Speaking of Psychology

Encore: Why psychopathy is more common than you think, with Abigail Marsh, PhD

Most of us think we know what a psychopath looks like. The word brings to mind images of horror movies and criminals. But psychopathy is far more common than most people realize, and actually hard to recognize in other people. Abigail Marsh, PhD, of Georgetown University, discusses what researchers have learned about the causes of psychopathy and effective treatments for it, how to recognize psychopathy in those around you, and her work exploring the emotional processes and the brain differences that underlie both psychopathy and its opposite, extraordinary altruism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore: How living with secrets can harm you, with Michael Slepian, PhD

We all keep secrets—on average, people have about 13 secrets at any one time, five of which they have never told another person. Psychologist Michael Slepian, PhD, of Columbia Business School, talks about what types of secrets people keep, why keeping a secret bottled up inside can harm us, how keeping secrets—or sharing them—affects people’s relationships with each other, how we decide whom we can trust with our secrets, and whether other people can tell when we’re holding something back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore: Why you should aim to be a “good enough” parent, with Tim Cavell, PhD, and Lauren Quetsch, PhD

Being a parent can be tough these days. Dozens of books and articles offer competing answers to questions from how to help siblings get along to how much screen time is too much, and every decision you make feels important. It's no wonder that many parents feel tired, stressed, and unsure of whether they're doing a good job. Tim Cavell, PhD, and Lauren Quetsch, PhD, authors of Good Enough Parenting: A Six-Point Plan for a Stronger Relationship With Your Child, talk about what “good enough parenting” means and why it’s a worthy goal, why nurturing the parent-child relationship is parents’ most important job, why science backs the old adage “choose your battles wisely,” and how to develop loving, supportive relationships with your kids that will stand the test of time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI “de-skilling”: What happens when we offload our work to AI? With Brooke Macnamara, PhD

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; why novices and experts may be affected differently by AI tools; and how workers can use AI in ways that support, rather than undermine, their long-term skill development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social media, looksmaxxing, and why men struggle with body image, with Roberto Olivardia, PhD

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 social media, the "manosphere," and trends like looksmaxxing are shaping young men's ideas about appearance and masculinity; and what parents, clinicians, and others can do to help boys and men build a healthier relationship with their bodies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices