Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

Ep: 175 - How to Protect Yourself from the Persuasive Tactics of the Car Salesperson

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:26:23 -0400

In the market for a car? Believe me: they have seen you coming and they are ready to use some sophisticated techniques to persuade you to buy. Be prepared. Watch this episode of The Psych Files...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep 174: The First Replication of Daryl Bem's Research on Psychic Phenomenon

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:05:01 -0400

Have psychologists recently found evidence for the existence of psychic ability? Last year, well-known psychologist Daryl Bem published an article called Feeling the Future in which he describes a...

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Ep 173: An Interactive Neuron and Map Using ThingLink

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:10:30 -0400

Every once in a while a really cool tool comes along and I like to show everyone the fun I had with it. In this video episode I show how I easily made an interactive image of a neuron and an...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep 172: Interview with Natalie Nahai - The Web Psychologist

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:52:58 -0400

Did you know that you can apply your psychology skills to the development of effective websites? Meet one woman - Nathalie Nahai - who does exactly that and she has a background in not only...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep 171 Psych Files Brief #5: Yawning, Telling Jokes to Babies, Politics and Looks

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 04:18:51 -0500

A whole bunch of fascinating studies in this episode of The Psych Files! I cover the "Red Dress Effect", what exactly we're looking for in the facial characteristics of our leaders, how dark rooms...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep 170: Is the Web Making You More Narrow-Minded?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:47:10 -0500

You probably know that sites like Facebook are using the information they have about you - like your age, gender and interests - to serve up ads that are most likely to appeal to you. That's a...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep: 169 - Validity - Having Confidence in the Results of a Personality Test

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:20:20 -0500

In episode 168 I discussed reliability but the real test of a test's "metal" - or how confident you can be in the results - comes when you subject it to lots of validity tests. You'll learn a lot...

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Ep 168: Reliability - the Foundation of Any Good Personality Test

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:01:05 -0500

Can you tell your personality from what flavor ice cream you like? There are lots and lots of so called Personality tests on the web. How do you know when you've come across a good one? For...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Ep 167: The Fat Trap – How Not to Get Discouraged About the Difficulty of Losing Weight

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:21 -0500

Guess What? Bad news: if you've ever been overweight and you're trying to lose weight it's even harder than you think. Yikes. Pretty de-motivating. However, let's see what motivational...

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Ep: 166: The Secret Life of Pronouns - an Interview with James Pennebaker

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:20:12 -0500

What do you reveal about yourself in the way you use the smallest and seemingly most insignificant words you use every minute? That's the focus of Dr. James Pennebaker's fascinating book and one of...

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Ep 165 (video): Psychological Research Under Fire - What Can We Do About It?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:08:55 -0500

What's going on with Psychology? There have been a number of reports about poorly conducted or completely fraudulent research in the field. Well, there's bad research in all fields, but psychology,...

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Ep 164: What’s So Disgusting About Poop?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:03:51 -0400

Just about everyone finds poop disgusting right? So who finds it not so disgusting? Would you believe women in their 20s who are in the middle of their menstrual cycle, and who have motherhood as...

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Ep 163: Psych Files Brief#4: Animals Smiling, Yogurt Destressing, and the Psychology of Success

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:53:39 -0400

Do animals smile? Do they feel emotions and if so how many kinds of feelings do they share with us? In this episode we also take a look at the probiotics in yogurt - how do they affect your thinking...

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Ep 162: How to Spend Your Money and Truly Make Yourself HappyEp 162: How to Spend Your Money and Truly Make Yourself Happy

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:13:48 -0400

In episode 160 I discussed the first 2 ideas on how to spend your money wisely. In this episode I'll talk about 4 more great ideas on how to get the most from your money and 2 things you have to be...

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EP 161: Self Help You Can Believe In: Interview with Dr. Tim Wilson, Author of Redirect

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:56:00 -0400

Looking for a self-help book with some meat? One that won't insult your intelligence with flowery words and hyped up promises and pseudoscience? Take a look at the book Redirect by psychologist and...

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Ep 160: How to Spend Your Money and Truly Make Yourself Happy

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:28:32 -0400

Why aren't rich people happier than those of us with less money? We think that money will bring happiness, but research in the area of positive psychology has consistently found that having more...

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EP 159 Psych Files Brief #3: Evidence in Favor of Affirmations? The Licensing Effect and the Power of Gossip

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:25:59 -0400

What's Wrong With a Little Gossip? While some research points out that gossipers are in general disliked, there is an upside: sharing negative gossip can actually help two people like each other...

