Best Popcorn Psychology Podcasts (2024)

1
Portrait of a Lady on Fire: Autonomy & Actualization 1:40:17

5d ago1:40:17

1:40:17

[CW: discussions of suicide] Happy Pride! Join us as we discuss Portrait of a Lady on Fire! We break down the themes of autonomy & actualization represented by the various female leads. We also explore the idea of abstract grief and have a lengthy discussion on suicide, specifically within the LGBTQIA+ community. If you are experiencing suicidal th…

1
How Movie Theaters Trick You Into Buying Popcorn (Decoy Effect) 14:44

7d ago14:44

14:44

The decoy effect is a trick used in marketing to make you choose a more expensive option by adding a third, less attractive choice. For example, if you're deciding between a small and a large popcorn, and a medium popcorn is added at a price just below the large, you'll likely go for the large because it seems like a better deal compared to the med…

1
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm: Arrested Development, Egocentrism, and Facing your Shadow 1:17:24

11d ago1:17:24

1:17:24

In today's episode we break down the animated classic Batman: Mask of the Phantasm! This film was truly ahead of its time and the stellar voice cast masterfully covered the mental anguish Bruce Wayne experiences as he battles his internal family system about whether upholding an oath of vengeance sworn as a child or living a happy life best honors …

1
Perceptions of Anime Fans (Survey Results) 21:27

22d ago21:27

21:27

What do people think about anime fans? Do people prefer subbed or dubbed? We surveyed people on their impressions of anime and whether they think being an anime fan makes you cooler or lamer. Questions We Answer: How popular is anime? Do people prefer subbed or dubbed? How’s being an anime fan affect impressions? What age groups do people think ani…

1
Arrival: Communication & Existentialism 1:46:51

1M ago1:46:51

1:46:51

Join us today as we discuss one of Hannah's favorite movies of all time, Arrival! We break down the use of communication in the film and how it relates to communication both in and out of therapy. We also explore the film's theme of existentialism and radical acceptance. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/popcorn-p…

1
What Your Phone’s Background Image Says About You (Survey Results) 14:51

1M ago14:51

14:51

We conducted a survey to learn whether your phone’s background image can act as a “window to the soul.” In other words, whatever is most important to your wellbeing will most likely be your phone background. So if you want to get to know someone, take a look at their phone background. Questions we answer: What are the most common phone backgrounds?…

1
Barbie: What Was I Made For? 1:47:47

2M ago1:47:47

1:47:47

Hi Barbie! In this episode, we are once again joined by our beloved friend, fellow therapist, and real life Barbie: Rachel Harrison. We discuss sense of self vs systemic identity. We also explore the themes of codependency and life changes. So put on your favorite pink outfit and join us! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com…

1
What is Beauty? (Order and Complexity) 20:48

2M ago20:48

20:48

Beauty = Order and Complexity. Think of the architecture of your favorite museum versus the architecture of a mundane apartment building. Why is one beautiful and the other isn’t? For something to be beautiful, it must have the right balance of order and complexity. Order refers to the structured, organized, and predictable aspects of an object or …

1
Saltburn: Antisocial Personality Disorder & Dysfunctional Families 1:28:13

2M ago1:28:13

1:28:13

Welcome to Season 7! We have heard your cries and we are starting with Saltburn! [content warning: this episode includes discussions of abuse] We attempt to understand Oliver Quick through the lens of antisocial personality disorder. We also discuss the Catton family as a model for dysfunctional family systems. Become a supporter of this podcast: h…

1
If You Close Your Eyes at the Dentist, You Probably Prefer Sex with Lights Off (Survey Results) 22:27

2M ago22:27

22:27

Is your preference for lights on/off during sex correlated with whether you keep your eyes open or closed at the dentist? How does this differ by gender? We surveyed 500 people on these topics. Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss the results in this episode of Psych Papers. Key Findings: People are generally split on whether they…

1
Raising a Chimp Alongside a Baby (The Ape and the Child) 30:38

3M ago30:38

30:38

In the 1930’s, a baby chimpanzee was raised as a sibling to a 10-month old infant. Winthrop Kellogg treated the the ape, Gua, as similarly as possible to his own son, Donald. They were dressed, bathed, fed, and taught in the same manner; they both wore diapers and shoes, had similar play toys, and both received a kiss goodnight. Kellogg examined th…

1
Analysis of Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews 22:07

3M ago22:07

22:07

We analyzed Rotten Tomatoes Movie Ratings and discuss our findings. The scraped dataset has data on 1.1 million reviews from 17.7k movies from 1914–2020. Here’s a sample of our findings: Documentaries were the highest rated movie genres, followed by “Art House & International, Drama”. Horror genres were ranked lowest. “Action & Adventure, Drama” an…

