Everything's Psychology

If you haven't listened to the previous interview episode with Dr Janina Scarlet on the idea of Superhero Therapy then instead get the cheat sheet with all the best bits here. Also, I extrapolate from Superhero Therapy to Bandura's Bobo doll experiments from the 1960s, behavioural noise from Daniel Kahneman, and I also share a couple of super resources for you to dive into.ResourcesSuperhero Therapy for Anxiety and Trauma by Dr Janina Scarlet: https://amzn.eu/d/1SX8xbvBandura's Bobo Doll Experiment: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.htmlNoise by Daniel Kahneman: https://amzn.eu/d/jjm6eorOur Superheroes, Ourselves by Robin Rosenberg: https://amzn.eu/d/d4SVYXUOxford Risk study (2021) into decision noise for financial advice: https://www.oxfordrisk.com/blog-posts/adviser-noise-in-retirement-income-adviceHero Cards: www.loveherocards.comSend us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

In this episode, discover the innovative concept of superhero therapy with Dr. Janina Scarlett. Her work with military personnel, adults, and children integrates pop culture heroes into evidence-based therapy to help individuals cope with anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges.Links from the episodeDr Janina Scarlet's website: https://www.superhero-therapy.com/The Superhero Therapy podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NLrbC0hDBF4TPZe5t8G4aDr Scarlet's online courses on Pesi.com Paper on the effectiveness of Avatar Therapy in people with psychosisSend us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

This is the first of shorter episodes to sit in-between the main interview episodes. It means you'll now get an Everything's Psychology episode every week.Here, I dig a little deeper into the psychology behind the Hero's Journey and share a couple of academic studies which reveal the power of storytelling.– – –Here's some links which I mention:Christopher Vogler's 7-page memo on the relevance of the hero's journey in screenwriting: https://livingspirit.typepad.com/files/chris-vogler-memo-1.pdfEgan, L.C., Santos, L.R. and Bloom, P. (2007) ‘The Origins of Cognitive Dissonance’, Psychological Science, 18(11), pp. 978–983.Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Epstein, S. (1992). Cognitive-experiential self-theory and subjective probability: Further evidence for two conceptual systems. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(4), 534–544. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.63.4.534McAdams, D.P. (2001) ‘The Psychology of Life Stories’, Review of General Psychology, 5(2), pp. 100–122. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.2.100.McAdams, D.P. (2019) ‘“First we invented stories, then they changed us”: The Evolution of Narrative Identity’, Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture, 3(1), pp. 1–18. Available at: https://doi.org/10.26613/esic.3.1.110.Send us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

Why are we so drawn to stories about transformation? About leaving the ordinary world, facing a crisis, and returning changed?From King Lear to The Lion King, from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, the same plot shape appears again and again: a lone hero sets off on a journey, struggles, grows, and triumphs.This structure — famously named The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell — has come to dominate the way we tell stories. But why? Why this structure? And what does its popularity say about us, psychologically?In this episode, I’m joined by writer and radio producer Eliane Glaser, whose Aeon article “Our Narrative Prison” unpacks the history, psychology, and cultural consequences of the Hero’s Journey.Together, we’ll explore how the monomyth taps into deep behavioural drivers — and whether it’s time to rethink the stories we live by.– – –You'll find Eliane's article here: https://aeon.co/essays/why-does-every-film-and-tv-series-seem-to-have-the-same-plotYou can find out more about Eliane and her books here: https://www.elianeglaser.com/Send us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

I chat with Dr Paul Sacher about the state of AI within the behavioural sciences. Should we be scared how AI will be used or excited about the opportunities it opens for research and the application of psychology?Paul is an AI and Behavioural scientist, CEO of Sacher.ai, and a senior lecturer in AI and behavioural science in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London.Send us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

Do habits really take 66 days to form? Should you rely on willpower? How does a psychologist approach overcoming their own bad habits and starting good ones?Professor Ben Gardner leads us through the intricate world of habits, exploring their definitions, the distinction between habits and routines, and the psychological mechanisms behind habitual behaviour. Professor Gardner shares insights from his extensive research, highlighting the importance of instigation habits that trigger actions and the role of willpower in habit formation and the need for a nuanced understanding of habits to effectively implement behaviour change in daily life. Find out more about Ben's work at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/benjamin-gardnerSend us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

In this engaging discussion, Claude Béata, an animal behavioralist and author of 'The Interpretation of Cats and Their Owners,' delves into the fascinating dual role of cats as both predator and prey. He emphasizes the significance of positive reinforcement in understanding their behavior. Key topics include the emotional landscape of cats, litter box preferences, the indoor vs outdoor debate, and the impact of breeding practices on health. Béata also highlights the challenges and joys of adopting rescue cats, making it a must-listen for any cat enthusiast!

What is vulnerability and how does it affect people differently? How should consumer organisations, such as banks be catering for people with characteristics of vulnerability?I chat with Dr Chris Fitch from the Money Advice Trust about the impact of being vulnerable and some of the innovative ways organisations are changing to be inclusive and accessible.Find out more about the Money Advice Trust hereListen to Chris's podcast ‘Vulnerability Matters’ on Soundcloud or search for Vulnerability Matters wherever you listen to your podcasts.Send us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

Professor Ian Walker, Professor of Psychology and Head of the School of Psychology at Swansea University, talks to me about the psychology of cycling. We also discuss how you can change people's transport behaviour, what it means to be a ‘mindful traveller’, and if it's actually safer not to wear a helmet when cycling.Find out more about Professor Walker's work at www.drianwalker.comSend us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

I chat with renowned psychologist Professor Robert Epstein about how search engines are modern Skinner boxes, manipulating our choices and even our beliefs. Hear about how his research over the last 12 years shows how tech corporations such as Google and Facebook are employing techniques from behaviourism to manipulate our beliefs and opinions to influence global politics and beyond.In the show, Robert mentions the following websites:http://myprivacytips.com/https://aibrt.org/https://americasdigitalshield.com/Robert's choice of browser: https://brave.com/Robert's choice of email: https://proton.me/mailSend us a textYou can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology