

How Netflix and Disney+ are Being Used to Teach Emotional Intelligence: ThinkHumanTV’s Groundbreaking Method
ThinkHumanTV delivers evidence-based emotional skills training and assessment by integrating with major streaming sites like Netflix and Disney+. The platform employs a research-based training methodology and curricula developed by our founding team of Columbia cognitive scientists. The methodology involves explicitly teaching emotion science principles in a systematic manner and illustrating these concepts by leveraging popular media.
ThinkHumanTV is one of the winners of the 2024 Tools Competition.
Ilya Lyashevsky, Co-founder and CEO of Affectifi, which created ThinkHumanTV. Faculty member at Columbia Teachers College with a background in cognitive science and social-emotional learning.
Melissa Cesarano, Co-founder and President of of Affectifi Inc (ThinkHumanTV), cognitive scientist, and professor at Columbia University. Expert in coaching and consulting for students and media companies.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How ThinkHumanTV uses Netflix and Disney+ to teach emotional intelligence.
- The science behind emotion-based learning and cognitive appraisal.
- The importance of reflection in building emotional competence.
- The vision for achieving universal emotional literacy using AI.
- Insights into the National Science Foundation-funded research behind ThinkHumanTV.
✨ Episode Highlights:
- [00:03:30] Introduction to ThinkHumanTV and its impact in the edtech space.
- [00:07:50] The experience of learning emotional intelligence while watching streaming content.
- [00:14:00] How emotion science improves social-emotional competence in older learners.
- [00:19:27] Sneak peek into ThinkHumanTV’s future mobile and second-screen experience.
- [00:14:46] Winning the Tools Competition and its impact on ThinkHumanTV’s growth.
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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:
This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.