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.

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.

Speaking of Psychology

Psychologically Sound Tips for Better Sleep with Robin Haight, PsyD

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.

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.

Sober Curious? with Katie Witkiewitz, PhD

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?”

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?”

What to Do When You've Been Ghosted with Jennice Vilhauer, PhD

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.

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.

Bonus Episode - Coronavirus Anxiety with Baruch Fischhoff, PhD

Even though winter can be a bear, most of us just bundle up, get through it or embrace it and find ways to get outside and stay active. But as many as six out of every 100 people in the U.S. experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, known as SAD. It’s more than just the winter blues – it can be very difficult for people who suffer from it and this stretch of winter, January and February, tends to be the most brutal. Our guest is Kelly Rohan, PhD, a Seasonal Affective Disorder expert who is leading a five-year study on people who suffer from SAD at the University of Vermont.

Even though winter can be a bear, most of us just bundle up, get through it or embrace it and find ways to get outside and stay active. But as many as six out of every 100 people in the U.S. experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, known as SAD. It’s more than just the winter blues – it can be very difficult for people who suffer from it and this stretch of winter, January and February, tends to be the most brutal. Our guest is Kelly Rohan, PhD, a Seasonal Affective Disorder expert who is leading a five-year study on people who suffer from SAD at the University of Vermont.

How to Know if You Have Seasonal Affective Disorder with Kelly Rohan, PhD

While television shows about hoarding are quite popular and the term has now been embedded into our general lexicon, there is still a lot about hoarding disorder that is not well understood. Hoarding disorder is complex, difficult to treat and causes a lot of pain and suffering for people who have it and their loved ones. Our guest is Julie Pike, PhD, a clinical psychologist in private practice who treats people with hoarding disorder. She has appeared on the Discovery/TLC show, “Hoarding: Buried Alive.” She helps explain more about hoarding disorder, what treatment options are available and how people can take the first steps to clearing the clutter.

While television shows about hoarding are quite popular and the term has now been embedded into our general lexicon, there is still a lot about hoarding disorder that is not well understood. Hoarding disorder is complex, difficult to treat and causes a lot of pain and suffering for people who have it and their loved ones. Our guest is Julie Pike, PhD, a clinical psychologist in private practice who treats people with hoarding disorder. She has appeared on the Discovery/TLC show, “Hoarding: Buried Alive.” She helps explain more about hoarding disorder, what treatment options are available and how people can take the first steps to clearing the clutter.

Why People Hoard with Julie Pike, PhD

Lose 20 pounds. Begin a meditation practice. Save $1,000 a month. 2020 is here and many people are fired up about their New Year’s resolutions. No matter how jazzed people are about their resolutions at the start of the new year, most are doomed to fail soon after the New Year afterglow wears off. There are people, however, who make resolutions, stick with them and succeed. How do they do it? Our guest for this episode is Pauline Wallin, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Pennsylvania and an expert on New Year's resolutions.

Lose 20 pounds. Begin a meditation practice. Save $1,000 a month. 2020 is here and many people are fired up about their New Year’s resolutions. No matter how jazzed people are about their resolutions at the start of the new year, most are doomed to fail soon after the New Year afterglow wears off. There are people, however, who make resolutions, stick with them and succeed. How do they do it? Our guest for this episode is Pauline Wallin, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Pennsylvania and an expert on New Year's resolutions.

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions (SOP97)

This special episode features a report by APA’s Kim Mills, who attended the first-ever International Summit on Psychology’s Contributions to Global Health in Lisbon, Portugal, in November. The summit – sponsored by APA and the Association of Portuguese Psychologists -- brought together leaders of psychological associations from more than 40 nations on five continents to explore ways of applying psychological science to the global problem of climate change. Watch the video - <a href= "https://youtu.be/UHD1tWC4I-k">https://youtu.be/UHD1tWC4I-k</a>

This special episode features a report by APA’s Kim Mills, who attended the first-ever International Summit on Psychology’s Contributions to Global Health in Lisbon, Portugal, in November. The summit – sponsored by APA and the Association of Portuguese Psychologists -- brought together leaders of psychological associations from more than 40 nations on five continents to explore ways of applying psychological science to the global problem of climate change. Watch the video - https://youtu.be/UHD1tWC4I-k

Bonus Episode: Psychologists Address Climate Change

Experiencing positive transformation after trauma is known as post-traumatic growth. People who experience post-traumatic growth may develop a new appreciation of life, newfound personal strength, see an improvement in their relationships, see new possibilities in life and undergo spiritual changes. Why do some people experience such profound positive changes after enduring something terrible and others don’t? Our guest for this episode is Richard Tedeschi, PhD, who developed the academic theory of post-traumatic growth with Lawrence Calhoun, PhD. Dr. Tedeschi is the distinguished chair at the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth, a nonprofit organization focused on military members, veterans and their families.

Experiencing positive transformation after trauma is known as post-traumatic growth. People who experience post-traumatic growth may develop a new appreciation of life, newfound personal strength, see an improvement in their relationships, see new possibilities in life and undergo spiritual changes. Why do some people experience such profound positive changes after enduring something terrible and others don’t? Our guest for this episode is Richard Tedeschi, PhD, who developed the academic theory of post-traumatic growth with Lawrence Calhoun, PhD. Dr. Tedeschi is the distinguished chair at the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth, a nonprofit organization focused on military members, veterans and their families.

