Speaking of Psychology

Picking 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 transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

From 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 forensic psychology research can help investigators solve cases.

Being 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.

It 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 Homepage.

As 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.

Writing 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, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

The 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 our head. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Cats 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.

The 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 information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Over 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.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Video 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 information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Artificial 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 of us trust AI, and why it’s important to make sure that the potential benefits of AI flow to everyone, not just the most privileged. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Regret 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 visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Remember 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 potential upsides and learn from their mistakes. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

The 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.

More 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.

Everyone 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 emotional hurdles that are keeping you stuck. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

More 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.

Playtime 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.

When 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 uncertain times.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Misleading 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 more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Among 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 illness.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Conversational 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 disagreement and how technology changes conversation.

Millions 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 stress.

Have 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. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

October 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, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Whatever 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 and memorable dreams while others hardly dream at all; whether animals dream; and whether our dreams are entirely out of our conscious control or whether it’s possible to influence their content. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Parasocial 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 different from fandom, whether these relationships give us any of the benefits of real-life friendship, and what happens when a parasocial relationship goes sour -- when your favorite character or your celebrity crush disappoints you?

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Math 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 math.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. This episode is sponsored by NPR's special 6-part series Body Electric with Manoush Zomorodi on the TED Radio Hour Podcast. Listen to Body Electric with Manoush Zomorodi today.

People 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 or that you cannot change. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

For 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 adventure sports.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

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We’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 transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Despite 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 symptoms.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Microaggressions, 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 information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. 

When 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, Rocket Money, learn more at rocketmoney.com/apa. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. 

Almost 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 as politics and sales, and how you can recognize lies and protect yourself from being duped.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

There’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 other technology use may be affecting teens’ behavior and development.  

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Is 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 transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

It used to be that if you wanted to gamble, you had to go to a casino or a racetrack to do it. But the expansion of online gambling and newly loosened laws around sports betting mean that people can now place bets from just about anywhere. Shane Kraus, PhD, of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Lia Nower, PhD, JD, of the Rutgers University Center for Gambling Studies, talk about whether that increased access could lead to an increase in gambling addiction, who is at risk, stigma around gambling, what treatments are available, and the increased exposure kids now have to gambling via ads and video games. This episode was supported by Babbel, get 55% off at babbel.com/apa. And, Rocket Money, learn more at rocketmoney.com/apa. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. 

From Ponzi schemes to e-mail phishing identity thieves, the world can seem full of people who want to deceive us. Daniel Simons, PhD, and Christopher Chabris, PhD, co-authors of the “Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It,” talk about the cognitive habits that put us at risk of believing lies; famous frauds and cons from the worlds of business, science and competitive chess; and what you can do to protect yourself, and your wallet, by spotting scammers before it’s too late.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

When someone hurts you, it can feel justifiable or even satisfying to nurse a grudge. But psychologists have found that forgiveness, when done right, can lead to better mental, emotional and even physical health for the forgiver. Robert Enright, PhD, of the International Forgiveness Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses how you know if you’re ready to forgive, the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, whether any harms are truly unforgivable, and how to forgive someone who isn’t sorry for what they’ve done.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

From ChatGPT to self-driving cars, AI is everywhere these days – but its rollout hasn’t always been entirely smooth. Tom Griffiths, PhD, a professor of psychology and computer science at Princeton University, talks about how artificial intelligence works, how AI differs from human cognition, how it’s changing the way science is done, and how studying human cognition can help researchers improve AI systems.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Religion and spirituality can be a source of comfort and strength but can also cause stress and conflict in people’s lives, when for example they wonder why God has allowed something terrible to happen or feel rejected by their religious community. Julie Exline, PhD, of Case Western Reserve University, talks about how spirituality and spiritual struggle affect mental health and well-being; what spiritual struggle looks like for religious believers, atheists and agnostics; how should psychologists and other mental health professionals can address spirituality and religion with their patients; and the causes and consequences of people’s belief in messages from God, after-death communication, and other supernatural attributions. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Whether your idea of the perfect vacation involves the beach, exploring a city or just relaxing at home, you probably look forward to your time off all year. Sarah Pressman, PhD, of the University of California Irvine, and Jessica de Bloom, PhD, of Groningen University in the Netherlands, talk about why taking a break from work is important for physical and mental health, what you can do to make the most of your vacation time, and differences in work and vacation culture around the world.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Everyone 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 emotional hurdles that are keeping you stuck.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

