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American Psychological Association

"Speaking of Psychology" is an audio podcast series highlighting some of the latest, most important and relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these podcasts will help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives.

Speaking of Psychology

Body-focused repetitive behaviors such as hair pulling (trichotillomania) and skin picking are relatively common but remain stigmatized and misunderstood. Suzanne Mouton-Odum, PhD, and Clare Mackay, PhD, talk about why these behaviors occur and how they relate to grooming and emotion regulation; how living with BFRBs affects people’s lives and mental health; why reducing shame and stigma is so important; and how parents can support children with BFRBs.
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Understanding trichotillomania (hair-pulling) and other body-focused repetitive behaviors, with Clare Mackay, PhD, and Suzanne Mouton-Odum, PhD

Are you dreaming of your next vacation? Many people see travel as a chance to escape their routines, explore new places and maybe even ‘find themselves.’ Andrew Stevenson, PhD, author of “The Psychology
of Travel,” talks about whether travel makes us happier, how technology and social media are changing the experience of travel, why we get post-vacation blues and how to approach the place where you live with a travel mindset.
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Why we love to travel, with Andrew Stevenson, PhD

When we think of courage, we often picture dramatic, high-stakes moments, but courage comes into play not only in extraordinary situations but also in everyday life. Cynthia Pury, PhD, talks about physical, moral and psychological courage; whether courage necessarily involves overcoming fear; how our cultural and social viewpoints shape what we see as courage; and whether it’s possible to practice bravery and become more courageous.
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Courage is taking a worthwhile risk, with Cynthia Pury, PhD

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning differences, yet it’s still widely misunderstood. Tim Odegard, PhD, talks about how dyslexia is diagnosed and defined; his own experience growing up with dyslexia; how kids at risk can be identified early; what interventions work best; how reading difficulties can affect mental health; and why talking about the “gifts” of dyslexia can be problematic.
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Dyslexia myths, misconceptions and facts, with Tim Odegard, PhD

Left-handers make up about 10.6 percent of the world’s population. Sebastian Ocklenburg, PhD, talks about why handedness and other brain asymmetries exist; the genetic and environmental factors that influence handedness; whether there’s any truth to the stereotype that lefties are more creative; why “pawedness” is common in cats, dogs, and other non human animals; and why left-handed people are underrepresented in brain research.
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Lefties, righties and mixed-handers: The psychology of brain asymmetry, with Sebastian Ocklenburg, PhD

You might think the best way to make decisions is to know all the facts. But psychologists’ research suggests that getting the “gist” – the core meaning behind the facts – is more important than focusing on every last detail. Valerie Reyna, PhD, talks about why gist matters; how it explains why teens make so many risky decisions; how understanding gist can help doctors communicate better with their patients; and why AI systems may be moving toward more gist-based reasoning. 

Chapters

00:00 What is Gist?

09:55 The Role of Gist in Adolescent Decision-Making

19:40 Misinformation and Gist-Based Thinking

29:53 AI Decision-Making: A New Frontier
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Teens, AI and the science of risky decisions, with Valerie Reyna, PhD

From hurricanes to wildfires to gun violence, trauma and disaster touch the lives of millions of children each year. Robin Gurwitch, PhD, discusses how disasters affect children’s mental health, how to support children and teens in the aftermath of disasters, and how parents can talk to their children about traumatic events in the news.
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How to support children after traumatic events, with Robin Gurwitch, PhD

Financial scams targeting people over age 60 cost victims more than $3.4 billion in 2023. Neuropsychologist Duke Han, PhD, talks about why some older adults are at risk, financial vulnerability as an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, and how people can protect themselves and their loved ones from falling victim to a scammer.
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Financial scams: Why some older adults are at risk, with Duke Han, PhD

For many women, the shifting hormones of midlife bring troubling symptoms like hot flashes, mood and memory changes. Now, researchers are learning more about the short- and long-term health effects of menopause. Clinical health psychologist Rebecca Thurston, PhD, discusses links between menopause symptoms and long-term cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s risk; evolving treatments, including hormone therapy and non-hormonal options; and why midlife can be an empowering as well as challenging time for women.
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Hot flashes, heart health and hormones: Rethinking menopause, with Rebecca Thurston, PhD

Many boys form deep friendships in childhood. But as they become teens, they report fewer close, rich friendships. Niobe Way, PhD, author of “Rebels With a Cause: Reimagining Boys, Ourselves and Our Culture,” discusses “boy" culture; why boys are naturally as emotionally intelligent as girls; the societal pressures that lead to disconnection among boys as they grow into men; and how teaching students to listen with curiosity can help them deepen connections and friendships.

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Chapters

01:37 Understanding Boy Culture and Its Impact

03:43 The Evolution of Boys' Friendships

10:04 Why Boys and Men are Struggling

20:22 Cultural Insights from Boys and Men of Color

24:46 "Boy" Culture in China

31:29 Listening with Curiosity: A Path to Connection
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Why “boy" culture is creating a crisis of connection, with Niobe Way, PhD

The right song can make us feel chills, help pull us out of a bad mood, or take us back in time to the first time we heard it. Elizabeth Margulis, PhD, director of the Music Cognition Lab at Princeton University, talks about how music, memory, emotion and imagination intertwine; why people are especially attached to music from their teen years; whether there’s any music that’s considered universally beautiful; why repetition is important in music; and why we so often get “earworms” stuck in our head. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.
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How music, memory and emotion are connected, with Elizabeth Margulis, PhD

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