Money worries are one of the biggest sources of anxiety in the lives of Americans. This week, we kick off our new “Money 2.0” series with psychologist Brad Klontz. He says that while external economic forces often shape our financial well-being, our unconscious beliefs about money also contribute to how well we manage our money.
Rewrite Your Money Story Read More »
Every morning, you wake up and face the world. What does it look like to you? Do you see a paradise of endless opportunities, where people are friendly and helpful? Or a world filled with injustice, where people cannot be trusted? In the final installment of this year’s You 2.0 series, we talk with psychologist Jamil Zaki about how we become disillusioned and distrustful of the world, and how to balance realism with hope.
You 2.0: Fighting Despair Read More »
It happens to the best of us: we blank on someone’s name, or forget an important meeting, or bomb a test we thought we’d ace. Today on the show, we talk to cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham about the mysteries of memory: how it works, why it fails us, and how to build memories that stick.
You 2.0: Remember More, Forget Less Read More »
Saying no to someone who asks for something is often easier said than done. Maybe it’s a boss who wants you to take on a new assignment. Or your kid’s teacher, seeking volunteers for a field trip. Or a friend who asks you to lend her money. How should we respond to these demands on our time, energy, and resources? This week, psychologist Vanessa Patrick explores why it’s so hard to say no, and how we can set boundaries that will make it easier to do so.
You 2.0: How To Say No Read More »
Many of us feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. We struggle to make time for all the competing demands at work and at home, and inevitably feel like we’re letting someone down. But what if there were a way to reclaim our time and, as a result, get more joy out of our lives? This week, psychologist Cassie Mogilner Holmes explains how we’ve fallen victim to the illusion of time scarcity, and what we can do to spend our time more wisely.
You 2.0: Taking Control of Your Time Read More »
Are you someone who strikes up a conversation with the person next to you on the train? Or do you keep your eyes fixed on your phone? Do you offer gratitude to friends and family? Or do you assume that they already know how you feel? This week, in the kickoff to our annual You
You 2.0: The Gift of Other People Read More »
Whether in your personal life or at work, you’ve probably experienced what it’s like to have people reject your requests. To be told that what you want is unfair, or heavy-handed. And you’ve likely been in the opposite position as well — pushing back against requests that step on your freedom. This week, we talk to psychologist Benjamin Rosenberg about how we respond to infringements on our sense of autonomy, and how we can avoid sparking this resistance in our interactions with other people.
You’re Not the Boss of Me! Read More »
When we meet new people, we’re often drawn to those with a commanding presence or a dazzling personality. But it turns out that a very different trait — humility — is important in the long term. This week, in the first of a two-part discussion, we talk with psychologist Daryl Van Tongeren about different kinds
The Cure for Self-Importance Read More »
It’s not your imagination: rudeness appears to be on the rise. Witnessing rude behavior — whether it’s coming from angry customers berating a store clerk or airline passengers getting into a fistfight — can have long-lasting effects on our minds. But behavioral scientist Christine Porath says there are ways to shield ourselves from the toxic effects of
When we think about misinformation, we often focus on blatant errors or deliberate attempts to deceive us. But in recent years, social scientists have found that misinformation comes in many flavors — many of which are far more subtle than obvious falsehoods. These forms of misinformation prey on our mental blindspots, and take advantage of our passions and loyalties. This week, economist Alex Edmans explores the many insidious forms of misinformation, and how we can all get better at separating fact from fiction.