Transformation After Trauma (SOP96)

Concern and care for others’ feelings are virtues we seek to instill in our children, yet they are sorely lacking in many adult Americans today. There’s scientific research to back up the notion that Americans are caring less for others and more about themselves. Our guest is Sara Konrath, PhD, an associate professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research. We’ll be exploring why empathy is declining and what we can do to create more kindness and caring in our communities.

Concern and care for others’ feelings are virtues we seek to instill in our children, yet they are sorely lacking in many adult Americans today. There’s scientific research to back up the notion that Americans are caring less for others and more about themselves. Our guest is Sara Konrath, PhD, an associate professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research. We’ll be exploring why empathy is declining and what we can do to create more kindness and caring in our communities.

The Decline of Empathy and the Rise of Narcissism with Sara Konrath, PhD

To mark Veterans Day 2019, in this episode we are discussing the mental health challenges that many veterans deal with, some of the latest psychological research into their care and the complexities of modern warfare and its effect on veterans. Our guests are Rajeev Ramchand, PhD, a fellow at the Bob Woodruff Foundation, who researches the prevalence, prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders in veterans and other populations, and Terri Tanielian, MA, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND Corp., who researches military and veterans health policy, military suicide and the psychological effects of combat and terrorism. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

To mark Veterans Day 2019, in this episode we are discussing the mental health challenges that many veterans deal with, some of the latest psychological research into their care and the complexities of modern warfare and its effect on veterans. Our guests are Rajeev Ramchand, PhD, a fellow at the Bob Woodruff Foundation, who researches the prevalence, prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders in veterans and other populations, and Terri Tanielian, MA, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND Corp., who researches military and veterans health policy, military suicide and the psychological effects of combat and terrorism. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Veterans' Mental Health with Terri Tanielan, MA, and Rajeev Ramchand, PhD

Gregory Kratzig, PhD, is an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada and a global expert in simulation-based training, particularly in the world of law enforcement. He has used virtual reality to train first responders to drive emergency vehicles and to help police officers make the best decisions when they're faced with choosing whether to use force.  APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Gregory Kratzig, PhD, is an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada and a global expert in simulation-based training, particularly in the world of law enforcement. He has used virtual reality to train first responders to drive emergency vehicles and to help police officers make the best decisions when they're faced with choosing whether to use force.  APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Bonus Episode: Using Virtual Reality to Train Law Enforcement Officers with Gregory Kratzig, PhD

Do you ever get the feeling at work that you're being watched? To a certain degree you are and it's possible that you will soon be tracked even more closely by your employer whether that's through video surveillance, GPS location tracking or Internet monitoring. If that disturbs you, you're not alone. Our guest for this episode is David Tomczak, a product solutions consultant for a global professional services firm and a PhD candidate at The George Washington University. He researches the influence of electronic performance monitoring on employee behaviors. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Do you ever get the feeling at work that you're being watched? To a certain degree you are and it's possible that you will soon be tracked even more closely by your employer whether that's through video surveillance, GPS location tracking or Internet monitoring. If that disturbs you, you're not alone. Our guest for this episode is David Tomczak, a product solutions consultant for a global professional services firm and a PhD candidate at The George Washington University. He researches the influence of electronic performance monitoring on employee behaviors. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Bonus Episode: Your Boss is Watching You. Is that OK? with Dave Tomczak

What psychological purpose does nostalgia serve? Is it good or bad? Are we more nostalgic today in our hectic, connected world? Is there such a thing as the “good ‘ol days”? Here to help explain is Dr. Krystine Batcho, professor of psychology at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York. She’s an expert on nostalgia and developed the Nostalgia Inventory, a survey that assesses proneness to personal nostalgia. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

What psychological purpose does nostalgia serve? Is it good or bad? Are we more nostalgic today in our hectic, connected world? Is there such a thing as the “good ‘ol days”? Here to help explain is Dr. Krystine Batcho, professor of psychology at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York. She’s an expert on nostalgia and developed the Nostalgia Inventory, a survey that assesses proneness to personal nostalgia. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Does Nostalgia Have a Psychological Purpose? with Krystine Batcho, PhD

There's been a great deal of media attention focused on shootings in which a white police officer fired on a black or non-white suspect. Psychology has for years performed research to determine whether racial hostility plays a role in such shootings. These studies have usually entailed having participants sit in front of a computer screen and respond to images of suspects who pop up holding a gun or a benign object such as a wallet or a can of soda. These experiments are helpful. But is there a better way to study this phenomenon so we can curb these types of shootings? Our guest is John Tawa, PhD, of Mount Holyoke College who has developed a new and perhaps more realistic method for testing these responses. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

There's been a great deal of media attention focused on shootings in which a white police officer fired on a black or non-white suspect. Psychology has for years performed research to determine whether racial hostility plays a role in such shootings. These studies have usually entailed having participants sit in front of a computer screen and respond to images of suspects who pop up holding a gun or a benign object such as a wallet or a can of soda. These experiments are helpful. But is there a better way to study this phenomenon so we can curb these types of shootings? Our guest is John Tawa, PhD, of Mount Holyoke College who has developed a new and perhaps more realistic method for testing these responses. APA is currently seeking proposals for APA 2020 sessions, learn more at http://convention.apa.org/proposals

Bonus Episode: How Virtual Reality Can Help Detect Racial Bias in Police Shootings with John Tawa, PhD

"Speaking of Psychology" is an audio podcast series highlighting some of the latest, most important and relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these podcasts will help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives.

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Speaking of Psychology

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