Speaking Of Psychology

Psilocybin, LSD and other psychedelic drugs were once considered promising treatments for depression, anxiety and other mental health ailments. Now, after a decades-long lull, researchers are once again looking into the therapeutic potential of these drugs. Roland Griffiths, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discusses new research on using psychedelics to treat depression, PTSD, and even alcohol and tobacco dependence. Links: Usona Institute Compass Pathways Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The protests against racial injustice that have made headlines over the past month may be prompting some white Americans to consider—perhaps for the first time--the advantages they've benefited from all their lives. Brian Lowery, PhD, a senior associate dean at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, studies the psychology of racial privilege in the United States. He discusses the factors that drive many white Americans to ignore and even deny that white privilege exists, and what he believes needs to be done to combat racial injustice. Episode Links: Brian Lowery, PhD Follow Brian Lowery, PhD on Twitter Washington Post Opinion | To my white friends, the time for talk has passed Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past several months, millions of newly remote workers have found themselves juggling work and family responsibilities from hastily improvised home offices. Kristen Shockley, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia, discusses her research on how these new teleworkers are adapting and talks about what the pandemic may mean for the future of remote work. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than a week, protestors have filled the streets of cities and towns across the United States and even around the world, demanding an end to racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Lauren Duncan, PhD, a professor of psychology at Smith College and an expert on the psychology of protest and collective action, discusses why this is happening right now and what motivates people to come together to demand change. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are some people more susceptible to conspiracy theories than others? Do people actually panic during disasters, like the pandemic? And are the brains of liberals and conservatives physiologically different? Dr. Jay Van Bavel, who directs NYU’s Social Perception and Evaluation Lab, answers these and other questions. Episode Links Jay Van Bavel, PhD APA COVID-19 Resources Speaking of Psychology Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we enter month No. 3 of living under the COVID-19 lockdown, parents and their kids may be getting on each other’s nerves. Parents working from home may be battling with their children – and each other - for computer access. As youngsters try to finish their school year via remote learning, they may be upset that there will be no summer camp this year, and certainly no big out-of-town vacation. Dr. Earl Turner, an expert on child psychology, offers more tips for coping, keeping families safe and handling the relentless drumbeat of coronavirus news. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With most of us still following shelter-in-place rules, getting mental health care for people who need it can be a challenge. Fortunately, many psychological practitioners have been offering telemental health services for years, using electronic and telecommunications technologies to engage in psychotherapy virtually or by phone. APA’s Dr. Jared Skillings explains how to get this care and discusses how it compares to traditional face-to-face therapy. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus is keeping us from experiencing some of the deepest and most meaningful rituals of our lives, from graduations to weddings to funerals. What is this doing to us psychologically? How important are rituals to our mental health and well-being? Dr. Michael I. Norton, a professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School, talks about the many rituals he has studied and their roles within our lives. Episode Links APA COVID-19 Information and Resources Michael I. Norton, PhD Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College and university students around the country are dealing with distance learning as their campuses have been forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Sian Beilock, a psychologist and president of Barnard College in New York, explains how her school is helping students finish the academic year and prepare for the fall. For instances, classes are being offered multiple times a day to accommodate students in different time zones and a small number of students have been allowed to shelter in place on campus. She also offers tips for parents with younger kids at home. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The COVID-19 pandemic is putting new and unforeseen pressures on all of us. Whether it’s trying to telework while the kids are screaming in another room or dealing with the loss of a job, this new normal is taxing our inner resources. Dr. Ann Masten, a professor in the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, has spent more than 40 years studying human resilience. She offers insights and tips on how to tap your inner resilience and build it in your own family. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we do not have a complete national picture, data from a few states and cities are showing that COVID-19 is disproportionately infecting African Americans and Latinos. Why is this so? And what can we do to alleviate these skewed proportions and flatten the curve. Listen to what APA’s Dr. Brian Smedley has to say about the underlying reasons for these disparities and what we need to do to mitigate them. