SciShow Psych

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  • : 398
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  • YouTube
  • 15
  • Documentary

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2017
2017x1
Is Psychology a Science?
Episode overview
Psychology research can be tricky, because brains are complicated. But does that mean it isn't a science?
2017x2
Are Fandoms Good or Unhealthy Obsessions?
Episode overview
Internet fandoms can get... sort of intense, but is an unwavering devotion to your Hogwarts house an unhealthy fixation or a way to reach out to others and engage in the world around you?
2017x3
Can You Really Multitask?
Episode overview
You can read a book while watching SciShow on your laptop, so you might think you are multitasking, but can you really multitask?
2017x4
Your Most Vivid Memories Aren't As Accurate As You Think
Episode overview
We all have memories that seem like they happened yesterday, but can you really trust them?
2017x5
How Harry Potter Turns You Into A Wizard
Episode overview
Have you ever read Harry Potter and wished that you were a student at Hogwarts, studying magic with Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Well, your wish might have partially come true, without you knowing it.
2017x6
Do Doorways Actually Make Us Forget Things?
Episode overview
Have you ever forgotten why you walked into a room? Turns out it's just your brain doing its job.
2017x7
Does Meditation Really Affect Your Brain?
Episode overview
You might think of meditation as just a New Age trend, but it may actually benefit your brain!
2017x8
How Do Babies Become Bilingual?
Episode overview
Have you ever seen a kid talk to her friends in English, but to her mom in Spanish? Learning a second language can be really hard for adults, so how do bilingual babies learn two at the same time?
2017x9
How Your Memory Can Be Tricked
Episode overview
Do you remember what you did a week before today? And are you sure you actually did that instead of dreaming it up? Our memory can be tricked easily. But how? Hank explains how your memories can be tricked.
2017x10
Does Color Really Affect How You Act?
Episode overview
The Internet has a lot to say about how color affects our mood and behavior, but it's not as cut and dry as it may sound.
2017x11
You Don't Have as Much Control as You Think You Do
Episode overview
Like a scene from a horror film, you are in a elevator, you push the close button —Hurry! The murderer is coming at you! However, again you push the close button, the door won’t close! .. show full overview
2017x12
How Well Do You Know Your Own Hand?
Episode overview
Tricking your brain isn't just fun—it can be therapeutic, too!
2017x13
Do Freudian Slips Mean Anything?
Episode overview
Freudian slips are actually an artifact of how your brain processes language!
2017x14
Impostor Syndrome: You're Doing Better Than You Think
Episode overview
Have you ever doubted yourself and felt like you don't deserve your job or that college acceptance letter? Well, you're not alone!
2017x15
Are Violent Video Games Bad For You?
Episode overview
You might have heard that playing violent video games makes people more aggressive, but is it true or is it just a myth?
2017x16
Do Personality Tests Mean Anything?
Episode overview
Like most quizzes on the internet, personality tests aren't what you would call "reliable."
2017x17
Does IQ Really Measure How Smart You Are?
Episode overview
People say Einstein had an IQ of 160, and you need an IQ score higher than 130 to join Mensa. But does IQ really measure how intelligent you are?
2017x18
How Stereotypes Affect Your Test Scores
Episode overview
It turns out stereotypes can affect you—whether you believe in them or not.
2017x19
How Your Friends Can Affect Your Opinions
Episode overview
The people around you have a lot more to do with how you think than you might realize.
2017x20
Why Does a Word Sometimes Lose All Meaning?
Episode overview
You may have experienced this before: When you repeat the same word over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, the words suddenly sound foreign and lose all meaning, but why?
2017x21
Does Birth Order Affect Your Personality?
Episode overview
I bet you’ve heard about the birth order cliche: The oldest child is responsible, the middle one is a rebel, and the youngest is spoiled. This stereotype might apply to you and your siblings, but is it universal?
2017x22
Is There An fMRI Crisis?
Episode overview
As technology becomes more complex, it's easier for things to go wrong.
2017x23
Do You Do More Housework Than Your Roommate?