As the U.S. struggles with a shortage of mental health providers, advocates say that digital therapeutics – evidence-based mental health treatments delivered via app -- could provide an important tool to expand access to mental health care. Vaile Wright, PhD, a clinical psychologist and senior director of healthcare innovation at the American Psychological Association, talks about how digital therapeutics work, how they’re regulated, how they differ from other mental health and wellness apps, the kinds of mental and behavioral health conditions they can treat, and the role they might play in mental health treatment in the future.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

What happens when people gather in crowds – whether for political rallies, protests, football games or religious pilgrimages? Stephen Reicher, PhD, of St. Andrew’s University in Scotland, discusses why “mob mentality” is a myth; other misconceptions about crowd behavior; the role of leaders in groups and what can we learn from re-examining some classic psychology studies on obedience to authority; and what we’ve learned about leaders, followers, group identity and collective behavior from the COVID-19 pandemic. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Factitious disorder, more commonly known as Munchausen syndrome, is a mental health disorder in which people fake serious illness to gain sympathy, attention and support. A related disorder, Munchausen by proxy, or factitious disorder imposed on another, is a form of abuse in which caregivers make up or induce illness in their children. Psychiatrist Marc Feldman, MD, and psychologist Janet Cahill, PhD, discuss researchers’ evolving understanding of these disorders, how common they are, the phenomenon of “Munchausen by internet” where people lie to strangers online, and whether there are any effective therapies for these disorders.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

The lives of young adults look far different than they did a generation ago: The average age at which people marry and have children is higher than ever, and rising housing costs mean more young adults are living with parents. Laurence Steinberg, PhD, of Temple University, talks about how these changes are affecting the relationship between parents and their grown children, what young adults wish their parents understood about their lives, and how parents and adult children can resolve conflicts and build a strong relationship together.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Congress and state legislators are considering laws to restrict teen social media use, and school districts are suing social media companies for harming kids’ mental health. Are parents and policy makers right to be so concerned? Jacqueline Nesi, PhD, of Brown University, talks about the research on social media and teens’ mental health, whether it’s possible to be addicted to social media, what teens themselves think about social media, and what parents can do to help their kids use social media in a healthy way.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Researchers who study eating disorders sometimes call them the silent epidemic. Despite the stereotype that these disorders afflict only young white women, the truth is that they occur among people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, races, shapes and sizes. Cheri Levinson, PhD, of the University of Louisville, discusses myths about eating disorders, how our toxic diet culture combined with genetic vulnerability can spur eating disorders, what treatments are available, and how researchers are using new technologies to come up with more effective personalized treatments and expand access to care.

For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been a treatment option for people with major depression since it was approved by the FDA in 2008. Today, it is also used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety and for smoking cessation. Sarah “Holly” Lisanby, MD, director of the Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit at the National Institute of Mental Health, talks about how TMS works and recent advances in TMS treatment, as well as other brain stimulation treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy. Writer Diana Daniele also offers her perspective on how TMS helped her overcome treatment-resistant depression. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

Very few people do their jobs entirely on their own. For most of us, doing our job well means being part of a well-functioning team. Eduardo Salas, PhD, of Rice University, talks about the key ingredients of highly effective teams, the difference between team training and team building, what to consider when working on a remote team, the role of team leaders, and how industries such as aviation and medicine – where breakdowns in teamwork can have dire consequences – have evolved in their approach to teamwork.

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For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

While ageism may be one of the last socially acceptable biases, research shows that aging often comes with positive changes. And by believing in and propagating negative myths about aging, we can do ourselves real harm. Dr. Manfred Diehl, a lifespan developmental psychologist at Colorado State University, dispels the myth that growing older involves primarily loss and decline and explains how much control we have over how well we age.

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About one in 36 children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Geraldine Dawson, PhD, of Duke University, discusses why the number of diagnoses has risen so steeply in recent years, why it’s more common in boys than girls, and how research using artificial intelligence and brain biomarkers is making it possible to detect autism risk at younger ages than before – even in infancy.

