Published in 1890, 'The Principles of Psychology' is a two-volume work that lays the groundwork for understanding psychological phenomena through a scientific lens. William James discusses the relationship between mental processes and their underlying physical conditions, introducing key concepts such as the 'stream of consciousness,' the James–Lange theory of emotion, the importance of habit, and the concept of will. The book is based on James's classroom lessons and avoids metaphysical explanations, focusing instead on empirical observations and physiological processes. It has been influential in shaping the field of psychology and continues to be relevant today[4][5][2].
In this book, Dr. Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone. The book is divided into four parts, covering how the brain works, mapping behavior to recognize triggers, understanding the brain’s reward system, and the importance of curiosity and mindfulness in changing habits. It distills over 20 years of research and hands-on work with patients, including Olympic athletes and corporate leaders, to provide a clear, solution-oriented program for reducing anxiety and breaking unhealthy habit loops.
Can we really change our personalities? In this episode, Forrest is joined by someone who’s actually tried most of the things we talk about on the podcast: journalist and author Olga Khazan. Olga shares the personal experiments that led to her becoming more extroverted and agreeable, and less neurotic. They discuss the Big Five personality traits, how behavior shapes identity, the role of self-concept, authenticity, and some of the common challenges people face when trying to change a core aspect of who they are.
About Our Guest: Olga Khazan is a writer at The Atlantic, where she covers health, culture, and the complexities of human behavior. She's the author of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World and her new book Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:15: Olga’s personal background with personality change
5:20: Age, extroversion, self-concept, and Olga’s improv classes
10:10: Unconditional positive regard, meditation, and mindfulness
20:55: Trying on different traits, and acceptance vs. change
24:25: Conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness, and individualism
36:20: Changing at the ‘trait level’, and the changes Olga has embraced most
43:50: Psychedelics, non-self, and identifying what’s really true
53:50: Nature vs. nurture and the aspects we can’t change
56:30: Parenting and personality change
1:02:05: Recap
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