The vast majority of U.S. teens have access to a smartphone and at least one social media account, and recent headlines seem to confirm parents’ worst fears about the effects of all that time spent online. But psychologists’ research suggests that there are nuanced answers to the question of how social media affects teens’ mental health and well-being. Linda ... Show More
Jan 21
Inside the social minds -- and amazing memories -- of chimps and bonobos, with Laura Simone Lewis, PhD
Most of us could look at a decades-old yearbook and recognize many of the faces of our former classmates -- but humans aren't the only ones with this remarkable ability. Laura Simone Lewis, PhD, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, discusses her research on the long-te ... Show More
39m 36s
Jan 14
Precision mental health and personalized treatment, with Leanne Williams, PhD, and Zachary Cohen, PhD
Depression and anxiety look very different from one person to the next, and finding the right treatment can be a trial-and-error process. But researchers are working to change that. Leanne Williams, PhD, and Zachary Cohen, PhD, discuss the emerging field of precision or personali ... Show More
42m 9s
Jan 7
How will AI companions change our human relationships? With Ashleigh Golden, PsyD, and Rachel Wood, PhD
What does it mean to have an AI boyfriend or girlfriend, or to turn to an AI friend for emotional support? Ashleigh Golden, PsyD, and Rachel Wood, PhD, discuss the rise of AI companions and how they may change our human relationships; the differences – and overlap – between AI co ... Show More
47m 44s
May 2023
We Need To Talk About Teens, Social Media And Mental Health
This week, the American Psychological Association issued its first-of-kind guidelines for parents to increase protection for children online. It comes at a time of rising rates of depression and anxiety among teens.
This episode, NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff look ... Show More
13m 12s
May 2024
How Smartphones Are Rewiring Our Brains, Why Social Media is Eradicating Childhood & The Truth About The Mental Health Epidemic with Jonathan Haidt #456
Today’s episode is about a topic that I am truly passionate about - the introduction of social media and smartphones into all aspects of our lives - and what impact this is having on us individually, collectively and, perhaps most urgently, what impact is this having on our child ... Show More
2h 4m
Feb 2023
How to Raise Kids in the Digital Age
Technology has advanced at breakneck speed over the past decade. And that’s disrupted our lives — the ways we interact with each other, work, learn, and even grow up. This season looks at the impact all this technology is having on young people. Like many parents, this topic is p ... Show More
31m 37s