"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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Welcome to the Life Lessons podcast! I'm Rosemarie, your host. With an Honors BA in Criminology and Sociology from UFT, Practical Nursing from Seneca College, and a graduate certificate in Mental Health and Disability Management, I'm passionate about sharing insights for a fulfilling life. Originally from Jamaica, I immigrated to Canada at six, bringing resilience from my roots. Join me as we navigate life's challenges and joys together!
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The future of brain-computer interfaces, with Nicholas Hatsopoulos, PhD
25:36
25:36
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25:36
A 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,…
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How to use psychology to write a best seller, with Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD
49:12
49:12
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49:12
From 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 Inheri…
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How noise pollution harms our health, with Arline Bronzaft, PhD
36:34
36:34
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36:34
From 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, a…
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Mental health in a warming world, with Kim Meidenbauer, PhD, and Amruta Nori-Sarma, PhD
39:26
39:26
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39:26
Last 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 vul…
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How to motivate yourself and others, with Wendy Grolnick, PhD, and Frank Worrell, PhD
36:58
36:58
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36:58
Why 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…
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The benefits of solitude, with Thuy-vy Nguyen, PhD, and Netta Weinstein, PhD
45:31
45:31
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45:31
The 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 …
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Which countries are happiest and why? With Lara Aknin, PhD
31:31
31:31
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31:31
The 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 …
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Choosing to be child free, with Jennifer Watling Neal, PhD
31:23
31:23
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31:23
A 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 …
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How to cope with political stress this election season, with Brett Q. Ford, PhD, and Kevin Smith, PhD
35:40
35:40
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35:40
If 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 poli…
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This episode emphasizes the importance of forgiving someone.
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How Sesame Street teaches kids about emotional well-being, with Rosemarie Truglio, PhD
34:38
34:38
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34:38
Sesame 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 ca…
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What déjà vu can teach us about memory, with Chris Moulin, PhD
39:15
39:15
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39:15
The 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 y…
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The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD
40:37
40:37
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40:37
Are 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 amo…
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You can learn new things at any age, with Rachel Wu, PhD
25:54
25:54
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25:54
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…
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Understanding the mind of a serial killer, with Louis Schlesinger, PhD
46:20
46:20
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46:20
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…
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Coping with family estrangement, with Lucy Blake, PhD
28:01
28:01
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28:01
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 a…
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How to help kids navigate friendship, with Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD
44:31
44:31
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44:31
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 to…
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Bridging the generation gap at work, with Megan Gerhardt, PhD
44:57
44:57
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44:57
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…
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Expressive writing can help your mental health, with James Pennebaker, PhD
44:00
44:00
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44:00
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…
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How music, memory and emotion are connected, with Elizabeth Margulis, PhD
39:43
39:43
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39:43
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; whe…
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What’s going on inside your cat’s head? With Kristyn Vitale, PhD
30:25
30:25
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30:25
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 …
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Designing cities to improve mental health, with Jenny Roe, PhD
29:51
29:51
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29:51
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 o…
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Love and algorithms: The future of dating apps, with Liesel Sharabi, PhD
32:58
32:58
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32:58
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 succee…
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How video games can help kids learn and grow, with Susan Rivers, PhD
29:23
29:23
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29:23
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 …
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How to use AI ethically, with Nathanael Fast, PhD
29:11
29:11
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29:11
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 Marsha…
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How to learn from regret, with Robert Leahy, PhD
44:21
44:21
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44:21
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 r…
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