The Measure of Everyday Life

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Interested in human behavior and how people think? The Measure of Everyday Life is a weekly interview program featuring innovations in social science and ideas from leading researchers and commentators. Independent Weekly has called the show "unexpected" and "diverse" and says the show "brings big questions to radio." Join host Dr. Brian Southwell (@BrianSouthwell) as he explores the human condition. Episodes air each Sunday night at 6:30 PM in the Raleigh-Durham broadcast market and a podcast of each show is available online the Wednesday following. The show is made possible by RTI International. Have thoughts on the show? Let your voice be heard by rating us. You can also join the conversation on Twitter by following @MeasureRadio.

WNCU public radio


    • May 14, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 212 EPISODES

    5 from 24 ratings Listeners of The Measure of Everyday Life that love the show mention: social science, sociology, sure, topics, interesting, guests, like, best, listen, great, brian southwell.


    Ivy Insights

    The Measure of Everyday Life podcast with Dr. Brian Southwell is truly an exceptional podcast that brings sociology to life in a fun and engaging way. From the very first listen, I was hooked by the wide variety of topics covered and the engaging delivery of information by Brian and his highly knowledgeable guests. This podcast is a breath of fresh air in the world of sociology, as it manages to be both informative and entertaining.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the range of topics covered. Brian and his guests dive into various social science topics, providing informative and insightful interviews that leave listeners feeling like their brains have been given a workout in the best possible way. The interviews are not only educational but also exceptionally interesting, thanks to the expertise and storytelling abilities of both Brian and his guests.

    Another standout aspect of The Measure of Everyday Life is its accessibility. Often, topics related to social sciences are confined to academic circles, making it difficult for the general public to engage with them. However, Brian and his guests do an excellent job of making these complex topics accessible and interesting for everyone. Whether you're already knowledgeable about social sciences or completely unfamiliar, this podcast will provide you with new insights and understanding.

    Furthermore, it's worth mentioning that the sound quality of this podcast is top-notch. Nothing detracts from the content being discussed, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in each episode without any distractions.

    While it's challenging to find any significant flaws in this podcast, one minor drawback could be its relatively short episode lengths. While this allows for quick consumption and easy listening on-the-go, some listeners might desire more in-depth discussions on certain topics. However, considering that each episode manages to deliver valuable information within a limited timeframe, this can also be seen as a positive aspect for those with busy schedules.

    In conclusion, The Measure of Everyday Life is an outstanding podcast that excels at bringing sociology to a broader audience through informative yet entertaining discussions. Brian Southwell's interviewing skills, combined with the expertise and storytelling abilities of his guests, make this podcast a must-listen for anyone interested in social science topics. Whether you're familiar with the subject matter or just curious to learn more, you'll find this podcast both enlightening and enjoyable.



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    Latest episodes from The Measure of Everyday Life

    Parenting amidst Algorithms

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 29:26


    How to be a good parent has been a topic of conversation for decades but raising children now includes online influences as well. How is the Internet shaping how we think about parenting? On this episode, we talk with Ranjana Das of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. She is author of Parents Talking Algorithms: Navigating Datafication and Family Life in Digital Societies.

    Improving Trust in Online Interactions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 30:00


    Even as people use online technologies in their everyday lives, they sometimes worry about potential pitfalls, including concerns about trusting other people. On this episode, we talk with two innovators who are seeking to improve public health by improving transparency in sexual relationships through a new platform called PlumCheck: Celine Gounder of the Kaiser Family Foundation and CBS News, and Josh Karetny, CEO of the new platform.

    Neuroscience and Mysticism

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 29:58


    As we seek to know ourselves, who should help us with that exploration? Many different perspectives on empirical research,  philosophy, and contemplation can be helpful as we try to understand our minds and ourselves. On this episode, we talk with Vladimir Miskovic, co-author of DREAMING REALITY: How Neuroscience and Mysticism Can Unlock the Secrets of Consciousness with Steven Jay Lynn.

    Improving Local Public Health through New Technologies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 29:34


    Local public health workers help communities all over the country. Who helps them do their work? On this episode, we talk with two people who have spent time supporting public health in Western North Carolina with compelling new innovations to improve communication about local health: Adrienne Ammerman, founder of Arclet, and Brandon Romstadt of the WNC Health Network. 

    Challenging Mental Health Stigma

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 29:46


    How should we support people facing mental health challenges? The Ad Council -- the same organization which introduced us to Smokey Bear over 80 years ago -- has some answers with their latest evidence-based campaign: Love, Your Mind. On this episode, we talk with Catherine Chao, Vice President of Strategy and Evaluation at the Ad Council. 

    Student Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 29:36


    Artificial intelligence tools have been in the headlines and yet we are still learning who opts to use such tools and why. On this episode, we talk with David Playfoot of Swansea University in the United Kingdom about his work on student use of AI tools.

