Speaking of Psychology

Speaking of Psychology

"Speaking of Psychology" is an audio podcast series highlighting some of the latest, most important and relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these podcasts will help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives.

Episodes

July 22, 2026 34 mins
From writing emails to analyzing medical images, AI is becoming a routine part of many people's work. These tools can boost productivity and free us from tedious tasks -- but what happens when we start relying on them for skills that once required years of practice to develop? Brooke Macnamara, PhD, discusses the psychology of cognitive offloading; what early research suggests about AI's effects on learning, memory and expertise; ...
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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 clinical psychologist at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, discusses muscle dysmorphia; why body image disorders in men are frequently overlooked; how...
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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 anxiety. Philip Gehrman, PhD, discusses what happens in the brain while we sleep; how insomnia and disrupted circadian rhythms affect mental health; why psychol...
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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 relationships; why high-quality listening can reduce defensiveness during disagreements; and whether AI chatbots will ever be good listeners. Lea...
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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 digital footprint that begins, in some cases, before they are even born? Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD, discusses the psychology of "sharenting," the privacy...
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Why does seafood taste better at the beach? Why are so many snacks crunchy? Can the color of a room or the music in the background change the way we experience what we eat and drink? Charles Spence, PhD, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford, discusses the science of multisensory perception and how our senses work together to shape flavor; why food is the ultimate multisensory experience; and how i...
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For many adults, midlife is a time of competing responsibilities: raising children, helping parents and managing careers, all while confronting their own aging. Yet psychologists increasingly see these years not as a period of crisis or decline but one of growth and opportunity. Margie Lachman, PhD, author of Primetime: A New Vision for Midlife, discusses the science of midlife, including why people often become more confident and ...
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Which aspects of human cognition are universal and which are shaped by the culture we grow up in? Dorsa Amir, PhD, director of the Mind & Culture Lab at Duke University, talks about how children learn cultural norms around things like sharing, risk-taking and cooperation; what she’s learned from her work with the Shuar people in the Ecuadorian Amazon; why children’s “peer cultures” may play a bigger role...
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May 29, 2026 53 mins
Today, we're sharing an episode of another podcast we think you'll enjoy: Call to Mind, from American Public Media. Call to Mind is American Public Media's initiative to foster new conversations about mental health. This episode, The Strain of Stress, looks at the many pressures Americans are facing today, how chronic stress can affect both mental and physical health, and how to manage the strain. You’ll hear from two famili...
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Even in our closest relationships, we can sometimes feel misunderstood and disconnected. Relationship researcher Harry Reis, PhD, coauthor of How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most, talks about the difference between being loved and feeling loved; the five “mindsets” that help people build stronger relationships; and why listening, vulnerability and curiosity are key to feeling more ...
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From chatting with a stranger on the train to reaching out to an old friend, everyday social interactions make us happier than we realize. Yet many people avoid these moments because they expect them to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Nicholas Epley, PhD, author of ‘A Little More Social,’ discusses why people consistently underestimate how much they’ll enjoy all kinds of social interactions; the psychology behind s...
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From keystroke trackers and webcam monitoring to GPS devices, an increasing number of us -- across a wide range of jobs -- are being monitored while we work. Tara Behrend, PhD, discusses why employers use these tools; how constant monitoring changes workers’ behavior and attention and how it can increase stress and burnout; the growing role of AI in collecting and analyzing employee data; and whether any laws regulate the kin...
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From the idea that we only use 10% of our brains to the belief that each of us has an optimal learning style that helps us learn best, many popular “facts” about human behavior aren’t actually true. Yet they persist, even among students who have studied psychology. Erin Smith, PhD, explores why misconceptions about the mind are so widespread and how repetition and social influences reinforce false beliefs; discus...
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From societal division to economic uncertainty to global conflict, we are living in stressful times. In this special episode of Speaking of Psychology, Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association, and Georges C. Benjamin, MD, CEO of the American Public Health Association, discuss how chronic societal stress can “get under the skin,” harming the mental and physical health of individuals and co...
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Creativity isn’t just about making art or music -- it's about how we approach problems, respond to challenges and turn our ideas into reality. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, PhD, author of “The Creativity Choice,” discusses the many forms of creativity; why it takes courage to be creative; how social environments can either stifle or spark ideas; the role of human innovation in a world increasingly reshaped by AI; and pr...
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Every year, millions of people go through harrowing medical experiences, from a stay in the ICU to a difficult childbirth to the frustration of dealing with chronic pain. These experiences can leave scars on our minds as well as our bodies. Psychologist James C. Jackson, PhD, author of “Reclaiming Your Life from Medical Trauma,” talks about why medical trauma is so often overlooked, what kinds of experiences can cause i...
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Tipping has long been a part of service culture in the U.S., but in the last few years, the number of places where we're asked to tip has multiplied. Social psychologist and tipping researcher Michael Lynn, PhD, discusses “tip creep” and how digital payment screens are reshaping expectations; why social norms drive our tipping behavior; how tipping norms vary from country to country; how biases affect who gets tipped mo...
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Buy now, pay later plans have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, adding yet another variable to consider when making spending decisions. Abigail Sussman, PhD, discusses the psychological biases that influence how we spend, budget and borrow, including why splitting payments can make purchases feel more affordable, why we underestimate irregular expenses, and why many people carry debt even when they have savings. She also ...
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Before babies have the words to tell us what they're thinking, they can laugh. Developmental psychologist Gina Mireault, PhD, explains how she sets up a “baby comedy club” in her lab; what babies find funny and why; when babies start trying to make other people laugh; and what studying laughter can tell us about babies’ cognitive development and how they experience the world in their first year of life. Lear...
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How much can you really tell about someone at first glance? Nicholas Rule, PhD, of the University of Toronto, talks about the science of first impressions: How your brain starts making judgments about other people in milliseconds--before you’re even aware of it--how accurate those judgments are and how they’re shaped by stereotypes and biases; the research on “gaydar”; to what degree you can pick up on trait...
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