PsyberSpace: Understand Your World
If you've ever wondered what makes "reply guys" tick, why we fall for emotionally manipulative language in politics, why meetings suck, or how music can reshape your brain, we have the answers! Tune in to PsyberSpace™ every Monday morning and understand your world a little better each week. PsyberSpace explores the evolving landscape where psychology, media, culture, and digital technology converge. Each episode unpacks the impact of tech on our minds, our culture, our work, and our society. We explore pressing topics like the ethics of virtual spaces, misinformation and disinformation, media psychology and marketing, the psychology of business in the age of AI, the influence of social media on mental health, and the implications of digital trends for leaders and organizations. Join us as we provide insights for harnessing tech for positive change in personal lives and within the workplace.
Episodes
The Comfort Trap: How Familiarity Hampers Growth and Progress
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the concept of comfort and how it acts as a hidden barrier to personal and societal growth. Despite its allure, comfort can prevent individuals from taking risks, learning, and embracing change. The episode digs into the psychological and neurological reasons behind our preference for comfort, and its im...
The Secret Life of Your Inner Monologue: Navigating and Harnessing Your Inner Voice
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the concept of the inner monologue, discussing its origins, functions, and variations across individuals and cultures. The episode digs into the impact of internal speech on decision making, emotional regulation, and self-identity. Leslie also addresses how disorders like ADHD and a...
The Science Behind Women’s Superior Leadership: Breaking Biases and Embracing Effectiveness
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the compelling evidence showing that women tend to be better leaders than men. The discussion includes statistics indicating that countries led by women have fewer conflicts and better crisis management. It digs into decades of research from organizational psychology, showin...
Navigating Media Consumption for Psychological Well-Being and Resistance
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the critical issue of media consumption in the age of information overload and crisis. With facts being scrubbed from official sources and reality under attack, Poston examines the role of independent journalism and social media as lifelines to truth. The episode digs into the psychology of ho...
Unmasking the Dangers of 'Preventing Woke AI': A Critical Analysis
In this midweek special of PsyberSpace, Leslie Poston addresses a significant news event: the Trump administration's signing of a federal AI action plan as well as an executive order called 'Preventing Woke AI.' Focusing on generative AI, LLM AI, and NLP AI, Poston discusses the implications of how AI, optimized for ease, can subtly reprogram societal norms ...
The Myth of Meritocracy: Unpacking Workplace Inequality
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the illusion of meritocracy in the workplace. Despite the comforting narrative that hard work leads to success, systemic biases and structural inequalities often shape career outcomes more than individual effort. The episode digs into psychological concepts like the just world hypothesis and fundamental attrib...
Understanding Workplace Gaslighting: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the psychological concept of gaslighting, with a focus on its manifestation in the workplace. Leslie digs into how workplace gaslighting mirrors interpersonal abuse, creating a toxic environment where employees doubt their reality. Examples include management minimizing concerns, contradicting real...
Coping in an Age of Chaos: Understanding Adaptive Strategies
In this episode, host Leslie Poston digs into the multifaceted science of coping amidst today’s turbulent world. With constant exposure to political violence, environmental disasters, and social instability, many struggle to maintain mental well-being. Leslie explores the psychology behind coping, referencing the work of Richard Lazarus, Susan Folkman, and Bruce M...
The Quiet Reality of Everyday Eugenics
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the pervasive issue of everyday eugenics embedded in our society. Unlike historical instances marked by overt brutality, today's eugenics are subtle and ingrained in policies, healthcare, media, and cultural mindset. Leslie explores how the worth of individuals is unjustly tied to their productivity, leading to harmful social...
Capitalism Stole Your Support System
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the emotional ramifications of systemic abandonment by protective institutions, especially in response to the US's recent unprovoked attack on Iran. The discussion explores the psychological effects of community collapse, the lack of a communal safety net, and the individualist culture that exacerbates feelings of powerlessness...
Unlocking Creativity: The Science Behind Shower Thoughts and Insight
In this episode of Psyberspace, hosted by Leslie Poston, the discussion revolves around the phenomenon of insight—those unexpected bursts of clarity often experienced during mundane tasks like showering. Leslie explains how these 'shower thoughts' are the result of the brain's default mode network (DMN) becoming active during periods of rest. This network ...
Unpacking the Misuse of Mental Illness Labels in Society
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the harmful cultural habit of attributing acts of cruelty, violence, and abuse of power to mental illness. Leslie discusses the psychological reasons behind this impulse, the impact it has on our perceptions of justice and morality, and how it reinforces harmful stereotypes and biases. The episode digs in...
Understanding the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Pathways to Healing
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) test, a 10-question survey that uncovers the hidden impacts of childhood trauma on adult health and well-being. Leslie explains how high ACE scores correlate with numerous physical and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, ch...
The Paradox of Progress: Why We Forget What Works
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the 'Paradox of Progress,' a psychological phenomenon explaining why society and individuals often dismantle the systems that made their successes possible. The episode explores this paradox in various realms including public health, civil rights, economics, and climate policy. The discussion reveals how our brains...
The Cognitive Cost of AI: A Deep Dive into Learning and Development
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping cognition, particularly in education. The discussion focuses on the developmental impact of AI on children and the cognitive trade-offs associated with relying on AI tools. The episode delves into the science behind why traditional methods like handwriting a...
Empathy Under Fire: Understanding Its Crucial Role and Strategic Erosion
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the psychological phenomenon of empathy, distinguishing it from sympathy and underscoring its pivotal role in moral reasoning, cooperation, and human survival. The episode explores the three types of empathy—cognitive, emotional, and compassionate—and how they are neurologically grounded. Les...
The Power of Language: Unveiling the Psychology of Linguistic Control
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the psychology behind the control and censorship of language, examining how it impacts us psychologically, socially, and politically. The discussion touches on historical and contemporary examples, including the strategic choice of words in South American dictatorships, the erasure of terms like...
Unearthing Psychology's Shadow: A Critical Examination
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the dark history of psychology, exploring its entanglements with colonialism, racism, sexism, and eugenics. The episode sheds light on how psychological theories and practices have upheld oppressive systems and sometimes caused harm. Poston emphasizes the importance of acknowledging these historical abuses to ...
The Dangers of Trivializing Fascism: How Memes Shape Our Politics
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the often overlooked impact of political memes on our digital and real-world environments. While memes may seem harmless or even humorous on the surface, they can trivialize serious issues such as authoritarianism and fascism, thereby dulling societal urgency and fracturing crucial coalitions. Leslie...
Navigating Uncertainty: Understanding Its Impact on Decision Making
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the complexities of uncertainty and its effects on decision-making. Leslie explores the psychological and physiological responses to uncertainty, including the role of the amygdala and the concept of Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU). The discussion encompasses cognitive biases like the availability...
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