Under the Cortex

Ashley Watts, a quantitative psychopathologist at Vanderbilt University, dives into the complex world of addiction. She challenges the General Addiction Liability theory, arguing against simplistic explanations for addictive behavior. Through her research, she highlights the heterogeneity of substance use disorders and how population data reveal the limitations of a single addiction factor. Ashley discusses the implications of these findings for treatment strategies, advocating for a nuanced understanding that could reshape future research and therapeutic approaches.

Psychological research often focuses on disparities, but how do the populations studied impact the reliability of findings?  In this episode of Under the Cortex, Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum hosts Wen Wei Loh and Dongning Ren who recently published an article on this topic in APS’s journal Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. They discuss how non-representative samples can influence study conclusions and highlight solutions for strengthening study validity.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org 

Children often surprise us with the details they remember—sometimes even better than adults! But what if their ability to learn comes not from focus, but from a broader, less selective attention? This episode unpacks research showing that while adults learn best when paying attention, children (ages 7-9) absorb information just as well, even when it’s irrelevant to their task. Could this be the secret behind their incredible learning abilities?   In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Marlie Tandoc from the University of Pennsylvania who recently published an article on learning and attention in APS’s journal Psychological Science. Together they discuss whether children’s weaker selective attention is a hidden strength by addressing findings on attention, memory, and childhood learning.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org 

Although meditation apps are gaining popularity, a clear link between usage dosage and intervention outcomes has yet to be established.  In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum teams up with Simon Goldberg from the University of Wisconsin to explore a critical question: “How does the “dosage” of meditation app use impact mental health outcomes? Drawing from a randomized controlled trial with 662 participants published in APS’s journal Clinical Psychological Science, the conversation examines various ways to measure dosage and how these metrics relate to changes in psychological distress.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

Michael Kramer, a Professor at the University of Zurich, dives into the complex world of caregiving. He reveals how caregiving impacts mental health, shedding light on the stress and anxiety caregivers face. The conversation highlights gender differences, with women often shouldering more responsibilities. Economic factors and family dynamics play a crucial role in caregivers' well-being. Kramer emphasizes the need for societal support and policy changes to ease the psychological burden on these essential but often overlooked individuals.

Hannah Brown, the managing editor of APS's Observer magazine, joins to discuss the year's most popular journal articles. They probe the empirical basis of the five love languages, highlighting how misconceptions and biases cloud our understanding. The impact of early life stress on children's health is brought to light, emphasizing child-parent therapy's role in healing. Additionally, the duo tackles self-censorship in psychological research and explores global variations in gender equality, encouraging open dialogue and critical thinking in academia.

When children play, how do they develop the essential skill of cooperation? What methods do they use to solve complex problems while working in teams? How do they approach a threshold dilemma when their personal interests are at odds with the team’s objectives?  In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Patricia Kanngiesser from the University of Plymouth. Kanngiesser, who is a cross-cultural and developmental psychologist, highlights the findings from a recent article in Psychological Science and discusses how children learn to navigate teamwork.    If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.    Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.  

What potential do everyday devices, like smartwatches, have in transforming the management and treatment of eating disorders?    In this episode, Under the Cortex explores how commonly used technology, such as heart rate monitors and step counters, can be used to understand binge-eating episodes. APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum interviews Qinxin Shi from the University of Utah, whose research is featured in Clinical Psychological Science. Together, they discuss the potential implications of this innovative approach for identifying and treating eating disorders.    If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.    Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org 

What drives the onset of alcohol dependence in midlife? How does it present unique challenges, and what strategies can help when it disrupts the lives of individuals and their families?   In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Lara Khalifeh and Leah Richmond-Rakerd from the University of Michigan, authors of a recent article in Clinical Psychological Science. Together, they discuss the role of aging, life transitions, and retirement as possible contributors to the distinct profile of midlife-onset alcohol dependence.   If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.    Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org 

How does the brain’s memory function change as we grow older? What recent discoveries are helping us understand these changes better?  In this episode of Under the Cortex, Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum welcomes Karen Campbell of Brock University to discuss how aging impacts memory. Campbell shares insights from her recent study in APS’s journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, exploring the hyber-binding hypothesis. The conversation delves into how the abundance of connections in older adults’ mental representations may contribute to memory challenges later in life.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.    Send us your thoughts and questions at  underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org