Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

A lot of people find psychology interesting. But what is it really like to work in the field? A tough question to answer because the field is so broad. In this episode of The Psych Files podcast I'll share my thoughts on the difference between learning about psychology and actually doing psychology as a career. It's a tough thing to capture because psychologists could spend their day doing psychotherapy, or working with inmates in prison, conducting research with children or doing complex statistical analyses. Some careers in psychology pay well while others pay poorly. A job in psychology can also cause burnout because of the heavy demands. I hope to give you some valuable things to think about it you're thinking about a career in psychology.

A lot of people find psychology interesting.  But what is it really like to work in the field?  A tough question to answer because the field is so broad.  In this episode of The Psych Files podcast I'll share my thoughts on the difference between learning about psychology and actually doing psychology as a career.  It's a tough thing to capture because psychologists could spend their day doing psychotherapy, or working with inmates in prison, conducting research with children or doing complex statistical analyses.  Some careers in psychology pay well while others pay poorly.  A job in psychology can also cause burnout because of the heavy demands.  I hope to give you some valuable things to think about it you're thinking about a career in psychology.

Should we stop using "Guys" to refer to groups of women and mixed sex groups? Why do we (particularly men) refer to many objects - like cars and boats - as "she"? Are everyday foods actually "SuperNormal" foods - created to be absolutely irresistible and therefore causing us to be overweight? Is it okay to employ robot to care for our elderly? And finally, how come the ending of a movie can "ruin the whole thing" if it's not a good ending? After all, you enjoyed most of the movie. In this episode I try to address these questions. We'll talk about all these things in this episode of The Psych Files.

Should we stop using "Guys" to refer to groups of women and mixed sex groups?  Why do we (particularly men) refer to many objects - like cars and boats - as "she"?  Are everyday foods actually "SuperNormal" foods - created to be absolutely irresistible and therefore causing us to be overweight?  Is it okay to employ robot to care for our elderly?  And finally, how come the ending of a movie can "ruin the whole thing" if it's not a good ending? After all, you enjoyed most of the movie.  In this episode I try to address these questions.  We'll talk about all these things in this episode of The Psych Files.

Are jail time and new laws the only answers to men's violence against women, children, and other men? Or is there something every man can do to end these tragedies? In an earlier episode of The Psych Files in which I discussed Blaming the Victim, I talked about why there's a tendency to blame victims and to overlook the Optimism Bias that we all share (particularly younger folks). But podcast listener and psychotherapist Jackie Henry felt that I didn't go far enough in that episode, and she was right. We - especially men - need to think carefully about the way we talk about women in our everyday lives. Was that joke really funny? Or was it one of the small ingredients that eventually adds up to - or contributes to - the ongoing violence and lack of empathy that those with power express toward those without it. We take up this important issue in this episode of The Psych files.

Are jail time and new laws the only answers to men's violence against women, children, and other men?  Or is there something every man can do to end these tragedies?  In an earlier episode of The Psych Files in which I discussed Blaming the Victim, I talked about why there's a tendency to blame victims and to overlook the Optimism Bias that we all share (particularly younger folks).  But podcast listener and psychotherapist Jackie Henry felt that I didn't go far enough in that episode, and she was right.  We - especially men - need to think carefully about the way we talk about women in our everyday lives. Was that joke really funny?  Or was it one of the small ingredients that eventually adds up to - or contributes to - the ongoing violence and lack of empathy that those with power express toward those without it.  We take up this important issue in this episode of The Psych files.

Do you need to memorize Piaget's stages for a test? You've found what you're looking for. I'll use some familiar mnemonics ("1 is a bun", etc.) and some wacky images to get those stages - and what during them - into your mind. You'll be able to remember when object permanence occurs, when children are capable of assimilation and accomodation, abstract and logical thinking, conservation of energy - it's all here. Take the time to watch this video, learn about mnemonics and memorize Piaget's stages of cognitive development once and for all!

Do you need to memorize Piaget's stages for a test?  You've found what you're looking for.  I'll use some familiar mnemonics ("1 is a bun", etc.) and some wacky images to get those stages - and what during them - into your mind.  You'll be able to remember when object permanence occurs, when children are capable of asiimilation and accomdation, abstract and logical thinking, conservation of energy - it's all here.  Take the time to watch this video, learn about mnemonics and memorize Piaget's stages of cognitive development once and for all!

What do I/0 psychologists do anyway? Are you interested in this subfield of psychology? Well, here are a few things they DON'T do: they don't do "therapy in the workplace" and they don't do "motivational speaking". It's not what you think. Industrial/Organizational psychology is practiced by professionals who's goal is to make sure that employees are productive and - and here's what I'll focus on in this episode - that job applicants are chosen based upon the skills and personality characteristics that are relevant to the jobs they are applying for. Find out more in this episode of The Psych Files.

What do I/0 psychologists do anyway?  Are you interested in this subfield of psychology?  Well, here are a few things they DON'T do: they don't do "therapy in the workplace" and they don't do "motivational speaking".  It's not what you think.  Industrial/Organizational psychology is practiced by professionals who's goal is to make sure that employees are productive and  - and here's what I'll focus on in this episode - that job applicants are chosen based upon the skills and personality characteristics that are relevant to the jobs they are applying for.  Find out more in this episode of The Psych Files.

There is a lot of talk about mindfulness among psychologists today. Find out what mindfulness is and how it differs from meditation in this episode of The Psych Files. What might you use mindfulness for? Well, in addition to what you might expect - reducing stress - mindfulness training is also being used to improve job satisfaction and productivity. Interested in increasing your score on the GRE? Being more mindful might also help out there as well.

There is a lot of talk about mindfulness among psychologists today. Find out what mindfulness is and how it differs from meditation in this episode of The Psych Files.  What might you use mindfulness for?  Well, in addition to what you might expect - reducing stress - mindfulness training is also being used to improve job satisfaction and productivity. Interested in increasing your score on the GRE?  Being more mindful might also help out there as well. 

What do psychologists really think about your dreams - do they have meaning? In this episode I talk about what psychologists think today about dreams. You probably know that Freud thought that dreams had a manifest content (the people and things that happened in the dream that you remember) and a latent content (the unconscious meaning of the dream). Do we still think this? Also: can you look up in a book or online to find out what your dreams meant? If you dream about a cat for example - what does this mean? In this episode I explore these questions with author and psychoanalyst Kerry Malawista. She and her colleagues discuss this topic in their book, Wearing My Tutu To Analysis. I'll talk to her and include my own thoughts about whether or not dreams have meaning and whether you should be taking the time to analyze them.

What do psychologists really think about your dreams - do they have meaning?  In this episode I talk about what psychologists think today about dreams.  You probably know that Freud thought that dreams had a manifest content (the people and things that happened in the dream that you remember) and a latent content (the unconscious meaning of the dream).  Do we still think this?  Also: can you look up in a book or online to find out what your dreams meant?  If you dream about a cat for example - what does this mean?  In this episode I explore these questions with author and psychoanalyst Kerry Malawista.  She and her colleagues discuss this topic in their book, Wearing My Tutu To Analysis.  I'll talk to her and include my own thoughts about whether or not dreams have meaning and whether you should be taking the time to analyze them.

Would you be surprised to learn that B.F. Skinner was a very likable guy and that you may actually be very much in agreement with his ideas? Many people who study psychology have a negative impression of Skinner. Well, I'm about to challenge those impressions by presenting a side of Skinner you probably haven't been exposed to. In these sound bytes you'll hear his ideas about learning to play music, about discovery, having fun and becoming the most that you can be.