Stanford Psychology Podcast

Prof. Steve Fleming and Dr. Nadine Dijkstra explore the distinction between reality and imagination, discussing a recent study on perceptual reality monitoring. They delve into the role of signal strength in distinguishing reality from imagination and discuss the implications for mental health and court cases. They also share their personal journeys in science and emphasize the importance of perseverance in scientific research.

Dr. Bryan Brown discusses the potential of virtual reality in science education, exploring its ability to engage students and make science culturally relevant. He shares insights from a study conducted with elementary students, highlighting the benefits of VR in enhancing understanding and immersion in scientific concepts. The podcast also delves into the concept of culturally relevant pedagogy and its impact on effective learning, as well as the value of VR in education by bringing context and immersive experiences. The implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy is explored, with a focus on understanding students' specific learning environments. Lastly, the potential benefits and limitations of VR in science education are discussed, including hands-on learning opportunities and cost-efficient approaches.

Josh Jackson, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, discusses the co-evolution of culture and psychology. Topics include morality across cultures, understanding kindness, the impact of social media, and Josh's academic journey.

Dr. Sho Tsuji discusses her work on modeling how babies acquire language efficiently. She explains the importance of a computational perspective and shares her insights on large language models. The podcast explores the significance of computational models in language acquisition, introduces the Skella framework, and discusses learning algorithms and cultural diversity.

George Mashour, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, discusses the study of psychedelics, defining psychedelic drugs, comparing altered states of consciousness, and prominent theories of consciousness. He explores shared connectivity patterns in the brain under the influence of psychedelics and anesthetics. Mashour reflects on their personal journey and the importance of rigor and learning from the past in psychedelic research.

Matt Abrahams, leading expert in communication, discusses public speaking, stage fright, and his upcoming book. Overrated advice, reducing filler words, and being engaging on and off stage are explored. The role of humor in communication and translating academic research for non-academic audiences are also discussed. The chapter concludes by exploring career paths for psychology graduates in communication and teaching, as well as improving podcast engagement and connection.

Gillian Sandstrom, Senior Lecturer in the Psychology of Kindness, discusses the misconceptions and benefits of talking to strangers. She explores fears and interventions, lasting changes after engaging with strangers, conversation starters, cultural considerations, societal norms, and flexibility of social norms in social interactions.

Jon Jachimowicz, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School, discusses the complex link between passion and productivity. He explores how passion can lead to exhaustion and emphasizes the importance of maintaining passion in the long run. The podcast also touches on cultural differences in pursuing passion, challenges faced in discovering one's passions, and the struggle to balance financial return and personal values.

Welcome to Week 6 of our REAIR SUMMER! From this week till September 21st, we will be revisiting some of our favorite episodes around topics related to personal development and self-improvement!Eric chats with Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and Co-Director of the Greater Good Science Center. Dacher has worked on many topics such as compassion, power, and social class. He has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to “The Science of Happiness” through his online course and podcast with the same name. He has written multiple best-selling books, most recently on awe.In this chat, Eric asks Dacher about all things awe, from traveling to psychedelics to Beyonce. Does everyone feel awe? Should everyone feel it? What is the most common form of awe? How can awe help people through grief? What does it have to do with ASMR? Does awe make people naïve? Finally, Dacher shares what it was like to work on movies such as Inside Out and adds some kind words about his former advisor and psychology legend, the late Lee Ross.WE NOW HAVE A SUBSTACK! Stay up to date with the pod and become part of the ever-growing community :) https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/If you found this episode interesting at all, consider leaving us a good rating! It just takes a second but will allow us to reach more people and make them excited about psychology.Links:Dacher's new book on aweDacher's websiteEric's websiteEric's Twitter @EricNeumannPsyPodcast Twitter @StanfordPsyPodPodcast Substack https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/Let us know what you think of this episode, or of the podcast! :) stanfordpsychpodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Jay Van Bavel, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU, discusses his book 'The Power of Us' exploring how collective concerns shape behavior. They touch on bias in academia, the influence of implicit bias, and the importance of social identities in addressing issues like inequality and climate change.