Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

Let's take a close look at why people see a lot of strange things around them - including me. We'll see images on lemon slices, building tops, etc. Why do we perceive these things? ... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

What the heck is constructivism anyway? In this episode I explore that topic with Dr. Eugene Geist. We also explore what some would consider a radical concept in education:democratic schools. What would happen if we let children decide how they wanted to learn? Complete Chaos? Or an exciting new way to get students involved in and taking responsibility for learning? Find out in this episode of The Psych Files.

How can we make learning as fun as it was when you were a child? We can. Listen to Dr. Eugene Geist as he explains the cognitive development theories of Jean Piaget and you'll understand why we are all geared to learn. We actively seek out learning experiences. How can we keep that excitement alive? Find out in this episode and in the episodes to follow as we examine ideas such as constructivism, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning and democratic schools. This episode will also be helpful if you need to learn the different stages of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Why is it so hard to keep our new year's resolutions to lose weight? I explore this question in this episode in which I also take a tour through the various schools of psychology and show how each one would explain why you have trouble keeping your promise to yourself to lose weight (or stay out of debt, or stop smoking).

What kind of personality do you need to be a good waiter/waitress? In a previous episode we talked about the tactics: touching customers, drawing smiley faces on bills, crouching down to the customer's level, etc. But these strategies don't always work, so what kind of person do you need to be? We find out in this episode as we explore the personality trait called the Self-Monitoring personality.

Are you interested in play therapy or therapy with children and adolescents? Do you have a child in therapy and you wonder how playing with toys is going to possibly help you child? Learn more about therapy with children and adolescents in this episode of The Psych Files. In part 2 I interview Dr. Martha Strauss - experienced therapist and author of No Talk Therapy and the book Adolescent Girls in Crisis. In this part of the interview Dr. Strauss talks specifically about No Talk therapy and how she explains her work to the parents of her clients. Come have a listen to an experienced therapist talk about her work.

Are you interested in play therapy or therapy with children and adolescents? Do you have a child in therapy and you wonder how playing with toys is going to possibly help you child? Learn more about therapy with children and adolescents in this episode of The Psych Files. In part 1 I interview Dr. Martha Strauss - experienced therapist and author of No Talk Therapy and the book Adolescent Girls in Crisis. If you've ever wondered what psychotherapists do and say in therapy then this episode is for you. We also touch upon evidence based treatment, goals in therapy, and parent expectations of therapists. Come have a listen to an experienced therapist talk about her work.

Who's the best role model for a leader? How about a chicken? In this episode of The Psych Files we examine Ginger from the movie Chicken Run to see how she embodies some of the best qualities of a leader. I'll apply several leadership theories to Ginger and her vision.

How can a waiter increase his tips? Would you believe that psychologists have devoted a great deal of research to this question? We've looked at the effect of smiley faces, touching, telling jokes, giving customers a fun task to do, drawing suns (yes, suns) on checks and many others. Join me as we take a look at what waiters and waitresses can do to increase the amount of the tip their customers give them.

Still looking for an alternative to Time out? If you are a teacher, a childcare worker, or anyone who works with kids and is frustrated at the fact that for some children time out just doesn't work. In fact, for some kids time out may actually be a reward because of the popularity it may provide for them from other kids. If you're worried that time out is not helping, and that the child is headed down a road of developing a personal identity that includes rebel or troublemaker and the end of that road can only be jail, then you need to listen to Dr. Ross Green talk about Collaborative Problem Solving. We need to treat children different today and this approach holds a lot of insights into that new approach.

Dr. Ross Green, author of The Explosive Child, has just published his second book, Lost at School in which he shows how the principles of Collaborative Problem Solving can be used by teachers and other caregivers in school settings. If timeout hasn't worked for you as a parent or teacher, and especially if you're a teacher dealing with "problem kids", then perhaps you should look into Collaborative Problem Solving. Join me for another fascinating interview with Dr. Ross Green.

