SciShow Psych

  • Premiered: Mar 2017
  • Episodes: 398
  • Followers: 1
  • Running
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  • at 15
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Season 2019
2019x1
The Best Ways to Keep Your Mind Young
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 03, 2019
You might feel like your thinking has been getting a bit slower and foggier as you get older, and that eventually happens to everybody. But how can we keep our minds young?
2019x2
How the Right Tunes Can Improve Your Workout
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 07, 2019
Listening to music while you work out doesn’t just make the experience more fun—scientists have found music makes working out more effective, and could be the difference between a bronze medal and a gold.
2019x3
Does Sensory Deprivation Really Help You Think?
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 10, 2019
Sensory deprivation tanks have grown in popularity recently, and while the research is not extensive, scientists have found some positive effects from spending some time without so much stimulation.
2019x4
Your Favorite Food May Have Been Decided Before Birth
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 14, 2019
If you’re a huge fan of garlic, it turns out your time in the womb might be at least partly responsible!
2019x5
Why Does Music Make You Emotional?
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 17, 2019
We all know that music tugs at our heartstrings. But the question of why music gives us the feels is a trickier one, and it’s something psychologists have been investigating for a long time.
2019x6
Do These Eyes Freak You Out?
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 21, 2019
If gigantic googly eyes make you want to run away, it’s because you are responding to a supernormal stimulus. But what is it, and why our brain responds to it?
2019x7
How to Clear Your Mind
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 24, 2019
Your brain is hard-wired to do all sorts of things when you are not consciously thinking about something. But just because it’s normal for your mind to wander doesn’t mean that it’s .. show full overview
2019x8
How to Get to Know Yourself in a Healthy Way
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 28, 2019
Self-reflection could link to negative feelings, but it could also be helpful if you know how to avoid those pitfalls. So let’s learn how self-reflection works and get to know yourself in a healthy way!
2019x9
Babies are Surprisingly Smart
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 31, 2019
Before they can walk or talk, infants start to do all sorts of cognitive feats that seem awfully smart for a baby.
2019x10
Does Depression Make You More Realistic?
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 04, 2019
Popular culture has occasionally touched on the idea that people with depression are more objective judges of the world around them, but research has shown that’s not necessarily true.
2019x11
The Real Secret to Fighting Peer Pressure
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 07, 2019
The advice "Just Say No" may not always work, but knowing the psychology behind peer pressure can help you maintain control when you’re experiencing it.
2019x12
How Much Does Your 'Type' Really Matter?
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 11, 2019
Everybody has their own preferences for ideal romantic partners. But what affects you when you decide your “type," and do those types even matter?
2019x13
You're More Likeable Than You Think!
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 14, 2019
Meeting new people is exciting, but also kind of overwhelming and you might have found yourself wondering if they really liked you. But turns out, they do really like you most of the time, and you might be just too hard on yourself.
2019x14
The Magic of Being "In the Zone"
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 18, 2019
When you feel like you can get so much done, and nobody can stop you, you might be experiencing what psychologists call "flow." But what’s actually happening to your brain when you're in that state?
2019x15
The Problem With Those 9 Personality Types
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 21, 2019
The Enneagram, like many personality tests, isn't well backed-up by scientific research, but its popularity in spite of that can give us a window into how the human mind works.
2019x16
The Research-Backed Secrets to Getting Inspired
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 25, 2019
Inspiration can be a hard thing to pin down, but scientists actually have found evidence-backed ways to encourage it to happen!
2019x17
Why Do Depression and Anxiety Go Together?
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 28, 2019
Even though depression and anxiety are different types of disorders, they tend to go together. But why can it happen?
2019x18
Why You Have That Little, Lying Voice in Your Head
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 04, 2019
If you feel something inside you say, “I really don’t think you’re strong enough,” you don’t necessarily have to trust that little voice—it might not know you as well as you think it does.
2019x19
Can You Give Yourself a Better Sense of Direction?
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 07, 2019
Some of us can’t navigate anywhere without a GPS - but are we doomed to a life of directional bewilderment? Or is there hope for us yet?
2019x20
How to Turn Anxiety Into Excitement
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 11, 2019
Sometimes excitement can feel more like anxiety, and it turns out that they aren't that unrelated. Understanding the automatic reaction in our brains and changing our interpretation of .. show full overview
2019x21
How The Famous "Marshmallow Test" Got Willpower Wrong
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 14, 2019
You may know about The Marshmallow Test, a popular psychological exam to see if people have willpower, but psychologists found that it might not be measuring willpower after all.