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Ep 158: Tired of Low Grades? 5 Ways to Raise Your Test Scores (and 1 Warning!)

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:55:11 -0400

But I studied!! Don't be frustrated with low grades. If you study RIGHT you will get good grades. What does that mean to study right? I've got 5 techniques that will help you get better grades...

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Ep 157: Do Pets and Religion Make You Happier?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:10:20 -0400

You hear a lot these days about how pets make us happy. This is called the "pet effect". But is it so? The answer appears to be a qualified yes. But in what ways do pets make us happy? How...

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Ep 156: Grad School in Psychology: What's It Like and How To Get In?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:43:26 -0400

What do you have to do to get into grad school in Psychology? A lot of people apply. Who ARE these people and how are you going to stand out among them? Meet one future grad student - Erin...

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Ep 155: On Cuddling, Baths, Google, Body Language and Phantom Cell Phone Vibration - Psych Files Brief #2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:29:44 -0400

Is cuddling good - especially for men - in marriage? Do baths make you feel less lonely, is Google really making you stupid, how does your body language affect your feelings, and....is that your cell...

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Ep 154: 5 Reasons Why Casey Anthony MIGHT Be Innocent

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:50:43 -0400

The trial of accused child murdered Casey Anthony is over and Casey was found not guilty. Most people are extremely upset because she appeared to be guilty for many reasons. I give you 5 reasons why...

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The REAL Truth About Why You Support (or Oppose) Gay Marriage - Episode 153

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:05:40 -0400

What is the REAL reason why you either support or oppose gay marriage? We may give logical reasons for our opinions, but the roots behind your opinion lies - where else? - in your past. So let's...

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How Do You Change Your Behavior? Interview with Scott Milford Episode 152

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:09:41 -0400

How does Behavior Modification work? Find out in this episode as I interview Scott Milford, author of the Behavior and Motivation website. If you're about how to apply Psychology to everyday life...

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Heuristics (Video): Rules of Thumb Explained - Episode 151

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 18:57:23 -0400

We all take shortcuts when we are making decisions. And in those shortcuts often lie our mistakes. In this episode find out the difference between the availability and representativeness...

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Audio: Object Permanence - Does Your Dog Have It? Episode 150

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:02:57 -0400

Piaget's concept of object permanence is essential to understand. But how did they study this idea among 1 year olds? Obviously children can't tell you that they believe that something no longer...

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Video: Object Permanence - Does Your Dog Have It? Episode 150

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:59:14 -0400

Date Rape: How Can We Prevent It? Episode 149

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:04:27 -0400

You've probably heard of many times when people knew that someone was hurt or might be hurt and they did not help. How can we prevent that from happening? You may have learned about bystander...

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What Can We Do To End Anti-Gay Bullying in Schools? Episode 148

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 22 May 2011 18:42:20 -0400

What can we do to end bullying against gays? There is a shocking increase in the number of young homosexuals who are commit suicide. Many anti-bullying programs don't work and in this episode I...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

On Yawning, Swearing, Credit Cards and Sex: Psych Files Brief #1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:36:29 -0400

In this first Psych Files Brief episode, we look at whether swearing actually reduces your sensation of pain (ever stub your toe?), whether or not vertical stripes actually do make you look thinner...

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Borderline Personality: What is it? Could Your Cell Phone Help Deal With It? Episode 146

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:21:38 -0400

Borderline Personality Disorder is a difficult disorder to understand and treat. Briefly, people who suffer from BPD tend to have a heightened sensitivity to rejection. When they feel that they are...

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Why a Tiger Mom Approach to Parenting Does NOT Work: Episode 145

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:33:57 -0400

Feeling guilty about not being a "Tiger Mom" (or Dad)? Let me give you 3 reasons why you don't have to feel that way. Get yourself ready for the next time that someone says that you (or parents in...

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Episode 144: The Drowsy Chaperone Holds the Key to Life!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:40:28 -0400

Americans spend billions of dollars on self-help products each year, but does someone else hold the answers to your questions about what your life is all about? Join me as I discuss a fascinating...

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Episode 143: EMDR - An Interview with Founder Francine Shapiro

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:25:20 -0400

Curious about EMDR? Listen to this interview with the founder of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Dr. Francine Shapiro talk about EMDR and how it is different from Cognitive Behavioral...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 142: How To Make Jobs More Satisfying and Motivating

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 07:34:52 -0500

Do you have a dull job? Wonder how it can be made more motivating? That's the challenge - how can we make jobs that are typically not much fun (like an assembly line job) more interesting to do? ...

