For most of us, the idea of jumping off a bridge with a parachute or surfing a wave 70 feet tall seems to defy comprehension. Psychologists, too, have wondered what drives people to participate in extreme sports. Eric Brymer, PhD, talks about why many of our preconceived notions about adventurers are wrong, what draws people to extreme adventure, the role f ... Show More
Aug 19
Encore: The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD
Are you a sports superfan? Or do you wonder what’s driving the superfans in your life? Daniel Wann, PhD, of Murray State University, talks about why being a fan is usually good for people’s mental health, how they choose the teams they root for, why some are fair-weather fans whi ... Show More
41m 35s
Aug 12
Encore: Why psychopathy is more common than you think, with Abigail Marsh, PhD
Most of us think we know what a psychopath looks like. The word brings to mind images of horror movies and criminals. But psychopathy is far more common than most people realize, and actually hard to recognize in other people. Abigail Marsh, PhD, of Georgetown University, discuss ... Show More
43m 57s
Aug 5
Encore: How living with secrets can harm you, with Michael Slepian, PhD
We all keep secrets—on average, people have about 13 secrets at any one time, five of which they have never told another person. Psychologist Michael Slepian, PhD, of Columbia Business School, talks about what types of secrets people keep, why keeping a secret bottled up inside c ... Show More
24m 40s
Jul 2023
Inside the Minds of Thrill Seekers
Skydiving, BASE jumping, climbing the highest peaks, adventuring to remote parts of the world — pushing the boundaries of safety. For thrill-seekers, chasing the rush is what it's all about. Where lots of us would break into a cold sweat, they experience something different: calm ... Show More
49m 20s