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Forget the stereotype of a good-bye party in the break room followed by endless days on the golf course. Today, workers are staying on the job longer and taking on more “bridge employment,” or post-retirement jobs.

Mo Wang, PhD, of the University of Florida, talks about what these shifts mean for modern retirement, how retirement can affect people’s mental and physical health, and what workers – even those who still have many years left in the workforce – can do now to help set themselves up for a happy retirement in the future.

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Recently released CDC data found that teen girls are experiencing startling levels of sadness and violence -- nearly 1 in 3 had seriously considered suicide and 57 percent felt persistently sad or hopeless. The report also found high levels of distress among LGBQ+ teens. Dr. Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, discusses what’s behind this crisis in teen mental health, why girls seem to be suffering more than boys, and what parents, peers, schools and communities do to help teens cope.

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In just a few years, psychedelics have gone from being a symbol of the 1960s counterculture to being touted as highly promising mental health treatments. Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University, talks about whether the research backs up the hype; the state of psychedelic therapy research for PTSD, depression, addiction and other mental health disorders; how psychedelics work in the brain and mind; and whether psychedelic treatments are likely to be approved in the U.S. any time soon.

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Hypnosis is more than just a stage trick. Psychologists and other researchers have found that it can be useful in treating pain, anxiety, and a range of other physical and mental health problems. David Patterson, PhD, of the University of Washington, talks about what’s happening in people’s bodies and brains when they’re hypnotized, whether anyone can be hypnotized, the differences between stage hypnosis and hypnosis in therapy, the physical and mental health problems it can help address, and what to look for to find a qualified practitioner. Please help us know more about you and what you would like to hear more of from Speaking of Psychology by filling out our 2023 Audience Survey. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

What makes for a good life? What makes for a happy life? Marc Schulz, PhD, associate director of the 85-year-old Harvard Study of Adult Development, talks about what researchers have learned from the world’s longest scientific study of happiness about relationships, money, success and what really leads to a happy life.  For more information and transcripts visit Speaking of Psychology.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by all your stuff? If so, you're not alone. In recent years, a thriving decluttering industry has sprung up to help us deal with our ever-accumulating piles of things. Dn. Joseph Ferrari, PhD, of DePaul University, talks about why we accumulate so much stuff and why we find it so hard to deal with it, what the research says about clutter, stress and anxiety, and the best ways to get started clearing the clutter in your home.

Being a parent can be tough these days. Dozens of books and articles offer competing answers to questions from how to help siblings get along to how much screen time is too much, and every decision you make feels important. It's no wonder that many parents feel tired, stressed, and unsure of whether they're doing a good job. Tim Cavell, PhD, and Lauren Quetsch, PhD, authors of Good Enough Parenting: A Six-Point Plan for a Stronger Relationship With Your Child, talk about what “good enough parenting” means and why it’s a worthy goal, why nurturing the parent-child relationship is parents’ most important job, why science backs the old adage “choose your battles wisely,” and how to develop loving, supportive relationships with your kids that will stand the test of time. More info: Tim Cavell, PhD, Lauren Quetsch, PhD, Good Enough Parenting: A Six-Point Plan for a Stronger Relationship With Your Child, and Speaking of Psychology home page.

These days, most of us live our lives tethered to our computers and smartphones, which are unending sources of distraction. Research has shown that over the past couple of decades people’s attention spans have shrunk in measurable ways. Gloria Mark, PhD, of the University of California Irvine, talks about how the internet and digital devices have affected our ability to focus, why multitasking is so stressful, and how understanding the science of attention can help us to regain our focus when we need it.

Learn more: Gloria Mark, PhD, Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Up to 4% of people in the U.S. have bipolar disorder, but as common as this mood disorder is, it is also often misunderstood. Psychologist and researcher David Miklowitz, PhD, and writer and mental health advocate Terri Cheney talk about what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder; how it’s diagnosed; and what researchers have learned about effective treatments including therapy and medication. Links David Miklowitz, PhD Terri Cheney

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

All day, every day, we have to make decisions, from what to have for breakfast to how to spend our money to whether to evacuate ahead of a hurricane. Psychologists’ research is helping us understand why people make the decisions they do, from trivial choices to life-and-death ones. Decision scientists Lace Padilla, PhD, and Hannah Perfecto, PhD, discuss why people make bad decisions, how even small changes in the way choices are presented can nudge us to make different ones, and how can decision researchers’ findings could best be deployed in the real world. Links Lace Padilla, PhD Hannah Perfecto, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Almost 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 as politics and sales, and how you can recognize lies and protect yourself from being duped.