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Episode 141: Psychology Gets Smart: A New Kind of Lie Detector?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:59:31 -0500

Join me as I describe a psychological study that tested a new kind of lie detector. The study involved Agents, Missions, an Interception, and a mysterious package. This is psychology? You better...

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Episode 140: Psychoanalyzing Jack Lalanne

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:11:15 -0500

In this episode I put Jack Lalanne on the couch. I take selections from several of his vidoes and see what they reveal about his personality. He was clearly passionate about exercise, but what...

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Episode 139: Blaming the Victim in Reverse - the Justice Motive

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:40:52 -0500

I'll bet you've heard of the expression, "Whatever doesn't kill you...", or "Suffering is good for the soul". Could these expression represent another way that we deal with our own anxiety after we...

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Episode 138: Zombies - 6 Reasons Why We Are So Fascinated By Them

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:16:39 -0500

Have you watched the TV show Walking Dead or ever seen a movie about Zombies (perhaps Zombieland or Dawn of the Dead? What is so fascinating about the undead? Why do many of us get a strange...

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Episode 137: Objectivity and the Scientific Impotence Excuse

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 20:56:22 -0500

Can science study love? Are we able to scientifically determine what romance is all about? There seem to be times, particularly when people hold strong beliefs, that we just don't want to hear what...

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Episode 136: Adele Faber Interview on Parenting (Part 2)

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:08:01 -0500

In part 2 of my interview with Adele Faber, co-author along with Elaine Mazlish of "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" we talk about what do do when you've got nothing left...

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Episode 135: Adele Faber Interview on Parenting (Part 1)

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:58:28 -0500

Are you familiar with Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish's classic book "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk"? You should be. It's not just for parents. The ideas in this book...

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Episode 134: Hypnosis - Myth and Reality

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:45:21 -0400

What do you think of hypnosis? might you be surprised to hear that it has been accepted by the American Psychological Association? Hypnosis has a fascinating and controversial history but today it...

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Episode 133: Replace Your Doctor With a Robot?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:20:35 -0400

Are you embarrassed to take your clothes off in front of your doctor? Most of us are. Well, what if your doctor was a robot? Would this make it easier or harder to remove your clothes? Before you...

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Episode 1: What this podcast is all about.

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 06:00:00 -0500

In this first episode I introduce myself and talk about the goals of this podcast. Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 2: Rewards and Punishments

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 06:00:00 -0500

Today’s Question: “Do you believe in spanking children to get to them to behave?” There is a lot of controversy, discussion and research on this topic. The research points to one strong conclusion:...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 3: Predictions, Predictions

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 06:00:00 -0500

It’s the beginning of the year and it seems like everyone is making predictions. How about this one: people with large brains are smarter than people with small brains. Don’t believe it? Neither...

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Episode 4 (video): On Birds Flocking and Opposites Attracting: the data on Love

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:00:00 -0500

Which saying is correct - do Birds of a Feather Flock Together or do Opposites Attract? That’s the question we examine this week on the first video episode of The Psych Files. Show notes and more...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 5: In Defense of Defense Mechanisms

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 06:00:00 -0500

It seemed time to do a podcast on Freud. The subtitle of this episode is “Don’t Throw Freud out with the Batchwater”. Too many people dismiss Freud just because he, admittedly, had a few crazy...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 6: The Negative Side of Positive Thinking

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:00:00 -0500

What could be bad about thinking positively? That's the question we examine this week on The Psych Files. Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 7: Blaming the Victim and other Biases

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Are rape victims responsible for what happens to them? That is the question we examine this week. We look at blaming the victim and other attributional biases. Show notes and more available at...

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Episode 8: Why do Contradictions Bother Us So Much? Cognitive Dissonance in Our Daily Lives.

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Can you be pro choice and against the death penalty, or vice versa? That’s the question we examine this week along with other quandries such as Gingrichs’ affair and Al Gore’s house. This week on...

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Episode 9: How Do You Really Raise Self-Esteem? The Incredibles vs. American Idol

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 06:00:00 -0500

How do you really raise self esteem? This week we take a look at all the talk about young people, narcissism and the self esteem movement. Then we answer the question: how do you raise self...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 10: What does your search behavior on Amazon.com say about you?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Today we take a look at how your innermost feelings are reflected in what information you pay attention to or ignore as you search around on Amazon. Cognitive dissonance strikes again! Show notes...

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Episode 11 (video): What Does Your Bowling Style Say About You?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 07:00:00 -0400

In this video episode we look at what your bowling style says about you and about human nature in general. And by the way, why do you keep pressing that elevator button? Show notes and more...

