Episodes
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Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already?
Weâre replaying No Stupid Questions, starting here with the very first episode, from May 17, 2020.
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How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life?
SOURCES:Jessica Alquist, professor of psychology at Texas Tech University.Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at The University of Queensland.Raymond Carver, 20th-century American short story writer and poet.Stephen Colbert, comedian and late-night TV host.Matt Damon, actor and film producer.Viktor Frankl, 20th-century Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher.Steve Heine, professor of psychology at University of British Columbia.Charles Krauthammer, journalist.Reinhold Niebuhr, 20th-century American theologian.Keanu Reeves, actor.Elisabeth Sifton, author, editor, and book publisher.RESOURCES:Start Making Sense: How Existential Psychology Can Help Us Build Meaningful Lives in Absurd Times, by Steve Heine (2025)."Learning to Love Uncertainty," by Jessica L. Alquist and Roy F. Baumeister (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024)."Confused or Curious? Openness/Intellect Predicts More Positive Interest-Confusion Relations," by Kirill Fayn, Paul J. Silvia, Egon Dejonckheere, Stijn Verdonck, and Peter Kuppens (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2019)."A Note to Readers," by Charles Krauthammer (The Washington Post, 2018)."Interest â The Curious Emotion," by Paul J. Silvia (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008).The Serenity Prayer: Faith and Politics in Times of Peace and War, by Elisabeth Sifton (2003)."Late Fragment," by Raymond Carver (A New Path to the Waterfall, 1989).Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl (1946).EXTRAS:"What Makes an Idea Interesting?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Do You Need Closure?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Secret oâ Life," by James Taylor (JT, 1977). -
Missing episodes?
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What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show.
SOURCES:Charles Darwin, 19th-century naturalist and biologist.Murray Davis, cultural sociologist.Malcolm Gladwell, journalist and author.Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.B. F. Skinner, 20th-century American psychologist.RESOURCES:Small Fry, by Lisa Brennan-Jobs (2018).Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth (2016)."Why Malcolm Gladwellâs Ideas Are So Interesting, Whether or Not Theyâre True," by Adam Grant (Quartz, 2015).David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, by Malcolm Gladwell (2013).Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, by Todd Kashdan (2009)."Interest â The Curious Emotion," by Paul J. Silvia (2008).Exploring the Psychology of Interest, by Paul J. Silvia (2006)."The Ketchup Conundrum," by Malcolm Gladwell (The New Yorker, 2004)."That's Interesting!: Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology," by Murray S. Davis (Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 1971).The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, by Charles Darwin (1872).EXTRAS:"How Do You Identify a Narcissist?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2024). -
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like youâre hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do âparasocial relationshipsâ affect your mental health?
SOURCES:Bradley Bond, professor of communication studies at the University of San Diego.John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.Joe Cobbs, professor of marketing at Northern Kentucky University.Nick Epley, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago.Katy Milkman, professor of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania.Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University.Anuj Shah, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago.RESOURCES:"Knowledge About Others Reduces Oneâs Own Sense of Anonymity," by Anuj K. Shah and Michael LaForest (Nature, 2022)."Tragic but True: How Podcasters Replaced Our Real Friends," by Rachel Aroesti (The Guardian, 2021)."The Development and Influence of Parasocial Relationships With Television Characters: A Longitudinal Experimental Test of Prejudice Reduction Through Parasocial Contact," by Bradley J. Bond (Communication Research, 2020)."A Mind like Mine: The Exceptionally Ordinary Underpinnings of Anthropomorphism," by Nicholas Epley (Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2018)."Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," by Angela Duckworth (TED, 2013)."How Soap Operas Changed the World," by Stephanie Hegarty (BBC, 2012)."The Power of TV: Cable Television and Women's Status in India," by Robert Jensen and Emily Oster (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2009).EXTRAS:"Can A.I. Companions Replace Human Connection?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Rivalry," by Tell Me Something I Don't Know (2017).Behavior Change for Good Initiative.Everything Is Alive.The Know Rivalry Project. -
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?
