The Psychology Podcast How Mindsets Shape Reality w/ Dr. Alia Crum
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Nov 20, 2025 
Dr. Alia Crum, a leading researcher on mindsets, dives into how our beliefs can fundamentally alter our health and behaviors. She discusses her innovative studies, such as the hotel housekeepers whose mindsets changed their physical outcomes. Alia also explores how perceptions of stress can either enhance or debilitate us, emphasizing the power of mindset in managing challenges like cancer. By reshaping our interpretations, we can foster resilience and improve our quality of life. This riveting conversation highlights the transformative potential of mindsets in our everyday experiences.
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Early Life Shaped Research Trajectory
- Alia Crum described her childhood steeped in meditation, Aikido, and mind-body retreats that shaped her curiosity about mindsets.
- She connected that upbringing to studying placebo effects and early research on hotel housekeepers showing mindset changed health metrics.
Mindsets Alter Hunger Hormones
- Alia recounted the Mind Over Milkshakes study where identical shakes produced different ghrelin drops depending on participants' beliefs.
- When people thought the shake was indulgent their ghrelin fell ~3x more than when they believed it was a 'sensible' low-calorie shake.
Stress Mindset Predicts Adaptive Responses
- The Stress Mindset Measure captures whether people see stress as enhancing or debilitating across health, learning, and performance.
- Those with an enhancing stress mindset show more adaptive cortisol and greater willingness to seek feedback under stress.
