Our memories may not be as reliable as we think. Once we experience an event, most of us likely assume that those memories stays intact forever. But there is the potential for memories to be altered or for completely false memories to be planted, according to Elizabeth Loftus, PhD. Loftus, a distinguished professor at the University of California, Irvine, is ... Show More
Jul 15
Social media, looksmaxxing, and why men struggle with body image, with Roberto Olivardia, PhD
For years, body image concerns and eating disorders were viewed as problems that primarily affected girls and women. But boys and men also struggle with body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia -- often in ways that go unnoticed. Roberto Olivardia, PhD, a clini ... Show More
45m 28s
Jul 8
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
Sep 2025
#108 Implanting False Memories Into Your Brain
<p><b>In this week’s episode, Matt Walker explores memory's astonishing malleability, challenging the belief that recollections are fixed. He highlights Loftus's car crash study, showing how subtle language altered speed memories and implanted false details, and reviews ... Show More
24m 57s
May 2022
How to Change People's Memories
<p>Memory is, when you think about it, a super power. The ability to relive past experiences can help inform and shape our decisions about the present and the future. Yet memory is unfortunately, surprisingly malleable. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the art of ... Show More
59m 25s
Jul 2025
Our memory and sense of self are full of illusions | with Anne Wilson
Psychologist Anne Wilson studies how we construct our identities over time—how we remember the past, imagine the future, and tell ourselves stories that shape who we believe we are. In this episode, we explore why our memories are often less reliable than we think, and how that i ... Show More
52m 53s