    Teen Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence and Online Content

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 29:34


    As online content evolves, you might assume teenagers are flourishing on the Internet while older Americans shake their head in confusion, but the reality might surprise you. On this episode, we talk with Amanda Lenhart of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop about adolescents and how they think about our lives online.

    Online Classes and Social Presence

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 29:40


    The growth of online courses has been an important part of the story of education in the United States in the past decade, but we need more evidence of the ways our shift online may affect our sense of connection with others. On this episode, we talk with Daniela Castellanos-Reyes of North Carolina State University about her work to understand student connections online. 

    Adults Who Reported Past Life Memories as Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 29:31


    On this episode, Marieta Pehlivanova of the University of Virginia returns to the show to discuss her neurological perception research, including the adult experiences of people who as children reported memories of what some people refer to as a past life.

    Reducing Social Exclusion among Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 29:32


    Helping children make friends with a wide range of people can benefit us all. On this episode, we talk with Melanie Killen of the University of Maryland, a psychology professor who has studied ways to reduce social exclusion and improve connections between people. 

    Measuring the Health and Diet of Americans

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 29:21


    What do Americans eat? What do we know about their overall health? Answering questions like those requires measurement on a national scale. For decades, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continuously fielded its National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. On this episode, we talk with Tony Nguyen, Chief Medical Officer for the project.

    Civic Leadership and Aging

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 29:14


    Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution sets an age limit for people running for various offices but we do not have an upper age limit. What do Americans think about aging and civic life? On this episode, we talk with Yewande Addie of RTI International about her work on storytelling and public understanding. 

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Crime

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 29:33


    Crime rates in the United States are generally lower now than they were a few decades ago and yet researchers and criminal justice professionals continue to search for innovations to reduce rates of criminal offense. One approach which some advocates have proposed addresses mental health concerns. On this episode, we talk with Robert VerBruggen, Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, about the use of cognitive behavioral therapy with incarcerated people.  

    Suicide Prevention and Native American Communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 29:35


    On this episode, we lift up the work of three researchers who are making a difference through their efforts to promote suicide prevention among Native American people: Ivette Rodriguez Borja, Rebecca Perry, and Monica Desjardins of RTI International. 

    Climate Change and Food Marketing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 29:46


    When we read about the devastating effects of weather-related disasters, we often focus on housing and infrastructure. Such situations also might affect our eating patterns. On this episode, we talk with Lindsey Taillie of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health about her work on food marketing, the ways in which climate change might exacerbate unhealthy eating, and what steps we might take next.

    Collaborative Care to Help Trauma Survivors

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 29:50


    When we hear stories about injuries from violence at the hands of other people or in the face of disasters, we often hear about acute physical injuries but there is more to the story in terms of mental health. How can we best support patients who have suffered trauma? On this episode, we talk with Douglas Zatzick of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington.

    Social Media, Posting Behavior, and Mental Health

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 29:43


    Although it is easy to scroll through social media applications to see posts from all over the world, it can be challenging to know what is real and what is artificial and to know about the mindset and wellbeing of people posting content. New tools can help us assess what gets posted online and to turn that into useful signals for interventions to help society. On this episode, we talk with Ana-Maria Staicu of the Department of Statistics at North Carolina State University about her work.

    Learning How Developing Minds Shape Language

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 29:45


    How exactly does language evolve and how do people shape it? On this episode, we talk with Molly Flaherty of Davidson College. She has studied the birth and evolution of a new language: Nicaraguan Sign Language. 

    All We Need is Love?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 29:57


    Why do our news headlines often focus on war and crime and mortgage rates? Do we spend too much time focused on transactional markets and not enough on our unconditional existence as part of humanity? On this episode, we talk with Rob Faure Walker of University College London, author of Love and the Market: How to Recover from the Enlightenment and Survive the Current Crisis.

    Genetic Screening to Save Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 29:34


    We have seen recent innovations in our efforts to detect medical conditions in infants through genetic screening, including a program called Early Check based in North Carolina. The service now provides parents in North Carolina including a free scan and review of a baby's entire genetic blueprint to look for hundreds of conditions. On this episode, we talk about the initiative with researcher Heidi Cope of RTI International and pediatrician Elizabeth Jalazo of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

    How People Judge the Identities of Others

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 30:00


    Each of us has a sense of our own identity. Sometimes, though, people make judgements about what another person's racial or ethnic identity is. How do people make those appraisals? On this episode, we talk with Raj Ghoshal of Elon University about his nationwide survey research.  

    Life after Adoption from Foster Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 29:30


    What happens to children who have been adopted from foster care as they become adults? On this episode, we talk with Rose Domanico and Heather Ringeisen of RTI International and Nancy Rolock of Case Western Reserve University about the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being Adoption Follow-Up Study and additional analysis funded by RTI International.