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Episode 12: The Necessity of the Frame in Psychotherapy

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:00:00 -0400

What is the “frame” in psychotherapy and why do we need to keep it from breaking? This week I discuss some guidelines set forth by Robert Langs, MD regarding how to know when your relationship...

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Episode 13: Big Brother? What Your Grocery Store Knows About You

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:00:00 -0400

The question this week: Does your local grocery store know more about you than you do? We take a look at the research that’s been done to learn more about your behavior in the supermarket and...

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Episode 14 (video): What Does Your Car Say About You?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:00:00 -0400

It is time to take a look at the cars we drive and find out what they say about ourselves - our personalities and our lifestyles. This week on The Psych Files. Show notes and more available at...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 15: It’s Not Fair! Equity in Life and Work

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:00:00 -0400

The battle cry of childhood - It’s not fair - tends to follow us throughout life. Let’s take a look at how fairness, or the lack therof, plays itself out in the work place. Get ready for a...

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Episode 16: They’re at it again - My Favorite Weird Psychology Studies

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 28 May 2007 07:00:00 -0400

I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the studies in psychology that I remember not so much because they were groundbreaking or well known (like Pavlov’s dogs or Milgram’s studies...

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Episode 18: Critical Thinking and the Overflowing Cup

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Everyone thinks critical thinking is a great thing. I don’t disagree, but how about a little open mindedness? I take a look at last week's episode on energy medicine and discuss being critical,...

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Episode 19: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: an interview with Jamie O’Neil

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Want to learn more about EMDR? Listen to this interview with Jamie O’Neil who explains how EMDR works. Turns out it’s about a lot more than just eye movements. Learn more about Bilateral...

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Episode 20: Conflict Resolution: A Classic Psychological Study

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:00:00 -0400

What do gangs, asteroids, a giant octopus and little boys at a summer camp in Robber's Cave State Park in 1954 have in common? Find out this week as we take a look at a wonderful study in...

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Episode 21: Erikson's Eight Stages of Life

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 04:35:00 -0400

This week on The Psych Files we take a stroll through the various phases of life: from childhood, to adolescence, into mid-life and then we listen to two interesting voices of men nearing the end...

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Episode 22 (video): The Brains Behind Erikson Part 1 - Timeliner

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:01:00 -0400

I decided that it was time to look at the biology behind the changes that occur in our lives as we grow. As I put my ideas together to do this, I employed a very neat program called Timeliner. It...

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Episode 23: Do Teachers Have to be Actors Today?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:33:00 -0400

We often heard it said that teachers have to be actors today in order to keep the attention of today’s low attention span students. Well, in this episode I agree that teachers and actors do...

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Episode 24: The Brains Behind Erikson Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0400

What is happening in your brain as you progress through life? In this episode we take a look at some of the changes that occur in your brain from birth to age 12. Be sure to listen to part 3 of...

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Episode 25: The Brains Behind Erikson Part 3

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0400

We finish off this series looking at your brain as you develop by examining what is happening in your brain as you age from adolescence to older adulthood. Also: an impersonated celebrity...

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Episode 26: Why Do Statistics Make Us So Queasy?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Why are we often anxious about or even suspicious of statistics? Let’s take a look at this topic. Along with some interesting examples I’ve got some statistics-oriented jokes I hope you’ll find...

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Episode 27: From Insane Asylum to Psychiatric Center: A Brief History

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Join me for an interview with Dr. Roger Christenfeld, Research Director of the Hudson River Psychiatric Center. Dr. Christenfeld and I talk about how psychiatric patients were treated in the...

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Episode 28: Is Time Out Really Effective?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Everybody advocates the use of time out over forms of punishments like spankings, but how exactly do you administer time out in a way that is effective? Could we be doing it all wrong? Is time...

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Episode 29: Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic vs. the Motivation To Learn

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

You’ve probably heard about the battle between intrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Well, here’s a new competitor to think about: the concept of the Motivation to Learn. What does this idea have...

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Episode 30: Equine Assisted Therapy

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

If you think that therapy with horses is just another form of “pet therapy” well…so did I…at first. But Equine Assisted therapy is something different. Learn more about this unique form of...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Virgin Mary on a Lemon Slice? I got ya beat.

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Texas police officer who saw the face of the Virgin Mary in a lemon slice. If you haven’t heard about the story or seen the pictures, click here to learn more. ...

