The Numb Podcast

Dr. Charles opens the show by talking about 1972 Eastern Airlines Flight 401 and how it demonstrates the limits to our attention. He then talks about how we tend to be the genesis of many of our own digital distractions. He then outlines how to address and limit our distractions in our work and lesiure. Finally, he spends time answering listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show talking about the challenges and misconceptions as it relates to productivity. He then shares several components of the new Productivity Resource document, walking through ways to address Email Overload and unproductive and expensive meetings for both you and your team.  He then closes with a "thrilling" song reference and answers some listener emails.For more information, you can visit his site at https://charleschaffin.com to learn more about ways to make you and your team more productive and innovative. 

Dr. Charles opens the show by addressing some of the emails related to holiday arguments. He then outlines how costly distractions are for organizations, outlining some of the primary causes for both office employees and those working from home.He then shares several steps both employees and  organizations can take to be more focused and productive. He then quotes a song, tells a story, and talks about the epidemic of loneliness. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing common family arguments during the holidays. He then discusses why being wrong is valuable to our growth and how focusing on our weaknesses leads to better productivity in our work and personal lives. He then answers some listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show outlining the costs of distraction to both corporations as well as employees and how it impacts both our professional and personal lives. He then outlines 6 things we can do to be more focused in our work and fight-off the "productivity pirates." Finally, he responds to multiple listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show talking about how people are so stressed these days and then dives into some of the root causes of this stress as it relates to the Information Age. He then talks about five ways we can better manage all of this stress. He tells an awful joke as an aside and then ends the show by quoting an old song and answering some listener email. 

Dr. Charles opens the show answering some listener emails regarding goal setting. He then talks about texting and some of the challenges that come from it...including coining the phrase, "trash-texting." He then closes talking about texting etiquette and answering listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the different forms of motivation and how they impact almost all aspects of our lives. He talks about good and bad phlebotomists before talking about how social media can help (and sometimes impede) our motivation to engage others as well as meet our health/fitness goals. He then answers a few listener emails and talk about confirmation bias. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the historic 1964 Surgeon General's announcement of the dangers of smoking and draws a comparison between the negative impacts of smoking and social media use, specifically as it relates to regulation. He talks about potential paths forward in finding a balance between capitalism and protection. He closes with another quote from a country music song. 

Dr. Charles discusses how we are currently living in an attention economy, the currency associated with it, and ways that we can thrive in this age when it seems as if everything is designed to hijack our attention. He then answers some listener email and for the first time ever, quotes a country music song. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the reasons why we avoid information, whether our financial information, health information, or our interpersonal relationships. He then talks about ways we can stop avoiding uncomfortable circumstances and information to be more successful in our work and personal lives. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing some of the research behind pseudo-profound bullshit, including why some are susceptible to it as well as the implications of it as it relates to our work, personal lives, and fake news. He then dives into what makes good listeners (and bad listeners), sharing  five steps we can take to become better listeners at work and in our personal lives. He then answers some listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing Urban Dictionary. He then talks about the challenges associated with information overload in the workplace and most importantly, what to do about it. He answers a few listener emails and closes this episode by attempting to rap. 

Dr. Charles discusses the research about choice and how the nearly 35,000 choices we make per day are so taxing for us. He also compares the success of arranged versus non-arranged marriages as well as the distinction between satisfiers and maximizers. He closes with song lyrics and answers a few listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the recent trend of bad behavior in society since the pandemic. He then welcomes author and psychotherapist Linda Bloom back to the show to discuss why we are experiencing all of this bad behavior, the stress that causes it, and what to do about it. Dr. Charles then answers some listener emails. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing California. He then shares a study that connects depression symptoms with susceptibility to COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. He then outlines the causes, symptoms, and ways to alleviate digital fatigue. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing his journey into the desert and the benefits of "being present" even during a difficult experience (running out of gas). He then talks about recency bias: How it impacts our investment decisions, behavior, and what we can do to combat it. 

It is the confirmation bias episode. Dr. Charles opens Season 2 talking about how confirmation bias affects our personal lives, our work, and even  medical diagnoses. He then answers listener email and quotes a song. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing everything from airport security lines to Hallmark Christmas movies. He then talks about the science of reflection as we consider this past year. Finally, he discusses New Year's resolutions and how we can create an environment that will help us attain our goals. 

Dr. Charles opens the show sharing details of his most recent trip. He then shares research regarding the use of multiple screens simultaneously and  how it impacts both our stress level as well as our memory. He then responds to select listener emails.

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing a situation he had in a bar. He then welcomes Dr. Gloria Mark from the University of California-Irvine to discuss email- the stress associated with it, how it impacts our attention, and whether or not it helps us be more productive.  They discuss solutions for both individuals and companies to manage their email inboxes without the inboxes managing them. He then dives into The Numb Podcast email inbox to read a few messages from listeners. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing neuroplasticity and how it impacts our daily lives. He then opines about the Facebook name change before spending time catching-up on listener email.