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Drew Curtis, PhD

Christian L. Hart, PhD

Pathological Lying: Theory, Research and Practice by Drew A. Curtis and Christian L. Hart, APA Books

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Specific phobias – such as fear of heights, needles, flying or spiders – affect up to 13 percent of people at some point in their lives. Clinical psychologist Dr. Martin Antony, PhD, of Toronto Metropolitan University, talks about the difference between a fear and a phobia, where phobias come from, what the most common phobias are, and the effective therapies and strategies that can help people overcome them.

Links Martin Antony, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

The things that we own can be central to our identity, part of how we see ourselves and how other people see us. Russell Belk, PhD, of York University, talks about the role our possessions play in our lives; what drives collectors to collect items as disparate as stamps, art and Pez dispensers; how the word “possessions” can encompass physical, digital and even completely intangible items; and how has the rise of the sharing economy is changing the way people think about the importance of ownership. Links Russell Belk, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Super-recognizers have an extraordinary ability to recognize faces—they can pick faces they’ve seen only briefly out of a crowd and can recognize childhood acquaintances they haven’t seen in decades. Josh Davis, PhD, a professor of applied psychology at the University of Greenwich, and super-recognizer Kelly Desborough discuss the origins of this ability, why you can’t train yourself to be a super-recognizer, how super-recognizers compare with facial-recognition algorithms, and why police departments and security organizations are interested in working with super-recognizers.

Just in time for toy-buying season, Barry Kudrowitz, PhD, a toy designer and professor of product design at the University of Minnesota, and Doris Bergen, PhD, a professor emerita of educational psychology at Miami University in Ohio, discuss the psychology of toys. What makes something a good toy? Why do some toys stand the test of time while others fizzle out after one season? How has technology changed the way kids play with toys? Does gender affect kids’ toy choices? And do we ever grow out of toys?

Nearly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, millions of Americans are still living with the effects of the virus. Neuropsychologists Tracy Vannorsdall, PhD, and Rowena Ng, PhD, talk about the cognitive and mental health symptoms of long COVID, what treatments are available, and the most pressing questions that researchers need to answer to get help to patients who need it. Links Tracy Vannorsdall, PhD Rowena Ng, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Our life experiences shape the way that our brain processes sound, and sound is deeply intertwined with everything from our ability to read to our cognitive health as we age. Dr. Nina Kraus, of Northwestern University, talks about why we undervalue our sense of hearing; why musicians, athletes and bilingual people often have superior sound-processing abilities; why sound is crucial to language and reading; and how unwanted noise can harm not only our ears but also our brain.

From kindergarten through college, very few students are taught a crucial skill set – how, exactly, to study effectively. Regan Gurung, PhD, and John Dunlosky, PhD, authors of “Study like a Champ: The Psychology-based Guide to “Grade A Study Habits,” talk about the biggest studying myths, which study techniques work and which don’t, and why finding studying difficult can be a sign that you’re doing it right. Links Regan Gurung, PhD

John Dunlosky, PhD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Are you suffering from news overload? Do you find yourself doomscrolling when you should be sleeping, eating, playing with your kids or doing your job? Do you feel hounded by algorithms that keep sending you more bad news? Media psychologist Don Grant, PhD, and Markus Brauer, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin, discuss why it’s so hard to shut off the news spigot and what you can do to cope with media overload while still staying informed.

More 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.

Questions of fairness, justice and morality might seem unique to humans. But research suggests that non-human animals notice inequality as well. Dr. Sarah Brosnan, of Georgia State University, talks about how non-human primates and other animals react to unfair situations, why we humans care so much about fairness, and how studying non-human animals can help us better understand how our human sense of justice evolved.