2019x22
Why Athletes Choke Under Pressure
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 18, 2019
Even the most skilled athletes, musicians, and performers can make mistakes on relatively simple tasks, so what’s happening in our brains when we choke, and is there something we can do to overcome these moments?
2019x23
How to Form a Habit
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 21, 2019
We all have habits we’d love to make or break. Understanding exactly what a habit is might be the best way to start making them work for you.
2019x24
The Future Of Depression Treatment
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 25, 2019
Dealing with depression is not easy, and the most common treatments don’t work for everyone. Could biomarkers be the key to finding more treatment options?
2019x25
The Surprising Benefits of Watching Cute Cat Videos
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 28, 2019
If you are feeling stuck, you might get benefits to be better at the task by watching cute animal videos.
2019x26
Why Perfectionism Isn’t as Good as You Think
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 01, 2019
People often think of perfectionism as a good thing, but it’s more than just a strong desire to do something well, and it can actually be a risk factor for several clinical disorders.
2019x27
Why Baby Talk Is Good for Babies
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 04, 2019
You may have heard that using baby talk is bad for children’s language development, but research seems to show the exact opposite.
2019x28
Psychology Hacks to Become a Better Teacher (or Student!)
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 08, 2019
If you are a teacher who is trying to make new lesson plans, or a student trying to learn more, we have some psychology hacks for you!
2019x29
Why You Really Love That Wobbly Table
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 11, 2019
Multiple studies have shown that people assign a higher value to something they "made" themselves, even if they only picked out the color or tightened a few screws. Why does that happen? Psychologists have a few theories.
2019x30
Why Can't We Figure Out What Causes Chemo Brain?
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 15, 2019
Chemotherapy can make patients much more forgetful than normal, but pinning down the cause of and solution to this phenomenon is an ongoing process.
2019x31
Is The Mirror Test Just a Reflection of Human Nature?
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 18, 2019
The mirror test is supposed to be a way to figure out when an animal is self-aware, but there might be only one particular animal this test works well on: humans.
2019x32
When Everything Feels Like a Dream - Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 22, 2019
It's not rare to feel like we're dreaming, even right after we wake up, but when it sticks around for longer than it should, it can merit its own diagnosis: .. show full overview
2019x33
Why Depression Isn't Just a Chemical Imbalance
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 25, 2019
Depression is a common disorder, and though it might seem like we’ve got it figured out, what it is and how to treat it is actually way more complicated than we think.
2019x34
Can You Become a Morning Person?
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 29, 2019
If you know someone who can’t start their morning without 3 cups of coffee, don’t assume they frequently stay out late partying—it’s probably genetics.
2019x35
Are Sympathy Pains Real?
Episode overview
Air date
May 02, 2019
Some people can truly feel other people’s pain! But even if you aren't someone who can literally feel someone else’s sensations, your connections with people can still do some powerful things.
2019x36
Will Learning Another Language Make You Smarter?
Episode overview
Air date
May 06, 2019
People used to say being bilingual was bad for your brain. Now, we know that's not true—but does it actually make you smarter?
2019x37
What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?
Episode overview
Air date
May 09, 2019
Neurofeedback therapy claims to help you change behaviors by monitoring your brain waves - but how does that actually work? And what does the science behind it look like?
2019x38
The Not-So-Silver Lining: When Positive Thinking Backfires
Episode overview
Air date
May 13, 2019
There are a multitude of books and motivational speakers that insist that anyone can think their way to happiness, but that advice really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
2019x39
Can You Really Change Your Personality?
Episode overview
Air date
May 15, 2019
Your personality is often treated as an immutable part of who you are, but while changing it is difficult, it’s certainly not impossible.
2019x40
What Really Happened to Phineas Gage?
Episode overview
Air date
May 20, 2019
In 1848, Phineas Gage survived a seemingly unsurvivable injury to his brain, but the tale of that event has become quite colorful, and inaccurate, in many cases. So, what REALLY happened to Phineas Gage?
2019x41
Why Do We Still Teach Freud If He Was So Wrong?
Episode overview
Air date
May 23, 2019
Freud is one of the most famous psychologists ever, but a lot of the things he taught are just… well, wrong. So why do we still spend so much time talking about this dude in psychology classes?
