Psychology In Action Podcast

We are back! For Season 2 of the Psychology in Action Podcast, we are interviewing graduate students to discuss their ongoing research and lives at school. For our first episode, we interviewed João Guassi Moreira, MA, CPhil, a soon-to-be doctor working with Dr. Jen Silvers at UCLA. We discuss some of João's awesome projects, his views on mentorship, the future of science, and much more. A great scientist, an even better guy -- this was a treat!

For our fifteenth episode, we sat down with Dr. PJ Lamberson (UCLA) to discuss mathematical modeling. How does a virus like COVID-19 spread, and what can we do to slow it down? How different is the spread of "viral" information on social media? Dr. Lamberson digs into the nuts and bolts, explaining how we can use models to understand the things that happen in our everyday lives.

For our fourteenth episode, we sat down with Dr. Diana Tamir (Princeton), Dr. Katie Young (King's College), and Dr. Livia Tomova (MIT) to discuss all things COVID-19. How do our brains process social isolation? How different are our social worlds during this crisis? What are the measurable effects of COVID-19 on our mental health? These researchers are leading the charge -- come hear what they have to say!

Applying for the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)can be a really stressful time! As the deadline approaches, PIA's own Stacy Shaw and Mark Straccia discuss some tips and tricks for strengthening your application (0:50). Then, Ben sits down with Dr. Janet Tomiyama, a reviewer for the NSF GRFP, to discuss her insights into the review process and what to watch out for (32:30). Whether you are currently applying for this award, thinking about maybe applying in the future, or simply want some insights into the grant review process, this episode is a great listen for scientists from any field.

For our twelfth episode, we sat down with Dr. Janet Tomiyama to discuss dieting, weight stigma, and how stress physiology impacts our health. Why doesn't dieting work? Is stress eating a real thing? How do social pressures affect our bodies and make weight loss even more difficult? And why does our society we even care about weight loss when it's so loosely related to overall health outcomes? Whether you know it or not, you've almost certainly considered the topics of Dr. Tomiyama's research. And like her, maybe some day you, too, can jump-start your research career with a quote from Oprah.

Russ Poldrack is back! For our eleventh episode, we sat down with Dr. Poldrack to discuss his book, The New Mind Readers: What Neuroimaging Can and Cannot Reveal about Our Thoughts. Our conversation addresses a number of the most pressing questions in psychology and neuroscience today. Why can we de-code some cognitive functions in the brain, but not others? How might we use neuroimaging to guide personalized medicine? What can we do to ensure our science is conducted in the most reproducible and rigorous ways? And is it really necessary to study the brain in order to understand human behavior? For a related discussion, check out our previous conversation at: www.psychologyinaction.org/psychology-in-action-1/2018/5/27/episode-7-russ-poldrack

For our tenth episode, we interviewed Dr. Antonio Damasio, Chair in Neuroscience, Professor of Psychology, Philosophy, and Neurology, and Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at USC. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Damasio has written a number of critically-acclaimed books, beginning with Descartes’ Error and continuing most recently with The Strange Order of Things: Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures. A central idea of this new book is homeostasis — how do emotions keep us within biological ranges that are conducive to life? How have different cultures emerged to serve these same homeostatic goals? Is consciousness even possible without emotions? And what, if anything, can we learn about ourselves by studying bacteria? We also discuss the research that led Dr. Damasio to these conclusions, as well as his single bet for the next big scientific breakthrough.

For our ninth episode, we interviewed Dr. Jen Silvers, Assistant Professor of Psychology at UCLA. Dr. Silvers is a social and affective neuroscientist who studies emotion regulation and early life adversity. How do past experiences shape the cognitive strategies we use in daily life? Why are rates of depression and anxiety rising among college teens? What are the impacts of family separation policies on immigrant children and their developing brains? And why in the world would a professor choose to live in undergraduate housing?

For our eighth episode, we interviewed Dr. Kate Mills, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon. Dr. Mills is a developmental neuroscientist focusing on adolescent social and cognitive functioning. Why is adolescence such a critical developmental period? What can society do to nurture healthy adolescent development? Does using the internet destroy your brain? What is it like to be an early-career scientist starting out in such a competitive field? Dr. Mills provides the answers.

For our seventh episode, we interviewed Dr. Russ Poldrack, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Center for Reproducible Neuroscience. Dr. Poldrack is a leading expert in cognitive neuroscience, so we discussed some of the most pressing questions in the field to-date. How good are we at capturing individual differences in patterns of brain activation? Can we infer psychological information about someone from these patterns? What's it like to have yourself scanned over 100 times just for fun (and for the sake of rigorous science)? Dr. Poldrack also gave us a sneak preview of his upcoming book, "The New Mind Readers: What Neuroimaging Can and Cannot Reveal about Our Thoughts." There's so much to learn from this episode -- what are you waiting for?

For our sixth episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University and author of "How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain." We first discussed the history of emotion research, including how widespread assumptions may have held back progress in this field. Despite decades of research using facial expressions, physiology, and outward behaviors to classify emotional categories, Dr. Barrett makes the case that these patterns are not actually specific markers for specific emotions -- instead, it's how we interpret these patterns, and how we label these patterns with learned concepts, that will actually determine how you experience an emotion. We also covered a ton of other really interesting ideas throughout this episode, including how your brain basically functions like a baseball player. Make sure to check it out!

For our fifth episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Bob Levenson, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and President of the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). We first explored emotion -- specifically, how have early studies of human emotion led to today's breakthroughs? We also discussed how emotions change (or don't change!) over the course of aging and in neurodegenerative disorders. Finally, we debated current problems in clinical research and practice, culminating in a discussion of Dr. Levenson's perspectives on the future of the field. You won't want to miss this!

For our fourth episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Brian Knutson, a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Stanford University. We explored strategies to get an "under the hood" view of human emotions, including a discussion of neuroeconomics, insights into addiction science, and how brain reactivity can predict future decision making.

This is a new podcast where UCLA graduate students interview researchers at various universities to discuss new scientific discoveries and everyday implications. For our third episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Adriana Galván, a Professor of Developmental Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience at UCLA. During our conversation, we explored adolescent behavior, neuroscientific insights into normative brain development, and implications for public policy.

This is a new podcast where UCLA graduate students interview researchers at various universities to discuss new scientific discoveries and everyday implications. For our second episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Martin Monti, a professor of Cognitive Psychology and Neurosurgery at UCLA. During our conversation, we explored human consciousness, brain stimulation techniques, and psychological science as a moving target. Enjoy!

This is a new podcast where Psychology In Action students interview faculty and graduate students at various universities to discuss new scientific discoveries and everyday implications. For our first episode, the PIA crew interviewed Dr. Ben Karney, a social psychology professor at UCLA. During our conversation, we explored everything from the predictors of successful relationships to marriage-induced weight loss. Enjoy!