1
When Children Become Aware of Their Own Bodies (Shopping Cart Study) 22:18

4M ago22:18

22:18

The Shopping Cart Study investigates how toddlers develop awareness of their own bodies. Developed by Chris Moore and colleagues in 2007, the task examine when a sense of self develops in babies. At what age do children begin to understand how their bodies interact with the world? The shopping cart task involves tying a small rug onto the back of a…

1
When Do Children Recognize Themselves in a Mirror? (The Rouge Test) 17:44

4M ago17:44

17:44

In developmental psychology, the Rouge Test is used to test self-recognition in children. We discuss the origins and significance of this classic test which assesses a child’s ability to identify themselves in a mirror. Developed by Gordon Gallup Jr in 1970, using rouge makeup, an experimenter discreetly puts a red dot on the child’s face. Then the…

1
Why People Believe Horoscopes and Mediums (The Barnum Effect) 24:17

5M ago24:17

24:17

The Barnum Effect is the tendency for people to accept vague and general personality descriptions as highly accurate and personally meaningful. “Barnum statements” are general characterizations that people believe to be true about themselves, even though these statements could apply to just about anyone. It’s commonly exploited in astrology / horos…

1
Never Been Kissed: Neurodivergence & Predatory Relationships 2:06:36

5M ago2:06:36

2:06:36

[CW: Discussions of predatory relationships including references to assault] This year's winner of our Valentine's Day poll is Never Been Kissed! Listener beware if you are precious about this movie because we truly rip it apart. We first break down the characters of Josie and Rob. We discuss the potential of neurodivergence in regards to Josie and…

1
What Sports Do Rich Kids Play? (Survey Results) 18:58

5M ago18:58

18:58

How do sports and income relate? Specifically, how do the sports you played in high school relate with your household income. Which sports do more educated parents have their kids play? We surveyed 500 US high school graduates about what sports they played in high school, their parents’ household income, and their parents’ highest education achieve…

1
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Why You Need Your Memories 1:53:08

5M ago1:53:08

1:53:08

Would it be better to forget than remember when pain is involved? We try to answer that question in our PATREON picked episode on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. We analyze the two main characters: Clementine & Joel. We also rip apart the ethics (or lack thereof) behind the “medical professionals” responsible for the forgetting procedure. Jo…

1
Why Do Children Make Scale Errors? 17:25

5M ago17:25

17:25

Scale errors refer to a hilarious phenomenon in developmental psychology where young children make errors in judging the relationship between the size of an object and the size of their own body. What this looks like is a child seriously trying to sit in a doll house chair, trying to get inside of like a hot wheels car, and trying to put doll shoes…

1
How People Perceive Aesthetic Designs 23:56

6M ago23:56

23:56

Joseph Tajaran (Designer & Chris’s friend) and Chris Cole (Psych PhD) go over how aesthetics impact functionality in design. More specifically, they go over the aesthetic-usability effect and specific examples of how this happens in design: Contour Bias: people are biased towards curved over sharp forms Ockham’s Razor: the philosophy of leveraging …

1
Seinfeld & Festivus: Trauma & Personality Disorders 1:13:22

6M ago1:13:22

1:13:22

Happy December 23rd! Or how its known in the Costanza household: HAPPY FESTIVUS! Join us as we round out 2023 by getting out our metal poles and discussing the Festivus episode of Seinfeld. We discuss how trauma is represented by George Costanza as well as how Festivus is a holiday made by and for someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. We …

1
Jingle All the Way and Being a Present Parent 1:25:43

6M ago1:25:43

1:25:43

Merry Christmas! This holiday season we break down (and hate on) the 90s kid classic, Jingle All The Way! We discuss the representation of parenting via Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. We also explore the destructive nature of consumerism. Hope you all don’t mind our ribbing of a modern classic that unfortunately does not hold up in any way. Beco…

1
How do food preferences differ by gender? (Survey Results) 35:03

7M ago35:03

35:03

Why do men prefer black coffee? We ran a survey of over 500 people to see how their food preferences and gender interact. Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran review the results in this episode of Psych Papers. The food takes we surveyed are: How do you like your coffee? Pancakes vs waffles? For buffalo wings: blue cheese vs ranch? For bu…

1
Fried Green Tomatoes: Identity & Chosen Family 1:53:24

7M ago1:53:24

1:53:24

Join us as we discuss the 90s classic: Fried Green Tomatoes! We are once again joined by Rachel Harrison, our close friend and art therapist. We discuss identity through the experiences of the three main characters: Idgie, Ruth, and Evelyn. We also discuss the importance of chosen family and community. Tawanda!! Become a supporter of this podcast: …

