How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your children online? And does Angela regret talking about her daughters on the podcast? SOURCES: Erin Carbone , visiting assistant professor of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Jimmy Kimmel , comedian and late-night television host. George Loewenstein , professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. Taylor Swift , singer-songwriter. Christie Tate , essayis...
Nov 03, 2024•35 min•Ep. 218
Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online? And why did Angela go trick-or-treating in a trash bag? SOURCES: Hajo Adam , professor of management at the University of Bath. Marianna Cerini , journalist. Edward Diener , professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Illinois. Adam Galinsky , professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School. J. Nathan Matias , assistant professor at the Cornell University Departments of Communicatio...
Oct 27, 2024•41 min•Ep. 217
Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? What’s the difference between an excuse and a justification? And why is it important to remember that you’re not a pizzeria on the Jersey Shore? SOURCES: Robert Cialdini , professor of psychology at Arizona State University. Raymond Higgins , professor emeritus of psychology at University of Kansas. Martin Seligman , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Rick Snyder , professor emeritus of psychology at Univers...
Oct 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 216
What’s wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do volunteer work to pad their resumes? And why is Angela stopping women in public parks to compliment them? SOURCES: Bill Gates , co-founder of Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Geoffrey Goodwin , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Jon Huntsman , politician, diplomat, and businessman. Immanuel Kant , 18th-century German philosopher. Emrys Westacott , professor...
Oct 13, 2024•35 min•Ep. 215
How do you come back from being “canceled”? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? And what makes a successful public apology? SOURCES: Karen Cerulo , professor emeritus of sociology at Rutgers University. Bill Clinton , former president of the United States. David Gergen , professor emeritus of public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School; former White House adviser to four U.S. presidents. Benjamin Ho , professor and chair of economics at Vassar College. Monica Lewinsky , activi...
Oct 06, 2024•38 min•Ep. 214
When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce? SOURCES: Carol Dweck , professor of psychology at Stanford University. Sigmund Freud , neurologist and father of psychoanalysis. Paul Rozin , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Robert Sapolsky , professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University. George Vaillant , professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Research Institute. RES...
Oct 03, 2024•33 min•Ep. 126
What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor? SOURCES: Jonathan Haidt , professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Christina Maslach , professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Stanley Milgram , 20th century professor of psychology at Yale University. Edward R. Murrow , 20th century American broadcast journalist and war co...
Sep 29, 2024•39 min•Ep. 213
Who decided that we’re fully mature at 18? Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote? And why are young people bringing their parents to job interviews? SOURCES: Jeffrey Arnett , senior research scholar in psychology at Clark University. Julie Beck , staff writer at The Atlantic . Grace Icenogle , confinement prevention administrator in the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Allyson Mackey , professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. Trevor Noah , comedian...
Sep 22, 2024•39 min•Ep. 212
What are Mike and Angela’s favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? And what is Angela going to sing the next time she does karaoke? SOURCES: Matthew Desmond , professor of sociology at Princeton University. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University. Joshua Knobe , professor of philosophy, psychology, and linguistics at Yale University. Simon McCarthy-Jones , professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin. Yael ...
Sep 15, 2024•37 min•Ep. 211
What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? What’s the difference between Swedish depression and American depression? And why aren’t aliens interested in abducting Mike? SOURCES: Jennifer Aaker , professor of marketing at Stanford University. Judd Apatow , film director, screenwriter, and comedian. Fredrik Backman , author. Naomi Bagdonas , lecturer in management at Stanford University. James Corden , actor, comedian, and former late-night television host. Dick Costolo , former C.E.O. of Twitt...
Sep 08, 2024•38 min•Ep. 210
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckworth in this classic episode from July 2020. SOURCES: Pearl S. Buck , 20th-century American novelist. Jack Gallant , professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Steve Levitt , professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books. George Loewenstein , professor of economics and ...
Sep 06, 2024•31 min•Ep. 10
Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road? SOURCES: Christian Crandall , professor of psychology at the University of Kansas. Stephen Dubner , host of Freakonomics Radio and co-author of the Freakonomics books. Scott Eidelman , professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas. David Hume , 18th century Scottish philosopher. Ellen Langer , professor o...
Sep 01, 2024•35 min•Ep. 209
What happens when machines become funnier, kinder, and more empathetic than humans? Do robot therapists save lives? And should Angela credit her virtual assistant as a co-author of her book? SOURCES: Robert Cialdini , professor emeritus of psychology at Arizona State University. Reid Hoffman , co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn; co-founder and board member of Inflection AI. Kazuo Ishiguro , novelist and screenwriter. Ethan Mollick , professor of management and co-director of the Gener...
Aug 25, 2024•36 min•Ep. 208
Do you see yourself the same way others see you? What’s the difference between self-perception and self-awareness? And why do Mike and Angela both hate fishing? SOURCES: Luis von Ahn , co-founder and C.E.O. of Duolingo; former chair of the board at Character Lab. Paul DePodesta , chief strategy officer of the Cleveland Browns; former baseball executive. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University. Michel de Montaigne , 16th-century French philoso...
Aug 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 207
What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela? SOURCES: Robert Cialdini , professor emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University. Yaniv Hanoch , professor of decision sciences at Coventry University. Hugo Mercier , research scientist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. George Parker , 19-20th century American con artist. Clark Stanley , 19th century American herbalist and quack doctor. William Thompson , 19th centur...