SOURCES:Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.David Brooks, author and opinion columnist. Andrew Grove, former C.E.O. and chairman of Intel Corporation.Kalev Leetaru, founder of the GDELT Project.Steven Maier, professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder.Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former first lady of the United States.Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard University.Amanda Ripley, journalist and author.Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.Edward Zigler, professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University.RESOURCES:"Chicken Littles Are Ruining America," by David Brooks (The Atlantic, 2024).Generations, by Jean Twenge (2023).Enlightenment Now, by Steven Pinker (2018)."The Short History of Global Living Conditions and Why It Matters That We Know It," by Max Roser (Our World in Data, 2016)."Learned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights from Neuroscience," by Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. Seligman (Psychological Review, 2016)."Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Stressor Controllability in Adolescent Rats," by Kenneth H. Kubala, John P. Christianson, Steven F. Maier, et al. (Behavioural Brain Research, 2012).The Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker (2011)."Forecasting Large-Scale Human Behavior Using Global News Media Tone in Time and Space," by Kalev Leetaru (First Monday, 2011)."Motivational Aspects of Changes in IQ Test Performance of Culturally Deprived Nursery School Children," by Edward Zigler and Earl C. Butterfield (Child Development, 1968)."Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock," by Martin E. P. Seligman and Steven F. Maier (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967).Upworthy.EXTRAS:"Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021). -
Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are todayâs young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR?
SOURCES:Neil Bradbury, professor of physiology at Rosalind Franklin University.Nicholas Carr, writer and journalist.Johann Hari, writer and journalist.Charles Howard, University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania.Felicity Huntingford, emeritus professor of functional ecology at the university of Glasgow.Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine.Rick Rubin, music producer and record executive.Herbert Simon, professor of computer science and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.RESOURCES:Uncovering Your Path: Spiritual Reflections for Finding Your Purpose, by Charles Lattimore Howard (forthcoming 2025).Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity, by Gloria Mark (2023).The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin (2023).Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention â and How to Think Deeply Again, by Johann Hari (2022)."Quibiâs Founder and CEO Explain What Went Wrong," by Jessica Bursztynsky (CNBC, 2020)."Digital Democracy Survey, Eleventh Edition," by Deloitte (2017)."Busting the Attention Span Myth," by Simon Maybin (BBC News, 2017)."Attention Span During Lectures: 8 Seconds, 10 Minutes, or More?" by Neil Bradbury (Advances in Physiology Education, 2016)."Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr (The Atlantic, 2008)."Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World," by Herbert Simon (Computers, Communications, and the Public Interest, 1971).EXTRAS:"Multitasking Doesnât Work. So Why Do We Keep Trying?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023). -
Whatâs the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age?
SOURCES:BrenĂ© Brown, research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin.Jonathan Haidt, professor of social psychology at the New York University Stern School of Business.Michael Lewis, author.Cooper McAllister, senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton.Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.RESOURCES:"âNarcissistic Abuseâ Has Gone Mainstream. But What Is It?" Abby Ellin (The Washington Post, 2024)."Development of Narcissism Across the Life Span: A Meta-Analytic Review of Longitudinal Studies," by Ulrich Orth, Samantha Krauss, and Mitja D. Back (Psychological Bulletin, 2024).The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt (2024)."America Is Obsessed With Narcissists. Is Trump to Blame?" by Charles Trepany (USA Today, 2024)."Narcissism Today: What We Know and What We Need to Learn," by Joshua D. Miller, Mitja D. Back, Donald R. Lynam, and Aidan G. C. Wright (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2021)."Egos Deflating With the Great Recession: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis and Within-Campus Analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, 1982â2016," by Jean M. Twenge, Sara H. Konrath, Cooper McAllister, et al. (Personality and Individual Differences, 2021)."Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Diagnostic and Clinical Challenges," by Eve Caligor, Kenneth N. Levy, and Frank E. Yeomans (American Journal of Psychiatry, 2015).Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled â and More Miserable Than Ever Before, by Jean Twenge (2006).Cincinnatus and the Citizen-Servant Ideal: The Roman Legend's Life, Times, and Legacy, by Michael J. Hillyard (2001).EXTRAS:"Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."Do 'Generations' Mean Anything?" by No Stupid Questions (2023)."Is Pride the Worst Sin?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis (2010). -
How many bottles of wine are regifted? Whatâs wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?