Do subliminal messages in self-help tapes really work? There actually is some evidence that people can be influenced by subliminal messages. Can your self-esteem be raised with subliminal tapes? Can subliminal persuasion help you lose weight? Are there even subliminal messages in Disney files?? Are there subliminal messages in advertising that can make you buy certain products? These questions answered once and for all at The Psych Files podcast.

The Foot in the Door and the Door in the Face are two classic social influence techniques that have been heavily studied by psychologists. However, until now, no one has attempted them in a virtual world. Join me for this fascinating conversation with Paul Eastwick, who along with Dr. Wendy Gardner from Northwestern University ventured into There.com to see if these very effective real-world techniques were equally effective on avatars.

On The Folly of Rewarding A While Hoping For B is a well known article by Steven Kerr that appeared in The Academy of Management Executive. Want an example of how insightful Steven Kerr was with this article that is still relevant today? Look no further than the US election and Comedy Central.

Memorize the parts of the brain once and for all! Here's a mnemonic device to help you remember the parts of the brain. You will never forget what the parts of the brain do after you see this video. Improve your grade on your next biopsych test and learn more about mnemonics at the same time.

Can horses be used for corporate training or is this nonsense? If you listened to the NPR piece called, "Horse Sense: New Breed Of Executive Training" you might have had the same reaction I did: sounds a little "fishy". Find out why "Clever Hans" just might be alive and well in the field of management training.

Have you heard that president Abraham Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy and president John F. Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln? In this episode of The Psych Files we explore strange coincidences like this one and we also examine Carl Jung's concept of Synchronicity. Does it mean that everything happens for a reason - or is the idea more complex than that? Let's find out. Oh and by the way - turns out Lincoln never had a secretary named Kennedy. This and more revealed on The Psych Files podcast.

Remember the psychological study conducted in a men's room? Think it was silly? Unethical? Let's revisit this study and take a close look at what the critics say and what the authors themselves have to say in response. A fascinating look at the ethics and history of research in psychology.

Memorize Erik Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development once and for all! In this video episode I have a little fun using the peg word mnemonic device and ordinary household items to show how mnemonics work and to apply them to the challenge of memorizing Erikson's eight stages.

Psychologists say that winning the silver medal - coming in second - is actually less satisfying than coming in third - the bronze. Why is that? Sounds weird, but it also sounds right, doesn't it? Have you ever come in second in a contest or received an A- instead of an A? Find out why winning the silver is...a bummer.

Do nursing homes and assisted living facilities have to be so depressing? Is there a way to help senior citizens have more energy and more enthusiasm for life? What do psychologists know that you should know about how to help the elderly feel good about life? It has to do with the concept of personal control (also referred to as locus of control). Learn about it in this review of a classic study in psychology. This week on The Psych Files podcast.

Some of the most popular self help books such as the Power of Positive Thinking and A Course in Miracles rely on references to god and religion. In this episode I add a few thoughts to the previous episode on how scientists view self help books which rely on references to god. I also share emails listeners send to me and I let you know how I will be adjusting The Psych Files podcast in response to your feedback.

Self Help books: there are so many such books out there. How do you choose? Can they cure depression? Help you lose weight? Stop smoking? Can they replace psychotherapy? Find out how critical thinking can help you weed out the best self-help book. Here's a list of the top 14 things that really bother psychologists or any scientists about self-help books. Agree? Disagree? Want to add something to the list?

Cognitive Dissonance - one of the most established and respected theories in psychology - is under attack. An economist - M. Keith Chen - uses what is called the "Monty Hall problem" to show that the research on cognitive dissonance may be seriously flawed. In this episode I explain Chen's concerns about the research on and then I propose that a new study which uses neurofeedback to study cognitive dissonance may come to rescue at just the right moment. Join me to find out how.

Sustainability - what does it mean? Are you concerned about how human beings are using up our natural resources and are you perhaps worried about the future of our planet? Listen to Dr. Deborah Rowe talk about this concept of sustainability - "Meeting the needs of the present while allowing future generations to meet theirs". Find out what this movement has to do with psychology and get information in case you're interested in being active (or perhaps finding a job) in this cause. This week on The Psych Files podcast.