    Talking about Protection from Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 29:36


    Although the threat of gun violence is common for some Americans, how exactly court officials, law enforcement professionals, and survivors each tend to talk about weapons is not something we often read about in news headlines. On this episode, we talk with two researchers who study how domestic violence survivors and law professionals talk about weapons and conflict: Allyson Corbo of RTI International and Beth Moracco of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    Data After Death

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 29:38


    What happens to a person's online data after they die is something we may not spend much time thinking about, and yet there is much potential for that data to echo into the future. On this episode, we talk with Dr. Carl Ohman of Uppsala University in Sweden, author of The Afterlife of Data: What Happens to Your Information When You Die and Why You Should Care. 

    Power Plants and Child Wellbeing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 29:33


    Generating electrical power is vital for our current way of life and yet the process can have direct effects on human health. On this episode, we talk with Sarah Komisarow of Duke University and Emily Pakhtigian of Penn State University about their innovative research to assess the effects of power plants on human health. 

    Healing Mental Suffering Across History

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 29:46


    How can we improve our mental wellbeing by supporting our caregivers and healers? Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has many ideas which have come to her in part from her own remarkable life. Time magazine has called her a "Hero of Medicine." She's also an award-winning author. On this episode, we talk with her about her New Yorker Book of the Year, Fires in the Dark: Healing the Unquiet Mind.

    Friendship and Our Health in Later Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 29:46


    Most people generally understand what friendship is and yet the roles it plays in our wellbeing have yet to be fully explored. On this episode, we talk with psychology researcher William Chopik of Michigan State University about new work on the value of friendship for health and what we can to do encourage better friendship in our lives.

    Teacher Work Experiences During the Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 29:53


    The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for many different people, but one of those groups whose story hasn't been sufficiently told yet is teachers. On this episode, we talk with Erin Thomsen and Erin Dunlop Velez of RTI International about their work to tell that story. 

    How to Engage Communities in Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 29:41


    Communities sometimes emerge into the public spotlight at moments of crisis, such as when there is a dangerous train derailment or catastrophic damage to a water system. When we try to help those communities, though, how can we do that in a respectful and useful way that reflects history. On this episode, we talk about doing community-engaged research with Vicki Johnson-Lawrence of RTI International, co-author of a new RTI Press report on trauma-informed approaches to improve public health. 

    Coping with Workplace Conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 29:41


    If you are hoping for a vacation this summer, it might reflect your frustrations with co-workers. Conflict in the workplace can be an important source of stress and can undermine team functioning. On this episode, we talk about how to cope with conflict with Jessica Jameson of North Carolina State University, author of Communication for Constructive Workplace Conflict.

    Online Lurking and Society

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 29:41


    Many of us sometimes scroll through the comments posted in reaction to a news article or social media post. How important is that and why might it matter? On this episode, we talk with Gina Sipley of the State University of New York Nassau Community College and author of a new book called Just Here for the Comments: Lurking as Digital Literacy Practice.

    What the Deaths of Unknown People Can Tell Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2024 30:02


    When some people die, no one comes to claim them. The death of people without easily identified social network ties can signal a different sort of loss, a loss for a society which comprises alienation and disconnection. On this episode, we talk with researchers Pamela Prickett of the University of Amsterdam and Stefan Timmermans of UCLA about their new book, The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels. 

    Narcissism and News Personalization

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 29:51


    What people now see presented on online platforms often reflects personal information about them, a situation which has raised alarms for some commentators. Might your personality affect whether you worry about data privacy protection and consequences for society? On this episode, we talk with Lisa Farman of Ithaca College about her work on this topic.

    Uplifts Help Offset Traumatic Loss

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2024 29:31


    Traumatic loss, such as the death of a person close to you, can affect your everyday wellbeing in many ways. On this episode, we talk with researchers who have explored ways people can cope with such loss: Alexandra Early of RTI International and Caitlin Reynolds and Shevaun Neupert of North Carolina State University.

    Media Technology and Our Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2024 29:35


    Parents often talk with family and friends about the roles of media in their children's lives, for better or worse. What can academic research tell us about what is ok for our kids? On this episode, we talk with Dr. Katie Davis of the University of Washington, author of a new book for MIT Press called Technology's Child: Digital Media's Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up.

    Depopulation and the Future of Cities

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 29:43


    The idea that we have more and more people on this planet has been prominent in recent decades but some researchers now project a future of declining population in some parts of the world, including the United States, which has implications for our physical infrastructure. On this episode, we talk with engineering researchers Sybil Derrible and Lauryn Spearing of the University of Illinois Chicago about a depopulated future. 

    How Fatal Use of Force Affects Communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 29:33


    We sometimes hear about fatal use of force by police officers and yet we tend to not talk about the potential long-term effects of those tragedies on community members who were not directly involved. On this episode, we talk with Kevin Strom and Sean Wire of the Center of Justice at RTI International about new research which investigates community and police department response to fatal use of force incidents. 

