Speaking of Psychology

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.

Dr. Derald Wing Sue, PhD discusses the impact of microaggressions on mental and physical health. He explores the definition and types of microaggressions and provides strategies for combatting them, including micro interventions and seeking outside support. The chapter also delves into the challenges of addressing race for white individuals and reflects on societal progress and underlying fears.

Domicele Jonauskaite, PhD, discusses the universal and cultural connections between color and emotion, the controversy surrounding drunk tank pink, the impact of chromotherapy on mental health, the association between colors and emotions, and the psychological meaning of color.

Drew Curtis and Christian L. Hart discuss pathological lying as a mental health disorder, prevalence in professions like politics and sales, recognizing and protecting oneself from lies, gender and demographic variations in lying patterns, onset of pathological lying in late childhood/adolescence, challenges of diagnosis and treatment, and their research on causes and motivations.

There’s a common stereotype is that teenagers’ brains are immature and underdeveloped, and that teens are “hard-wired” to take unwise risks and cave to peer pressure. But psychologists’ research suggests these negative stereotypes are unfounded and that the teen years are a time opportunity and growth as well as risk. Eva Telzer, PhD, explains why teens take more risks and why that risk-taking is sometimes beneficial, why parents have more influence than they think, and how social media and other technology use may be affecting teens’ behavior and development.   For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there anything more agonizing than being in limbo? Time may seem to slow to a crawl when you’re waiting for high-stakes news like a hiring decision, a biopsy result – or the end of a pandemic. Kate Sweeny, PhD, of the University of California, Riverside, discusses what makes waiting so stressful, how the stress of waiting differs from other types of stress, the relationship between waiting and worrying, and strategies people can use to lessen anxiety and make waiting easier. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices