Remember those “i-statements” you’re supposed to use when you get mad at someone? “I feel ____ when you ____ because ____“. Does that actually work? Does talking in this way resolve problems better and not get the other person defensive? We’re going to find out. Also, Koko the gorilla died recently. But did she really master sign language? Or is … Read More
Ep 303: Significance Quest Theory: How Do We De-Radicalize People?
So now that we know a lot about why individuals join extermist 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 … Read More
Ep 302: Violent Extremism: What’s the Psychology Behind It?
What draws people toward violent extremist groups? Psychologists have conducted a lot of research to find this out and in this episode I summarize the findings of key researchers in this area. Researchers Arie Kruglanski, Katarzyna Jasko, David Webber, Marina Chernikova and Erica Molinario explain how their theory, called SQT or Significance Quest Theory explains what leads young people to … Read More
Ep 301: The Role of CTE in the Life of Aaron Hernandez
You have probably heard a lot about football and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), the brain degeneration that results from repeated head impacts. One of the worst cases so far of CTE was found in the brain of football player Aaron Hernandez. The Oxygen network produced a fascinating account of Hernandez’s life entitled Aaron Hernandez Uncovered and I was asked to … 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 285: Ketamine and Depression, Raven Intelligence, and Those Darn Fidget Spinners
What are psychologists talking about this week? Well, we’re fighting back against the unbelievable claims made by the marketers of fidget spinners (does the toy really help people with ADHD, PTSD and anxiety?), we’re astounded by the results of research on the intelligence of ravens (apparently the birds get resentful if you don’t treat them fairly), the latest news on … Read More
Ep 280: Bystander Activation: Yes, There Are Things You Can Do To Change the World
We live in a time when facts are being questioned, and when respect for each others’ differences is on the decline. How often do we say to ourselves: “Yea, but what can I do about it?”. Actually, with a little psychology maybe you can turn things around. In this episode I interview someone who’s doing just that: Patrice Jones. He’s … Read More
Ep 279: The United Airlines “Involuntary Deboarding” Incident: from Shock Value to Productive Discussion
The involuntary removal of a passenger on a United Airlines flight has justifiably garnered a lot of attention. And as teachers we certainly want to capture students’ attention. But how do we create a discussion among students that goes beyond the simple shock value of showing the video? In this episode I talk both about the connections to psychology and … Read More
Ep 277: How to Remember Names and the Psychology of that BBC Interrupted Interview
It’s hard to remember names – here’s how to do it. You’ll use your imagination and some weird imagery – but this works. Here’s another great use of mnemonics. I’ll give you a bunch of people’s names and describe the images I created to help me remember them. Give your brain a little room to roam and put it to … Read More
Ep 274: Be the First To Act – or the Second – Both Are Great
Complete strangers in New York City come together in a simple but moving act: they decide as a group to work together to remove offensive graffiti in a subway car. How did they overcome the social pressures to do nothing? In this episode I show how diffusion of responsibility, Modeling, the Big Five personality types and Social Identity theory were … Read More