SOURCES:Joel Waldfogel, professor of strategic management & entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota.RESOURCES:âHow to Become a Truly Excellent Gift Giver,â by Eliza Brooke (Vox, 2022).âHow to Calculate a Holiday Tip for the Doorman,â by Ronda Kaysen (The New York Times, 2022).âLeast Favorite Gifts to Receive for Christmas in the United States in 2022, by Generation,â (Statista, 2022).â(Not) Giving the Same Old Song and Dance: Giversâ Misguided Concerns About Thoughtfulness and Boringness Keep Them From Repeating Gifts,â by Julian Givi (Journal of Business Research, 2020).âDoes Anyone Really Buy the Giant Car Bows You See in Every Commercial?â by Aditi Shrikant (Vox, 2018).âItâs the Motive That Counts: Perceived Sacrifice Motives and Gratitude in Romantic Relationships,â by Mariko L. Visserman, Francesca Righetti, Emily A. Impett, Dacher Keltner, and Paul A. M. Van Lange (Emotion, 2018).âWhy Certain Gifts Are Great to Give but Not to Get: A Framework for Understanding Errors in Gift Giving,â by Jeff Galak, Julian Givi, and Elanor F. Williams (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2016).âThe Girl Who Gets Gifts From Birds,â by Katy Sewall (B.B.C. News, 2015).âThe Disappointing Gift: Dispositional and Situational Moderators of Emotional Expressions,â by RenĂ©e M. Tobin and William G. Graziano (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2011).Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldnât Buy Presents for the Holidays, by Joel Waldfogel (2009).âThe Deadweight Loss of Christmas,â by Joel Waldfogel (The American Economic Review, 1993).United States Postal Service Employee Tipping and Gift-Receiving Policy.EXTRAS:âHave a Very Homo Economicus Christmas,â by Freakonomics Radio (2012). -
How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your children online? And does Angela regret talking about her daughters on the podcast?
SOURCES:Erin Carbone, visiting assistant professor of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University.Jimmy Kimmel, comedian and late-night television host.George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter.Christie Tate, essayist and author.RESOURCES:"Five Takeaways From The Timesâs Investigation Into Child Influencers," by The New York Times (2024)."Online 'Sharenting': The Dangers of Posting Sensitive Information About Children on Social Media," by Pietro Ferrara, Ignazio Cammisa, Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, et al. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2023)."Privacy Preferences and the Drive to Disclose," by Erin Carbone and George Loewenstein (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2023)."My Daughter Asked Me to Stop Writing About Motherhood. Hereâs Why I Canât Do That," by Christie Tate (The Washington Post, 2019)."When Kids Realize Their Whole Life Is Already Online," by Taylor Lorenz (The Atlantic, 2019)."'Sharenting' Puts Young at Risk of Online Fraud," by Sean Coughlan (BBC News, 2018)."Everything You Need to Know About the 'Right to be forgotten,'" fact sheet by the European Union.EXTRAS:"What Is Your Password?" by Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2015)."The Best Day," by Taylor Swift (2009). -
Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online? And why did Angela go trick-or-treating in a trash bag?
SOURCES:Hajo Adam, professor of management at the University of Bath.Marianna Cerini, journalist.Edward Diener, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Illinois.Adam Galinsky, professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School.J. Nathan Matias, assistant professor at the Cornell University Departments of Communication and Information Science.Lisa Morton, paranormal historian and author.Isaac Bashevis Singer, 20th-century Polish-American author.Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.RESOURCES:"Halloween Was Once So Dangerous That Some Cities Considered Banning It," by Christopher Klein (History, 2023)."Why Do People Sometimes Wear an Anonymous Mask? Motivations for Seeking Anonymity Online," by Lewis Nitschinsk, Stephanie J. Tobin, Deanna Varley, and Eric J. Vanman (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2023)."From Pagan Spirits to Wonder Woman: A Brief History of the Halloween Costume," by Marianna Cerini (CNN, 2020)."The Real Name Fallacy," by J.Nathan Matias (Coral, 2017)."Can Your Employees Really Speak Freely?" by James R. Detert and Ethan Burris (Harvard Business Review, 2016)."'Mask Index' Helps Predict Election Day Outcome," by Adriana Diaz (CBS Evening News, 2016)."Enclothed Cognition," by Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2012)."Effects of Deindividuation Variables on Stealing Among Halloween Trick-or-Treaters," by Edward Diener, Scott C. Fraser, Arthur L. Beaman, and Roger T. Kelem (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976)."The Human Choice: Individuation, Reason, and Order Versus Deindividuation, Impulse, and Chaos," by Philip G. Zimbardo (Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 1969).EXTRAS:"What Is Evil?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."How to Maximize Your Halloween Candy Haul," by Freakonomics Radio (2012). -
Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? Whatâs the difference between an excuse and a justification? And why is it important to remember that youâre not a pizzeria on the Jersey Shore?
SOURCES:Robert Cialdini, professor of psychology at Arizona State University.Raymond Higgins, professor emeritus of psychology at University of Kansas.Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Rick Snyder, professor emeritus of psychology at University of Kansas.RESOURCES:"âExplain, but Make No Excusesâ: Service Recovery After Public Service Failures," by Matthias Döring (Public Management Review, 2022)."To Justify or Excuse?: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Explanations," by John C. Shaw, Eric Wild, and Jason A. Colquitt (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2003)."Excuses: Their Effective Role in the Negotiation of Reality," by C. R. Snyder and Raymond L. Higgins (Psychological Bulletin, 1988)."The Attributional Style Questionnaire," by Christopher Peterson, Amy Semmel, Carl von Baeyer, Lyn Y. Abramson, Gerald I. Metalsky, and Martin E. P. Seligman (Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1982).EXTRAS:"How Can You Convince Someone Theyâre Wrong?" by No Stupid Questions (2021)."Under the Boardwalk," song by The Drifters (1964). -
Whatâs wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do volunteer work to pad their resumes? And why is Angela stopping women in public parks to compliment them?
SOURCES:Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.Geoffrey Goodwin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Jon Huntsman, politician, diplomat, and businessman.Immanuel Kant, 18th-century German philosopher.Emrys Westacott, professor of philosophy at Alfred University.RESOURCES:"How Inferred Motives Shape Moral Judgements," by Ryan W. Carlson, Yochanan E. Bigman, Kurt Gray, Melissa J. Ferguson, and M. J. Crockett (Nature Reviews Psychology, 2022)."Just 2 Minutes of Walking After a Meal Is Surprisingly Good for You," by Rachel Fairbank (The New York Times, 2022)."Psychological Egoism," by Emrys Westacott (ThoughtCo, 2020)."A Meta-Analytic Review of Moral Licensing," by Irene Blanken, Niels van de Ven, and Marcel Zeelenberg (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2015)."Selfish or Selfless? On the Signal Value of Emotion in Altruistic Behavior," by Alixandra Barasch, Emma E. Levine, Jonathan Z. Berman, and Deborah A. Small (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014)."Greenwashing â the Deceptive Tactics Behind Environmental Claims," by the United Nations.EXTRAS:"Giving It Away," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022)."How Can We Get More Virtue and Less âVirtue Signalingâ?" by No Stupid Questions (2020)."Does Doing Good Give You License to Be Bad?" by Freakonomics Radio (2018). -
How do you come back from being âcanceledâ? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? And what makes a successful public apology?
SOURCES:Karen Cerulo, professor emeritus of sociology at Rutgers University.Bill Clinton, former president of the United States.David Gergen, professor emeritus of public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School; former White House adviser to four U.S. presidents.Benjamin Ho, professor and chair of economics at Vassar College.Monica Lewinsky, activist.John List, professor of economics at the University of Chicago.Brandon Rottinghaus, professor of political science at the University of Houston.RESOURCES:"Slut-Shamed at 22, an Icon at 50 â How Monica Lewinsky Got Her Life Back," by Helen Rumbelow (The Times, 2024)."Do Scandals Matter?" by Brandon Rottinghaus (Political Research Quarterly, 2023)."Toward An Understanding of the Economics of Apologies: Evidence from a Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment," by Basil Halperin, Benjamin Ho, John List, and Ian Muir (The Economic Journal, 2022)."Embodied Remorse: Physical Displays of Remorse Increase Positive Responses to Public Apologies, but Have Negligible Effects on Forgiveness," by Matthew J. Hornsey, Michael J. A. Wohl, Emily A. Harris, Tyler G. Okimoto, Michael Thai, and Michael Wenzel (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2020)."Commentary: Time for Bill Clinton to Go Away," by Will Rahn (CBS News, 2018)."The Price of Shame," by Monica Lewinsky (TED Talk, 2015)."Apologies Demanded Yet Devalued: Normative Dilution in the Age of Apology," by Tyler G. Okimoto, Michael Wenzel, and Matthew J. Hornsey (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2015)."Apologies of the Rich and Famous: Cultural, Cognitive, and Social Explanations of Why We Care and Why We Forgive," by Janet M. Ruane and Karen Cerulo (Social Psychology Quarterly, 2014).EXTRAS:"How to Optimize Your Apology," by Freakonomics Radio (2018)."Coal Digger," S1.E5 of Modern Family (2009). -
When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?