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Episode 31 (video): Lemon Slices and a New Face on Mars! Gestalt Principles at Work

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:42:08 -0500

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...

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Psych Majors: Check Out “The Mappr”!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Psych majors: getting ready for mid-term exams? Let me know what you think of a new tool I built which I call the “MAPPR”. That stands for “Make A Personal Psych Review” (best name I could come...

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Episode 32: Midterms, Mnemonics and Two Keys to Learning

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:00:00 -0400

To learn or not to learn that is the question this week on The Psych Files. Come with me as I explore mnemonic techniques, learn to memorize Hamlet's famous speech, and learn 2 keys to true,...

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Episode 33: Timeout Revisited - Dealing with Challenging Kids Part 1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 07:00:00 -0400

In part of 1 of this interview Dr. J. Stuart Ablon we talk those children for whom timeout sometimes does not work. What’s your alternative then? Listen in and learn about the Collaborative...

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Episode 34: Timeout Revisited - Dealing with Challenging Kids Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0500

Here’s the second part of my episode on alternatives to timeout. In this part of the interview, Dr. Ablon discusses Plan B in more detail. How do you work with your child to come up with...

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Episode 35 (video): The Psychology of Extreme Sports

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0500

Time for a little fun. I know you’ve asked yourself this question: why do people engage in those dangerous sports like hangliding, bungee jumping and rock climbing? Would you believe it might...

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Episode 36: The Myth of the Kitty Genovese Story

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0500

Have you heard the story about how young Kitty Genovese was repeatedly attacked one night in New York City over a period of a half and hour while 38 people watched from their windows and did...

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Episode 37: The Effects of Video Game and Media Violence

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:00:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 38: How Big is Your Office: Another Classic Study in Psychology

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:00:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 39 (video): Mashups and the Future of Psychological Research

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 06:00:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 40: Performance Anxiety (and sopranos on their heads)

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:00:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 41: EMDR - A Critical Perspective

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 06:00:00 -0500

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. ...

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Episode 42: Taking A Psychology Class?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:00:00 -0500

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...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 43: Email Feedback

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:00:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 44: Human Emotions: The Two Factor Theory

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:24:25 -0500

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,...

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Episode 45 (video): Basic Research Design - Part 1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:41:32 -0500

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...

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Episode 46: Thinking Positively - or Running Away from Your Feelings?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:45:27 -0500

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...

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Episode 47: The Little Albert Study: What You Know is...Mostly Wrong

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:50:42 -0500

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...

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Episode 48: Classroom Management - An Interview with Dr. Ross Green part1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:24:50 -0500

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...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 49: Classroom Management - An Interview with Dr. Ross Green part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:50:00 -0500

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...

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Episode 50: Psychological Study Ripped Straight from....the Bible?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:22:27 -0400

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....

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Episode 51: Elliot Spitzer's Wife: Hero or Victim?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:39:25 -0400

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...

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Episode 52 (video): Research Design Part 2 - Factorial Designs

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:46:10 -0400

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...

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Episode 53: Mindful Learning, NCLB, and the True Foundations of Success

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:32:10 -0400

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...

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Episode 54: Math Anxiety - Causes and Cures

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:32:59 -0400

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...

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Episode 55: Is It Really Better to Give Than to Receive?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:35:49 -0400

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...

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Episode 56: What is Music Therapy?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:53:17 -0400

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...

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Episode 57: Expectancy Theory, Goal Setting and Getting in Shape!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:30:40 -0400

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...

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Episode 58: Speed Dating - You Don't Know What You Want

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:03:17 -0400

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? ...

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Episode 59 - The Mozart Effect: Is There Anything To It?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:32:41 -0400

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...

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Episode 60: The Full Monty Backstage - Body Image and Gender Differences

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:00:29 -0400

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...

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Episode 61: The Mozart Effect - Is There Anything To It? Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:45:31 -0400

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...

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Episode 62: Sustainability and Human Behavior

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:28:27 -0400

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...

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Episode 63: Cognitive Dissonance, the Monty Hall Problem and a Possible Solution?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:19:07 -0400

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...

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Episode 64: A Scientist Goes Looking for a Self Help Book....

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:31:28 -0400

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...

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Episode 65: God and Self Help, Synchronicity, and Listener Feedback

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:14:18 -0400

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...

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Episode 66: What to do about Mom? Personal Control and Aging

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:20:12 -0400

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...

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Episode 67: The Olympic Silver Metal? What a Bummer!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:23:46 -0400

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? ...

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Episode 68 (video): Mnemonic Device for Erikson's Eight Stages of Development

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:11:33 -0400

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...

