Speaking of Psychology
American Psychological Association · Kim Mills
Show overview
Speaking of Psychology has been publishing since 2013, and across the 13 years since has built a catalogue of 434 episodes, alongside 19 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 240 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 28 min and 40 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Science show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 5 days ago, with 27 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 53 episodes published. Published by Kim Mills.
From the publisher
"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.
Latest Episodes
View all 434 episodes“Sharenting”: What happens when children's lives are shared online? With Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD
Multisensory perception: How sight, sound and touch shape what we taste, with Charles Spence, PhD
Why midlife may be your prime time, with Margie Lachman, PhD
How children learn culture — and create it, with Dorsa Amir, PhD
Introducing: Call to Mind
How to feel more loved, with Harry Reis, PhD
Why being ‘a little more social’ makes us happier than we expect, with Nicholas Epley, PhD
‘Bossware’ and burnout: The psychology of workplace surveillance, with Tara Behrend, PhD
Debunking psychology myths and misconceptions, with Erin Smith, PhD
Managing stress in turbulent times, with Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, and Georges C. Benjamin, MD
It takes courage to be creative, with Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, PhD
Invisible scars: Recognizing and treating medical trauma, with James C. Jackson, PsyD
Tip or skip? What drives our tipping behavior, with Michael Lynn, PhD
The psychology of spending, debt and budgeting, with Abigail Sussman, PhD
Ep 373Why babies laugh, with Gina Mireault, PhD
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 372How accurate are our first impressions? With Nicholas Rule, PhD
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 traits like extraversion and trustworthiness; and the real-world consequences of our accurate – and inaccurate – snap judgments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Understanding Tourette disorder and other tic disorders, with John Piacentini, PhD
Tourette disorder and other tic disorders affect millions of people yet remain widely misunderstood. John Piacentini, PhD, director of the UCLA Child OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Clinic, explains the brain basis of Tourette disorder; talks about why tics are very common in young children; debunks common myths—such as the idea that Tourette disorder mainly involves uncontrollable swearing—and discusses how recent behavioral therapies are helping many patients manage tics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 370How to become more patient, with Sarah Schnitker, PhD
Life is full of situations -- and people -- that try our patience, from a standstill traffic jam to an obstinate preschooler who won’t put on her shoes. Sarah Schnitker, PhD, talks about why patience can be so hard to come by; whether modern life and modern technology have made us less patient; the difference between patience and passivity; and cognitive strategies to build up your ability to be patient. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 369Incentivizing recovery: Why contingency management works to treat addiction, with Lara Coughlin, PhD, and Michael McDonell, PhD
More than half of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. involve stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There are no medications to treat stimulant addiction, but there is a behavioral treatment that works: contingency management, which involves offering tangible, immediate rewards for abstaining from drugs. Lara Coughlin, PhD, and Michael McDonell, PhD, discuss why contingency management works and the psychological principles it’s based on; how it can be used to treat other addictions including alcohol, tobacco and opioids; and recent momentum in moving it from research labs to the real world at large scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 368Catching fire: What goes viral and why? With Jonah Berger, PhD
Why do some ideas, products, news stories and trends spread like wildfire, while others disappear? Jonah Berger, PhD, discusses the science of what catches on; the psychological forces that drive word of mouth, including social currency and high-arousal emotions like awe and anger; whether online and offline sharing differ; and what his research can tell us about the spread of misinformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices