This election matters - and so does your voice! This is a re-release of a 2018 episode that covers the motivation behind whether people choose to vote or not, and it is just as important now as it was 2 years ago. Take a listen, and then make a plan to vote.

There is a rule in sales - if you want the customer to pay one price for a product, always tell them first that the price is much higher. Want to know why? The answer lies in the psychology of compliance. Compliance is a change in behavior as the result of a request. We are asked to do things countless times each day...so why do we comply with some…

The world is in a crisis. The coronavirus pandemic is affecting millions around the globe. As of today in the US, over 125,000 have been infected (that we know of) and over 2,000 have died. Our healthcare system is about to break under the pressure. And everything is cancelled. Life as we know it has stopped for a while. But here is the real myster…

Remember all those stupid trends you went along with in high school? There's a reason why you did it. Conformity is when we behave or think in certain ways because we feel like we should, because we want to "fit in" with a social group. No one told you to wear that cliche' Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt or use all that AquaNet in your hair, but you did it.…

You aren't supposed to "judge a book by it's cover" and yet, you find yourself making instant assumptions about who someone is based on their initial appearance and first impression. Are you a bad person? Nope - according to social psychologists, you are engaging in a normal psychological phenomenon known as "person perception." And while this snap…

This episode reviews the two main approaches to treating psychological disorders: psychotherapy and biomedical treatment. While each has its own pros and cons, understanding the goal of each approach is important. *Side note: This episode does not intend to give treatment suggestions or advice to any listener - it is simply an informational overvie…

Autism is the most misunderstood, yet fastest growing, spectrum of disability in the US. It is a developmental delay based disorder with specific symptoms that are important to recognize early. It is often represented by an image of a puzzle piece, because trying to understand, decode and treat autism is like a mysterious puzzle. This is an importa…

Ah, the teenage years - so full of drama. According to Piaget, there is a reason why. Adolescents think differently than adults, despite being more advanced in reasoning than younger children. This episode wraps up the Piaget Series and covers the last stage in his Theory of Cognitive Development - Formal Operational thinking.…

It's 5 o'clock somewhere...but according to a child in the Concrete Operational Stage of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, it is really only 4:58pm. This episode covers how children think from ages 7-11 and why they tend to reason as if they were stubborn scientists.

Children say some pretty funny things - and if you understand Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, it makes sense why. Children in the Preoperational Stage think differently than adults - they believe in animals coming to life, they have trouble with impulse control and they don't understand why everyone in their class really isn't a "friend."…

Babies are pretty cute - but they are also super curious and actively thinking from the day that they are born. This episode discusses the first stage in Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. It also helps to explain why toddlers are so bad at hide and seek!

The basics of how sensation works – nothing fancy, nothing complicated. This episode is a review of the four main terms used to understand how we sense physical stimuli. Also, it contains the elusive explanation as to why the first 10 minutes of a concert are not nearly as "good" as the rest of it.

You thought you were signed up for a psych class, but now you have to learn about the complicated workings of the body’s nervous system. While you are patiently waiting to get to the chapter on personality disorders, take a listen to this episode on the nervous system and how it breaks down in to specific divisions. As intriguing as learning about …

Ever wonder what we used to think the brain did? Want to know how Def Leppard and The Roots are related to mistakes in neuropsychology? Tune in for this entertaining look at how wrong we were about the causes and cures in mental health.

The first episode of the new podcast series, Psych Segments, is here! Did you just enroll in a general psych course? Think you know what psychology is all about, but want to be sure? This episode is the perfect place to start. If you like the podcast, subscribe today! For more things psychological, visit the blog or follow on Facebook or Twitter @p…

Here's the first episode in a 5 part series that covers the basics of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development and the respective stages. Piaget was a revolutionary when it came to understanding how children think, and his theories are discussed frequently in all types of psychology courses. This episode discusses some of the basics, like how we us…

The Locus of Control Theory of Motivation is a simple one – either you believe you can cause things to change, or you don’t. And depending on your belief, you are going to either be motivated at a high or low level. This is especially important to understand right now, as midterm elections are fast approaching. Want to know why some people vote and…

Does drinking water cause you to die? No – but there is a strong correlation between people who die and people who have consumed water. Correlations show relationships, and this type of research is widely used in psychology. It is often widely misinterpreted because we commonly confuse correlation with causation. Check out this episode to learn the…

According to Maslow’s theory, human beings have a lot more in common than we think; we all have the same universal needs. Our needs are the driving force behind our motivation. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs outlines these universal needs, and despite what many people may believe, free WiFi connection is not on the list.…

There’s a reason why tutoring works – it involves learning through socialization. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Development explains this, and it gives a lot more credit to our thoughts and abilities than previously considered. If we interact with people who can do or know more than us, we can achieve a lot more, a lot faster. Here’s why!…

If you want to understand how Freud viewed personality, you can look to the iceberg. Or, you can listen to this episode, which will review the 3 divisions of the mind (Id, Superego and Ego) and how it affects our personality traits. And if you have ever wondered why and epic battle of guilt vs. desire plays out whenever you see something delicious,…

You get a good grade on your math test, and your mom tells you that it must mean you are really intelligent. She is right…right?? Well, not exactly. This episode discusses what intelligence is (and what it isn’t) along with a quick review of some of the most prominent theories of intelligence. But no matter what, you should still agree with your mo…

So you can text without looking (yes, your professor sees you doing this during class) but you can’t label a blank keyboard to save your life…Is it because you don’t remember? To better understand how long term memory works, we need to clarify the different types. Exploring the difference between procedural and declarative memories is the first ste…

Motivation is important – and it isn’t just about the proverbial “carrot on a stick” idea. Whether it is the energy it takes to get to class in the morning or the drive we have to finish a major project, motivation is what pushes us to behave in certain ways. Right now, you might be motivated to listen to your newest playlist on iTunes, but if you …

Looking for an entertaining book to read while relaxing by the pool? The DSM probably isn’t a good choice. But, it is the most important written tool used to diagnose disorders in mental health. It provides a universal language and symptom criteria for every condition in abnormal psychology. And while that may not sound thrilling, you will most lik…

Have you ever had someone say to you, “if you do that, there’ll be consequences?” Well, they were right. In fact, every voluntary behavior we choose is going to have some sort of consequence. In Operant Conditioning, the types of consequences that occur are explained as the reasons our future behavior may change (or not.) And trust me, if you liste…

One night, you had a dream about a tunnel and a dog and other weird stuff, and now you want to know what it all means? This review of Freud’s Theory of Dreams can help you gain some insight. And while it may not be the most evidence-based theory, it is still pretty cool…and it will probably be on your upcoming psych exam.…