What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish exit”? And why is Mike secretly buying lottery tickets? SOURCES: Roy Baumeister , social psychologist and visiting scholar at Harvard University. Daniel Gilbert , professor of psychology at Harvard University. John Gottman , professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Washington. Kurt Lewin , 20th-century German-American psychologist. E. J. Masicampo , professor of psychology at Wake Forest Uni...
Mar 03, 2024•38 min•Ep. 185
How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem? SOURCES: Kristin Andrus , philanthropist. Aaron (Tim) Beck , professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. Thomas Curran , professor of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics. Julia DiGangi , neuropsychologist. Zac Efron , actor. Scott Hugo , housing justice attorney at Oakland City Attorney's Office. RESOURCES:...
Feb 25, 2024•41 min•Ep. 184
Does anyone have any real agency? What do McDonald’s and Oxford University have in common? And why did Angela give up on philosophy? SOURCES Sam Harris , neuroscientist, philosopher, author, and podcast host. Brian Galla , associate professor of health and human development at University of Pittsburgh. Robert Sapolsky , professor of biology at Stanford University. Harry Emerson Fosdick , founding minister of Riverside Church in New York City. Martin E. P. Seligman , professor of psychology at th...
Feb 18, 2024•41 min•Ep. 183
Should you shout your sins from the rooftops? How many skeletons are in the average person’s closet? And what has Angela been hiding? SOURCES: Maya Angelou , memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. Stephen Baum , postdoctoral researcher at Olin Business School at Washington University. Clayton Critcher , professor of marketing, cognitive science, and psychology at Berkeley Haas School of Business. John Legend , singer-songwriter and pianist. Kareem Abdul Jabbar , former professional basketba...
Feb 11, 2024•40 min•Ep. 182
Do you really deserve the credit for your accomplishments? Should college admissions be determined by lottery? And how did Mike’s contribution to a charity auction change his life? SOURCES: Warren Buffett , investor and philanthropist. James Flynn , political philosopher at the University of Otago. Robert Frank , professor emeritus of management at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Rogé Karma , staff writer at The Atlantic . Nicholas Lemann , professor of journalism and dean emeritus at Co...
Feb 04, 2024•34 min•Ep. 181
Where does sentimental value come from? Why did Angela throw out her childhood journals? And would Mike wear Hitler’s sweater? SOURCES: Jeffrey Galak , professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. John Irving , author. Marie Kondo , professional organizer and consultant. Paul Rozin , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Yang Yang , research scientist at the Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University. RESOURCES: " Experiences Endure ," by Angela ...
Jan 28, 2024•38 min•Ep. 180
Is there any scientific basis for the law of attraction? Are people who believe in “cosmic collaboration” more successful? And what happens when you write yourself a check for $10 million? SOURCES: Rhonda Byrne , writer and TV producer. Jim Carrey , actor. Christopher Clarey , sports journalist and author. Peter Gollwitzer , professor of psychology at New York University. Dave Levin , co-founder and executive director of KIPP Public Charter Schools. Gabriele Oettingen , professor of psychology a...
Jan 21, 2024•36 min•Ep. 179
Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops? SOURCES: David Bjorklund , professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University. Peter Gray , professor of psychology at Boston College. David Lancy , professor emeritus of anthropology at Utah State University. Lenore Skenazy , president of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. RESOURCES: " Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decli...
Jan 14, 2024•37 min•Ep. 178
What matters more: meeting our own ambitions, or winning fame and glory? What’s it like to earn a gold medal at the Olympics? And why didn’t Mike’s grandfather get a watch? SOURCES: Alain de Botton , writer and founder of The School of Life. Kirk Flatow , head coach of co-ed varsity track and field at Monta Vista High School. Katie Ledecky , competitive swimmer. Diana Nyad , long-distance swimmer. Michael Phelps , former competitive swimmer. Martin Seligman , professor of psychology at the Unive...
