David Robson

David Robson, author of "The Laws of Connection," delves into the science behind strong relationships and the psychological barriers we face. He explains how a 'shared reality' is crucial for meaningful connections and discusses the detrimental effects of frenemies and the 'liking gap' on our social lives. Robson offers actionable advice on mastering social skills and effective conversation techniques, emphasizing honesty and kindness. He also highlights the health benefits of forgiveness and the art of sincere apologies.

A look at how the brain’s predictions shape what we see, feel, and experience. The conversation explores placebo effects, reframing stress and medication side effects, and the ways beliefs about food, fitness, aging, and language learning can influence everyday life.

David Robson, science writer on the mind–body connection and author of The Expectation Effect, joins to unpack how expectations shape experience. Short, vivid examples reveal that labels, branding and framing can flip dislike into delight. Listeners hear surprising studies about taste, placebo effects and why presentation changes perception.

Award-winning science writer David Robson discusses overcoming loneliness by understanding cognitive biases and building social connections. Topics include shared reality, evolution of social pain neurons, navigating social relationships, self-expansion, gratitude, and human social potential.

From time to time, I’ll run across creative ways people are using apps I like. It often prompts me to learn more. I’ll watch some videos, read a few articles and, inevitably, what I discover is that I’ve been accessing just a fraction of what the software can do.  I got that same feeling while reading award-winning science writer, David Robson’s latest book, The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World. It made me realize that I’m leveraging far fewer of my brain’s features than I could be. That means I’m missing out on a lot. For example, quicker recovery from illness and injury. Better performance from more effective stress management. And adding years to my life with more thoughtful approaches to fitness and aging. What scientists are learning about the connections between the human brain and performance is incredible. And David Robson manages to take this research and organize it into a compelling playbook for a better life. Episode Links Can You Think Yourself Young? How Thinking about ‘Future You’ Can Help You Build a Happier Life The Brain is a Prediction Machine: It Knows How Well We Are Doing Something before We Even Try Believing is Seeing: Using Mindlessness (Mindfully) to Improve Visual Acuity Ellen Langer A Placebo Can Work Even When You Know It’s a Placebo Nocebo Effect Improving Acute Stress Responses: The Power of Reappraisal Jeremy P. Jamieson Veronika Job Can You Ever Get Over a Lingering Grudge? Dr. Michael Greger and nutritionfacts.org  The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

David Robson, author of The Laws of Connection, joins to explore the art of meaningful conversations. He reveals how disagreements can be transformed into growth opportunities with compassionate curiosity. Personal narratives often sway emotions more than facts, making them vital in communication. Robson emphasizes the importance of honesty and precision in dialogue, encouraging shared realities to bridge divides. He also discusses effective feedback and creative collaboration, enhancing both personal and professional relationships through deeper connections.

Discover how intelligence doesn't guarantee good financial decisions, the impact of biases on our choices, and ways to combat cognitive biases. Explore the complexities of intelligence, riddles, and exponential growth in financial planning.

Guest David Robson discusses the benefits of bragging at work to build closer relationships. Tips on promoting achievements without coming off as arrogant. Emphasizes the importance of transparently sharing accomplishments and fostering trust in the workplace.

David Robson, award-winning science writer on mind–body links, explores how expectations shape perception. He examines the 2018 Gatwick drone panic and how anticipation can create shared sightings. He discusses studies where priming makes people hear or see things, expectation-driven health effects, and performance boosts from belief.

David Robson, a former editor at New Scientist and author, dives into the complex relationship between intelligence and wisdom. He reveals that traditional IQ tests often fail to predict real-world success and emphasizes the role of critical thinking in education. Robson also discusses how mindset can enhance healing through the placebo effect, the balance between optimism and pessimism in personal growth, and the importance of diverse skills in teamwork, urging listeners to rethink how they measure intelligence and decision-making.