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing some of the issues around teens and adolescents as it relates to Instagram. He then welcomes Dr. Christopher Ali from the University of Virginia and author of Farm Fresh Broadband to discuss the implications of the digital divide and how policy can help address this growing issue. 

Dr. Charles starts the show by discussing the power of immersing oneself in art as well as an interesting piece regarding the commemoration of 9/11. He then spends the duration of the show discussing FOMO, why we experience it and what to do about it. He then answers listener emails. You don't want to miss out! 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the nature of attention and how it impacts our daily lives. He then welcomes Dr. Ross Otto, Assistant Professor of Psychology at McGill University to discuss some of his research related to factors that impact risk-taking as well as how context can impact our choices. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the concept of Basking in Reflected Glory. He then welcomes Dr. Wendy Wood from the University of Southern California and author of the book, Good Habits, Bad Habits, to discuss the nature of habits; how we can eliminate the harmful ones; and how we can formulate good ones. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the Zoom Boom: The increase in cosmetic surgeries as many of us are on-camera during this era of remote work. He then welcomes Dr. Laura Zimmermann from IE University in Madrid, Spain to discuss screen time, specifically what may be essential to our work and relationships and what may habitual...and how to determine what is healthy and useful and what might be too much.   

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the growth of the podcast and then outlines the controversy regarding Facebook and the NYU researchers. He then welcomes Dr. Monica Stephens from Durham University (UK) to discuss the sources, nature, and motivations behind misinformation, as well as some of the primary drivers of hate speech on social media. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the benefits and challenges associated with location-based dating apps, including new opportunities to connect with others, but also issues related to data privacy, FOMO, and choice overload. He then welcomes Dr. Samuel Hardman Taylor, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communications at the University of Illinois-Chicago to discuss some of his research related to location-based dating apps, including both the pros and cons of these popular platforms. 

Dr. Charles opens the show identifying the many ways we are susceptible to the urges of instant gratification. He then welcomes Dr. Hal Hershfield from the UCLA Anderson School of Management to discuss how we can establish goals, focus on our future selves, and work to avoid instant gratification, whether related to technology, overspending, or poor nutrition. 

Dr. Charles discusses some of the data and health risks associated with loneliness. He then welcomes Linda Bloom, a psychotherapist, educator, and author to talk about our search for authentic relationships as well as ways we can counter loneliness in our lives. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the connection between work emails and our health. He then welcomes Dr. Joshua Grubbs from Bowling Green State University to discuss porn: Why we watch it; the potential effects of it on individuals and relationships; and is there a point when we are watching too much porn?*Please note that this episode contains sexually explicit content.   

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing some of the science behind luck. He then welcomes Dr. Megan Duncan, Assistant Professor in the School of Communications at Virginia Tech to discuss journalism, media, and how they impact (and are impacted by) public opinion. 

We are talking clickbait! Charles opens the show soliciting sponsors for the podcast and then welcomes Dr. Shyam Sundar, founder of the Media Effects Laboratory at Penn State University. He talks about clickbait, social media, and the current and future status of mainstream news media.

Dr. Charles opens by talking about sports and tribalism, specifically human behavior as it relates to in-groups and out-groups. He then welcomes Allan Lokos, the founding and guiding teacher of the Community Meditation Center in New York. They discuss ways to manage all of the noise that seems to be a major part of our everyday lives. 

Charles opens the podcast talking about well, the podcast. He then discusses the different reasons for the shortage of workers in today's economy. Dr. Charles Figley from Tulane University joins to discuss the nature of compassion, how we get it, and how we might be susceptible to compassion fatigue in today's Information Age. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing the recent release of Numb. He then focuses on the recent trend of people behaving badly on flights, sporting events, and other public places...as well as his own firsthand episode. He then welcomes Dr. Sara Gorman, co-author of Denying to the Grave: Why we ignore the facts that will save us to talk about how information, whether online sources such as WebMD or advice from our physicians, can impact patient knowledge, behavior, and ultimately, outcomes when detecting or treating health issues. 

Charles opens the show discussing the cicada invasion as well as the power of "not knowing" others' political affiliations. Dr. Keith Campbell, a social psychologist from the University of Georgia, joins the show to discuss outrage, narcissism, and the artificial rewards that seem to have us hooked on social media. 

Dr. Charles opens the show discussing YOLO and then talks with Dr. Jessica Strubel from the University of Rhode Island about dating apps: Why we use them, their benefits, and the FOMO and choice overload that seem to keep many of us swiping right at pretty, curated pictures but at the same time, swiping left at love and deeper relationshps. 

Charles opens the show discussing the controversy around the false story at the New York Post. He then talks with Dr. Alixandra Barasch from the New York University Stern School of Business about the impact of taking photos on our memory... with particular emphasis on how the posting of photos on social media can impact our enjoyment of a variety of life experiences. 

Dr. Charles Chaffin introduces how The Numb Podcast will focus on life in the Information Age, from social media to selfies to cable news, impact our attention and virtually all aspects of our daily lives.