Jan 07, 2024•38 min•Ep. 177
Why do we mirror other people’s accents? Does DJ Khaled get tired of winning? And also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy? SOURCES: Albert Bandura , professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University. John Bargh , professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University. Tanya Chartrand , professor of marketing at Duke University. Clay Cockrell , psychotherapist and founder of Walk and Talk Therapy. Iain Couzin , director of the department of collective behavior at the Max Plan...
Dec 31, 2023•37 min•Ep. 63
Why do we get overwhelmed when we have too many choices? Should we make our own decisions or copy other people's? And how can Angela manage her sock inventory? SOURCES: Arie Kruglanski , professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Katy Milkman , professor of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania. Sylvia Plath , 20th-century American novelist and poet. Barry Schwartz , professor of social theory and social action at Swarthmore College. H...
Dec 24, 2023•40 min•Ep. 176
Why does your horoscope seem so accurate? Is it possible to believe and not believe in something at the same time? And is Mike a classic Gemini? SOURCES: P. T. Barnum , 19th-century American showman and businessman. David Brooks , New York Times Opinion columnist. Bertram Forer , 20th-century American psychologist. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University. Irving Kirsch , associate director of the Program in Placebo Studies and lecturer in med...
Dec 17, 2023•38 min•Ep. 175
Are gifted and talented programs discriminatory? Why do so many adults still remember their SAT scores? And how did Angela transform from a party girl to an Ivy League psychologist? SOURCES: Alfred Binet , 19th-century French psychologist. Stefan Dombrowski , professor of psychology and director of the School Psychology Program at Rider University. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , 18th- to 19th-century German author. Travis Kelce , tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the N.F.L. Robert O'Connell ...
Dec 10, 2023•36 min•Ep. 174
What happens when three psychologists walk into a magic show? What’s Angela’s problem with the word “talent”? And why does LeBron James refer to himself in the third person? SOURCES: John Bargh , professor of psychology at Yale University. Derren Brown , mentalist. Carol Dweck , professor of psychology at Stanford University. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University. Ethan Kross , professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. Barbara ...
Dec 03, 2023•35 min•Ep. 173
How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And also: how does a cook become a chef? RESOURCES: “ Social Support From Weak Ties: Insight From the Literature on Minimal Social Interactions ,” by Joshua Moreton, Caitlin S. Kelly, and Gillian Sandstrom ( Social and Personality Psychology Compass , 2023). Join or Die , documentary (2023). “ I Tried Bumble BFF for 30 Days — Here’s What Happened ,” by Beth Gillette ( The Everygirl, 2022). Platonic: How the Science of A...
Nov 26, 2023•53 min•Ep. 149
Can long-term relationships do more harm than good? Where is the line between intimacy and codependence? And should we all try to be more like Mike’s parents? RESOURCES: " A Record-High Share of 40-Year-Olds in the U.S. Have Never Been Married ," by Richard Fry ( Pew Research Center, 2023). " Divorce Skyrocketing Among Aging Boomers ," by Sharon Jayson ( AARP, 2023). " Don’t Let Love Take Over Your Life ," by Faith Hill ( The Atlantic, 2023). " Marriage Provides Health Benefits – and Here’s Why ...
Nov 19, 2023•37 min•Ep. 172
Why do we use “literally” figuratively? Does conveying an "emotional truth" justify making things up? And are Angela’s kids really starving or just hungry? RESOURCES: " My Response to The New Yorker Article ," by Hasan Minhaj (YouTube video, 2023). " Hasan Minhaj’s 'Emotional Truths ,'" by Clare Malone ( The New Yorker, 2023). " Lying to Spice up Life ," by Holly Cole ( Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 2019). Words on the Move: Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Liter...
Nov 12, 2023•35 min•Ep. 171
How can you be lonely when so many people showed up at your birthday party? Can you fight loneliness by managing expectations? And where can you find company while enjoying the best garlic cheeseburger in the greater Salt Lake City metro area? RESOURCES: " Surgeon General: We Have Become a Lonely Nation. It’s Time to Fix That ," by Vivek H. Murthy ( The New York Times, 2023). " Home Alone: More Than A Quarter of All Households Have One Person ," by Lydia Anderson, Chanell Washington, Rose M. Kre...
