The Psychology Podcast

Today we have Alan Alda on the podcast. Alan has earned international recognition as an actor, writer, and director. He has won seven Emmy Awards, has received three Tony nominations, and is an inductee of the Television Hall of Fame. Many people know of his groundbreaking role as Hawkeye Pierce on the classic television series M*A*S*H, but what many people may not realize is that Alda is also ravenously curious about science, and is a wonderful science communicator! In this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we discuss how Alda got into science communication, why people are dying because of bad communication, the importance of empathy, theory of mind, and eye contact, the importance of spontaneous communication, the dark side of empathy, and how to improve communication in the bedroom. Enjoy, and please join in the discussion below! Check out Alan Alda’s new book: If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating Support this podcast:

In this episode of The Psychology Podcast, Dr. Eric Turkheimer and I take a deep dive into some of the most complex and controversial topics in all of psychology. What is intelligence? How is intelligence measured? Is intelligence meaningful? Is IQ modifiable? Is IQ heritable? What does heritability really mean? Is heritability of IQ the same across social classes? Are there race differences in IQ? If so, what are the potential causes of race differences in IQ? Why does any of this matter? Note to our listeners: This is a very technical discussion, mostly geared towards those who are interested in understanding the debate, and the various nuances on the table. For those who would like to join in the discussion, you can do so below. Enjoy! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s guest on The Psychology Podcast is the polymath Daniel Schmachtenberger, a social engineer, evolutionary philosopher, and strategist. This episode discusses a wide range of consciousness-raising issues, including the biology of dysfunction, the philosophy and scientific implications of creating systemic cultural and personal changes, the difference between nootropics and smart drugs, the future of cognitive assessments and the quantified self, the future of customized medical and wellness protocols, aspects of human nature that impede compassion and kindness, how changing the genome will change our entire conception of human nature, what we can do to predispose humans toward perspective taking, emotional resilience, and greater empathy, and how to make a scientifically commensurate ethics and existentialism. As you can see, this episode covers quite the gamut. Enjoy, and please leave comments below! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for

On today’s episode of The Psychology Podcast, friend of the show Dr. Heather Moday shares her unique medical expertise to help us live healthier, happier and more productive lives. Dr. Moday is a board-certified physician who is passionate about changing the way medicine is practiced in this country. In this episode, Dr. Moday suggests some tips for optimizing gut health to improve mood and cognition, discusses the importance of sleep and how to achieve a better nights rest, and offers a practical model for people looking to detoxify their systems. Dr. Moday also shares her personal vision to change the way medicine is practiced in this country. It’s an especially practical episode, featuring advice from a functional and integrative medicine pioneer on how to live a better life. Enjoy the show! For more information on Dr. Moday, visit her website at modaycenter.com. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eric Barker is the author of the widely popular blog, "Barking Up The Wrong Tree", and he has a new book out with the same title. Barker is known for his science-informed articles on how to be awesome at life. For today’s episode, we focus on a range of topics relating to being awesome in life, including when to grit and when to quit, whether nice guys really finish last, the perils of self-esteem, how it's who you know instead of what you know that really matters, and how people can achieve success while striking a work-life balance. It's a fun and playful episode that contains a high-level discussion of many of the most researched constructs in psychology today, such as introversion/extroversion, giving/taking, deliberate practice/grit, and much more! To learn more about Eric, check out his blog at bakadesuyo.com For a month of free access to over 8,000 awesome video lectures, check out thegreatcoursesplus.com/Psych. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.co

