The Psychology Podcast

Cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand discusses tight and loose cultures, exploring the evolution and impact of social norms. She analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of different cultural mindsets, highlighting the importance of understanding perceived threats and organizational dynamics. The conversation delves into navigating cultural differences, negotiating norms, and promoting cooperation through meaningful dialogue and adaptive strategies.

Dr. Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and New York Times best-selling author, shares insights on thriving as an empath. She discusses the unique challenges empaths face, including feelings of overwhelm and the need for self-care. Judith emphasizes the importance of honoring one’s sensitivity and setting boundaries to maintain peace. The conversation touches on redefining masculinity, the cultural stigma around sensitivity in men, and practical strategies for personal growth. She encourages embracing one’s emotional depth as a source of strength.

David Yaden, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine, dives into the fascinating psychology of self-transcendent experiences. He discusses how awe can combat anxiety and isolation, and explains the powerful role of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, in inducing transformative moments. Yaden highlights the neuroscience behind these experiences and their potential for therapeutic applications. He also shares insights on finding everyday moments of awe and connection, emphasizing their significance for mental well-being.

On this episode of The Psychology Podcast, physicist Sean Carroll chats with Scott Barry Kaufman, host of The Psychology Podcast, about his new book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, which is out today! In this episode we discuss: Why studying humans is more complicated than studying the universe The importance of having humility as a psychologist How Scott’s new book Transcend builds on the work of Abraham Maslow How Maslow never actually drew a pyramid What Maslow actually meant by his “Hierarchy of Needs” The dialectical between security and growth Scott’s new metaphor for the hierarchy of needs How humans can be greater than the sum of their parts Scott’s revised integrated hierarchy of needs Why attachment styles are continuums, not types Why the need for belonging is not the same as the need for intimacy The effects of loneliness on our physical health The latest science of introversion Healthy self-esteem vs. narcissism The “growing tip” Psychological entropy The need for exploration and information seeking The more cosmic aspect of love, or “B-Love” The need for purpose Why self-actualization is not achievement The form of purpose that can lead to transcendence Why nothing is absolutely good or bad Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today it’s great to have Dr. Seth Gillihan on the podcast. Dr. Gillihan is a licensed psychologist who has written and lectured nationally and internationally on cognitive behavioral therapy and the role of the brain in psychiatric conditions. His books include The CBT Deck, A Mindful Year: 365 Ways to Find Connection and the Sacred in Everyday Life (co-authored with Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple,and Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks. Dr. Gillihan also blogs for Psychology Today and hosts the weekly Think Act Be podcast, which features a wide range of conversations about living more fully. He has a clinical practice in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, providing treatment to adults with insomnia, OCD, anxiety, depression, and related conditions. Find Seth on the web at sethgillihan.com. See Seth’s CBT Deck here. See the Think Act Be online school where Seth offers courses in mindfulness-centered CBT for anxiety, stress, and worry here: https://think-act-be.teachable.com/. In this episode we discuss: How Seth got into therapy  The second wave of CBT The behavioral activation approach Mindful CBT  Seth’s “Think Act Be” approach The importance of core beliefs The cheap form of self-love “Cycling the Puck” The importance of returning to the true center of ourselves The curious paradox of acceptance What is our deepest self? What is consciousness? Why waking up isn’t a once and for all experience How we can be kinder to ourselves Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Life has to win every day, death only has to win once.” — Roy Baumeister Today it’s great to have Roy Baumeister on the podcast. Dr. Baumeister is currently professor of psychology at the University of Queensland and is among the most prolific and most frequently cited psychologists in the world, with over 650 publications. His 40 books include the New York Times bestseller Willpower. His research covers self and identity, self-regulation, interpersonal rejection and the need to belong, sexuality and gender, aggression, self-esteem, meaning, consciousness, free will, and self-presentation. In 2013 he received the William James award for lifetime achievement in psychological science (the Association for Psychological Science’s highest honor), and his latest book, co-authored with John Tierney, is called “The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It”. In this episode we discuss: How the human brain has a tendency to focus on the bad Why bad is processed more thoroughly than good The latest research on ego depletion  Roy’s take on the replication crisis Why falsely accused people have trouble repairing their reputation Why the bad gets so much more publicity than the good Early career researchers and the lack of incentive for exporation Why we are wired for bad The importance of the Pollyanna principle Roy’s words of wisdom for those with anxiety over the Coronavirus “The rule of 4” Why are hell fearing religions more popular than those preaching a benevolent message? Gordon Allport’s distinction between mature and immature religion The riskiness of drawing too much on the self Roy’s thoughts on the best route to the good life Ways we can see the bigger picture The “negative Golden Rule” How to get on the “low-bad diet” Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today it’s great to have Max Lugavere on the podcast. Max is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times best-selling book Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, which is now published in 8 languages around the globe. He is also the host of the #1 iTunes health podcast The Genius Life. Lugavere appears regularly on the Dr. Oz Show, the Rachael Ray Show, and The Doctors. He has contributed to Medscape, Vice, Fast Company, CNN, and the Daily Beast, has been featured on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and in The Wall Street Journal. He is a sought-after speaker and has given talks at South by Southwest, TEDx, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Biohacker Summit in Stockholm, Sweden, and many others. Max is excited to release his sophomore book, The Genius Life: Heal Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Become Extraordinary, a lifestyle guide to living happily and healthily with proven, research-based lifestyle tactics. What is “nutritional psychiatry”? The importance of preserving protein in your body How longevity and nutrition is a continually evolving science Environmental toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis The influence of the environment on emotional instability The “three Ps” of detoxification The importance of consuming a “nutrient dense diet” The importance of sweating regularly  The potential of house plants to purify the air The dangers of tap water The dangers of consuming processed foods The importance of whole foods How to make your gym sessions more efficient How exercise is a form of medicine How the right tools in your toolkit can alleviate depression and anxiety The importance of taking a whole body approach Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this engaging conversation, Carol Dweck, a leading psychologist and expert on mindsets, delves into the science behind growth mindsets and their profound impact on achievement. She discusses her groundbreaking research on how beliefs about intelligence shape personal resilience and educational outcomes. Dweck shares insights on effective interventions for lower-achieving students and the significance of teacher mindsets. Additionally, she challenges normative views on giftedness, arguing for the value of embracing challenges and the importance of a supportive learning environment.

