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Under the Cortex

psychologicalscience

The podcast of the Association for Psychological Science. What does science tell us about the way we think, behave, and learn about the world around us?

Under the Cortex is proudly sponsored by Macmillan Learning Psychology, where captivating content meets genuine engagement. Our authors, who are seasoned educators, understand today’s teaching challenges. We aim to craft and present both information and interactive tools that truly connect with students. Whether in-person or online, we support instructors and inspire students. Macmillan Learning Psychology: Engaging Every Student, Supporting Every Instructor, Setting New Standards for Teaching and Learning.

  • 100 episodes
  • Updated Aug 7, 2025

Episodes100

  • Oct 31, 2024 · 22 min

    Green Actions, Brighter Lives: Enhancing Well-Being Through Environmental Action

    Can environmentally friendly actions boost personal well-being? Tune in to discover how a sustainable lifestyle offers profound benefits. In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Michael Prinzing from Baylor University. Prinzing shares findings from a recent research article published in Psychological Science, which highlights the link between well-being and climate action. Together, they discussed how participants from 14 countries incorporated eco-friendly actions into daily routines and how these actions globally offer a unique path to well-being. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Oct 17, 2024 · 22 min

    A New Approach to Understanding Psychopathology: Insights from the HiTOP Model

    Are traditional mental health diagnoses missing the bigger picture? How can a new model help us better understand and treat mental disorders? What does recent research say about how we categorize psychopathology in youth? In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum interviews Miri Forbes of Macquarie University. Together, they address how traditional models like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) categorize mental health disorders and explore Forbes’ recent study published in Clinical Psychological Science highlighting the more nuanced and dimensional approach that the emerging Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) offers. The strengths and shortcomings of these systems, challenges of diagnosis, and evolving landscape of mental health research are discussed. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Oct 3, 2024 · 16 min

    Navigating Divisive Conversations: Why We Underestimate the Benefits

    Why do we shy away from discussing divisive topics like politics and religion? Are our fears of negative reactions justified or off-base? In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Kristina Wald from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Wald shares findings from a recent research article published in Psychological Science, which shows that people often underestimate the benefits of talking about divisive topics, even with those who disagree. The conversation offers insights into why we prefer talking with those who agree with us, and how we can better approach polarized discussions. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Sep 19, 2024 · 19 min

    Friendship and Diversity: A Path to Stronger Communities?

    Why do we gravitate towards friends who share our background and identity? How does this affect our sense of community and well-being? In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Miguel Ramos from the University of Birmingham to discuss his recent study on social cohesion and well-being, published in Psychological Science. They dive into the concepts of homophily and heterophily, exploring how our preferences for similarity and diversity impact our social networks and overall happiness. Tune in as they discuss the implications of embracing diversity and what it means for creating stronger, more cohesive communities. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org . Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Sep 5, 2024 · 18 min

    What Type of Templates Do We Use for Visual Processing? Caricatures Might Be the Answer

    In this episode, Zekun Sun and Chaz Firestone from Johns Hopkins University join Under the Cortex to discuss their new paper in Psychological Science titled “Caricaturing Shapes in Visual Memory.” The conversation with APS’s Özge G. Fischer Baum reviews how our visual system uses templates and exaggerates the basic features of objects in memory. The authors describe a series of experiments that show how visual memory is more complex than previously thought and that visual details in memory are not always lost. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Aug 22, 2024 · 18 min

    The Integrity of Psychological Research: Uncovering Statistical Reporting Inconsistencies

    Accurate reporting in psychological science is vital for ensuring reliable results. Are there statistical inconsistencies in scientific articles? In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Michele Nuijten from Tilburg University to examine how overlooked errors in statistical reporting can undermine the credibility of research findings. Together, they discuss Nuijten’s research published in Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science and examine practical strategies to enhance the quality of psychological research. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Aug 8, 2024 · 28 min

    The Benefits of Everyday Math for Kids

    APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum chats with Melissa Libertus from University of Pittsburgh about her new article about interventions to increase math learning in children. They discuss various strategies parents can use to reinforce the development of math skills in everyday life like at the grocery store or using board games. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Jul 25, 2024 · 21 min

