scary genres; and whether terrifying entertainment can actually be good for some people’s mental health and leave them better equipped to handle real-life challenges. For transcripts, links and more information, pl...
Why do we dream With Mark Blagrove PhD
October 18, 2023 10:30 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MBWhatever your dreams consist of, you’ve probably wondered where they come from and what they might be trying to tell you. Psychologists, too, have long studied the origin and purpose of dreams. Mark Blagrove, PhD, of Swansea University, talks about what we know – and don’t know – about why we dream; the relationship between our dreams and what’s happening in our waking life; why some dreams seem so common – like being unprepared for class or flying; why some people have particularly vivid an...
What do we get from celebrity crushes? With Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster, PhD, and Karen Dill-Shackleford, PhD
October 11, 2023 10:30 - 43 minutes - 60.5 MBParasocial relationships -- the relationships that people have with media figures such as actors, celebrity influencers, or even television characters -- sometimes get a bad rap. But psychologists who study parasocial relationships say that they can be good for us: They can help us expand our world view and can have positive effects on our mental health and well-being. Researchers Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster, PhD, and Karen Dill-Shackleford, PhD, talk about how a parasocial relationship is d...
How to help with math anxiety, with Molly Jameson, PhD
October 04, 2023 10:30 - 34 minutes - 48 MBMath is essential to our everyday lives, from household budgeting to buying the right size rug for your room. But for people with math anxiety, any tasks involving math can cause dread and fear. Molly Jameson, PhD, of the University of Northern Colorado, talks about where math anxiety comes from, whether you can be good at math but still suffer from math anxiety, how it affects people’s lives, and what parents and teachers can do to help math-anxious kids overcome their fears and excel in ma...
What’s the difference between guilt and shame? With June Tangney, PhD
September 27, 2023 10:30 - 34 minutes - 47.8 MBPeople often use the words “guilt” and “shame” interchangeably, but the two emotions affect us in different ways. June Tangney, PhD, of George Mason University, talks about the difference between shame and guilt, what role these emotions play in our mental health and how they affect our behavior, why some people are especially prone to shame or guilt, and what you can do when guilt or shame is harming your mental health – especially when you feel guilty over something that isn’t your fault o...
Why are people drawn to extreme sports? With Eric Brymer, PhD
September 20, 2023 10:30 - 38 minutes - 53.3 MBFor most of us, the idea of jumping off a bridge with a parachute or surfing a wave 70 feet tall seems to defy comprehension. Psychologists, too, have wondered what drives people to participate in extreme sports. Eric Brymer, PhD, talks about why many of our preconceived notions about adventurers are wrong, what draws people to extreme adventure, the role fear plays in how adventurers approach what they do, and what lessons less adventurous people can learn from research on extreme adventur...
Why it’s important to talk about money, with Wendy De La Rosa, PhD
September 13, 2023 14:37 - 34 minutes - 47.6 MBWe’ve all heard the advice: Save for retirement, start saving early, don’t spend more than you earn. But rules like these are far easier said than followed, especially when you’re short on time, or money, or both. Wendy De La Rosa, PhD, of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, talks about why it’s so hard to take financial action, how financial stress affects us and our relationships, and why we need to get rid of ‘financial shame’ and talk more openly about money. For tran...
How hormones and the menstrual cycle affect mental health, with Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, PhD
September 06, 2023 10:30 - 29 minutes - 41.6 MBDespite the sexist jokes, the menstrual cycle doesn’t cause significant changes in mood or behavior for most people. But a small percentage do suffer severe premenstrual symptoms, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, PhD, of the University of Illinois Chicago, talks about how hormones and the menstrual cycle interact with mental health, why premenstrual symptoms are not caused by a “hormone imbalance,” and what treatments are available for severe premenstrual sympt...
How to combat microaggressions, with Derald Wing Sue, PhD
August 30, 2023 10:30 - 43 minutes - 60.1 MBMicroaggressions, the indirect, subtle, sometimes unintentional incidents of racism and bias that members of marginalized groups experience every day, can take a large toll on people’s mental and physical health. Dr. Derald Wing Sue, PhD, of Teacher’s College Columbia University, discusses what makes something a microaggression, why microaggressions are so harmful, and what you can do to disarm and neutralize these everyday instances of racism and bias. For transcripts, links and more info...
Red with anger or feeling blue? The link between color and emotion, with Domicele Jonauskaite, PhD
August 23, 2023 10:30 - 30 minutes - 42.6 MBWhen you’re sad, do you say that you’re feeling blue? Have you ever felt green with envy? Domicele Jonauskaite, PhD, of the University of Vienna, discusses why language so often links color with emotion, whether those links are universal or differ by culture, whether colors can actually make us feel calm or sad or angry, why people’s favorite colors don’t really tell us anything about their personality, and more. This episode is supported by Babbel, get 55% off at babbel.com/apa. And, R...
Encore - Can a pathological liar be cured? with Drew Curtis, PhD, and Christian L. Hart, PhD
August 16, 2023 10:30 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBAlmost everyone lies occasionally, but for a small percentage of people, lying isn't something that they do every once in a while -- it's a way of life. Drew Curtis, PhD, of Angelo State University, and Christian L. Hart, PhD, of Texas Woman’s University, authors of a new book on pathological lying, talk about what drives “big liars” to lie, why they believe pathological lying should be classified as a mental health disorder, whether liars really are more prevalent in some professions, such ...
Encore - Understanding the teenage brain, with Eva Telzer, PhD
August 09, 2023 10:30 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBThere’s a common stereotype is that teenagers’ brains are immature and underdeveloped, and that teens are “hard-wired” to take unwise risks and cave to peer pressure. But psychologists’ research suggests these negative stereotypes are unfounded and that the teen years are a time opportunity and growth as well as risk. Eva Telzer, PhD, explains why teens take more risks and why that risk-taking is sometimes beneficial, why parents have more influence than they think, and how social media and ...
Encore - Waiting, worrying and dealing with uncertainty, with Kate Sweeny, PhD
August 02, 2023 10:30 - 28 minutes - 39.1 MBIs there anything more agonizing than being in limbo? Time may seem to slow to a crawl when you’re waiting for high-stakes news like a hiring decision, a biopsy result – or the end of a pandemic. Kate Sweeny, PhD, of the University of California, Riverside, discusses what makes waiting so stressful, how the stress of waiting differs from other types of stress, the relationship between waiting and worrying, and strategies people can use to lessen anxiety and make waiting easier. For transcr...