Nov 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 170
Do you suffer from the sin of certainty? How did Angela react when a grad student challenged her research? And can a Heineken commercial strengthen our democracy? RESOURCES: " Disagree Better ," National Governors Association initiative led by Spencer Cox (2023-2024). " Cooling Heated Discourse: Conversational Receptiveness Boosts Interpersonal Evaluations and Willingness to Talk ," by Julia Minson, David Hagmann, and Kara Luo (Preprint, 2023). " Megastudy Identifying Effective Interventions to ...
Oct 29, 2023•39 min•Ep. 169
Should you become an artist or an accountant? Did Sylvia Plath have to be depressed to write The Bell Jar ? And what can Napoleon Dynamite teach us about the creative life? RESOURCES: " The Science of Why You Have Great Ideas in the Shower ," by Stacey Colino ( National Geographic, 2022). " So, You Think You’re Not Creative? " by Duncan Wardle ( Harvard Business Review, 2021). " The Correlation Between Arts and Crafts and a Nobel Prize ," by Rosie Cima ( Priceonomics, 2015). " Report: State of t...
Oct 22, 2023•31 min•Ep. 168
Is it better to be an egocentric navigator or an allocentric navigator? Was the New York City Department of Education wrong to ban ChatGPT? And did Mike get ripped off by Michael Jackson’s cousin? RESOURCES " Don’t Ban Chatbots in Classrooms — Use Them to Change How We Teach ," by Angela Duckworth and Lyle Ungar ( Los Angeles Times, 2023). " How GPS Weakens Memory — and What We Can Do about It ," by Mar Gonzalez-Franco, Gregory Dane Clemenson, and Amos Miller ( Scientific American, 2021). " Habi...
Oct 15, 2023•38 min•Ep. 167
What’s the difference between being busy and being productive? Would you be better at your job if you cared a little less? And can somebody get Mike a cup of coffee? RESOURCES: " State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report ," ( Gallup, 2023). " What’s Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? " by Alison Green ( Slate, 2023). " The Problem With Venting ," by Ethan Kross ( Character Lab, 2021). " Conan O'Brien's Final Monologue: 'Nobody in Life Gets What They Thought They ...
Oct 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 166
Do you get grittier as you age? What's worse for mental health: video games or social media? And do baby boomers make the best D.J.s? RESOURCES: Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America's Future , by Jean Twenge (2023). " 5 Things to Keep in Mind When You Hear About Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and Other Generations ," by Michael Dimock ( Pew Research Center, 2023). " Lock Screens ," by Jean Twenge ( Character Lab, ...
Oct 01, 2023•37 min•Ep. 165
Does anyone really know what they’re doing? How do we reward the competent and not the confident? And what’s wrong with using TikTok for research? RESOURCES: " Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It ," by Leslie Jamison ( The New Yorker, 2023). " The Impostor Phenomenon Revisited: Examining the Relationship between Workplace Impostor Thoughts and Interpersonal Effectiveness at Work ," by Basima Tewfik ( Academy of Management Journal, 2022). " You’re Not an Imposter. You’re Actually Pretty Ama...
Sep 24, 2023•39 min•Ep. 164
How much control do you really have over your body? Could understanding genetics help combat fat-shaming? And why is Mike’s life coach so happy all the time?
Sep 17, 2023•28 min•Ep. 163
How do you practice self-care if you don’t have time for a break? Is it weird to talk to yourself? And does Mike need a bag of Doritos — or just a hug?
Sep 10, 2023•40 min•Ep. 162
How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them?
Sep 03, 2023•37 min•Ep. 161
Why would a successful person feel the need to stick it to the little guy? Is Angela a name-dropper? And why do rappers grab their crotches?
Aug 27, 2023•40 min•Ep. 160
How do you deal with a close talker? Is Angela drinking too much water? And why can’t Mike keep his phone out of his bedroom?
Aug 20, 2023•34 min•Ep. 159
Is it better to be the best player on the worst team or the worst player on the best team? How did Angela cope with her extremely impressive freshman dorm mates? And why won’t Shaquille O'Neal let Charles Barkley have an onion ring?
Aug 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 158