2019x42
Statistics Say Screens Aren't Destroying Today's Teens
Episode overview
Air date
May 27, 2019
Looking around, you might think it’s obvious that the abundance of screens and social media are ruining our lives, but what does the research actually tell us?
2019x43
Groups That Chant Together, Stay Together
Episode overview
Air date
May 30, 2019
If you've ever been part of a huge crowd, like at a sporting event, you've probably seen people clap, sing, and chant together in sync. How do big groups of individuals all manage to do .. show full overview
2019x44
Why Eating Disorders Are Way More Common Than You Think
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 03, 2019
Eating disorders are very serious psychological conditions that can also be very dangerous - and they are much more common than you think.
2019x45
When People Get Different Accents
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 06, 2019
What if one day you woke up and were suddenly speaking with a completely new accent from somewhere you’ve never lived? It sounds like a movie plot, but this rare condition is known as foreign accent syndrome.
2019x46
Why Are Feelings So Complicated?! - Compilation
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 10, 2019
Emotions are really complicated and interesting, which is why we’ve talked about them a lot here on SciShow Psych. In fact, we’ve talked about them so much that we’ve made a compilation of our favorite emotion-related videos!
2019x47
What Do Mirror Neurons Really Do?
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 17, 2019
Mirror neurons are a very cool part of our brains but some people are taking it way further by making claims that they are responsible for telepathy and ESP. It goes without saying that this isn’t true, but what exactly do mirror neurons really do?
2019x48
How We Manipulate Our Brains With Electricity
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 20, 2019
Obviously, you can’t just plant a chip in someone’s head and start manipulating their thoughts and behavior, but doctors and scientists CAN use electricity to activate or inhibit certain .. show full overview
2019x49
What Psychologists Can Tell You About Ghosting
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 24, 2019
Ghosting is when someone terminates a relationship by ending communications abruptly and without explanation. Whether or not you'd consider ghosting someone might have a lot to do with how you view relationships in general.
2019x50
Alcohol Can Enhance Creativity—But at a Cost
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 27, 2019
As some say, "write drunk, and edit sober," many writers and artists use alcohol to try to get their creative juices flowing. But can alcohol really help to be more creative?
2019x51
What People Get Wrong About Schizophrenia
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 01, 2019
This is a re-upload of a previous episode. It was brought to our attention that a portion of the video in which we simulated schizophrenic symptoms for the viewer could potentially be .. show full overview
2019x52
Can You Actually Become More Emotionally Intelligent?
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 04, 2019
Emotional Intelligence is something that’s talked about more and more in management and professional development courses. It seems like this ability is important — which means that some researchers have tried to see if you can get better at it.
2019x53
Houseplants Can (Probably) Make You Happier
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 08, 2019
Houseplants are great for decoration and cute Instagram pictures - plus they make for pretty chill roommates. As if that wasn’t enough, there is actually some evidence that houseplants can also be good for your mental health.
2019x54
How (and Why) to Find Your Life's Purpose
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 11, 2019
What is the meaning of life? It’s a question as old as our species, and today we’ll take a look at what purpose really means from a psychological perspective, as well as offer up a few tips on how to find yours.
2019x55
The Stroop Task: The Psych Test You Cannot Beat
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 15, 2019
The task sounds like it should be pretty easy, but the Stroop task is a fantastic, and very well studied, example of how your brain’s automatic processing can trip you up!
2019x56
Why Can I Hear This .gif?
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 18, 2019
Certain people can hear particular animated gifs despite them containing no audio information, and scientists have some leads on what might cause this seemingly impossible phenomenon.
2019x57
Is Your Dog As Smart As A Two Year Old?
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 22, 2019
You’ve heard that dogs are basically furry toddlers, with cognitive abilities on par with a 2 year old human. But while that might make sense on some levels, the minds of distinct species can work very differently.
2019x58
Why Do We Go All In on Lost Causes?
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 25, 2019
We've all experienced the sunk cost fallacy: when you are deep into a task and tell yourself that you’ve come this far, so you may as well finish it. We do this even if it's no longer logical to finish. So why do we do it?
2019x59
Kids Aren't As Gullible As You Think
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 29, 2019
Kids get so excited to meet their favorite characters in real life, but studies show they might not really believe the the princess they met at a theme park is actually the cartoon character.
2019x60
Where Are All the Women with ADHD?
