12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work?
Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020.
Episodes
No Stupid Questions
Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week. "No Stupid Questions" is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network.
To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Episodes
11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish?
Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, 2020.
10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics?
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 19, 2020.
9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts?
Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020.
8. Wouldn’t It Be Better to Hear Your Eulogy Before You’re Dead?
Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2020.
7. How Do You Handle Criticism?
Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to someone who needs it? This episode originally aired on June 28, 2020.
6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty?
Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020.
5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common?
Also: is there such a thing as too much science? Plus, our special guest, Luis von Ahn, an inventor of CAPTCHA and a pioneer of free online language learning. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2020.
4. Does All Creativity Come From Pain?
Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020.
3. What Does It Mean to Be a “Hard Worker”?
Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020.
2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry?
Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020.
1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?
Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already? We’re replaying No Stupid Questions, starting here with the very first episode, from May 17, 2020.
223. What About All the Questions We Haven’t Answered?
How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life? SOURCES: Jessica Alquist , professor of psychology at Texas Tech University. Roy Baumeister , professor of psychology at The University of Queensland. Raymond Carver , 20th-century American short story writer and poet. Stephen Colbert , comedian and late-night TV host. Matt Damon , actor and film producer. Viktor Frankl , 20th-century Austrian ne...
222. What Makes an Idea Interesting?
What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show. SOURCES: Charles Darwin , 19th-century naturalist and biologist. Murray Davis , cultural sociologist. Malcolm Gladwell , journalist and author. Adam Grant , professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. B. F. Skinner , 20th-century American psycholo...
Is It Weird for Adults to Have Imaginary Friends? (Replay)
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect your mental health? SOURCES: Bradley Bond , professor of communication studies at the University of San Diego. John Cacioppo , professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. Joe Cobbs , professor of marketing at Northern Kentucky University. Nick Epley , professor of behavioral scien...
221. Why Are We So Pessimistic?
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist? SOURCES: Albert Bandura , professor of psychology at Stanford University. David Brooks , author and opinion columnist . Andrew Grove , former C.E.O. and chairman of Intel Corporation. Kalev Leetaru , founder of the GDELT Project. Steven Maier , professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. Michelle Obama , attorney, author...
220. Is Your Attention Span Shrinking?
Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR? SOURCES: Neil Bradbury , professor of physiology at Rosalind Franklin University. Nicholas Carr , writer and journalist. Johann Hari , writer and journalist. Charles Howard , University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania. Felicity Huntingford , emeritus professor of functional ecology at the univers...
219. How Do You Identify a Narcissist?
What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age? SOURCES: Brené Brown , research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin. Jonathan Haidt , professor of social psychology at the New York University Stern School of Business. Michael Lewis , author. Cooper McAllister , senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. Jean Twen...
How Can You Give Better Gifts? (Replay)
How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club? SOURCES: Joel Waldfogel , professor of strategic management & entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota. RESOURCES: “ How to Become a Truly Excellent Gift Giver ,” by Eliza Brooke ( Vox, 2022). “ How to Calculate a Holiday Tip for the Doorman ,” by Ronda Kaysen ( The New York Times, 2022). “ Least Favorite Gifts to Receive for Christmas i...
218. Why Do Parents Overshare on Social Media?
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...
217. What Happens When You Put on a Costume?
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...
216. Why Do We Make Excuses?
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...
215. Is It Okay to Do the Right Thing for the Wrong Reason?
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...
214. What Does It Take to Survive a Scandal?
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...
Why Do People Love Horror Movies? (Replay)
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...
213. What Is Evil?
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...
212. When Do You Become an Adult?
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...
211. Why Do We Listen to Sad Songs?
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 ...
210. What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?
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...
Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? (Replay)
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 ...