Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

Piaget's concept of object permanence is essential to understand.  But how did they study this idea among 1 year olds?  Obviously children can't tell you that they believe that something no longer exists when they can't see it, so how do we know what is going on inside a child's mind?  How about this challenge: do animals also understand object permanence?  If you've ever seen your cat or dog look under or around objects for a lost toy then yes - you've seen that they do understand object permanence. How can you study object permanence - or a related idea called "expectancy violation" - in animals?  Let's take a look in this 150 episode of The Psych Files.

Piaget's concept of object permanence is essential to understand. But how did they study this idea among 1 year olds? Obviously children can't tell you that they believe that something no longer exists when they can't see it, so how do we know what is going on inside a child's mind? How about this challenge: do animals also understand object permanence? If you've ever seen your cat or dog look under or around objects for a lost toy then yes - you've seen that they do understand object permanence. How can you study object permanence - or a related idea called "expectancy violation" - in animals? Let's take a look in this 150 episode of The Psych Files.

You've probably heard of many times when people knew that someone was hurt or might be hurt and they did not help. How can we prevent that from happening? You may have learned about bystander apathy and the concept of diffusion of responsibility. But now what do we DO with what we know? How can we put that knowledge into action? Meet Vicky Banyard and see what she and her colleagues at the University of New Hampshire are doing with a program called Bring in the Bystander.

You've probably heard of many times when people knew that someone was hurt or might be hurt and they did not help.  How can we prevent that from happening?  You may have learned about bystander apathy and the concept of diffusion of responsibility.  But now what do we DO with what we know?  How can we put that knowledge into action?  Meet Vicky Banyard and see what she and her colleagues at the University of New Hampshire are doing with a program called Bring in the Bystander. Bringing in the Bystander program at the University of New Hampshire. There's an interesting checklist on the Know Your Power website.  It's called the Checklist for Bystander Action.  Also take a look at the Bystander Store where you can order the poster's Dr. Banyard talked about in this episode.

What can we do to end bullying against gays? There is a shocking increase in the number of young homosexuals who are commit suicide. Many anti-bullying programs don't work and in this episode I talk to Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer of Concordia University about what can be done. No one should be bullied and we all need to care about those who are bullied to the point of considering suicide.

What can we do to end bullying against gays?  There is a shocking increase in the number of young homosexuals who are commit suicide.  Many anti-bullying programs don't work and in this episode I talk to Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer of Concordia University about what can be done.  No one should be bullied and we all need to care about those who are bullied to the point of considering suicide.  Find out more in this episode. 

In this first Psych Files Brief episode, we look at whether swearing actually reduces your sensation of pain (ever stub your toe?), whether or not vertical stripes actually do make you look thinner (no surprise - the answer is no), whether you're more likely to run up that credit card when you're feeling low, and why is it (and when is it) that yawns become contagious?

In this first "Psych Files Brief" episode, we look at whether swearing actually reduces your sensation of pain (ever stub your toe?), whether or not vertical stripes actually do make you look thinner (no surprise - the answer is no), whether you're more likely to run up that credit card when you're feeling low, and why is it (and when is it) that yawns become contagious?

Borderline Personality Disorder is a difficult disorder to understand and treat. Briefly, people who suffer from BPD tend to have a heightened sensitivity to rejection. When they feel that they are being rejected they can react with strong feelings of anger. Their emotions can be very intense and vary widely during the day. This can also make their relationships very unstable. They can also be very impulsive. However, a recent fascinating piece of research used a mobile device and what's called an "experience sampling" technique to gain further insight into what it is like to have BPD. In this episode I discuss that research and then wonder what else we might be able to learn as our mobile devices become even more powerful.

Borderline Personality Disorder is a difficult disorder to understand and treat.  Briefly, people who suffer from BPD tend to have a heightened sensitivity to rejection.  When they feel that they are being rejected they can react with strong feelings of anger.  Their emotions can be very intense and vary widely during the day.  This can also make their relationships very unstable.  They can also be very impulsive.  However, a recent fascinating piece of research used a mobile device and what's called an "experience sampling" technique to gain further insight into what it is like to have BPD.  In this episode I discuss that research and then wonder what else we might be able to learn as our mobile devices become even more powerful. Resources on Borderline Personality Disorder The Fight Within Us   ESP: The Experience Sampling Program   Just Helping People

Feeling guilty about not being a "Tiger Mom" (or Dad)? Let me give you 3 reasons why you don't have to feel that way. Get yourself ready for the next time that someone says that you (or parents in general) have to be tougher on our kids. You've probably heard about the authoritarian parenting style advocated by Amy Chua in her Tiger Mom book. Lots of Americans think she has good point that the problems with American kids is that they are being raised with too much leeway, and that we're not being tough enough on them. The reason, they say, that our Math scores are too low is that we're not strict enough and we don't have high expectations for our children. Are they right? Or are there other ways that our children are being successful that we don't take into account? If you're feeling discouraged about parenting let me raise your spirits.

Feeling guilty about not being a "Tiger Mom" (or Dad)?  Let me give you 3 reasons why you don't have to feel that way.  Get yourself ready for the next time that someone says that you (or parents in general) have to be tougher on our kids.  You've probably heard about the authoritarian parenting style advocated by Amy Chua in her Tiger Mom book.  Lots of Americans think she has good point that the problems with American kids is that they are being raised with too much leeway, and that we're not being tough enough on them.  The reason, they say, that our Math scores are too low is that we're not strict enough and we don't have high expectations for our children.  Are they right?  Or are there other ways that our children are being successful that we don't take into account?  If you're feeling discouraged about parenting let me raise your spirits.

Americans spend billions of dollars on self-help products each year, but does someone else hold the answers to your questions about what your life is all about? Join me as I discuss a fascinating book called If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him!. We also see how a wonderful recent broadway musical, The Drowsy Chaperone has some very intriguing things to say about life. Could it be that there is some existentialism in that musical? Listen to this episode to find out.

Americans spend billions of dollars on self-help products each year, but does someone else hold the answers to your questions about what your life is all about?  Join me as I discuss a fascinating book called If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him!.  We also see how a wonderful recent broadway musical, The Drowsy Chaperone has some very intriguing things to say about life.  Could it be that there is some existentialism in that musical?  Listen to this episode to find out.

In this video you’ll learn exactly how the phonetic alphabet system works. In the last episode you saw me memorize – almost perfectly – a list of 20 top sci-fi movies. How did I do it? I’ll show you how each number becomes a letter, each letter becomes a word and each word becomes an image that will help you memorize just about any size list. Skeptical? You won’t be after seeing exactly how the phonetic alphabet works.