Apologies have the potential to heal relationships, soothe hurt feelings and even begin to address historical wrongs. But they’re not always easy to offer. Karina Schumann, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh, discusses why apologies matter, what makes for a good, effective apology and what makes for a bad one, whether women really do apologize more than men, what to do when someone wants to apologize to you but you’re not ready to forgive them, and the role of institutional and government apologies in addressing historical injustice.

Over the past few years, the number and variety of cannabis products legally available to American consumers has soared. Ziva Cooper, PhD, of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids, talks about how researchers are exploring both the potential health benefits and the risks of marijuana, CBD and more, aiming to make sure that the science keeps up with policy changes and the evolving marketplace. Links Ziva Cooper, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

When relationship issues arise -- around money, fidelity, kids or even just coping with the stress of everyday life -- couple therapists can help partners work through them together. Couple and family psychologist Anthony Chambers, PhD, talks about how couple therapy works, when it’s useful, when couples are most likely to break up, and why it’s helpful to think of talking with your partner as a game of catch rather than a tennis match. Links Anthony Chambers, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

We all know the feeling of scrambling at the last minute to finish a task that we could have and should have tackled much sooner. Fuschia Sirois, PhD, of Durham University, talks about why procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not one of laziness or poor time management skills; how it can harm our mental and physical health; why it’s so tied up with guilt and shame; and how self-compassion can help us overcome it.   Links Fuchsia Sirois, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Americans have become accustomed to tragic headlines of mass shootings in schools, grocery stores and other public places – these shootings still shock, but they no longer surprise. Jillian Peterson, PhD, of Hamline University, talks about research on what drives most mass shooters, why thinking of mass shootings as suicides as well as homicides can suggest new ways to combat them, and what can be done in schools, workplaces and elsewhere to make the next mass shooting less likely.

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Jillian Peterson, PhD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Psychologists’ research has found that it’s not the nuances of policy debates that drive voter behavior but instead how voters feel about candidates and political parties -- and whom they trust to share their values. Drew Westen, PhD, of Emory University, talks about how emotions drive our political behavior, what makes for an effective political speech or ad campaign, and what role political messaging may be playing in shaping our increasingly polarized public discourse. 

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Drew Westen, PhD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

The idea of a machine that can read your thoughts sounds more like science fiction than actual science. But in recent years, it’s come closer to reality. Kenneth Norman, PhD, of Princeton University, talks about how scientists decode thoughts from patterns of brain activity, what we can learn about thinking, learning and memory from this research, how it could be useful in mental health treatment, and more.

Links Kenneth Norman, PhD

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The desire to belong is a fundamental part of human nature. Geoffrey Cohen, PhD, of Stanford University, talks about how feeling like an outsider can harm us; why threats to belonging drive problems as varied as achievement gaps and political polarization; and how to boost people’s sense of belonging, especially among those most at risk of feeling like outsiders. LInks Geoffrey Cohen, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

For many Americans, the past two-and-a-half years have been a time of economic turmoil. Anna Gassman-Pines, PhD, of Duke University, talks about how job loss, unstable work schedules and other hardships affect workers, their families and even entire communities, and about how working families – particularly low-wage workers – fared through the pandemic. Links Anna Gassman-Pines, PhD Speaking of Psychology Homepage

We live in a nation awash with cheap, easy-to-get calories, mostly from highly processed convenience foods. Now, some researchers argue that these foods may actually be addictive – just like cigarettes or alcohol. Ashley Gearhardt, PhD, of the University of Michigan, talks about why highly processed foods may trigger addiction, the difference between addiction and simply liking to indulge in treats, who is most at risk for food addiction, and more. Links Ashley Gearhardt, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Do you ever feel like a phony? Like you’re not really qualified for the job you’re doing, despite your achievements? Those are signs of the impostor phenomenon, also called impostor syndrome. Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin, a counseling psychologist and career coach in New York City, and Dr. Kevin Cokley, a University of Texas at Austin psychology professor who studies the impostor phenomenon among ethnic minority students, discuss where impostor feelings come from, the repercussions they can have in people’s lives, and what you can do to address imposter feelings.