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Episode 68 (correction): Mnemonic Device for Erikson's Eight Stages of Development

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:48:44 -0400

Episode 69: Personal Space Invasions - Ethical Implications of one of Psychology's Strangest Studies

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:42:00 -0400

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...

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Episode 70: Coincidence or Synchronicity? You Be The Judge

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:03:31 -0400

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...

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Episode 71: Horse Sense or Nonsense? Clever Hans is Alive and Well

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:42:39 -0400

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:...

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Episode 72 (video): Memorize the Parts of the Brain

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:08:00 -0400

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...

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Episode 73: On the Folly of….Politics

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:15:52 -0400

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...

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Episode 74: Social Influence in a Virtual World - A Virtual Door in the Face

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:04:41 -0400

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...

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Episode 75: Science Proves Subliminal Tapes Work! Well....not really

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:56:00 -0400

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? ...

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Episode 76: Lost at School - An Interview with Ross Green Part 1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:02:54 -0400

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...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 77: Lost at School - An Interview with Ross Green Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:43:47 -0500

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....

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 78: The Psychology of Tipping

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:43:51 -0500

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,...

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Episode 79: Models of Leadership - Joan of Arc, Alexander the Great and Ginger the Chicken?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:40:02 -0500

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...

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Episode 80: Talking (and not Talking) in Psychotherapy - Part 1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:52:34 -0500

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...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 81: Talking (and not Talking) in Psychotherapy - Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:57:01 -0500

Episode 82: What's the Best Personality to be a Waiter?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:29:32 -0500

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...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 83 (video): New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight: Why So Hard To Keep?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:45:49 -0500

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...

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Episode 84: How To Make Learning Fun Again Part 1 - Piaget

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:55:04 -0500

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...

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Episode 85: How to Make Learning Fun Again? Constructivism and Democratic Schools - Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:15:48 -0500

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. ...

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Episode 86 (video): Educational Games

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:15 -0500

Can games really be educational? They certainly addictive and engaging. Can we harness this aspect of games and use it to learn? In this video I show you why I believe the answer is yes. Let's...

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Episode 87: Manhood: Are You A "Real Man"?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:27:41 -0500

Why does it seem that males in many cultures have to prove their manhood? Do women have to prove their womanhood? Why is this and what happens when men feel like they are less than a man? In this...

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Episode 88: Sexual Harassment: Who is Most Likely to be a Victim?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:59:55 -0500

Who is most likely to be a victim of sexual harassment? Is it the attractive female secretary? The attractive female employee by a man who is higher up in the organizational hierarchy? These are...

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Episode 89: Don't Touch That Dial! Why You Should Love Commercials

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:11:33 -0400

Watching commercials actually increases your enjoyment of the show. Do you believe it? Did you, like myself, pay good money on a Tivo or video digital recorder just so you could avoid commercials? ...

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Episode 90: The Learning Styles Myth: An Interview with Daniel Willingham

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 07:36:31 -0400

Guess what? There's no such thing as a learning style! Don't believe it? Listen to this interview with professor and author Daniel Willingham as he and I discuss the topic of learning styles. If...

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Episode 91: The Psychology of Effective Meetings

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:52:05 -0400

Do you hate meetings as much as I do? How do you make them work? Business people and students often hate meetings and group projects because it's hard to get everyone to participate and it's hard to...

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Episode 92: Passion For Your Work is Overrated

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:41:03 -0400

Everyone tells you that you should have "passion for your work". Personally, I think that's a bunch of malarky, balderdash and hooey. And much of it could be the fault of psychologists. You might...

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Episode 93: Your Brain on a Website

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:39:49 -0400

How can you use psychology to design a website so people are likely to buy products from you? Or design a website so people are likely to donate money to your cause? In this episode Dr Susan...

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Episode 94: How Do You Learn to Act Like a Woman or like a Man?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:44:07 -0400

How do we learn to act in what are called gender appropriate ways? How did you learn to act like a girl and then a woman? Or like a boy and then like a man? Did you experience either penis envy or...

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Episode 95 (video): Mnemonics Advanced: The Pegword System Part 1

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:43:55 -0400

Did you know there's a mnemonic device that is more powerful than the One is a bun pegword mnemonic? Here's a system you can use for lists that have more than 12 items. In this video I show you...

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Episode 96 (video): Mnemonics Advanced: The Pegword System Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:56:17 -0400

In the last episode you saw me memorize - almost perfectly - a list of 20 top sci-fi movies. How did I do it? In this video learn exactly how the advanced pegword system works. I'll show you how...

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Episode 97: Stanley Milgram Obedience Study Finally Replicated

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:46:55 -0400

The obedience studies originally conducted by Stanley Milgram (sometimes referred to as the Milgram Shock studies) have finally been replicated in a university setting. Will people obey an authority...

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Episode 98: Evolutionary Psychology - An Interview with Dr. David Buss

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:53:19 -0400

Do you know your own mate value in the dating world? Curious about evolutionary psychology? In this interview with Dr. David Buss we discuss a number of interesting and controversial topics, such...

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Episode 99: Animal Emotions - Does Your Pet Really Have Feelings?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:02:26 -0400

Does your dog have thoughts and feelings? How about your cat? In this episode we find out what scientists have to say about how we should study this question. I also review a fascinating new study...

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Episode 100: Reflections on 100 Episodes of The Psych Files

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:41:44 -0400

Well, it's here - episode 100. I take this time to reflect on which episodes have made the most impact on the podcast and the episodes and listeners that have taught me the most. Also, I provide a...

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Episode 101: The Psychology of Music: The Role of Expectations and Minor Chords

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:39:33 -0400

How does music affect us emotionally? Why do minor chords sound so sad? In this episode of The Psych Files I explore ideas from Daniel Leviton's fascinating book, Your Brain on Music, especially...

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Episode 102 (video): How to Create an Online Experiment

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:17:50 -0400

Want to create an online experiment? Here's how to do it. I'll show you can create an experiment using two tools: Wix.com and Google Forms. Using these two tools, you'll be able to get creative and...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 103: Raising Children - Interview with Author Jamie Raser

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:20:52 -0400

Having trouble raising your children? Join the crowd. There are lots and lots of parenting books out there, but here's one I think you should know about. It's called Raising Children You Can Live...

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Episode 104: Can Positive Affirmations Improve Your Self Esteem?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:49:34 -0400

Can positive affirmations really help raise your self esteem? People use daily affirmations and money affirmations to help them feel more confident, build their self-esteem and bring positive events...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com

Episode 105 (video): Smart Birds are More Successful with the Ladies

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:52:51 -0400

A popular piece of animal research indicates that intelligent male Browerbirds appear to have greater mating success (researcher lingo for sex). The more sensitive birds may also be more preferred by...

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Episode 106: Your Sexual Orientation - How Did It Develop?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:02:13 -0400

How did you get to be heterosexual? Homosexual? Bisexual? Was it nature or nurture (or both?). Were you born with a sexual orientation or did it develop as you grew? What role did your parents...

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Episode 107: Freud, Projective Tests and .... Poetry

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:40:20 -0400

How do the Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the House, Tree Person tests work? Do you reveal something about yourself when you tell stories about pictures or tell what you see in...

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Episode 108: More Harm Than Good? Kubler-Ross' Five Stages of Grief

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:36:32 -0400

Almost everyone has heard of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, her book On Death and Dying, and her five stages of grief. But are these stages accurate? Could the five stages of grief actually be doing more...

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Episode 109: Correlation and Causation

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:13:10 -0500

Looking for examples of correlation and causation? You've heard it a million times: correlation doesn't mean causation. Here's a humorous look at this topic that I think really drives home the...

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Episode 110: Narcissism Among Celebrities, on Facebook and in Shakespeare

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:29:16 -0500

Are celebrities really more narcissistic than you are? Is your Facebook page telling the world that you are a narcissist? And finally: who is Shakespeare's most narcissistic character? I'll give...

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Episode 111: Evolutionary Psychology - David Buss Responds to Critics

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:36:42 -0500

There has been a lot of criticism of evolutionary psychology. How do researchers respond? One of the leading researchers in this field - Dr. David Buss of the University of Texas responds to these...

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Episode 112: Evolutionary Psychology - David Buss Responds to Critics Part 2

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:42:21 -0500

In part 2 of my interview with David Buss, he responds to more criticisms of evolutionary psychology. Here's what we cover: a) does evolutionary psychology just give criminals another reason not to...

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Episode 113: Interview with Scott Lilienfeld on the 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:41:18 -0500

I interview Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, author of 50 Myths of Popular Psychology and we talk about, a) whether the polygraph actually works, b) whether women really talk more than men, c) does handwriting...

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Episode 114 (video): Finding Little Albert

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:19:31 -0500

Little Albert - one of the most famous subjects in the history of psychology - has finally been identified. Researchers spent 7 years tracking down every possible lead in order to discover who John...