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 01, 2019
For a long time, most people saw ADHD as “a boy thing.” Today, that mindset has started to shift, but even now, studies report that males get diagnosed significantly more often than females. So, what’s going on?
2019x61
The FOMO Is Real — But You Can Overcome It
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 05, 2019
FOMO (the fear of missing out) is a fairly common phenomenon, especially in this digital age. It can cause you significant stress and anxiety, but luckily psychologists have come up with a few tricks to combat it.
2019x62
The Dark Side of Needing Closure
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 08, 2019
Seeking closure is normally a good thing, but it also has a dark side. And if you’re not careful, chasing after it could set you up for some pretty bad decisions.
2019x63
Why Is Riding a Bike "Just Like Riding a Bike?"
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 12, 2019
Even if it's in a while not riding a bike, you could probably ride it again without going through the training wheel phase. It’s because our brains do some fascinating works to store those memories.
2019x64
Heads-Up: Depression Isn't the Only Postpartum Disorder
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 15, 2019
Having a kid does some weird things to the brain, and that can lead to or aggravate all kinds of psychiatric conditions.
2019x65
Are We Inherently Good?
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 19, 2019
Conventional wisdom might have you believe that human beings only really start showing empathy after a few years of learning social norms and morals. However, some research suggests that .. show full overview
2019x66
Spelunking in the Uncanny Valley
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 22, 2019
With all the CGI cat-humans going around on the internet these days, it’s hard to deny the sense of yikes known as the uncanny valley. But what exactly is this phenomenon, and why do we feel it when we do?
2019x67
Why We Like Bad News
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 26, 2019
Even if we say we prefer good news, we're wired to pay more attention to bad news. And while it might feel like the world is becoming a more scary, dangerous place, many things are .. show full overview
2019x68
You Don't Know Yourself as Well as You Think
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 29, 2019
How people assess their abilities doesn't often line up well with how they objectively perform. However, there does seem to be a good reason for this, as well as a way that people can get better.
2019x69
What Do We Actually Know About Depression? - Compilation
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 02, 2019
One of the topic that we've talked about the most is depression. It is a really complicated subject, so we’ve put together some of our episodes about depression to hopefully help you understand more about it.
2019x70
The Good Behavior Game
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 09, 2019
There's not a lot of tried and true ways to get a rowdy classroom in control, with the exception of the Good Behavior Game. But there's one big caveat as to who it helps.
2019x71
There's More Than One Bipolar Disorder
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 12, 2019
There are a number of stereotypes about bipolar disorder, but they stray pretty far from what the reality is—especially since there are multiple subtypes that all have their own sets of symptoms.
2019x72
What "Alien Abductions" Say About Our Brains
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 16, 2019
You’re on the internet, so you probably know that people sometimes claim to have been abducted by aliens. When researchers start to look closely at these stories and where they come .. show full overview
2019x73
We Don't Know How To Type
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 19, 2019
"When we type, our brain is doing most of the work without our conscious input. So you can blame your brain for al teh typsos."
2019x74
What Slot Machines Can Tell Us About our Brains
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 23, 2019
The rise of lootboxes in video games has led to numerous investigations seeking to establish just how close to gambling they are. While the science behind lootboxes is only just .. show full overview
2019x75
We Totally Missed a Different Kind of Dementia for Decades
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 26, 2019
A key part of treating a disorder, is identifying what it's not. It turns out what we thought was one form of dementia may be multiple problems.
2019x76
Can These Psychology Strategies Prevent Bullying?
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 30, 2019
Bullying is a serious problem that can affect children’s mental health. But with these psychology strategies, teachers and parents might be able to prevent bullying at school.
2019x77
How to Take the Best Notes, According to Psychology
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 03, 2019
It's the beginning of a new semester! We have some psychological tips that can help you to take better notes.
2019x78
Why Tickle Fights Aren't Just for Kids
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 07, 2019
If you feel down, or need a quick happy boost, a friendly tickle fight might help you out!
2019x79
How Basic Psychology Can Save Kids' Lives
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 10, 2019
Knowing a few things about human psychology can help us avoid some of the thousands of accidents that injure or kill children around the world every year.
2019x80
The Most Common Eating Disorder You've Never Heard Of
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 14, 2019
When you think about an eating disorder, you might imagine restricting or purging food. But the most common eating disorder has nothing to do with either of those, and chances are you’ve never heard of it.
