Episode 44: Our Politics, Our Parenting

Have you ever downplayed some aspect of your identity? Maybe you don’t hide it, but you don’t bring it up with certain people, either. It turns out that these subtle disguises can have powerful effects on how we view ourselves. This week, we bring you a favorite conversation with ... Show More

Most of us have ideas about what we’re looking for in a romantic partner. But psychologist Paul Eastwick says these preferences are surprisingly poor guides for finding love. He explains why attraction is so difficult to predict, and what the research suggests is the best way to ... Show More

Why is my friend late? How does nuclear fission work? What can I do to help my baby sleep through the night? We all feel the need to understand why certain things happen. Some researchers think the drive to explain the world is a basic human impulse, similar to thirst or hunger. ... Show More

Elections are somewhere between sports and religions for the United States. It seems that, each and every time, people have problems with the official results. In this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep into one of the most ridiculous elections in all of ... Show More

The U.S. feels more polarized than ever, and with election day around the corner, many of us are feeling the strain of political divisions among our friends, family members and loved ones. Keith Payne, PhD, author of “Good Reasonable People: The Psychology Behind America’s Danger ... Show More

The political events in the United States have been a major contributor to our anxieties these past years, and with our significant presidential election looming over us this week - Ann and Sue are here to talk about the hard things. While the world feels unpredictable on the out ... Show More

Donald Trump’s reelection has some people putting politics over family. Audie talks with psychologist Joshua Coleman about the forces driving family estrangements over political differences, how generational differences can play a part in broken family ties, and what to do if you ... Show More

The hosts have a deeper discussion about the tensions in Israel and Palestine as violence escalates between the Israeli military and Hamas. They discuss why the violence can be difficult to discuss, and the bad political actors who take advantage of justified emotions. Then, they ... Show More

These days, Republicans and Democrats don't just disagree with each other's political opinions -- many view members of the other party as immoral and even abhorrent. Eli Finkel, PhD, a social psychologist at Northwestern University in Chicago, led a group of social scientists who ... Show More

This week Greg talks about being punched in the face at his first protest and Mitch explains his mental breakdown at a shooting range. In the end we have a debate about HOW to combat the divide between Liberals and Conservatives. It feels like the world is SO DIVIDED, what is the ... Show More

This election season has been full of court fights over voter access laws. Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center, explains why the problem has more to do with a partisan divide in the judiciary than voter fraud. Also on The Gist, Slate's Amanda Hes ... Show More