1
An Analysis of Joe Rogan Fans (Survey Results) 26:16

7M ago26:16

26:16

Is being a Joe Rogan fan a red flag in dating? Do Democrats or Republicans like Joe Rogan more? Why do Joe Rogan haters dislike him so much? We conducted a quantitative survey of 1000 people and analyzed how people think about Joe Rogan. Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss the results in this episode of Psych Papers. Here are som…

1
Whiplash: Tough Love vs Abuse 2:05:33

7M ago2:05:33

2:05:33

In this episode we are joined by Tessa Marie Hoffman as we break down the 2014 critically acclaimed film, Whiplash. We discuss the “teaching” tactics displayed in the movie and evaluate the differences between preparing students for the realities of a difficult career and narcissistic abuse. We also explore the power dynamics of mentor/student rela…

1
3 Debunked Psychology Concepts (Power Posing, 10% Brain Myth, Opposites Attract) 20:07

7M ago20:07

20:07

Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran go over 3 popular myths in psychology that have been debunked. Power posing: The idea that body language can influence confidence and behavior. 10% brain myth: The misconception that we only use 10% of our brains. Opposites attract: The idea that people with contrasting personalities are drawn to each …

1
When ethics become a luxury (Good Samaritan Study) 22:33

8M ago22:33

22:33

The Good Samaritan Study shows most people forget about ethics/virtues when they’re preoccupied. Seminary students were less likely to help someone in need if they were in a rush. And it didn’t even matter if they were actively thinking about ethics and virtues. Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss the Good Samaritan Study conduct…

1
The Shining: Domestic Violence, PTSD, & The Psychology of Kubrick 2:03:09

8M ago2:03:09

2:03:09

[CW: This episode contains lengthy discussions throughout about domestic violence] Happy Halloween! We are finally taking the windy mountain road to the Overlook Hotel to discuss The Shining! We are joined by Dr. Scott Jordon (aka Zombie Scotty)! We ask the question, would seeing ghosts give you PTSD? We have a very serious discussion about the dom…

1
Exploring Child Development: Object Permanence, Theory of Mind, & Conservation 19:01

8M ago19:01

19:01

How do infants develop the cognitive super powers that enable them to navigate the world? Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss our 3 favorite developmental psychology concepts. Object permanence: The understanding that objects continue to exist even when no longer visible. Develops between 7-12 months of age. Tested with the A-Not…

1
The Addams Family: Psychopathy and Enmeshment 1:30:37

9M ago1:30:37

1:30:37

Are you creepy, spooky, mysterious, or kooky?? Well you've come to the right place because we are talking about The Addams Family!! We are specifically diving into the 1991 film and we are joined by Benjamin Taitz! We ask the eternal question: are the Addams Family a family of "psychopaths"? We also break down the relationship between Fester and hi…

1
5 Ways Psychologists Induce Social Exclusion 31:23

9M ago31:23

31:23

How do psychologists induce social exclusion in participants? Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran discuss 5 ways psychologists have induced feelings of social exclusion in participants. Methods broadly fall into 3 categories: 1) having participants interact other individuals; 2) having participants interact with computer-controlled avata…

1
Who’s Lonelier? Liberals or Conservatives? (Survey Results) 28:56

9M ago28:56

28:56

We surveyed over 600 people on their loneliness and compare their scores across personality traits and demographic groups. How does loneliness differ between men and women? Dog vs cat people? Social media users vs non-social media suers? Psych PhD Chris Cole and cohost Joseph Tajaran learn that most people are generally equally and moderately lonel…

1
Special Live Episode from FanExpo Chicago 2023 49:32

9M ago49:32

49:32

Enjoy this live episode from Fan Expo Chicago 2023! Ben and Brittney chat with a live audience about a variety of topics from the portrayal of therapists in film/tv to surprising places that we have found positive mental health messaging. We touch upon several different pieces of media, from Ted Lasso to Bluey to the MCU. Thank you to everyone who …

1
Inception with Dr. Isaac Taitz: Consciousness, Dreaming, & Shame 1:48:21

10M ago1:48:21

1:48:21

Stay awake! Because we are finally delving into the multilayered dream space of Inception! We are joined by a super knowledgable guest on therapeutic dreamwork: Dr. Isaac Taitz. We discuss the real components of dreams and consciousness demonstrated in this sci-fi movie. We also continue our discussions on grief, specifically when grief is tangled …

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