In each episode, we talk with inspiring scientists, thinkers, and other self-actualized individuals who will give you a greater understanding of yourself, others, and the world we live in. Scott Barry Kaufman explores the depths of human potential and tries to get a glimpse into human possibility in every episode.
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After 11 years, 478 episodes, and countless conversations exploring the depths of human potential, this episode marks the final chapter of The Psychology Podcast in its current form. In this deeply meaningful farewell episode for Scott, he sits down with acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul — fittingly, the very first guest ever featured on the show back in 2014. Together, they reflect on the podcast’s evolution, its mission, and the major themes that have shaped more than a decade of inqu...
This week, Scott sits down with his longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Alia Crum—one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of mindsets. Dr. Crum’s groundbreaking work investigates how our subjective beliefs and interpretations can produce real, measurable changes in behavior, physiology, and psychological well-being. Drawing inspiration from research on the placebo effect, Dr. Crum explores how mindsets influence everything from health and stress to performance and interpersonal effe...
This week, Scott welcomes Dr. Elisabet Lahti—educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of the Sisu Lab. Dr. Lahti is the world’s leading expert on sisu , a Finnish concept that embodies extraordinary courage, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. Together, they explore the meaning of sisu and how it can help us persevere even when we think we’ve reached our limits. Dr. Lahti shares her own personal experiences of struggle and growth, illustrating how strength and gen...
This week, Scott speaks with RaQuel Hopkins, a certified coach with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. RaQuel shares her personal and professional journey—from mastering the art of coping to discovering the transformative power of growth. Together, they explore how adults can expand their mental and emotional capacity, why many people feel stuck in “survival mode,” and what it really means to thrive. RaQuel opens up about her own evolution and how she now helps others move b...
This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and one of today’s most engaging science communicators. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interaction, and his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection , explores how our relationships shape our minds and well-being. Together, they dive into the science of why humans are wired for connection, the growing epidemic of loneliness, and how social interactions inf...
This week, Scott speaks with psychotherapist and writer Joe Nucci, whose work tackles the intersection of mental health, misinformation, and pop psychology. Joe has built a large following by debunking viral myths and bringing nuance to conversations that are too often oversimplified online. Together, they dive into his new book, Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths and the Truths to Set You Free . From the overuse of labels like “narcissist” to the assumption that mindfulness is good for eve...
This week, Scott Barry Kaufman sits down with Dr. Alex Auerbach, a licensed counseling and sport performance psychologist who works with some of the world’s top performers—from Olympic champions to NBA, NFL, and MLB athletes, as well as elite military units, Fortune 500 companies, and high-growth startups. Together, they dive into insights from Dr. Auerbach’s book, To Greatness: Your Personal Playbook for the Pursuit of Excellence . The conversation explores the science of resiliency, adaptive c...
This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Dealing with Feelings: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want . Together, they explore why so many of us struggle to manage our emotions and what we can do about it. Dr. Brackett explains the importance of co-regulation, self-compassion, and learning to work with our feelings rather than against them. As he reminds us, nearly every experience in our lives—good o...
This week Scott speaks with author, entrepreneur, and world traveler Chris Guillebeau, best known for The Art of Non-Conformity and his latest book, Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency and a Better Way to Live . Chris unpacks the concept of time anxiety—the persistent feeling that we’re running out of time—and explains why it’s different from FOMO or ADHD. Together, he and Scott explore how cultural pressures toward constant efficiency can leave us feeling perpetually behind, and how to redefi...
This week Scott speaks with journalist and Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan about her latest book, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change . Olga shares her personal journey experimenting with ways to reshape her own personality—armed with insights from the latest psychological research. Together, she and Scott explore whether personality traits like introversion, neuroticism, and even antagonism can truly change over time, and what science says about how we can become bet...
This week, Scott sits down with acclaimed journalist and Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis to explore her latest book, The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea . Together, they examine how society defines—and often distorts—the concept of genius. Helen argues that there’s no universal, objective definition of genius, and that the people we anoint as such often reflect what a culture values, rather than any absolute measure of brilliance. This “genius” label, she suggests, grants se...
This week, Scott sits down with English comedian, author, and BBC radio host Robin Ince. Known for co-presenting The Infinite Monkey Cage alongside physicist Brian Cox, Robin brings his signature wit and wisdom to a deeply personal and socially relevant conversation. The episode centers around Robin’s new book, Normal Weird and Weirdly Normal: Adventures of Neurodiversity , in which he champions the beauty of embracing one's authentic self. Together, Scott and Robin explore the rigid social norm...
Scott welcomes Dr. Adam Galinsky to discuss his book, "Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others." They explore the three universal characteristics of inspiring leaders—visionaries, exemplars, and mentors—and how these satisfy fundamental human needs. The conversation covers the leader amplification effect, the importance of self-awareness and perspective-taking, expanding the status pie, and practical strategies for developing inspiring leadership qualities through reflection and practice.
This week, Scott welcomes Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, senior research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Director of the Creativity and Emotions Lab. They dive into Dr. Pringle’s new book, The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas Into Action , which offers research-backed guidance on transforming imagination into reality. The conversation explores the intersection of creativity, emotional intelligence, and motivation, providing actionable insi...