    Racial Disparities in Drug Intervention: Culturally Inclusive Approaches

    In this episode, APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum discusses culturally sensitive and inclusive treatments with experts William Stoops from the University of Kentucky Medical Center, along with his colleagues Jardin Dogan-Dixon and Danelle Stevens-Watkins from the University of Kentucky, Paris Wheeler from the University of Cincinnati, and Krystal Cunningham from Boston College. Together, they examine evidence-based drug treatment studies, highlighting racial disparities in treatment effectiveness, especially how Black participants often experience worse outcomes than White participants. The discussion includes the impact of systemic racism, the opioid versus cocaine overdose epidemics, and the differences between culturally tailored and universal interventions. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Jul 11, 2024 · 20 min

    When Versus Whether: Gender Differences in Leadership

    In contemporary society, there is a significant rise in the number of women assuming leadership positions compared to past generations. Nevertheless, this raises the question: Do these growing numbers equate to equal access to opportunities? What are the common gender disparities seen in professional environments? APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum chats with Hannah Bowles from Harvard Business School about her new article reviewing under what conditions differences between men and women might emerge. They discuss how ambiguity and stereotypes can function to exacerbate or minimize differences between men and women. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Jun 27, 2024 · 29 min

    Tools to Bolster Executive Function Skills in Kids

    In this episode, Philip Zelazo and Ellen Galinsky join Under the Cortex to discuss their new paper in Current Directions in Psychological Science titled “Fostering Executive-Function Skills and Promoting Far Transfer to Real-World Outcomes: The Importance of Life Skills and Civic Science.” The conversation with APS’s Özge G. Fischer Baum reviews the many ways executive functioning skills are used throughout daily life. The authors describe the process they used to involve the community to determine what skills they focused on in their intervention and the intervention’s success. To learn more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Jun 13, 2024 · 20 min

    Navigating Regret in Decision-Making

    In this episode, Under the Cortex features William Ryan from UC Berkeley and Stephen Baum from Washington University in St. Louis who recently published an article on this topic in APS’s journal Psychological Science. APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum chats with Ryan and Baum about their new article on how regret impacts risk taking and financial decision making. They also discuss what researchers mean when they talk about logical decisions and how that differs from how it is colloquially used. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • May 30, 2024 · 23 min

    Is Everyone Out to Get Me? Paranoia in Social Interactions

    In this episode, Under the Cortex hosts Michal Hajdúk from Comenius University Bratislava, Sohee Park from Vanderbilt University, and Amy Pinkham from The University of Texas, Dallas about their new paper in Clinical Psychological Science titled “Paranoia: From Passive Social-Threat Perception to Misattunement in Social Interaction.” The conversation with APS’s Özge G. Fischer-Baum starts with what paranoia is in a clinical context and how it differs from the use of paranoia in an everyday context. They also discuss proposed improvements for how to clinically test the social impacts of paranoia. If you want to know more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • May 16, 2024 · 20 min

    Allergies or Sickness? Unraveling the Mystery of Concealing Infectious Diseases

    What do you think when people stay quiet about infectious situations? Is it just a small white lie? In this episode, Under the Cortex hosts Wilson Merrell to discuss his new paper in Psychological Science titled “When and Why People Conceal Infectious Disease.” The conversation with APS’s Özge G. Fischer Baum reviews what disease concealment looks like and the factors that contribute to when people do it. Merrell highlights that 75% of US adult participants report concealing infectious illness from others and discusses the potential social pressures that might influence this decision. To learn more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • May 2, 2024 · 26 min

    Desire Dynamics: Navigating Intimacy and Attraction in Relationships

    Many studies show that sexual attraction in long-term relationships decreases over time. Is this decline inevitable? Are we doomed to be not as into our partners as we were in the honeymoon period? Can we get too close to our partners? APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum interviews relationship expert Amy Muise from York University to answer these questions. Muise’s recently published work in APS’s journal Current Directions in Psychological Science addresses when and how closeness with our partners forms and declines over time. Muise shares a new development in relationship research on how to maintain desire in relationships. Together, Fischer Baum and Muise discuss the importance of cultivating an individual identity alongside intimacy within a relationship to sustain attraction over time. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Apr 18, 2024 · 23 min

    Shaping Kinder Kids Through Parental Example

    Children absorb much from their environments. Although the impact of parental conflicts and fights on children has been greatly studied, the impact of positivity has yet to fully be explored. In this episode, Under the Cortex features Brian Don from the University of Auckland who recently published an article on this topic in APS’s journal Perspectives on Psychological Science. APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum chats with Don about his new theory, the Interparental Positivity Spillover Theory. Don shares his thoughts on how this theory suggests that when kids witness their parents engaging in warm and positive interactions, it could have a positive effect on the children themselves. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Send us your thoughts and questions at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org.