Aug 11, 2024•35 min•Ep. 150
Should government jobs have mandatory retirement ages? Is it foolish to care about your legacy? And why did Jason always call Angela’s father “Dr. Lee”? SOURCES: William Bridges , professor emeritus of American literature at Mills College, consultant, and author. Arthur Brooks , professor of leadership at Harvard University. Jimmy Carter , former President of the United States and founder of the Carter Center. Erik Erikson , 20th-century psychoanalyst. Craig Fox , professor of management at the ...
Aug 04, 2024•38 min•Ep. 206
Do you get your principles from your parents — or in spite of them? Is there anything wrong with valuing conformity? And why doesn’t McDonald’s sell salads? SOURCES: Erika James , dean of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Olivia Rodrigo , singer-songwriter. Shalom Schwartz , professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Thomas Talhelm , professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. RESOURCES: " M...
Jul 28, 2024•42 min•Ep. 205
How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists? SOURCES: William Broyles Jr. , screenwriter, journalism, and former U.S. Marine Corps officer. Beatriz Flamini , Spanish mountaineer. Craig Haney , professor of psychology at the University of California Santa Cruz. Harry Harlow , 20th-century American psychologist. Sarah Hepola , author. Nelson Mandela , former president of South Africa. T...
Jul 21, 2024•40 min•Ep. 204
Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’t Angela want to hug anyone for eight seconds? SOURCES: Ophelia Deroy , chair of the department of philosophy of mind and cognitive neuroscience at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Kory Floyd , professor of communications at the University of Arizona. Harry Harlow , 20th-century American psychologist. Sirin Kale , associate editor at Vice. Christy Kane , clinical mental health counselor. Car...
Jul 14, 2024•39 min•Ep. 203
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? SOURCES: Max Bazerman , professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Deepak Malhotra , professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Elon Musk , owner and C.T.O. of X Corp (formerly Twitter), C.E.O. of Space X, and C.E.O. of Tesla. John Krasinski , actor and filmmaker. RESOURCES: " Elon Musk Says Twitter Will T...
Jul 07, 2024•36 min•Ep. 161
Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was Angela the most annoying person in her college classes? SOURCES: Paul Bloom , professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. Ed Diener , professor emeritus at the University of Illinois. Michael Easter , author. Alex Hutchinson , journalist. Shigehiro Oishi , professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. Taylor Swift , singer-songwriter. RESOURCES: " World Happiness Report ," ( Gallup,...
Jun 30, 2024•40 min•Ep. 202
Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize about during ninth-grade English class? SOURCES: Patrick Bet-David , YouTuber and founding C.E.O. of PHP Agency Inc. Barbara Corcoran , "Shark" and executive producer on ABC’s Shark Tank and founder of The Corcoran Group. Peter Gollwitzer , professor of psychology at New York University. Danny Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology at Princeton University. Robert Nozick , philosopher. Gabriele Oe...
Jun 23, 2024•42 min•Ep. 201
Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person? And why doesn’t Hallmark sell empathy cards? SOURCES: Daniel Batson , professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kansas. Paul Bloom , professor of psychology at University of Toronto. Paul Polman , businessman, author, and former C.E.O. of Unilever. RESOURCES: “ Empathy, Sympathy, and Emotion Regulation: A Meta-Analytic Review ,” by H. Melis Yavuz, Tyler Colasante, Emma Galarneau, and ...
Jun 16, 2024•41 min•Ep. 200
Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you? SOURCES: Fredrik Backman , author. David Chavis , senior fellow at Community Science. Daniel Gilbert , professor of psychology at Harvard University. Sebastian Junger , journalist and author. David McMillan , clinical and community psychologist. Priya Parker , strategic advisor and author. RESOURCES: " Do Conversations End When People Want Them to? " by Adam M. Mastroianni, Daniel Gi...
Jun 09, 2024•37 min•Ep. 199
What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common? SOURCES: Anette Asp , project manager and research coordinator at the California Institute of Technology. Lalin Anik , professor of marketing at Vrije University Amsterdam. Marc Bain , journalist. Judy Blume , young adult author. Colin Camerer , professor of behavioral economics at the California Institute of Technology. James Dean , 20th-...
Jun 02, 2024•40 min•Ep. 198
Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time? SOURCES: Laura Wheatman Hill , journalist. George Lin , Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Melinda Wenner Moyer , journalist and author. Luciano Pavarotti , Italian operatic tenor. Amy Stoeber , clinical psychologist. Jacqueline Woolley , professor of psychology at the...
May 26, 2024•39 min•Ep. 197
WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to academic celebrity.
May 23, 2024•34 min
Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And why did Angela eat off of a stranger’s plate at a sushi bar? SOURCES: Ludwig van Beethoven , 18th-19th century composer and pianist. Jen Christensen , reporter and producer at CNN. Lauren Eskreis-Winkler , professor of management & organizations at Northwestern University. Sigmund Freud , neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis. Shirley MacLaine , actor. George Vaillant , professor of psychiatry ...
May 19, 2024•39 min•Ep. 196
Where is the line between a good guy and a doormat? Do people with sharp elbows make more money? And why did Angela’s mother give away her birthday present? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive SOURCES: Kristen Bell , actor. Jeff Bezos , founder and executive chairman of Amazon. Harry Connick Jr. , singer, pianist, and actor. Juli Fraga , psychologist and writer. Adam Grant , professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Allison Sweet Grant , writer. ...
May 12, 2024•39 min•Ep. 195
What’s the difference between being introverted and being shy? What are extroverts so cheerful about? And does Angela’s social battery ever run out? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive SOURCES: Susan Cain , author. Will Fleeson , professor of psychology at Wake Forest University. Sigmund Freud , neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis. Adam Grant , professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Carl Jung , psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. Donald Kame...
May 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 194