    Pandemic Resilience in Secondary Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 29:53


    Although the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged and complicated school administration across the U.S. and around the world, we also are starting to hear stories of resilience. On this episode, we talk with Beth Glennie and Zach Smith of RTI International about their study of school enrollment and online achievement patterns in Hawai'i in the face of the pandemic. 

    The Experiences of Black and Hispanic Science Researchers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 29:41


    As recently as 2021, more than 30,000 U.S. citizens earned a PhD and yet the demographics of that group do not reflect the U.S. population overall, particularly in the case of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. On this episode, we talk with Erin Velez and Ruth Heuer of RTI International and Lorelle Espinosa of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation about a new report documenting the experiences of Black and Hispanic science PhD candidates in the U.S.

    Encouraging Organizations to Go Above and Beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 29:55


    At the end of each calendar year in the United States, many people talk about charity and voluntary contributions, much of which involves non-profit organizations. In recent years, U.S. government agencies and funders have asked non-profits for more formal evaluation of their work than ever before. On this episode, Aaron Horvath of Stanford University discusses surprising non-profit behavior to not only meet evaluation obligations but to voluntarily do more to share their stories.

    The Future of Our Public Health Workforce

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 29:57


    During the week of Thanksgiving in the US, many of us are busy with holiday meal planning and getting together with family. It is also a time when we can thank public health officials for Public Health Thank You Day. On this episode, we talk with Brian Castrucci of the de Beaumont Foundation and Jenny Luray of Research!America about public health in America.

    Women in Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 29:38


    Women made crucial contributions to scientific inquiry for a long time and yet scientific professions has lacked equity in many ways. On this episode, we talk with Lisa M. P. Munoz, author of Women in Science Now: Stories and Strategies for Achieving Equity, about her journey in the sciences and about her efforts to spotlight stories of progress.   

    Keeping Families Safe in the Current Media Landscape

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 29:58


    You can find all sorts of content on social media platforms. Some organizations attempt to use social media to keep families safe but how successful has that work been? On this episode, we talk with Jennifer Manganello of the University at Albany and Lara McKenzie of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio about their work to encourage child safety.

    Ending the Use of Race in Clinical Algorithms

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 29:46


    Algorithms are essentially sets of instructions for what steps to take in response to input. They are embedded into many aspects of our everyday life and doctors even use algorithms to generate advice for patients. What should we do if we discover certain algorithms are based on flawed data or misleading analysis? On this episode, we talk with Adriana Joseph of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene about a new coalition to improve how we use clinical algorithms.      

    Coping with Trauma

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 29:36


    Emotional abuse and manipulation can cause harm in interpersonal relationships and for society. On this episode, we focus on the science of healing from interpersonal trauma with professional counselor Dr. Amelia Kelley, author of a new book on trauma recovery.    

    Partnering with People with Intellectual and Developmental Challenges

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2023 29:41


    People who face challenges from intellectual and developmental disabilities comprise important audiences for many public health communication efforts. What are the best ways to support and work with people in those audiences? On this episode, we talk with communication researchers Molly Lynch, Linda Squiers, and Sidney Holt of RTI International about their work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CommunicateHealth to improve the ways we engage with people in a range of situations.  

    Friendships and High School Dropout

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2023 29:36


    As another school year starts in the United States, we have opportunities to support students who are considering dropping out of school. On this episode, we talk with Marie-Hélène Véronneau of the University of Quebec at Montreal about interpersonal factors which seem to help reduce high school dropout.   

    Dogs, People, and Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2023 29:38


    Chances are that you or someone you know has a dog in the house. What do we know about the relationships between people and dogs? On this episode, we talk with authors of The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human-Canine Connection, Jen Goldbeck of the University of Maryland and science writer Stacey Colino.   

    Loneliness and Social Media

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023 29:36


    Social media may play a role in our collective loneliness but researchers now also are attempting to use social media tools to reduce loneliness. On this episode, we talk with two University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professors, Barbara Frederickson and Allison Lazard, about their new work to improve mental health using new communication tools. 

    Artificial Intelligence and People

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2023 29:32


    A new generation of artificial intelligence applications have flooded many workplaces and smartphones. What types of relationships will people have with artificial intelligence technologies? On this episode, we talk about the human dimension of human-computer interaction with Dr. Roshni Raveendhran of the University of Virginia.

    Equity, Education, and Childcare

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2023 29:43


    Daycare and early childhood education sites are more than vibrant places with children laughing and eating snacks. Such places also offer important opportunities to promote equity and justice. On this episode, we talk with Dr. Iheoma Iruka of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Along with three co-authors, she's written a new book called We Are the Change We Seek: Advancing Racial Justice in Early Care and Education. 

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