Susan David is one of the world’s leading experts on emotional agility, an important psychological skill that can help us live a fuller life. In this episode, I speak with Dr. David about how to cultivate emotional agility, the paradox of happiness, job crafting, authenticity, and living a life aligned with one’s personal values. I’m especially pleased to present this episode to listeners; it contains pragmatic information to help people get unstuck, embrace change, and thrive! For more information about Susan David, visit her website susandavid.com. For a month of free access to over 8,000 awesome video lectures, check out thegreatcoursesplus.com/Psych. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friend of the show Dan Lerner stops by to share the latest research on how to thrive in college (and in life). Our conversation covers a wide array of topics related to well-being in the college population, including some of the pitfalls of perfectionism, how to determine your passion and keep it healthy, using character strengths to excel, and how to avoid unproductive social pressures. We also hear about Dan’s experiences working with renown musicians and how achieving great success needn’t come at the cost of your own personal happiness. It’s a fun and enthusiastic episode. We hope you enjoy! Learn more about Dan Lerner at positiveex.com Sign up with our sponsors at www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/psych to receive a FREE MONTH access to over 8,000 lectures from award winning experts! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of The Psychology Podcast, we speak with a neuroscientist who specializes in optimizing workplaces for greater productivity and well-being. Our conversation covers a vast array of useful topics, such as habit formation, public speaking, emotional regulation and proper decision making. We talk about how some of these activities show up in brain scans and discuss how individual’s neurochemistry affects their roles at work. There’s a ton of strategies here and we had a lot of fun recording the episode. Learn more about Friederike’s latest book by visiting theleadingbrain.com. For some really cool socks, go to Bombas.com/tpp and get 20% off your first order! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vanessa Van Edwards is a self-described “recovering boring and awkward person,” whose latest book, Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, provides simple ways to decode people and level-up your relationships and networking abilities. It’s an especially practical episode, which features a handful of actionable strategies to be more effective in the social realm. We discuss research surrounding charisma, eye contact, hand gestures, relaxing one’s voice, and conquering social anxiety! To learn more about Vanessa, visit her website scienceofpeople.com. Check out the #1 one recipe and fresh ingredient delivery service Blue Apron – get your first three meals free, with free shipping by signing up through blueapron.com/tpp Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this episode of The Psychology Podcast, I chat with my brother from another mother, Dr. James C. Kaufman, as we take deep dive into one of humanity’s most coveted virtues - creativity. We profile creative genius, discuss different forms of creativity, and talk about the links between creativity, IQ and mental illness. This episode features some wonderful new ways to think about your creativity, including the possibility for creativity assessment to reduce racial and ethnic bias. To learn more about James, go to his website jamesckaufman.com. For a month of free access to over 8,000 awesome video lectures, check out thegreatcoursesplus.com/Psych. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 50% of people will meet the criteria for a mental illness in their lifetime. On this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we want to do our part to encourage people to seek assistance, while celebrating some of the unique strengths of people with brain differences. I speak with expert Gail Saltz about some fascinating gifts that can come with with diagnoses such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. We discuss achieving a balance between receiving proper treatment and cultivating strengths to optimize productivity and well-being. To learn more about Dr. Gail Saltz, visit her website drgailsaltz.com. For some really cool socks, go toBombas.com/tpp to get 20% of your first order. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Brecher is a clinical psychologist who uses cognitive behavioral strategies to buffer students against the pervasive depression and anxiety present in higher education. We talk about her science-informed recommendations, which include positive psychological activities designed to increase mindfulness, character strengths, self-efficacy, optimism, gratitude, and more. We discuss the mechanisms through which these interventions work, some of the many benefits they promote, how they can be implemented in schools, and some changes in academic culture that can improve student well-being. Enjoy the episode and sign up for a free trial of The Great Courses Plus at thegreatcoursesplus.com/Psych. To find out more about Dr. Brecher, see here. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of The Psychology Podcast, our executive producer Taylor Kreiss conducts a guest interview about lawyer well-being. His guest, Dan Bowling III, is a Duke law professor and a positive psychology expert using science to help lawyers become healthier and happier human beings. We address some of the disconcerting mental health statistics, discuss why lawyers suffer from such mental maladies, and share practical strategies that lawyers (and everyone) can use to become more satisfied with life. There’s a great deal of warmth, levity, and humor here as we take on a hugely important topic and provide some actionable advice for how lawyers can flourish! Enjoy the show and head to blueapron.com/TPP for 3 free meals with free shipping! To learn more about Dan Bowling, visit his Facebook here. To learn more about Taylor Kreiss, visit his brand new website here. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roy Baumeister brings the methods of social psychology to bear on some of life’s deepest philosophical problems. In the second part of this two part series (see Part I), we cover the psychology of self-control, evil, sex differences, and free will. In addition to Roy responding to the critics of his “ego-depletion” model of self-control, he also offers some practical strategies to improve willpower for goal attainment, looking at how successful people set up habits that deplete less energy. We also speak to him about the four root causes of violence, looking at research on why perpetrators commit atrocities, and we discuss his controversial research on sex differences and some of the ways that society uses men and women differently. Lastly, we discuss whether humans are special in a way that makes us exempt from the natural laws of causality. We’re appreciative of having had the opportunity to speak with Roy and regardless of whether you agree or disagree with his views (we encourage diverse perspectives on t