2019x81
If You're Reading This, You've Reshaped Your Brain
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 17, 2019
With hard work and perseverance, we can change the way we process the world, and if you’ve learned how to read, you’ve successfully re-trained an entire area of your brain!
2019x82
Want to Speak a Foreign Language Better? Have a Drink
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 21, 2019
Drinking could help you master the complexities of speaking a new language, and might actually help you memorize your flashcards!
2019x83
The Bizarre Link Between Blindness and Schizophrenia
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 24, 2019
You might have heard that supposedly, no one who was born blind has ever been diagnosed with schizophrenia. But if that’s true, how those two conditions so closely related to each other?
2019x84
Is Your Brain Ready for Mars?
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 28, 2019
Thanks to science and technology, our dream to go to Mars has almost come true! But are our brains ready for it yet?
2019x85
Why Do Our Brains Have Distinct Hemispheres?
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 31, 2019
We used to think having a distinct left and right brain was something unique to humans. But brain lateralization has now been found in everything from chickens to spiders! Does this change our theories for why some brains work that way?
2019x86
Why Diet Might Be a Big Deal for Mental Health
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 04, 2019
Mental health is super complicated. And many things, from your genetics to your environment, can affect it. But what you EAT might be having a big impact on your mental health, too.
2019x87
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 07, 2019
Your head feels too big and things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Did you step through the looking glass or is it a super rare neurological condition?
2019x88
The Science Behind the Pimple Popping Phenomenon
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 11, 2019
For some reason, popping pimples gives many people a satisfying rush - but why? And why is there a whole television show dedicated to watching other people do it?!
2019x89
Mental Health Apps: How Medicine Can Keep Up With Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 14, 2019
There are thousands of mental health apps out there claiming to do everything from easing insomnia to treating PTSD symptoms, but are those really effective?
2019x90
The Very Real Consequences of Weight Discrimination
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 18, 2019
Weight discrimination has very real health consequences, especially when some of the most common perpetrators are medical professionals.
2019x91
How Close Are We to Growing Brains in a Dish?
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 21, 2019
You may have heard about a study where researchers were able to grow lumps of neural tissue that showed measurable activity – a little bit like an actual brain. Are scientists trying to .. show full overview
2019x92
How Stores Try to Manipulate Your Senses to Sell You Stuff
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 25, 2019
For those of you looking to go out and actually do your holiday shopping in a store, you might want to be wary of the tricks businesses may use to encourage more spending.
2019x93
'Tis The Season for Snuggles: The Psychology of Cuffing Season
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 28, 2019
It’s wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere, which means cold weather, shorter days, and… new relationships? It’s known as cuffing season, and there are actual psychological reasons you .. show full overview
2019x94
This Common Drug Could Stop You from Developing PTSD
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 02, 2019
About 10% of people who go through a traumatic experience end up developing PTSD. But one of the most common medications might actually be able to prevent it before PTSD develops.
2019x95
How Psychology Can Explain the Deadly Medieval Dancing Plagues
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 05, 2019
From the 1200s through the 1600s, parts of Europe were afflicted with deadly, mysterious outbreaks of seemingly contagious, unstoppable dancing. While it's still unclear exactly why .. show full overview
2019x96
Why Do So Many People Fall for Robocalls and E-mail Scams?
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 09, 2019
Many robocalls and email scams are super blatantly obvious. Yet every year, people lose billions of dollars to these frauds - and the reasons why may be more psychologically devious than you think.
2019x97
Why Are Some People So Bad at Singing?
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 12, 2019
“Singing badly” doesn’t just mean someone might be tone-deaf. In some cases, it’s more than just not being able to carry the right tune, and it just might be because of a condition called congenital amusia.
2019x98
When Your Brain Can't Accept Reality: Anosognosia
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 16, 2019
If patients seem to be unaware of their obvious conditions and symptoms, it might not be that they're in denial, but their brain might actually prevent them from realizing their disabilities.
2019x99
The Surprising Connection Between Reading and Rhythm
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 19, 2019
You might know of dyslexia as a reading disorder, but years of research suggests that people with dyslexia might struggle with processing letters because they also have trouble processing rhythm.
2019x100
When Procrastination Isn't So Bad
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 23, 2019
It turns out that there are actually different kinds of procrastinators and sometimes, what feels like procrastination might actually be an adaptive way to get work done efficiently.
2019x101 Season finale
Psychology Hacks to Help Your New Year's Resolutions | Compilation
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 30, 2019
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