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Episode 115 (Video): Violent Video Games - What Does the Research Say?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:51:23 -0500

ecent research on violent video games is pretty conclusive and you're not going to like it. There's good evidence that people if you play violent video games you might be less likely to a) notice...

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Episode 116: Social Loafing - Don't Be a Sucker or a Free Loader!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:08:16 -0500

Do you like working in a group? Most people don't because they're afraid that they'll have to do most of the work (wind up being a sucker) and that other group members won't do their share of the...

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Episode 117: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - An Interview with Bobbi

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:20:12 -0500

What is it like to live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD? Listen to this interview with a young woman who deals with OCD every day and you'll get a much better understanding of what OCD is...

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Episode 118: Are You REALLY Listening? Sanford Meisner, Acting and Psychology

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:32:08 -0500

A lot of people get into psychology because they think they are good listeners, but are you really a good listener? What does it mean to be a good listener? In this episode I look at a fascinating...

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Episode 119: Are You Lying in that Email?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:27:49 -0400

Have you ever been less than truthful in an email? Or perhaps a little more blunt or emotional than you might have been if you delivered your message in person? Why is it that people can sometimes...

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Episode 120: Big Words Make You Look Less Intelligent

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:00:56 -0400

Have you ever deliberately replaced small words with bigger ones in order to sound more intelligent? Guess what - it usually doesn't work. In a series of studies Daniel Oppenheimer showed that...

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Episode 121: Top 10 Psychology Apps for the iPad, iPhone, & IPod

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:36:47 -0400

In this video episode I show you 10 of what I consider to be the best psychology apps in the app store. There are a lot of apps out there and many are not so good, but in this episode I pick out...

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Episode 121 (corrected): Top 10 Psychology Apps for the iPad, iPhone, & IPod

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:46:42 -0400

Episode 122: DSM-V and On Being Sane - Are Psychiatric Labels Really Harmful?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:31:05 -0400

What does the movie Shrek have to do with labeling, psychiatric illness and the self-fulfilling prophecy? In this episode I take a close look at the well-known Rosenhan study. This was the study in...

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Episode 123 (video): What Does Your Dog Know About You?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 05 May 2010 21:23:05 -0400

What do your dog and Shakespeare have in common? Well, they both use a Theory of Mind. Join me for this video episode in which I look at this fascinating idea of theory of mind and the unique and...

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Episode 124: Flashbulb Memories - Are They As Accurate As We Think?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:57:34 -0400

Would you be surprised if I told you that your memories of the attacks on September 11, 2001 are inaccurate? How much of what you remember of that day or of other Flashbulb Memories actually...

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Episode 125: False Memories - How Can Your Memory Be So Bad?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 22:05:43 -0400

For some reason we believe that our memories are accurate. They are far from it. What we remember is a hodge-podge, a patchwork of images, stories, and bits and pieces from our past. In this...

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Episode 126: SuperNormal Stimuli: Is This Why We're Overweight?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:14:50 -0400

There are many reasons why it is difficult to lose weight, but have you considered how supernormal stimuli might be one of them? In this episode I discuss some of the ideas in the books Waistland...

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Episode 127 (video): Phrenology: Maybe They Were On To Something

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:36:30 -0400

Everyone can picture one of those phrenology heads with personality traits drawn into different sections of the cranium. Was there anything to that? Well, not exactly. However, with the use of MRI...

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Episode 128: Do Brain Training Games Work?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:57:40 -0400

You've probably heard about these Brain Training games. Do they really help you to keep your mind sharp? Will they prevent cognitive decline or slow the effects of alzheimer's disease? In this...

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Episode 129 (video): Science Shows Superstitions Actually Work! Sort of

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:36:13 -0400

Okay, admit it - you have some kind of lucky charm on you, your car or in your house. And if you participate in any sport or performance activity you have some sort of ritual that you believe will...

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Episode 130 (video): Why Are We So Fascinated by Famous People?

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:17:29 -0400

If you've ever met a famous person you know how exciting that feels. But why? What is it about fame that draws so many people to it? In this episode I examine fame from two very perspectives: the...

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Episode 131: Even Children Do Statistics!

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:02:52 -0400

Here's a fun piece of psychological research: finding out whether children use statistical information to figure out other people. We know kids are very perceptive and learn quickly. This study...

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Episode 132: Opera Singing on the Brain

Michael.Britt@ThePsychFiles.com (Michael Britt) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:02:05 -0400

What part of your brain is lighting up when you're singing? In this episode I take a look at a neat new study that involved having singers lie down in an MRI while their brains were scanned.

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