This is part 2 of my interview with Dr. Kenneth Steele of Appalachian State University on his research on the so-called Mozart Effect. Listen to Dr. Steele talk about how rats were brought into the lab to listen to Mozart music. Did it make them smarter? Find out in this episode of The Psych Files podcast.

The Full Monty: maybe you've seen the movie or the musical, but what is it like backstage? What are the actors thinking? What would you be thinking if you had to take your clothes off in front of an audience? Would it make a difference if you were a man or a woman? How so? This week I take a look at the Full Monty and issues like body image and gender. I interview the cast and I think you'll find their views very interesting. Join me as I go backstage and explore the psychological and societal issues brought up by The Full Monty musical.

The Mozart Effect - almost everyone has heard about it, but is there really anything to it? Can the Mozart Effect increase your child's IQ? Will listening to Mozart make you more creative? Does it have an effect on babies in utero? A lot has been claimed, but there is a lot of controversial research out there on the Mozart effect. In part one of my interview with one of the leading researchers and critics of the Mozart Effect - Dr. Kenneth Steele - you get the real story behind the hipe.

Do you really know what you want in a romantic partner? The answer is....no. How often have you heard that men want women with great bodies and women want a good provider? Do you agree with it? It may not be true at all. Surprised? Learn more about what women (and men) really want in this fascinating study conducted in of all places a speed dating event. Psychology studies finally get interesting for subjects!

Trying to get in shape and lose weight? What's the psychology behind getting in shape? Well, first forget the psychobabble. In this episode of The Psych Files podcast I examine two established theories of human motivation - goal setting and expectancy theory. If you've tried the Atkins diet, the south beach diet some other low carb diet plan or even (yikes!) a lemonade diet, then it's time to try something different - get into your head just a little bit and see what's going on in there. Join me for a different perspective on weight loss, exercise and fitness.

Interested in Music Therapy? Music therapy, which is often used with children with autism, can also be used in the classroom to help children learn patterns. In this interview music therapist Kamile Geist talks about types and techniques of music therapy along with her research in this fascinating field. On the website Kamile talks about courses and programs that will prepare you to be a music therapist, as well as how insurance programs deal with this type of therapy.

We've looked at the story of the Good Samaritan so now it's time to scientifically answer the question: is it better to give than to receive? Psychologists have recently examined the relationship between happiness and charitable giving. Will you be happier if you donate money rather than spend it on yourself?

Could it be that the roots of this anxiety lie not with the topic itself but with the way math is taught? In this episode I am extremely fortunate to speak with Dr. Eugene Geist, Associate Professor at Ohio University - Athens, Ohio and specialist in early childhood education. We talk about math anxiety - how it develops and what can be done to help kids overcome it. So if you have math anxiety, are a parent of a child with math anxiety or are a teacher of math you'll want to hear what Dr. Geist has to say about this topic. Don't let your kids say "I hate math!" Children are, as Dr. Geist will point out, natural born mathematicians and you can help them with their math homework and in the process help them overcome math anxiety.

Tired of rote memorization? Tired of NCLB? Try mindful learning. In this episode I explore psychologist Ellen Langer's concept of mindful learning. What does it mean to teach and learn in a mindful way? How does this concept differ from what is being encouraged in the new report on the teaching of math in this country called Foundations of Success? Find out the answers to all these questions in this episode of The Psych Files podcast.

Hang in there! We're going to delve into a two by two factorial research design. Sounds dull you say? Well, I'll try my best to make it kinda fun. You'll see how more complex research is carried out. In this case I'll examine the downside to being an attractive person. And you thought attractive people get all the good stuff in life. Watch to find out how it can be to your disadvantage to be attractive and along the way learn a bit about research design.

This past week it seems like people have been talking as much about Elliot Spitzer as they have about his wife Silda. In fact, emotions may be running higher about her behavior than about his. Why did she stand by and support him when it appears that he clearly betrayed her trust? Aside from gossip, what's the tie-in to theories in psychology? Would you believe that the "Covariation Principle" can be applied to this and many similar situations where we are trying to figure out why people do what they do? Have a listen and learn how we use consensus, consistency and distinctiveness information to make important decisions.

