There are some decisions in life that can be trickier to navigate. Do you want to get married? Should you change careers? Do you want a baby? Parenthood is a choice more vexed than ever in a world threatened by climate change, political instability and cost-of-living crises. So how can people approach this choice? And if you're lucky enough to have a choice, how do you make peace with your decision? Decision coach Merle Bombardieri has been working with couples on this very topic for decades — t...
Feb 08, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Harry had been lucky. He'd never struggled with his mental health. Then, when he was 18, seemingly out of nowhere — he had his first psychotic episode. It was an abrupt change, with ripple effects across his family. Today, the shock of experiencing psychosis, why you're most likely to get it when you're young, and how you can recognise the signs and support a loved one. If you'd like to hear more about this topic, we have an episode called A musician processes her bipolar diagnosis . Extra resou...
Feb 01, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Politics, war, abortion, gun control — why do some topics make us so outraged? One theory is that our preoccupation with preventing harm is to blame. So today, we examine how humans developed morality, why we differ in what we consider right and wrong, and how that drives us to moral outrage. And after all of that, we'll find out how to have better conversations with people you disagree with (even if you're feeling outraged). If you want to hear more about that, check out The skills supercommuni...
Jan 25, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you could manifest anything into your life, what would it be? A perfect partner, your dream house, winning the lottery? Manifesting promises a limitless potential of dreams to achieve — through methods like vision boards and affirmations. But does manifesting actually help us realise our goals? Is it harmless fun? Healthy positive thinking? Or can manifestation lead the brain down some dark alleys that you might not expect? In this episode we mention another episode called Visualisation and v...
Jan 18, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The AI revolution is coming. Your mind isn't ready for it. Cognitive neuroscientist Joel Pearson walks us through the many ways artificial intelligence is messing — and will mess — with our psychology. From falling in love with AI to unforgettable deep fakes, we dive into an uncertain future and what you can do to prepare for it. This episode was first broadcast in April 2024. If you'd like to hear more from Joel, he featured on our episode about intuition called When to trust your gut instinct,...
Jan 11, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast That voice inside your head - where does it come from? We bring back a topic that was one of our most popular for a long awaited part two. Today, what shapes your internal chatter. This episode was first released in March 2024. Our original episode on chatter is called Controlling the chatter in your head , if you liked this episode you'll love that one!...
Jan 04, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Patric Gagne is a sociopath, but she doesn’t fit the stereotype. From a violent kid, to a PhD and author - we track the unusual story of a sociopath who learned to be 'good'. Plus, there's been some controversy and questions about the veracity of her PhD - so, we fact checked it. This episode was first released in May 2024. Need something to listen to next? Check out our episode Why heartbreak hurts so bad ....
Dec 28, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast What do working for the CIA, navigating hot button topics and talking to teenagers all have in common? They're all situations that supercommunicators excel at. Today, we explore how you can become a supercommunicator too. This episode was first broadcast in February 2024. Why not check out Introversion vs Extroversion . If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love that one too....
Dec 21, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast What influences your shopping behaviour? Well, it's likely a mix of what you need, what's presented to you in store and probably some neuromarketing (which we've covered on our program before). But what about the role of product designers? Today, we get into the psychology of design and the battle designers face balancing innovation with our human need for the familiar. And given all the ways design can manipulate us into wanting something, what role will AI play in the future of design? Extra i...
Dec 14, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do you feel as you move through a busy space — like an airport, a city street or a crowded shopping centre? For some of us, these spaces are energising — being among the rush of people and the noise of the crowds. But for others, these situations can be a little much. And for some neurodivergent people — especially those with sensory issues — being in these public spaces can be utterly overwhelming, even harmful. That's a problem when you want or need to use them just like everybody else. To...
Dec 07, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dopamine feels great, but is it always good for us? The answer is complicated, so today, we get into what dopamine actually does in the brain. How does it affect our motivation, movement and behaviour? And how does our environment influence that? Plus, should we be detoxing from dopamine ... and why are people raw dogging flights? If you're looking for something to listen to next, check out our episode, Nine big myths about depression — busted ....
Nov 30, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast We've come a long way in how we talk about mental health. But while diagnoses like depression and anxiety can empower people to seek help and support — they also influence how we see ourselves and how others might see us, too. Today, we investigate 'concept creep.' It's the idea that the labels we use to describe mental health are expanding and being applied to an ever-wider array of human behaviours. We look at what's causing this, the impacts it might have (both positive and negative), and wha...
Nov 23, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast How clear is your inner voice? Do you internally narrate your life? And do you get songs stuck in your head? Almost all of us can imagine sounds in our minds. But a small part of the population don't have internal auditory imagery — a phenomenon called anauralia. Today, we explore the experience of anauralia, in an episode from Radio New Zealand's Our Changing World. Our Changing World is produced and presented by Claire Concannon and Ellen Rykers for RNZ. The original version of this episode wa...
Nov 16, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Music is a universal feature of the human experience — present from our very first cultures and civilisations. But do the features of particular songs and styles translate across cultural boundaries? Like, is a lullaby recognisable even when it's from a different culture? Can you identify a love song in another language? Today, we explore the special relationship between music and our minds, in an episode from Radio New Zealand's Our Changing World. Our Changing World is produced and presented b...
Nov 09, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Laura would spend weeks feeling normal — even happy. But like clockwork, every month, suddenly she would feel intense depression, making her unrecognisable to herself and friends. It took her nearly two decades to identify what was causing this rollercoaster of mood: PMDD, AKA Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. So what is it about hormones that make some people feel such intense emotions? And why is PMDD still so misunderstood? This episode touches on the topic of suicide. Please take care while l...
