About this episode
Yesterday
Are we too afraid of the sun?
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman talks with author Rowan Jacobsen about new research on sun exposure and health. While too much sun increases skin cancer risk, moderate sunlight may offer surprising benefits—raising questions about whether avoiding the sun ... Show More
17m 40s
Jun 22
Ebola update, World Cup heat risks, dad brains
In this episode of Science Quickly, we start with a quick update on the Ebola outbreak surging in parts of Africa. Host Rachel Feltman is then joined by Scientific American’s senior desk editor for life science Andrea Thompson to discuss what rising temperatures mean for the FIFA ... Show More
13m 10s
Jun 19
How common viruses could quietly raise your cancer risk
In this episode of Science Quickly, one of SciAm’s Young American Scientists, biologist Jaye Gardiner, explores how common viral infections may raise cancer risk—not just through genetic mutations but by reshaping the body’s “extracellular matrix” of molecules that support cells ... Show More
15m 34s
Nov 2025
Why Defiance Can Be a Virtue
Many of us are taught from a young age that being “good” means being obedient—but that conditioning can make it hard to speak up when it counts. In this episode, Cornell University professor Sunita Sah explains how defiance can be a powerful tool for challenging injustice, assert ... Show More
16m 41s
Feb 2025
Psychology Researcher: Why Always Being Good Can Be Incredibly Bad for You | Dr. Sunita Sah
54m 40s
Feb 2025
How to say ‘no’: The power of defiance, with Sunita Sah, PhD
How often do you “go along to get along,” or say yes when you really want to say no? Organizational psychologist Sunita Sah, PhD, author of “Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes,” talks about why it can be so hard to speak up and and how can you strengthen your resol ... Show More
38m 12s
Sep 2025
Why Having the Courage to Defy Makes us Happier (with Dr Sunita Sah)
We all go along with things we don't want to do... or worse, things that make us feel uncomfortable or morally uneasy. We comply for lots of reasons. We don't want to make trouble, or upset our friends, our bosses or people in authority. But Dr Sunita Sah says we should be more r ... Show More
39m 53s
Aug 2025
Why You Say Yes When You Shouldn't — And How To Say No When It Matters Most | Dr. Sunita Sah
1h 10m
Jan 2025
715: How to Stand Up for Yourself, with Sunita Sah
Sunita Sah: Defy Sunita Sah is an award-winning professor at Cornell University and an expert in organizational psychology, leading groundbreaking research on influence, authority, compliance, and defiance. A trained physician, her research and analyses have been widely published ... Show More
36m 9s
Jan 2025
Sunita Sah (on defiance)
Sunita Sah (Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes) is an author, award-winning, tenured professor at Cornell University, and expert in organizational psychology. Sunita joins the Armchair Expert to discuss living up to the Sanskrit meaning of her name, why Milgram’s e ... Show More
1h 56m
Jan 2025
How to Get Better at Saying No
Our families, schools, and workplaces often train us to comply: taking on additional work when asked, agreeing with the group's consensus, and going along to get along with our bosses and colleagues. So, even when we're told to "think different" and "embrace conflict," we often h ... Show More
27m 53s
Jul 2025
Dr. Sunita Sah: How to Say No at Work
How many times have we been juggling a thousand projects, and responsibilities just keep coming? And we say yes to everything! Today's guest, Dr. Sunita Sah, has spent her career studying the power of "no." Dr. Sah is a Professor at Cornell University's Graduate School of Managem ... Show More
36 m
Feb 2025
Marching To Your Own Drummer
<p><i>What would you have done?</i> It's one of the most enduring questions in psychology. We all like to think that in a moment of crisis, we'd rise to the occasion and show courage. And yet many of us have had experiences where we followed orders and did what we were told to do ... Show More
48m 1s
Many of us are taught from a young age that being “good” means being obedient—but that conditioning can make it hard to speak up when it counts. In this episode, Cornell University professor Sunita Sah explains how defiance can be a powerful tool for challenging injustice, asserting boundaries and reclaiming our voice.
Recommended Reading
Sunita Sah’s we ... Show More
<p>Are you living a life true to your deepest values or just going along with what others expect? Sunita Sah, author of <a href="https://amzn.to/40TiMyY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes</em></a>, reveals how our cult ... Show More
<p dir="ltr">A conversation with a Cornell professor who is attempting to rebrand the concept of defiance.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.sunitasah.com/">Dr. Sunita Sah</a> started her career as a physician but then switched over to organizational psychology. At Cornell, s ... Show More