How many scientific studies find their inspiration from a parable in the bible? Well, this one does and for my 50th episode I'll go over a very interesting study based on the Good Samaritan parable. We'll take another look at the topic of bystander intervention by asking the question: are people more likely to help someone if they are thinking "pious" thoughts at the time? After reviewing the study I'll take a look at a couple articles that cite the good samaritan parable and ask the question: what does the results of this study imply about the value of character education, virtues programs, codes of ethics, citizenship and ethical behavior in general?

In this episode I continue the interview on Collaborative Problem Solving in the classroom with Dr. Ross Green, author of The Explosive Child. As I stated in the previous episode, there are a variety of classroom management techniques, all designed to help solve the issue of how to discipline children who are having behavioral problems. I think you'll find that Dr. Green's approach makes a lot of sense and it can be implemented in the classroom as well as at home. A fascinating interview.

Classroom management techniques - there are a lot of strategies for dealing with behavior problems in the classroom. It's time to add Collaborative Problem Solving to your toolkit. Learn an alternative to traditional classroom discipline techniques like timeout or sending the child to the principal. A recent Time magazine article entitled "How to Make Great Teachers" mentions that in a 2001 survey of teachers, 44% listed "student behavior problems" as the reason they left the profession. What can be done? In this episode I interview Dr. Ross Green, author of The Explosive Child and the upcoming book "Lost in School". He'll tell you how to use collaborative problem solving with your students. This episode is also for parents, daycare workers, babysitters - anyone who wants to help young people learn to think their way through everyday behavior problems.

Think you know a lot about the little Albert experiment conducted by John Watson? Well, guess what - you'd be surprised at how much of the story is simply not true. If you're wondering whatever happened to little Albert, whether the little Albert study created a lasting phobia in a small boy, or even what place this story has in the history of behaviorism, then I suggest you take a listen to this episode of The Psych Files and get the facts on this fascinating part of psychology's history.

What’s wrong with thinking positively? Could be a lot. Let’s take another look at the "positive psychology" movement in this episode of The Psych Files podcast. I’ll share some additional ideas for bringing about more positive events in your life, talk about social comparison theory, and then discuss how important "negative" - that is sad - feelings are in our lives. Those are moments not to run from, but to embrace.

Independent variables, dependent variables, t-tests, anovas, experiments, between subjects, within subjects, confounds…confused? You won’t be after you watch this week’s video episode. Learn research the fun way - choose an interesting topic. In this video I explain the basic concepts of research while examining the effect of gray hair on credibility. More fun that…let me think…well, trust me, it’ll be interesting.

Where do our emotions come from? From our thoughts? Or do they begin somewhere else - like in our bodies? This week we look at the work of James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, and Schachter and Singer. Also, I review two classic studies in the history of psychology: the Suproxin study (the basis for the well known (two factor theory of emotion) and the Suspension Bridge study. This week the Good, the Bad and the Ugly....Betty of emotions. Oh yes, and what does the TV show Ugly Betty have to do with all this? Find out this week on The Psych Files.

The Psych Files podcast started one year ago this week, so I thought I’d share some emails I’ve received over the past year. I just want to thank all of you for being listeners and for sharing your... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Are you taking Introduction to Psychology? General Psychology? Or are you looking for online lectures in psychology? You've come to the right place. The Psych Files podcast is 1 year old this... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - what is it about this type of psychotherapy that draws such criticism? In this episode I interview Dr. Scott Lilienfeld of Emory University. Dr.... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Do you get nervous when you perform? Want to learn how to overcome performance anxiety? Listen to a few experienced actors talk about performing and then I'll share some thoughts about what... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Have you heard about Mashups? What do they have to do with psychology? In this video episode I'll show you how you use RSS feeds, Google Reader, and Yahoo Pipes to create a mashup that searches the... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Equity and the lack of fairness strike again! What would happen if you were suddenly (even temporarily) moved to an office (or dorm room) that was smaller than the one you’re in now? Would you be... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

What do psychologists think about the effects of violent video games and violence in the media on viewers? Does it lead people to be more aggressive? More violent? Or is it the other way around -... Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com