Why are some people more susceptible to conspiracy theories than others? Do people actually panic during disasters, like the pandemic? And are the brains of liberals and conservatives physiologically different? Dr. Jay Van Bavel, who directs NYU’s Social Perception and Evaluation Lab, answers these and other questions.
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Jay Van Bavel, PhD
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Yesterday
Rethinking sleep and mental health, with Philip Gehrman, PhD
Too often, we treat sleep as something we can sacrifice when life gets busy. But a growing body of research finds that sleep is essential to both mental and physical health -- and that sleep problems can be a cause, not just a consequence, of conditions like depression and anxiet ... Show More
31m 7s
Jul 1
Why listening well is harder -- and more powerful -- than you think, with Guy Itzchakov, PhD
Most people think they’re good listeners. But really listening well is harder than it seems. Guy Itzchakov, PhD, talks about what distinguishes high-quality listening from just staying quiet while someone else talks; how feeling heard affects speakers’ emotions, attitudes and rel ... Show More
45m 21s
Jun 24
“Sharenting”: What happens when children's lives are shared online? With Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD
From ultrasound photos to graduation pictures, many parents share their children's lives online. For some families, these posts help maintain connections with friends and relatives or build supportive parenting communities. But what does it mean for children to grow up with a dig ... Show More
24m 5s
Aug 2024
The Psychology of Identity and Fostering Social Harmony w/ Dr. Jay Van Bavel
This week Scott is joined by NYU professor and expert on social identity, Dr. Jay Van Bavel. Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Van Bavel discuss how to escape your echo chambers and overcome your biases, the role social media plays in creating a funhouse mirror, and how to make connections wit ... Show More
49m 50s
Jan 2022
We Don't Need No Thought Control: The Psychology of Disinformation and Cult Mentality
On this episode of the pod we are joined by a special guest, Dr. Jay Van Bavel, who is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University, to discuss the anti-vaccine movement, cult-mentality, and the predilection for conspiratorial thinking. We summar ... Show More
57m 47s
Jan 2021
Afraid of the Wrong Things
<p>Around the world, people are grappling with the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. How do our minds process that risk, and why do some of us process it so differently? This week, we talk with psychologist <a href="https://psychology.uoregon.edu/profile/pslovic/">Paul Slovic ... Show More
50m 14s
Aug 2023
Ep20 "Why does your brain care more about some people than others?"
Why do we so naturally form ingroups and outgroups? And what does that have to do with evolution, monkeys, Greeks, psychopaths, Syndrome E, and propaganda posters? Join Eagleman to learn why our brains are so wired for tribalism, what the consequences are for the world, and how a ... Show More
38m 16s
May 2021
The psychology of post-pandemic life — why you might feel anxious about re-entry
Feeling anxious about re-entering society when pandemic restrictions are lifted? Or maybe you're feeling exuberant? Steven Taylor, author "The Psychology of Pandemics", and a professor and clinical psychologist in the department of psychiatry at UBC, walks us through the psycholo ... Show More
22m 17s
Mar 2020
#192 — A Conversation with Paul Bloom
Sam Harris and Paul Bloom speak about the psychology of adapting to the coronavirus pandemic, the disastrous analogy between coronavirus and flu, the political siloing of information, true and false concerns over "panic," pressuring China to close down their live animal markets, ... Show More
37m 34s