Healing pain by treating the mind, with Tor Wager, PhD
More than 20 percent of U.S. adults suffer from some form of chronic pain. For many, effective treatment remains elusive, with medications and even surgeries giving little in the way of relief. But in...
5 Jan 202236min
Encore - Unlocking the mysteries of smell, our most underappreciated sense, with Pamela Dalton, PhD
Many people around the world have lost their sense of smell this past year due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, scientists had already begun to gain a deeper understanding of how sophisticated our se...
29 Dec 202134min
Encore - What is it like to remember every day of your life, with Michael Yassa, PhD, and Markie Pasternak
For people with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, or HSAM, every day is memorable. Ask them what they were doing on this date 10 years ago, and they’ll be able to tell you. Markie Pasternak, on...
22 Dec 202140min
Psychology takes toys seriously, with Barry Kudrowitz, PhD, and Doris Bergen, PhD
Just in time for toy-buying season, Dr. Barry Kudrowitz, a toy designer and professor of product design at the University of Minnesota, and Dr. Doris Bergen, a professor emerita of educational psychol...
15 Dec 202144min
The secret to being a “SuperAger,” with Emily Rogalski, PhD
For most people lucky enough to live a long life, aging comes with some cognitive decline. But memory loss isn’t inevitable. Some people -- “SuperAgers” -- have memory abilities that remain intact int...
8 Dec 202131min
Tightwads and spendthrifts: How emotions drive our shopping behavior, with Scott Rick, PhD
Does shopping bring you joy? Or do you feel a bit of pain and regret every time you have to make a purchase? Many of us will be shopping for gifts in the upcoming weeks -- whether we enjoy it or not. ...
1 Dec 202130min
Exploring the human-animal bond, with Maggie O’Haire, PhD
The role that animals can play in improving people’s mental health has garnered increased attention in recent years -- from service dogs for PTSD to emotional support animals on planes to therapy dogs...
24 Nov 202129min
What can science teach us about the benefits of religion? With David DeSteno, PhD
For thousands of years, people have turned to religion to answer questions about how to lead a happy, moral and fulfilling life. David DeSteno, PhD, a psychology professor at Northeastern University a...
17 Nov 202135min