Sahil Bloom joins the podcast to discuss his book, "The Five Types of Wealth," and his philosophy that asking the right questions is key to life transformation. He shares personal stories, including lessons from baseball and routines, and explores practical ideas for building a well-rounded life encompassing time, relationships, purpose, health, and finances. The conversation highlights the importance of agency, embracing uncertainty, and focusing on simple, enduring principles over complicated protocols.
Scott welcomes Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen, co-hosts of the podcast 'Mayim Bialik's Breakdown,' to discuss their mission to destigmatize mental health. Mayim shares her journey from child actor to neuroscientist and back to Hollywood, discussing her PhD research, parenting philosophy, and experiences with OCD and panic attacks. Jonathan adds insights on the intersection of science, spirituality, and intuition, exploring how these seemingly disparate areas contribute to overall well-being.
In a special role-reversal episode of The Psychology Podcast, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is interviewed by renowned social psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt to discuss Scott’s brand-new book, Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential . This powerful conversation explores how modern culture can reinforce limiting beliefs and emotional fragility, and how we can instead reclaim agency, resilience, and meaning in our lives. Scott opens up about the myths of ...
This week Scott is joined by Robert Biswas-Diener and Christian van Nieuwerburgh, pioneers in positive psychology coaching and co-authors of the new book Radical Listening: The Art of True Connection . Together, they share powerful insights on how to deepen our conversations and relationships through the transformative practice of radical listening. Robert and Christian explore their framework for truly listening, which includes the practices of noticing, quieting, accepting, acknowledging, ques...
In this special episode, Scott welcomes the legendary Dr. Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist and professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Best known for his groundbreaking Theory of Multiple Intelligences , Dr. Gardner’s 1983 book Frames of Mind challenged the traditional view of intelligence as a singular ability measured by IQ tests. Scott and Dr. Gardner explore the impact of his theory on education and psychology, discussing its strengths, limitations, and evolution ove...
This week, Scott is joined by Dr. Richard Wiseman, a psychologist renowned for his work on magic, illusion, deception, luck, and self-development. As the UK's only Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, Dr. Wiseman has published over 100 academic papers and authored bestselling books such as The Luck Factor , Paranormality , Quirkology , and Rip It Up . Dr. Wiseman’s research bridges science and everyday life, offering insights into success, well-...
This week, Scott is joined by Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell—an integrative medical doctor, neuropsychiatrist, and researcher of extraordinary states of consciousness. Dr. Powell's research explores the neuroscience behind psychic phenomena, telepathy, and the incredible abilities of autistic savants. She is the author of " The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena" and has been featured in " The Telepathy Tapes" podcast for her groundbreaking work with children who appear to demonstra...
In this special episode, Scott is joined by two legendary figures in social psychology: Dr. Elliot Aronson and his son, Dr. Joshua Aronson. At 93, Elliot Aronson remains a towering influence in psychology, known for pioneering the Jigsaw Classroom—a groundbreaking cooperative learning technique that reduces interethnic hostility and enhances learning. He is the only person in American Psychological Association history to receive all three of its major awards for research, teaching, and writing, ...
This week Scott is joined by Barnard College Professor Dr. Tovah Klein. Scott and Dr. Klein discuss her groundbreaking research on child development including the importance of being a safe anchor for your children by providing them safety in their worst moments, accepting them for who they are, and being there for them no matter what. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do...
This week Scott is joined by Stanford Psychiatrist and addiction expert, Dr. Anna Lembke. Scott and Dr. Lembke discuss how to reset your dopamine system to take back control of your life and turn the things that you really want into their own reward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Happy New Year! As we prepare for the new season of the Psychology Podcast, here's one of our favorites to get you through the holidays. This week Scott is joined by happiness researcher and best selling author, Dr. Emma Seppala. Scott and Dr,. Seppala discuss the concept of “sovereign", an emancipation from all the ways you subjugate yourself in your own existence. Emma teaches us all how to reconnect with yourself in a healthy way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Priva...
Happy New Year! As we prepare for the new season of the Psychology Podcast, here's one of our favorites to get you through the holidays. This week Scott is joined by sociologist and psychologist, Corey Keyes. Scott and Corey discuss the pervasiveness of languishing in our society today and how to feel alive again. Dr. Keyes explains the 5 psychological vitamins we should all be taking to live life to avoid depression and live life to the fullest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...
This week Scott is joined by author, speaker and pioneer in the global happiness movement, Karen Guggenheim. Scott and Karen discuss overcoming trauma with happiness, how happiness can be learned by making small daily changes, and how to use compassion to overcome diversity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week Scott is joined by author, philosopher, and professor at Durham University, Philip Goff. Scott and Philip discuss evidence for the existence of god, whether the universe has any purpose, and the function of religion in society. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This week Scott is joined by author, businessman and public speaker, Stedman Graham. Scott and Stedman discuss the importance of identity leadership, centering your worth around your own strengths and talents, and self actualization. Stedman's Book--> https://www.amazon.com/Identity-Leadership-Others-First-Yourself/dp/1546083375 Stedman's Website--> stedmangraham.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy ...
This week Scott is joined by one of Australia's foremost practitioners of acceptance and commitment therapy, Dr. Russ Harris. Scott and Russ discuss Dr. Harris'' "Happiness Trap” cards, which are designed to invigorate one's mental health with ideas to boost self-esteem and challenge intrusive thoughts among other mental health practices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy...
