Speaking of Psychology

William Haley, PhD, discusses the mental and physical health effects of caregiving, interventions to support caregivers, and how society could better support caregivers. They also explore the concept of age-friendly and dementia-friendly communities, compare caregiving support in different countries, and discuss the importance of preparing for future caregiving responsibilities.

Psychologist Dean McKay, PhD, and OCD advocate Uma Chatterjee debunk myths about OCD and discuss effective evidence-based treatments. They explore the onset and development of OCD in children, the impact of comorbidities on well-being, and ongoing research in the field.

Coltan Scrivner, expert in psychology of horror and true crime, talks about why people are drawn to horror, true crime and scary genres; and whether terrifying entertainment can be good for mental health. He also discusses the paradox of enjoying horror movies, the impact of technology on health, and the connection between morbid curiosity and horror. Additionally, he explores the interpretation of scores on the morbid curiosity scale, busts the stereotype that horror fans lack empathy, and highlights personality traits associated with horror movie enjoyment.

Dr. Mark Blagrove discusses the origin and purpose of dreams, the connection between dreams and waking life, common dream themes, differences in dream recall frequency, nightmares and their correlations with anxiety and depression, the possibility of animals dreaming, and the importance of different types of dreamers.

Psychologists Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster and Karen Dill-Shackleford discuss the benefits of parasocial relationships, how they differ from fandom, and what happens when a parasocial relationship goes sour. They also explore the impact of AI and robots on human relationships, teenage celebrity crushes, the prevalence of celebrity obsession, and how the portrayal of characters by actors can impact perception.

Dr. Molly Jameson, a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Northern Colorado, discusses the origins and impact of math anxiety, distinguishing it from general dislike for math. She explores how math anxiety can affect education and career choices, both in children and adults. The podcast also covers interventions for pre-service elementary teachers with high math anxiety, aiming to increase math interest and confidence.

June Tangney, PhD from George Mason University discusses the difference between shame and guilt, their impact on mental health, and techniques to manage and reduce them. The podcast explores disparities between guilt and shame based on sex and age, the complexity of studying shame and guilt, and their role in behavior change and treatment of substance abuse disorders.

Dr. Eric Brymer explains misconceptions about adventurers, what draws people to extreme sports, the role of fear, parallels to other extreme experiences, the impact of technology, and how adventure enhances wellbeing and human potential.

Wendy De La Rosa, PhD, a financial expert from The Wharton School, discusses the challenges of taking financial action and the impact of financial stress on relationships. She provides practical advice for financial success, emphasizes the negative effects of early wage access apps, and calls for an improved tax-filing system. The hosts explore the taboo nature of money topics and advocate for destigmatizing money conversations.

Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, PhD, expert on the interaction between hormones, the menstrual cycle, and mental health, discusses the truth behind PMS, explains the difference between PMDD and PMS, debunking the hormonal imbalance misconception. They also explore the relationship between hormone sensitivity and suicidality in PMDD patients, sex differences in hormone sensitivity, and the importance of studying individual differences in reactivity to the menstrual cycle.