Speaking of Psychology

Suicide rates in the U.S. climbed in all but one state from 1999 to 2016, according to a CDC report from June 2018. This alarming report and notable celebrity suicide deaths like Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade have pushed this topic further into the national spotlight. Psychologist Samuel Knapp, EdD, discusses the factors that cause people to die from suicide, the effects of past trauma on mental...

The clothes we put on everyday tell a story about who we are to the world and can have a major impact on our emotions and mood. Cognitive psychologist Carolyn Mair, PhD, who created the psychology of fashion department at the London College of Fashion at the University of the Arts London, explains the psychology behind our fashion choices and why psychologists are needed to help solve some of the...

Every day in America, 130 people die from overdosing on opioids and an estimated two million people around the country are grappling with opioid addiction and it is devastating families and communities. In the face of these grim statistics, APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, explains how psychologists can offer new solutions to help end the opioid epidemic, including non-pharmaceutical treatment fo...

Americans spend nearly half of the day interacting with screens of all kinds -- smartphones, televisions and computers, according to a recent Nielsen report. While these technologies have made our lives better in many ways, it is easier than ever to become addicted to screens. Guest Adam Alter, PhD, author of "Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked" di...

Anxiety among teens and young adults is rising, and studies have shown that it has skyrocketed in girls. One study found that the number of girls who often felt nervous, worried or fearful jumped by 55 percent over a five-year period. What factors are behind rising stress and anxiety in girls and what can we do about it? Our guest is Dr. Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist and executive director...

As we grapple with a warming world and increasingly unstable weather, our mental health is at risk. Psychologists say that stress, anxiety, depression and PTSD will increase as climate change’s physical impacts accelerate, as many scientists predict. Is there anything we can do to mitigate the mental health risks of climate change? Our guest for this episode is Dr. Susan Clayton, a professor of ps...

Is your gut a second brain? Emerging research is showing that our brains and our gastrointestinal systems may be more connected than we previously thought – potentially holding profound influence over our moods, mental health and sense of well-being. Our guests are Faith Dickerson, PhD, a psychologist who researches the role of infectious and immune factors in serious mental illness, and Emeran Ma...

We spend a significant portion of our lives at work and feeling miserable on the job can be detrimental to our mental and physical health and productivity. A work environment that is psychologically healthy is one that focuses on employees’ health and well-being and the bottom line. Our guests for this episode are David Ballard, PsyD, who leads APA’s Office of Applied Psychology, and Bryce Veon, p...

In the aftermath of the New Zealand mosque attacks, we explore the psychological factors that cause a person to commit heinous acts of mass violence, technology’s role in spreading extremist propaganda and what governments and communities can do to prevent terrorism. The guest for this episode is Arie W. Kruglanski, PhD, an APA fellow and distinguished university professor in psychology at the Uni...

The college admissions bribery scandal has generated a lot of conversations about the role of affluence and privilege in higher education. What would cause a parent to go to such great lengths to ensure their child’s spot at a prestigious university? What does this tell us about our high-pressure society? Our guest for this bonus episode is Suniya S. Luthar, PhD, foundation professor of psychology...

Dopamine is known as the chemical of love, creativity and addiction. It pushes us to achieve greatness, but it can also lead to our downfall. To help us understand this tricky molecule, the guests for this episode are Dr. Daniel Lieberman, professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, and Michael Long, a speec...

We all want to find meaning in our lives, our reason to get up in the morning, yet doing so may not be easy. What is meaning in life and how do we find it for ourselves? The guest for this episode is Clara Hill, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Maryland and author of Meaning in Life: A Therapist’s Guide. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http:...

Half of Americans say they are lonely and the average person reports having only one close friend. Loneliness can also make us sick, contributing to heart disease, depression, suicide and cognitive decline. Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, explains the science behind why social connectedness is so essential for our health. APA is curr...

2018 was the worst year the U.S. stock market has seen since 2008 and worries about the economy are continuing in 2019. How do you deal with anxiety in a volatile market? Psychologist Frank Murtha, PhD, co-founder of MarketPsych, a consulting firm to the financial industry, explains how to calm stock market fears and ways to build a savvy investor identity. APA is currently seeking proposals for A...

Sharing your expertise with the world on YouTube and other social media platforms can be both thrilling and terrifying. If you want to know where to start, look no further than Ali Mattu, PhD. He’s a licensed clinical psychologist and creator of “The Psych Show” whose videos have been watched over 700,000 times. Mattu gives advice on where to begin, how to overcome impostor syndrome and the lesson...

We all dream yet many of us don’t know what to make of our nocturnal adventures. Dream scholar Deirdre Barrett, PhD, explains why we dream and what our dreams may be trying to tell us. She also offers tips on how to better remember your dreams to harness the power of your sleeping mind. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn more https://convention.apa.org/proposals L...

Worried about making it through your next holiday gathering without it devolving into a political screaming match? Get advice from the experts, APA's Dr. Lynn Bufka and Dr. Jeanne Safer, host of the podcast, "I Love You But I Hate Your Politics." APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn more https://convention.apa.org/proposals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

Philip Zimbardo, PhD, is one of the most recognizable names in the field of psychology. In this episode, Zimbardo discusses recent criticism of his controversial 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment as well as his other work on time, shyness, men and heroism. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn more https://convention.apa.org/proposals Learn more about your ad choices....

Headline issues, from immigration to sexual assault, are causing significant stress for teens and young adults in Generation Z with mass shootings topping the list of stressful current events and more than two-thirds of adults reported feeling major stress about the nation’s future, according to the 2018 APA Stress in America™ report. APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, explains the findings and sha...

The national conversation on opioids focuses mostly on abuse and overdose deaths but there are millions of Americans using opioids to manage chronic pain. Can integrating psychological approaches into pain care offer some patients low-risk pain treatment options? Beth Darnall, PhD, from Stanford University, explains how psychology and mindfulness can treat pain and help people with chronic pain li...

Love. We all want it but sustaining that spark can be difficult in our hectic world, especially with life stressors beyond our control. How do we find love and keep the passion alive throughout the years? Relationship expert Benjamin Karney, PhD, from the UCLA Marriage Lab shares valuable insights. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn more https://convention.apa.org...

Smartphones allow us to connect with loved ones, keep us informed and entertained and on time for our meetings, but they are also negatively affecting our attention spans, relationships, sleep and mental health. What if smartphones could be used to monitor our mental health and wellbeing? You guessed it. There’s an app for that. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn...

"Something Happened In Our Town" is a children’s book about racial injustice from Magination Press, APA’s children's books imprint. The story follows two families — one white, one black — as they discuss the police shooting of a black man in their community. The story aims to answer children's questions about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in thei...

How people interact with robots is influenced by the robots’ characteristics. Whether a robot has eyes or arms or a human-like voice affects our response to them. Jeff Hancock, PhD, has studied the research to date on social robots and learned that robots’ perceived warmth and competence have the strongest effect. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020, click here to learn more https://co...

Internet of Things devices such as smart televisions and thermostats often lack adequate built-in security, leading to privacy and safety risks not commonly understood by consumers. John Blythe, PhD, argues that a labelling scheme for these devices will provide consumers with a clear picture of the security of an IoT device and help them to choose technology that meets their security and privacy n...