  • Apr 4, 2024 · 22 min

    Parental Engagement Enhances Children’s Therapy Experience and Outcomes

    Anxiety is common in children. What methods effectively alleviate their anxiety? How do parents influence the treatment process? Can parents positively affect the treatment outcomes? In this episode, Under the Cortex features Wendy K. Silverman from Yale University School of Medicine and Jeremy W. Pettit from Florida International University who have recently published an article on this topic in APS’s journal Clinical Psychological Science. Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum starts the conversation with the history of anxiety and therapy in children. Silverman highlights how our current understanding and approach to the mental well-being of children have changed over the decades. As one of the leading researchers in the field, she explains how she established her research program from scratch and emphasizes the role of parental involvement in children’s therapy process. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org. Do you have questions and suggestions for us? Please reach us at underthecortex@psychologicalscience.org

  • Mar 21, 2024 · 18 min

    Twisted Tales: Unraveling the Surprising Benefits of Irony

    Using irony is a common practice in everyday speech. What’s the main purpose of doing so? What skills are necessary to best understand irony? In this episode, Under the Cortex features Penny Pexman from Western University. The conversation with Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum raises questions about the cognitive, social and emotional benefits of verbal irony. According to Pexman’s research published in APS’s journal Current Directions, cognitive flexibility and emotion recognition are crucial aspects that underlie the processing of sarcastic speech. Despite its reputation of being a negative practice, verbal irony shapes social relationships and enhances cognitive skills. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.

  • Mar 7, 2024 · 22 min

    What Comes Next? The Joy of Anticipating Melodies

    Are you passionate about music? As we explore new songs, part of the excitement comes from successfully predicting their outcomes, as suggested by scientific research. In this episode of Under the Cortex, APS’s Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum hosts music researchers who delve into the rewarding experience of accurately predicting tunes. Nicholas Kathios and Psyche Loui from Northeastern University, along with Matthew Sachs from Columbia University, discuss their recently published article in Psychological Science. The group explores the underlying mechanisms behind music enjoyment and melody anticipation. If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.

  • Feb 22, 2024 · 13 min

    Couples Who Laugh Together, Stay Together

    Have you ever found yourself wondering if someone you're interested in feels the same way about you? If they laugh at your jokes, recent research suggests that it might be a sign that they're into you. In this episode, Under the Cortex hosts Norman Li and Kenneth Tan from Singapore Management University about their new paper in Psychological Science titled “The role of humor production and perception in the daily life of couples: An interest-indicator perspective.” APS’s Özge G. Fischer-Baum kicks off the discussion by asking questions about how humor plays a part in building and keeping relationships alive. Li and Tan illuminate how the mutual creation and enjoyment of humor serve as crucial markers of relational well-being. If you want to know more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.

  • Feb 8, 2024 · 26 min

    Community Engagement in Psychological Research

    What are the important considerations that researchers should take when they work with underrepresented communities? In this episode, Under the Cortex hosts Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa and Luz Garcini in follow up to their thought-provoking appearance in APS’s Science for Society Webinar, “Helping Underrepresented Populations Through Community-Oriented Research.” Dr. Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD., MPH, is a native of Habana, Cuba, and a clinical psychologist by training. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and also serves as the Associate Director of Research for the Office of Community Engagement at Stanford Medicine. The goal of her research is to decrease health inequities among racial/ethnic minority populations, particularly Latinx and immigrant communities, through transdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship. Dr. Luz Garcini is the Interim Director of the Center for Community and Public Health at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, and a faculty scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Her research focuses on identifying, understanding, and addressing the health needs of historically marginalized communities from a community-engaged approach. As experts in the field, Espinosa and Garcini share their ideas and best practices about how to center community voices in psychological research. The conversation with Özge G. Fischer-Baum highlights why such efforts are important for meaningful research with marginalized groups. Conducting research in a manner that involves the community and provides direct avenues for them to be empowered through new knowledge or addressing their needs allows research to have a more bi-directional benefit. If you want to know more about this research, visit https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/community-research