Episode overview
You do way more housework than your slob of a roommate, right? Well, turns out your roommate might think you're the slob. Our brains are just wired that way.
2017x24
Tasting Colors and Seeing Time: Superhuman Skills with Synesthesia
Episode overview
Synesthesia allows people to hear color or taste numbers—and maybe even remember some things better than the average person.
2017x25
Why Do We Hate Losing So Much?
Episode overview
Whether people are gambling, haggling, or just doing their best to save lives out there, losing is tough to deal with.
2017x26
What Can You Learn from Your Dreams?
Episode overview
Dreaming is very weird, but you might be able to learn something from your dreams.
2017x27
Why Do People Riot?
Episode overview
Peaceful protests can help people have their voices heard, but sometimes a protest becomes a more aggressive riot. How does that happen?
2017x28
How Far Will People Go to Fit In?
Episode overview
Have you ever gone along with a group even though you had your doubts? You're not alone: Research shows unanimous decisions aren't always actually unanimous.
2017x29
Why Do You Want to Squeeze Cute Things?
Episode overview
The aggressive urges you might have when you see adorable things are probably related to the way you handle strong emotions.
2017x30
Why Don't You Notice Obvious Mistakes in Movies?
Episode overview
Whether it's a car in the background of Braveheart or the inconsistent cliff in Jurassic Park, movies tend to have mistakes. Why don't we notice them more often?
2017x31
How Do You Define A Disorder?
Episode overview
The tremendous complexity of the human brain makes it difficult for psychologists to pin down exactly how and why things go wrong, so how do we define and diagnose disorders?
2017x32
Does Photographic Memory Exist?
Episode overview
Don't you think it would be nice if you had a photographic memory? But is it actually a thing?
2017x33
Factitious Disorder: Why People Fake Serious Illness
Episode overview
You might have faked being sick to avoid doing something unpleasant. However, for people with the factitious disorder, faking illness isn’t quite so straightforward.
2017x34
Harlow's Horrifying Monkey Experiments
Episode overview
Dr. Harry Harlow's rhesus monkey experiments in the 1950s contributed a great deal to psychologists' understanding of attachment theory. Unfortunately, his later experiments also contributed a great deal to the need for ethics regulations.
2017x35
Can You Use Electricity to Supercharge Your Brain? | tDCS
Episode overview
tDCS devices claim to stimulate your brain and have psychological benefits, but do they really work?
2017x36
Do Fidget Spinners Really Help You Focus?
Episode overview
Earlier this year, fidget spinners claimed their place as the hot new fad of 2017. Some people, however, claim that fidget toys could help people manage symptoms of anxiety and ADHD.
2017x37
Why Colleges Used to Take Nude Photos of Their Students
Episode overview
The first week of school can be uncomfortable enough as you adjust to a new situation, but it was probably even worse back when schools made you strip down for a nude photo shoot—even if they thought they had a good reason for it.
2017x38
Why Do Some People Take More Risks?
Episode overview
You decide to do something dangerous or stupid, and somewhere in your mind you know it’s risky, but you do it anyway. But why?
2017x39
The Unexpected Benefits (and Risks) of Nostalgia
Episode overview
Psychologists consider nostalgia a complex emotion and it may have both benefits and risks.
2017x40
Do You Have an Unconscious Mind?
Episode overview
Much like the biological processes in the rest of your body, a lot of your brain's psychological processes happen without you thinking directly about them—or even being aware of them.
2017x41
What Makes A Meme Go Viral?
Episode overview
Lots of funny and iconic memes arrive suddenly and overwhelmingly in our internet life, but what's the science behind why those memes go viral?
2017x42
Why Do Some People Love Horror Movies?
Episode overview
Fear is strong negative feeling and a good way for our brains to keep us out of danger, so why do some people seek it out by watching horror movies?
2017x43
How Pictures of Eyes Change the Way You Act
Episode overview
At some point, you may have noticed a poster or photo with eyes on it hanging somewhere public. What you probably didn't notice is the effect that picture has on your brain.
2017x44
Why Are We Attracted to People Who Look Like Us?