Dr. Roy Baumeister is widely considered to be one of the most influential and cited psychologists of our time. He's also a wonderful conversationalist, full of interesting research to share with our listeners! In this first half of our two part series with Roy, we learn about how he came to study the diverse array of fascinating topics that have characterized his career. We discuss how people determine their identity, the effects of self-esteem on behavior, and how people find a sense of meaning in life. There's a palpable sense of excitement in this episode as these two experts really "nerd out" about some of the biggest questions of the human condition. We hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed recording it! To learn more about Dr. Roy Baumeister, visit roybaumeister.com Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are huge fans of Tim Urban’s Wait But Why blog, so it was a great joy to speak with him for today's show. In this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we experience Tim’s patented wry wit and deep philosophical insight as we chat across a wide range of topics, including Tim’s journey to becoming one of the internet’s most popular bloggers, his creative process and self-regulation strategies, his views on our immediate governmental future, the relative importance of personality traits, the connection between the brain and consciousness, the viability of cryogenics, and much more. Tim has some wonderfully clear and entertaining mind experiments that spur some high-level discussions of some of the most fascinating psychological and philosophical mysteries of existence. Check out Tim's bio here Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern day philosopher Alain de Botton has become world renown for his ability to provide compelling real world answers to some of life’s biggest questions. For this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we cover the philosophy and science of a range of topics, including what it means to have a “normal” relationship, the origins of the desire for religion, the pervasive lack of systematic thinking about happiness, how the illusion of perfection creates problems, existential crises and much more. We get a bit cheeky with a high brow discussion of the human condition. Fair warning that this episode does include some discussion of sex and pornography as they relate to well-being. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mindfulness has become a hot topic recently, gracing the covers of magazines like Time and Scientific American. Yet despite its rising popularity, many people remain confused about what exactly mindfulness is or how to start their own practice! On this episode of The Psychology Podcast, mindfulness expert Cory Mascara speaks with our executive producer Taylor Kreiss, sharing science-backed advice and best practices for how to become more mindful. It's a fun and practical episode for anyone looking to dive into mindfulness meditation! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Andrew Newberg is widely regarded as a leading authority in the neuroscientific study of religious, spiritual and mystical experiences. For this episode of The Psychology Podcast, we engage in philosophically scientific meditations on the sublime and the sacred. Topics include: The 5 major components of an enlightenment experience, what occurs in the brain during a transcendent mental state, the role of psychedelics in connecting with reality, some perplexing findings about “higher consciousness” and it’s correlates in the brain, how to increase your chances of reaching enlightenment… and much more! This is a fun and interesting conversation about some of humanity’s most mysterious and enigmatic subjective experiences. Enjoy the show! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal, authors of the new book Stealing Fire, come on the show to discuss the life changing power of ecstatic altered states of mind. The authors have worked with extreme sports athletes, Silicon Valley innovators, and maverick scientists to understand how high performing people are using peak experiences (such as flow) to unlock human potential. We talk about the “altered states economy” and how people spend trillions of dollars a year seeking altered states of consciousness, the transformative experiences we get from festivals like Coachella, what we see in the brain when individuals are using substances like LSD, and the “Hyperspace Lexicon.” It’s a high-level discussion of extraordinary states of consciousness, made fun and interesting by three experts in the field. Enjoy! EASTER EGG: Listen to the very end of the podcast, after the music and outro, to hear a special interview between Steve and Jamie, which occurred while Scott was away! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/t