Nov 02, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Professor Chris French has been studying the paranormal for decades. But — he’s a sceptic. In an All in the Mind Halloween special, we explore the psychology behind our spooky encounters. What's going on in your brain when you see a ghost? How do people talk to the dead? And why would a sceptic study the paranormal?
Oct 26, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast How many hours have you spent on your phone today? And do you feel like it's too many? A growing movement of people are going without their smartphones and computers in favour of just about anything that doesn't have a screen. They say it's giving their lives more meaning — and improving their mental health. This week, meet the digital minimalists ditching their devices, and how you can do it too. Want to hear more about the impact social media is having on your mental health? Check out our epis...
Oct 19, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast We don't remember everything that happens to us — so why do we remember what we remember? And the memories we do lock away aren't always accurate or trustworthy. This week, we're talking about the fallibility of memory and why sometimes it's healthy to forget. We'll also get into how to remember special moments more clearly, and here's a hint — you might want to put down your camera sometimes. If you're looking for something to listen to next, check out our episode Overcoming resentment with gra...
Oct 12, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast We know running is good for the body, but what about the brain? Hear from people who love running about the psychological tools they use to stay active, including some advice from a professor who's taught their entire class to run a marathon. Looking for something to listen to next? Check out our episode Why being a beginner is good for you ....
Oct 05, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week we're talking about something intimate … And at-times taboo … Masturbation. From self-love, to disordered behaviour, and back again, how our perceptions of masturbation have changed over the course of history and why it's still linked to shame and confusion for some. Also — why do humans (and other animals) masturbate in the first place? Just a heads up, if the topic didn't give it away, this episode may not be suitable for little ones. After listening, why not check out Sex is Weird, ...
Sep 28, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's human nature to form groups — families, friends, online communities. We love to be surrounded by people similar to us. But that can also make us discriminatory and defensive. And social media makes that instinct worse. Today, we look at how our brains evolved to connect and divide, and what that means for the problems we face in our modern world. This episode was first broadcast in April 2023. Looking for something to listen to next? Check out another All in the Mind episode, The Certainty ...
Sep 21, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast When you think about pillars of health a few things might come to mind — nutrition, exercise, connectedness. But there's something many of us miss off that list — sleep. Insomnia does so much more than make us cranky, it's closely tied to our mental health. Not just how we feel on a day to day basis, but our likelihood of developing depression. This week, what happens when you don't get enough sleep; the effect on your brain and why it's so impactful on your mental health. If you'd like to learn...
Sep 14, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Earlier this year, the Netflix program Baby Reindeer brought stalking firmly back into the zeitgeist - sparking discussion about the psychology of people who stalk and the impact it has on victims. So what goes on in the mind of a stalker? How do the various types, from incompetent suitor to intimacy seeker, differ? And what should you do if you think you have a stalker?
Sep 07, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Attachment theory is a foundation of modern psychology — a framework for understanding human relationships and how we connect other people. But has social media taken this concept — grounded in decades of research — too far? Scroll through Instagram or TikTok for too long, and you might think that if you have a certain attachment style, you're fundamentally unlovable — or that you need to steer clear of people who are avoidant, anxious or not secure enough. Today, what we get wrong about attachm...
Aug 31, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you know your love language? Maybe you've done an online test — tested your partner — spent time talking it over — even made decisions about your relationship on the basis of your love language. But where did this concept of love languages even come from? And how good is the evidence that backs it up? Today, two research psychologists go deep on the concept of love languages — and what they really mean for your relationships. Want more relationship content from All in the Mind? Check out our ...
Aug 24, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast How would you describe your parents? Nobody's perfect, of course, but some parents leave more of a mark than others. Today, we revisit the life-long impact of having 'emotionally immature' parents, as Dr Lindsay Gibson's book hits bestseller lists. This episode was first broadcast in May 2021. If you're looking for another episode to listen to, why not check out Milgram Shock and Stanford Prison — what we misunderstand about the most infamous experiments in psychology ....
Aug 17, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can't sleep? Worries keeping you up at night? It might be time to look to the stars. For National Science Week, we're investigating the relationship between the night sky and mental wellbeing. So can spending time under the night sky give you a mood boost? And if it does … why? Looking for more nature in your life? Check out our episode Nature prescriptions — just what the doctor ordered ....
Aug 10, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast It sounds like fantasy, but the manipulation of dreams is now possible — and it's thanks to a well known video game, Tetris. So what does Tetris have to do with dreaming, and could companies use this to shape what we see when we sleep? Want to learn more about dreams? Check out our episode 'As real as waking life' — exploring lucid dreams . Hear our first episode about Tetris: Why people are playing Tetris to treat their trauma ....
Aug 03, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast For people with PTSD, flashbacks can be an unwelcome and distressing experience. To tackle this problem, researchers have turned to Tetris. Yep - the falling blocks puzzle game from the '80s. Today, we discover how Tetris can be used to treat trauma. If you'd like to listen to more All in the Mind, check out our episode The confusion around concussions ....
Jul 27, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The siren has sounded. The scores are even. A footy player has one final chance to kick an easy goal to get his team into the finals. He’s right in front of the goals. He lines up. Kicks. Misses. The pressure of such a moment was phenomenal, and the player choked under it. So what happens in the brain during such intense periods? Why can some people remain calm while others can’t handle it? If you're keen to listen to another episode, check out Wanted: Unicorns. Mission: Mars....
Jul 20, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
