We spend more and more of our lives staring at screens. Our cellphones, smartwatches and laptops allow us to communicate instantly with people across the globe, and quickly look up obscure facts. But our digital devices are also altering our brains in profound ways. This week, psychologist Gloria Mark explores how our ability to focus is shrinking, and offer ... Show More
Aug 17
How to Be A Better Partner
When we look at the people we love, how clearly do we really see them? This week, we talk with psychologist Edward Lemay about how our fears, desires, and insecurities can shape our perceptions of our partners — sometimes creating the very reality we expect. He explains how we ca ... Show More
1h 26m
Aug 10
How Feelings Make Us Smarter
Some people are remarkably good at reading the emotional temperature of a situation. They can pick up on what others are feeling, manage their own emotions, and respond skillfully. What's their secret? This week, we explore the science of emotional intelligence with psychologist ... Show More
48m 7s
Aug 3
Making the Most of Your Mistakes
When you're learning, or trying new things, you're going to make mistakes. The trick is to try to fail in a way that gives you useful information. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with researcher Amy Edmondson. She explains the difference between constructive failure ... Show More
1h 25m
Feb 2023
Why our attention spans are shrinking, with Gloria Mark, PhD
These days, most of us live our lives tethered to our computers and smartphones, which are unending sources of distraction. Research has shown that over the past couple of decades people’s attention spans have shrunk in measurable ways. Gloria Mark, PhD, of the University of Cali ... Show More
37m 38s
Feb 2024
Addicted to distraction: How our world is robbing our ability to pay attention
According to psychologist Gloria Mark, the average attention span is just 47 seconds. Mark, a two-decade veteran in researching attention, says our ability to focus is declining at an alarming rate and is impacting our health. Much of this increase is due to our modern, fast-pace ... Show More
51m 59s
Sep 2025
Episode 34 Developing the Skill of Focus in a Distracted World
<p>The average person checks their phone 96 times per day. We live surrounded by notifications, alerts, and an endless stream of information competing for our attention. While technology has brought incredible advances to our lives, it has also created an environment where sustai ... Show More
18m 12s
Jul 2025
Summer picks: Where did our attention spans go, and can we get them back?
In 2024, the Oxford English Dictionary announced its word of the year was ‘brain rot’. The term relates to the supposedly negative effects of consuming social media content, but it struck a chord more widely with many who feel they don’t have the mental capacity they once had. Gl ... Show More
17m 10s
<p><a href="https://stephanie197.typeform.com/to/j1scjtOU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>We want to hear from YOU! Take our survey.</strong></a></p><br><p>Could Your Smartphone Be Destroying Your Focus? Have our attention spans, will power, mood and productivi ... Show More
