Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

Do women who work in typically male dominated jobs "play down" their femininity in order to be gain more respect from their male co-workers?  In this episode we'll explore this stereotype threat as well as something you may not have heard of: the lipstick effect.  How do men and women change their appearance or their behavior during times of economic depression?  In this all-gender episode we look at these issues as well as why the new Volkswagen Beetle has changed its appearance.  Yes, the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle has become more masculine, but why?

An audio in which I explain 5 study techniques that have solid research support.  These techniques will help students get better grades on their tests.

There is a lot of talk these days about a fascinating idea called embodied cognition. What is it exactly? In this lively interview I talk with two people who are actively looking into this question. We discuss how the body and mind "talk" to each other when baseball players catch fly balls and what role psychology plays in the design of robots.

There is a lot of talk these days about a fascinating idea called embodied cognition.  What is it exactly?  In this lively interview I talk with two people who are actively looking into this question.  We discuss how the body and mind "talk" to each other when baseball players catch fly balls and what role psychology plays in the design of robots.

In this follow-up to episode 176 I discuss two more reasons why I believe some people either don't like or just distrust psychology: 1) the belief that it is not a science, and 2) the belief - created by the media - that psychologists make a lot of money for giving out common sense advice. I hope you'll see that psychology is not unlike other sciences in that we study something extremely complex and yes, sometimes our findings are contradictory and they change over time. Also, the media focuses - as usual - on only the most unlikely behavior of psychologists (like having sex with patients) or portraying them as having messed up personal lives. Let's find out the truth (well, at least from one psychologist's perspective).

In this follow-up to episode 176 I discuss two more reasons why I believe some people either don't like or just distrust psychology: 1) the belief that it is not a science, and 2) the belief - created by the media - that psychologists make a lot of money for giving out common sense advice.  I hope you'll see that psychology is not unlike other sciences in that we study something extremely complex and yes, sometimes our findings are contradictory and they change over time.  Also, the media focuses - as usual - on only the most unlikely behavior of psychologists (like having sex with patients) or portraying them as having messed up personal lives.  Let's find out the truth (well, at least from one psychologist's perspective).

Why do so many people have strongly negative feelings about the field of psychology? I think there are a handful of reasons and in this episode I talk about two of them: the so-called "self-esteem movement" and the "positive thinking" movement. Are psychologists responsible for why "kids today" appear to be so self-centered? Do psychologists think that changing yourself is as simple as just changing the way you think? Hear one psychologists opinion on this and my explanation on two reasons why I think maybe you hate psychology. Just hear me out.

Why do so many people have strongly negative feelings about the field of psychology?  I think there are a handful of reasons and in this episode I talk about two of them: the so-called "self-esteem movement" and the "positive thinking" movement.  Are psychologists responsible for why "kids today" appear to be so self-centered? Do psychologists think that changing yourself is as simple as just changing the way you think?  Hear one psychologists opinion on this and my explanation on two reasons why I think maybe you hate psychology.  Just hear me out.

In the market for a car? Believe me: they have seen you coming and they are ready to use some sophisticated techniques to persuade you to buy. Be prepared. Watch this episode of The Psych Files and learn how the persuasion techniques described by psychologist Robert Cialdini are being used to change your attitudes and behavior to align with the goals of the salesman.

In the market for a car?  Believe me: they have seen you coming and they are ready to use some sophisticated techniques to persuade you to buy.  Be prepared.  Watch this episode of The Psych Files and learn how the persuasion techniques described by psychologist Robert Cialdini are being used to change your attitudes and behavior to align with the goals of the salesman.  

Have psychologists recently found evidence for the existence of psychic ability? Last year, well-known psychologist Daryl Bem published an article called Feeling the Future in which he describes a number of studies, all of which provided support for a kind of phi phenomenon he calls "retroactive influence". The research appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The article caused a storm of controversy and calls for changes to how research and the peer review process is conducted. I covered some of those recommendations in video episode 165 Psychological Research Under Fire. In this episode I interview the lead author, Stuart Ritchie, of the first published replication of one part of Bem's work. Listen as Stuart describes what he did and what he found on this very controversial topic.

Have psychologists recently found evidence for the existence of psychic ability?  Last year, well-known psychologist Daryl Bem published an article called Feeling the Future in which he describes a number of studies, all of which provided support for a kind of phi phenomenon he calls "retroactive influence".  The research appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.  The article caused a storm of controversy and calls for changes to how research and the peer review process is conducted. I covered some of those recommendations in video episode 165 Psychological Research Under Fire.  In this episode I interview the lead author, Stuart Ritchie, of the first published replication of one part of Bem's work.  Listen as Stuart describes what he did and what he found on this very controversial topic.

Every once in a while a really cool tool comes along and I like to show everyone the fun I had with it. In this video episode I show how I easily made an interactive image of a neuron and an interactive map containing videos and locations for some of the major studies in psychology. Do you know where, for example, "Bobo doll" study was done? How about the spot where "Marion Keech" received her message from the alien race called the "Clarion" which revealed the inner workings of cognitive dissonance? Find out how to make your own fun and easy interactive image in this episode of The Psych Files.

Every once in a while a really cool tool comes along and I like to show everyone the fun I had with it.  In this video episode I show how I easily made an interactive image of a neuron and an interactive map containing videos and locations for some of the major studies in psychology.  Do you know where, for example, "Bobo doll" study was done?  How about the spot where "Marion Keech" received her message from the alien race called the "Clarion" which revealed the inner workings of cognitive dissonance? Find out how to make your own fun and easy interactive image in this episode of The Psych Files.

Did you know that you can apply your psychology skills to the development of effective websites? Meet one woman - Nathalie Nahai - who does exactly that and she has a background in not only psychology, but also Art, Physics and English Literature. She's putting all those together to help people improve their websites and the power of their online influence, which by the way, is the title of the book she's working on: The Psychology of Online Influence.