Episode overview
It's always a little weird when a couple looks like they could be related, but Brit explains the science behind why it's not totally creepy! It involves percentages and kind of uncomfortable rating systems!
2017x45
Why Are Celebrity Crushes So Intense?
Episode overview
Your love for Rihanna or Tom Hardy may be unrequited, but that doesn't necessarily make it unhealthy.
2017x46
What Do Different Brainwaves Mean?
Episode overview
The neurons in your brain don't just fire off randomly—they fire in various patterns called neural oscillations. But what do these different brainwaves mean?
2017x47
Toxoplasmosis: How Parasites in Your Cat Can Infect Your Brain
Episode overview
"Crazy cat lady" stereotypes or not, there could be some actual psychological risks from hanging around so many kitties… if just one of them is harboring the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
2017x48
How Swearing Can Help With Pain
Episode overview
If you've ever been chastised for erupting into profanity after stubbing your toe in the middle of the night, science has your back on this one.
2017x49
Why Do We Talk to Ourselves?
Episode overview
Do you mumble to yourself while looking for your keys, or pump yourself up in the morning with a bathroom mirror pep talk? It may actually be helpful—but only if you do it right.
2017x50
Are Power Poses Super Life Hacks or Super Junk?
Episode overview
Your body language can communicate a lot of information to other people, but can striking a power pose revolutionize your life?
2017x51
How Do People Develop a Stutter?
Episode overview
Kings, scientists, and musicians alike have all been known to stutter. It can make speaking in front of crowds even more nerve-wracking, but is anxiety the root cause? Spoiler: probably not.
2017x52
When Does Your Brain Stop Developing?
Episode overview
How do you define adulthood? It's a difficult question because that delicate brain of yours stays squishy well after you start paying your own rent.
2017x53
Why Are We Loyal to Certain Brands?
Episode overview
Why do people often buy the same brands over and over again?
2017x54
4 Common Misconceptions About Antidepressants, Debunked
Episode overview
Mental health is incredibly complex, due in no small part to the complicated interactions of chemicals and neuroreceptors in our brains. Here are four common misconceptions about antidepressants, and what the science behind them actually shows.
2017x55
Gaslighting: Abuse That Makes You Question Reality
Episode overview
The term "gaslighting" has gained popularity in recent years, but what exactly does it entail?
2017x56
This Illusion Might Not Work Depending on Where You're From
Episode overview
Optical illusions are a fun way to play with the way your brain interprets what your eyes see, but if some of them don't work for you, it might be because of where you live.
2017x57
How Ads (and People) Persuade You
Episode overview
If you can recognize when you're being persuaded, it's a lot easier to make sure your opinions are actually your own.
2017x58
Why Do We Sigh?
Episode overview
A sigh is often taken to be a sign of sadness, but it can indicate a lot more than that—or a lot less.
2017x59
How Being Sick Changes Your Brain
Episode overview
When you’re sick you just want to be left alone. Sometimes that’s because you physically can’t move, but other times, it might have more to do with the way your immune system is connected to your brain.
2017x60
Why Is That Baby Staring at Me?
Episode overview
That baby is staring at you, and you don't know why. Something in your teeth? Did you accidentally leave a tag on your clothes? Don't worry—that baby probably just likes your face.
2017x61
Why We Don't Like to Wait
Episode overview
It can be frustrating to get stuck in line somewhere with no end to your wait in sight, but what about waiting is it that gets under our skin?
2017x62
What We Still Don't Know About Stockholm Syndrome
Episode overview
Stockholm Syndrome has become a pop culture cliché, but the truth behind it is a little more complicated than TV might have you believe.
2017x63
What Makes Satisfying Videos Satisfying?
Episode overview
You might have stumbled onto those videos of people cutting sand for 10 minutes or of machines doing a repetitive task and felt an odd sense of satisfaction while watching them. Today, we look at the psychology behind those "oddly satisfying" videos.
2017x64
How to Learn While You Sleep
Episode overview
You may not be able to unlock all the secrets of the universe while you snooze, but it's still possible to reinforce what you've already learned.
2017x65
Why We Hate the Word 'Moist'
Episode overview
SciShow Psych tackles the science behind what might be one of the most hated words in the English language: moist.
2017x66
What Makes Something Funny?
Episode overview
It's said that the quickest way to kill a joke is to explain it, but scientists are still interested in finding out just what tickles our brains and makes us find something funny.
2017x67
What Causes Near-Death Experiences?
Episode overview
The light at the end of the tunnel, the peacefulness, your life flashing before your eyes—it's all been documented thoroughly in pop culture. What usually gets left out, though, are the .. show full overview
2017x68
The Hidden Biases in WEIRD Psychology Research
Episode overview
Psychology studies can be really skewed by the WEIRD population (western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic). Why does this hidden bias exist?
2017x69
Why Are We Afraid of the Dark?
Episode overview
Lots of kids are afraid of the dark, and some adults still can't stand sleeping in the complete darkness. But why are we afraid of it?
2017x70
Can Trauma Be Inherited?
Episode overview
Trauma doesn't just affect the person who originally experienced it. It can also be passed down to their children and grandchildren.
2017x71
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Luck
Episode overview
A number of studies show that luck is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy, and you can actually create it yourself.
2017x72
Cotard's Syndrome: When People Believe They're Dead
Episode overview
What would happen if you realized that you've died, but your friends and family don't seem to notice? Well, they might point out that no, you're not dead—you just might have Cotard's Syndrome.
2017x73
How Restaurants Use Psychology to Make You Spend More Money
Episode overview
Restaurants have a whole bucket-load of tricks up their sleeves to get you to spend more money.
2017x74
Why Is Yawning Contagious?
Episode overview
When you see someone yawn, you’re probably pretty likely to follow suit. But what makes it so contagious?
2017x75
Does Giving Thanks Really Make Us Feel Good?
Episode overview
Researchers have found that the expression of gratitude gives positive effects on our both mental and physical health.
2017x76
Why We're OBSESSED with Pumpkin Spice
Episode overview
You may love or hate pumpkin spice, but it is undeniably an American cultural phenomenon. Luckily, science has some insight as to why this might be.
2017x77
Dyslexia: When Your Brain Makes Reading Tricky
Episode overview
While many researchers are focusing on finding a difference in brains of people with dyslexia, some new research suggests it might not just be in their brains, but in their eyes.
2017x78
Why You Can't Win an Internet Argument
Episode overview
One of the internet's favorite pastimes is arguing, but very few of those arguments ever actually go anywhere. It can be frustrating to watch, but scientists have some ideas on why things play out the way they do.
2017x79
Why You See Monsters in the Mirror
Episode overview
Staring into the mirror in a dark room can play some nasty tricks on your brain. Like many illusions, this can tell us about how your brain processes images.
2017x80
Do Psychologists Still Use Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
Episode overview
You've probably seen the pyramidal diagram of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It's straightforward enough but, it might be a bit too subjective to really measure human needs.
2017x81
How Chronic Stress Harms Your Body
Episode overview
We can’t avoid having stress, and that’s not always a bad thing. But if you are dealing with a lot of stress every day, it might cause you physical harm.
2017x82
Why Do We Get the Winter Blues? | Seasonal Affective Disorder
Episode overview
Humans may not hibernate, exactly, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're totally unaffected by the changing of seasons.
2017x83
Are Repressed Memories Real?
Episode overview
You might have heard about repressed memories on TV, but those memories aren’t always what they seem. *Content warning: description of school shooting
2017x84
Codependency: When Relationships Become Everything
Episode overview
Interpersonal relationships are important to humans, but there are also times when these relationships can be unhealthy.
2017x85
Impulse Buying: Why You Buy Stuff You Don't Need
Episode overview
You may have noticed that checkout lines often have whozits and whatzits galore, but your opinion of them mostly depends on how a couple different regions of your brain work.
2017x86
Misattribution: How We Mistake Fear for Love
Episode overview
Some emotions can feel so similar that you might mix them up and pick the wrong emotion.