Psychologists’ research has found that it’s not the nuances of policy debates that drive voter behavior but instead how voters feel about candidates and political parties -- and whom they trust to share their values. Drew Westen, PhD, of Emory University, talks about how emotions drive our political behavior, what makes for an effective political speech or a ... Show More
May 29
Introducing: Call to Mind
Today, we're sharing an episode of another podcast we think you'll enjoy: Call to Mind, from American Public Media. Call to Mind is American Public Media's initiative to foster new conversations about mental health. This episode, The Strain of Stress, looks at the many pressures ... Show More
53m 1s
May 27
How to feel more loved, with Harry Reis, PhD
Even in our closest relationships, we can sometimes feel misunderstood and disconnected. Relationship researcher Harry Reis, PhD, coauthor of How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most, talks about the difference between being loved and feeling lo ... Show More
29m 24s
May 20
Why being ‘a little more social’ makes us happier than we expect, with Nicholas Epley, PhD
From chatting with a stranger on the train to reaching out to an old friend, everyday social interactions make us happier than we realize. Yet many people avoid these moments because they expect them to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Nicholas Epley, PhD, author of ‘A Little More ... Show More
39m 56s
Jun 2022
How Political Language Is Engineered — with Drew Westen and Frank Luntz
Democracy depends on our ability to choose our political views. But the language we use to talk about political issues is deliberately designed to be divisive, and can produce up to a 15-point difference in what we think about those issues. As a result, are we choosing our views, ... Show More
36m 41s
Jul 2020
Brian F. Harrison, "A Change is Gonna Come: How to Have Effective Political Conversations in a Divided America" (Oxford UP, 2020)
The United States takes pride in its democratic model and the idea that citizens deliberate in a process to form political opinions. However, in recent years, division and partisanship have increased while deliberation and the actual discussion of competing ideas have decreased. ... Show More
54m 3s
Jul 2023
Tarek Younis, "The Muslim, State, and Mind: Psychology in Times of Islamophobia" (Sage, 2022)
Mental health is positioned as the cure-all for society’s discontents, from pandemics to terrorism. But psychology and psychiatry are not apolitical, and neither are Muslims. This book unpacks where the politics of the psy-disciplines and the politics of Muslims overlap, demonstr ... Show More
35m 49s