More than 4% of people have some form of synesthesia, a neurological condition that causes senses to link and merge. People with synesthesia may taste words, hear colors, or see calendar dates arrayed in physical space. Dr. Julia Simner, a professor of neuropsychology at the University of Sussex in the U.K., discusses the many forms of synesthesia, how synesthetes experience the world, and what scientists have learned from brain imaging studies about synesthesia. She also discusses her research on other sensory differences such as misophonia, an extreme aversion to specific sounds.

Borderline personality disorder is one of the most frequently diagnosed personality disorders, and one of the most misunderstood. Carla Sharp, PhD, of the University of Houston, discusses how BPD is diagnosed, defined and treated, how family members can help children and adults with BPD, and how the disorder fits in with researchers’ evolving understanding of personality disorders in general.

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Carla Sharp, PhD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Most parents want to raise their children to be honest adults, so the first time that they catch their child in a lie it may come as an unpleasant surprise. But psychologists’ research has found that lying is a normal part of childhood. In fact, it’s a developmental milestone. Victoria Talwar, PhD, of McGill University, talks about why kids lie, how lying is tied to cognitive development, how children understand the morality of lying (including the “gray areas” of keeping secrets and tattling), and how parents can encourage truth-telling and honesty in their children. 

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Victoria Talwar, PhD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

The idea that people have biases that operate below the level of conscious thought is uncomfortable. But decades of research have found that many people who would never consciously agree with prejudiced statements against Black people, LGBTQ people or women can nonetheless harbor implicit biases toward these groups and others. Mahzarin Banaji, PhD, one of the pioneers of implicit bias research, talks about where implicit biases come from, the difference between implicit bias and prejudice, and which biases have lessened – and which have not – in recent years.     Links     Mahzarin Banaji, PhD     Speaking of Psychology Home Page

Perfectionism might seem like a minor hurdle to overcome – or even a welcome personality trait. But perfectionism is different from simply striving for excellence and perfectionistic people are at higher risk for anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders. Perfectionism researcher Gordon Flett, PhD, and clinical psychologist Bonnie Zucker, PsyD, discuss where perfectionism comes from, why it’s an increasing problem, how it affects people’s mental and physical health and how to treat it.

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Gordon Flett, PhD

Bonnie Zucker, PsyD

Speaking of Psychology Home Page

How much insight do people have into why they behave the way they do? Science journalist Shankar Vedantam, host of the Hidden Brain podcast and author of “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,” talks about why he is fascinated by the paradoxes of human behavior, what it takes to bring the popular podcast to life, and why it’s important to show the public the challenges as well as the triumphs of science.

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The Hidden Brain

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For those of us who speak only one language, the idea of learning twenty or thirty sounds impossible. But there are “hyperpolyglots” who have managed this remarkable feat. Evelina Fedorenko, PhD, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses what sets polyglots apart and what scientists might learn from studying them. She also discusses how language is processed in the brain, why it’s so much easier for kids to learn languages than adults, the relationship between language and thought and how we can think without language, and more. Links Ev Fedorenko, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page

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Dozens of states are poised to outlaw or dramatically restrict abortion if the Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Antonia Biggs, PhD, a social psychologist at the University of California San Francisco, talks about the results of the Turnaway Study, which examined how receiving an abortion – or being denied one – affects mental health and well-being, the effects of laws that limit access to abortion, and what a post-Roe future might look like.

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Antonia Biggs, PhD The Turnaway Study Speaking of Psychology Home Page

We all keep secrets – on average, people have about 13 secrets at any one time, five of which they have never told another person. Psychologist Michael Slepian, PhD, of Columbia Business School, talks about what types of secrets people keep, why keeping a secret bottled up inside can harm us, how keeping secrets -- or sharing them -- affects people’s relationships with each other, how we decide whom we can trust with our secrets, and whether other people can tell when we’re holding something back. Links Michael Slepian, PhD The Secret Life of Secrets Speaking of Psychology Homepage Sponsor Newport Healthcare

Digital interventions that promise to help you achieve your health and fitness goals are everywhere. But do these apps work and are they a useful public health tool? Gary Bennett, PhD, director of the Duke University Global Digital Health Science Center, discusses how digital interventions can help address obesity and other public health challenges, how to find apps that are effective and backed by research, the challenge of weight stigma, and more. Links Gary Bennett, PhD Speaking of Psychology Homepage

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