“There are very few people who have nothing of any value to say.” — Coleman Hughes Today it’s great to have Coleman Hughes on the podcast. Coleman is an undergraduate philosophy major at Columbia University and a columnist for Quillette magazine. His writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, City Journal, and the Spectator. In this episode we discuss: Coleman’s initial plan in life to become a trombonist Coleman’s early childhood education Coleman’s transformation of his thinking about race Coleman’s nuanced thoughts on intersectionality Why we set up a norm against racial stereotyping Is reverse-racism legitimate? How the main message of the civil rights movement is often ignored today Coleman’s humanistic perspective on race Coleman’s criticism of the woke mindset What makes sense about the woke mindset Looking at things from the perspective of police officers Understanding the causes of the underrepresentation of African Americans in gifted education programs The moral imperative to enhance cognitive development of people in the bottom of society  How racial categories can mislead us How people underrate the value of local programs and community to solve problems of racism Why policy shouldn’t look at racial disparities The important distinction between culture and race Why focusing on racial disparities (assuming that racial disparities are a proxy for well-being) is a mistake Coleman’s vision for the good society Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today it’s really great to have Nir Eyal on the podcast. Nir is formerly a Lecturer in Marketing at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and also taught at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. His first book, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, was an international bestseller. His current book, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life, reveals the Achilles’ heel of distraction and provides a guidebook for getting the best of technology without letting it get the best of us. Nir blogs at: NirAndFar.com In this episode we discuss: The one superpower that Nir would want The root cause of distraction What really motivates us How distraction starts from within How time management is pain management What is the role of boredom in distractibility? How to raise indistractible kids How to remove the external trigger of kids The critical question that people should ask How can you prevent distraction with pacts? How we can use precommitments to keep ourselves focused How people overuse of the word “addiction” The stigmatization of ADHD Treating a kid’s use of technology the same way we think of a swimming pool How children are “hypocrisy detection devices” The importance of setting a good example for children Self-determination theory and the rise of cell phone use Can too much concentration, and too little daydreaming, be a bad thing? Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.