Music researchers analyzed over 700 top Billboard songs (which included examining over 80,000 chords) and they determined that the “Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da” is the most appealing song ever written. How in the world, you might ask, did they choose that (some would say annoying) song?! Let’s find out how two key ingredients – surprise and uncertainty – combine to create songs that … Read More
Ep 303: Significance Quest Theory: How Do We De-Radicalize People?
We know a lot about why individuals join extremist groups, what can we do about it? How do we bring them back to society and help them have meaningful lives again? This is the second of 2 episodes on this topic and what we learn here also applies to school shooters. Here are some concrete suggestions, supported by extensive … Read More
Ep 293: Emotional Intelligence – How Is It Taught?
One of the hardest challenges as we grow up is to know how we feel and to understand how others feel. The next step after we’re aware of our feelings is knowing how we’re going to best act on them. That’s the essence of Emotional Intelligence and in this episode, school psychologist and author Kyle Carlin talks about a … Read More
Ep 292: Yes, Computers Can Guess Your Sexual Orientation
On this episode I talk about a several psych topics, including what computer programs look at when they try to guess your sexual orientation – and they are really accurate at doing so. Also: anxiety blankets and the musical Hairspray – what do we reveal about ourselves sometimes when we don’t even know it! Resources for this Episode The invention … Read More
Ep 286: What to do About Fake News? Apply a Little Psychology
We’re all aware of the problem of fake news, but why do we fall for it? When we read a post on Facebook that sounds a little questionable, why don’t we check into it further? You better believe there’s some psychology going on here. In this episode I interview Dr. Gleb Tsipursky of Ohio State university. He’s been studying this … Read More
Ep 272: How To Create a Human-Like Voice
Have you used Siri, Hey Google, Aleza or Cortana? These voice-enabled digital assistants are pretty cool and getting smarter, but why do some of them sound more like a “person” than others? What is it about your voice that makes people believe that there is a thinking human being behind it? In this episode I take a look at a … Read More
Ep: 266: Why Do You REALLY Support That Candidate? The Psychology of Your Voting Behavior
Why do you vote the way you do? Have you read through all the various candidates position statements, or do you just kinda go with your “gut”? Jeremiah Sullins, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harding University has looked at this question in great depth and he’s found some really interesting answers to this question. I think you’ll really enjoy hearing … Read More
Ep 260: Kids Can’t Put Their Phones Down – How You Can Feel Better About It
Cell phones: they’re here and they’re not going away. So now it’s time to “stop worrying and learn to love them”. If you’re upset about how attracted teens are to their phones I’ll give you a few ideas that, hopefully, will make you feel better. After all, cellphones aren’t going away. Quite the opposite. They’re only going to get more … Read More
Ep 251: How NOT to Get the Holiday Blues
At the end of the year there are so many cues around us that tell us that we should be happy and that we should reflect on our lives. Humbug! Find out how not to fall prey to the holiday blues that are so common. A couple of key ideas from psychology will be applied here: Irrational Thinking and Social … Read More
Ep 237: What is Misophonia? More on La Cage, Empathy, and the Milgram Studies
Does the sound of other people’s mouth noises really drive you crazy? Honestly, it does to me. Things like lip smacking, swallowing, cracking and crunching really annoys me. If it annoys you too then you’re not alone. Learn about misophonia in this episode. Also, a little more about my experiences playing Albin/Zaza in the musical La Cage Aux Folles, more … Read More