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was identified in January. By March, most of us had been strongly advised – if not ordered -- to keep at least 6 feet away from other people in public and pretty much to confine ourselves to our homes. Since many of our regular activities and pastimes are now off-limits, what are we doing to fill the time? Are we bored yet? Are if we are bored, is that a problem? Dr. Erin Westgate, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, studies boredom, procrastination and why some thoughts are more engaging than others. ​She offers some thoughts on how to use this downtime constructively and why not all procrastination is bad. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you worried about your financial future in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic? Even before the coronavirus struck, many of us were prone to do unwise things with our money. What, if anything, is the pandemic doing to that very human tendency? How can we work against our worst financial instincts while our lives are so chaotic? Our guest, Dr. Brad Klontz, is a financial psychologist and a certified financial planner. He is also an associate professor of practice in financial psychology and behavioral finance at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. His advice might make you feel a little better in these uncertain times. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turn on the evening news or open a newspaper these days and there’s virtually nothing but COVID-19 coverage. The story is moving as rapidly as the coronavirus itself. To discuss what we should be doing as we learn more about the virus, we have invited back Dr. Baruch Fischhoff, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert on public perception of risk and human judgment. He talks about what we know now that we did not know when he first spoke to APA and recommends finding trusted sources of information, such as the National Academy of Science, to take care of ourselves during these alarming times. Links: Listen to Part 1 Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new coronavirus has upended our lives, compelling us to stay in our homes, keep our social distance and be wary of everything we touch. Some of us are teleworking but others have lost jobs. This global pandemic touches everyone and it is causing many of us to feel stress, anxiety and hypervigilance. Our guest, Dr. Lynn Bufka, senior director of practice research and policy at the American Psychological Association, and a practicing psychologist herself, has helpful advice for coping, adjusting and making our lives as normal and stress-free as possible.   Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may have heard about the internet debate on inner monologues recently. It all started from a tweet that went viral. That tweet said that some people have an internal narrative, and some don’t. What ensued were thousands of comments, retweets and news stories on the topic. Turns out that people have a lot to say about their inner voices. According to our guest for this episode, University of Michigan psychology professor Dr. Ethan Kross, it’s not exactly that simple. He says every healthy person has an inner voice, but how it manifests can vary dramatically from person to person. Find more on Kross’ work here: http://selfcontrol.psych.lsa.umich.edu Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you remember the last time you woke up during the work week without an alarm clock? When you didn’t need caffeine to get going? If you can’t, you’re certainly not alone. Most of us fall short of the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep nightly and an estimated 50 million to 70 million Americans of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds suffer from sleep-related problems, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association. Our guest, Robin Haight, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in private practice, will give practical tips for getting a good night’s sleep and explain how common mental health disorders can interfere with our much-needed shut-eye. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drinking is ubiquitous in American culture today. It’s hard to go out and not see people imbibing. In the midst of all this booze, there is a burgeoning movement in the opposite direction: Sobriety is having a moment in the spotlight. For the sober-curious crowd, this can mean taking a break from alcohol for a set period or it can mean quitting altogether. Either way, according to addiction researcher and psychologist Katie Witkiewitz, PhD, stopping drinking even for a short period can be beneficial because it allows us time to explore our relationship with alcohol with a clear head. Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghosting is a heartbreaking fact in the modern dating world. It’s when a friend or someone you’ve been dating disappears from contact with no explanation. Ghosting can shatter self-esteem and hurt just as much as physical pain. Our guest is psychologist Jennice Vilhauer, PhD, who wrote the popular Psychology Today articles “Why Ghosting Hurts So Much” and “Did the Internet Break Love?” Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear about the coronavirus has gripped the world. While nearly all cases have been in China, that has not stopped people in other countries from worrying. This new illness certainly is frightening and needs attention, but it’s important to note that far more people die from an illness that’s all too familiar – the seasonal flu. Why are we so afraid of this novel coronavirus when we are much more likely to catch the flu? Our guest, Baruch Fischhoff, PhD, is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert on public perception of risk and human judgment and decision-making. He explains why we worry about new risks more than familiar ones, how to calm our anxiety and what are the psychological effects of being quarantined. Listen to Part 2 Join us online August 6-8 for APA 2020 Virtual.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices