916 posts by Sarah

He Can Tell A Lot About You Just by Listening to the Words You Choose.

Have you ever ran into someone who constantly talked about themselves? Every sentence seemed to begin with "I," for example. You probably make assumptions about what that person is like based on the way they excessively drop the word "I" into conversation. But did you know there are 180 words in the English language that giveaway a little bit about a person's identity. Intriguing, right? If you think so too, you need to listen to Dr.James Pennebaker. Dr.Pennebaker is a Social Psycholog...

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How Do Virtual Spaces Change Your Identity?

Have you ever noticed that people tend to "exaggerate" how good their lives are on Facebook? Have you ever wondered if someone photoshopped their Instagram selfie? What about avatars in a video game? When you play against someone, do you expect their on screen character looks like they do in real life? Dr.Ulrike Schulze has studied at length how we present ourselves online. Dr. Schultze is an associate professor in information technology at Southern Methodist University whose research ...

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Can You Really Trust Your Memories?

Have you ever been talking to a friend or family member and realized you had slightly different memories of the same event? Or have you ever made a claim in a conversation that you were certain were true and then later encountered facts that disproved your belief? Elizabeth Loftus can tell you a little bit about what's going on. Dr. Loftus is a cognitive psychologist who has conducted extensive research on human memory. She is well known for her groundbreaking work on the "misinfo...

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Why Do Some People Develop Strong Bonds While Others Don’t?

Have you ever wondered why you bond with some people more than others? It is probably related to the specific things you do together. In this week's podcast, I talk to Dr.Robin Dunbar who has studied how laughing, singing, drumming, watching sad movies, and other activities create bonds between people. Dr.Dunbar earned his PhD at Bristol University, before going to Cambridge to complete an Advanced Research Fellowship. He has held research and teaching posts at Stockholm University, ...

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You’re Not Born With Confidence, You Have to Build It

When we meet someone who stands out as confident or likeable, we may assume they were just "born that way." They must have a naturally strong or outgoing personality, we tell ourselves. But in today’s podcast episode with Dr.Ivan Joseph, he explains why this assumption is off base and how each of us can grow our confidence. Dr.Joseph is an educator, award wining performance coach, and a seasoned speaker. He is passionate about helping others build self confidence. Dr.Joseph is ...

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