SOURCES:Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University.Sigmund Freud, neurologist and father of psychoanalysis.Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University.George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Research Institute.RESOURCES:"The 10 Scariest Horror Movies Ever," by RT Staff (Rotten Tomatoes, 2022)."Box Office History for Horror," (The Numbers, 2022)."Around the World, Adolescence Is a Time of Heightened Sensation Seeking and Immature Self-Regulation," by Laurence Steinberg, Grace Icenogle, Hanan M. S. Takash, et al. (Developmental Science, 2018)."Why Taste Buds Dull As We Age," by Natalie Jacewicz (The Salt, 2017).Horror Literature Through History, edited by Matt Cardin (2017)."Why We Love the Pain of Spicy Food," by John McQuaid (The Wall Street Journal, 2014)."Glad to Be Sad, and Other Examples of Benign Masochism," by Paul Rozin, Lily Guillot, Katrina Fincher, Alexander Rozin, and Eli Tsukayama (Judgment and Decision Making, 2013)."The Ignorant and the Furious: Video and Catharsis," by the Association for Psychological Science (2010).Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck (2006)."Adaptive Mental Mechanisms: Their Role in a Positive Psychology," by George E. Vaillant (American Psychologist, 2000).EXTRAS:Terrifier 2, film (2022)."How to Change Your Mind (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2022)."Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021)."Why Is Academic Writing So Bad?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).Han Dynasty restaurant. -
What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples â or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor?
SOURCES:Jonathan Haidt, professor of ethical leadership at New York Universityâs Stern School of Business.Christina Maslach, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.Stanley Milgram, 20th century professor of psychology at Yale University.Edward R. Murrow, 20th century American broadcast journalist and war correspondent.Alexander Pope, 17-18th century English poet.Adrian Raine, professor of criminology, psychiatry, and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Oskar Schindler, 20th century German businessman.Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.RESOURCES:"Mental Illness and Violence: Debunking Myths, Addressing Realities," by Tori DeAngelis (Monitor on Psychology, 2021)."Debunking the Stanford Prison Experiment," by Thibault Le Texier (American Psychologist, 2019)."How 'Evil' Became a Conservative Buzzword," by Emma Green (The Atlantic, 2017)."The Double-Edged Sword: Does Biomechanism Increase or Decrease Judges' Sentencing of Psychopaths?" by Lisa G. Aspinwall, Teneille R. Brown, and James Tabery (Science, 2012)."The Psychology of Evil," by Philip Zimbardo (TED Talk, 2008).The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, by Philip Zimbardo (2007)."When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions that Liberals may not Recognize," by Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham (Social Justice Research, 2007)."Abu Ghraib Whistleblower Speaks Out," by Michele Norris (All Things Considered, 2006).Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View, by Stanley Milgram (1974).EXTRAS:"Does Free Will Exist, and Does It Matter?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)."Essay on Man, Epistle II," poem by Alexander Pope (1733). -
Who decided that weâre fully mature at 18? Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote? And why are young people bringing their parents to job interviews?
SOURCES:Jeffrey Arnett, senior research scholar in psychology at Clark University.Julie Beck, staff writer at The Atlantic.Grace Icenogle, confinement prevention administrator in the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families.Allyson Mackey, professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.Trevor Noah, comedian, writer, and late-night television host.Heejung Park, professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College.Lawrence Steinberg, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Temple University.Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.RESOURCES:"1 in 4 Gen Zers Brought a Parent to a Job Interview," (ResumeTemplates.com, 2024)."Puberty Starts Earlier Than It Used To. No One Knows Why," by Azeen Ghorayshi (The New York Times, 2022)."Early Life Stress Is Associated With Earlier Emergence of Permanent Molars," by Cassidy L. McDermott, Katherine Hilton, Anne T. Park, Allyson P. Mackey, et al. (PNAS, 2021)."When Are You Really an Adult?" by Maria Cramer (The New York Times, 2020)."The Decline in Adult Activities Among U.S. Adolescents, 1976-2016," by Jean M. Twenge and Heejung Park (Child Development, 2019)."Using Developmental Science to Distinguish Adolescents and Adults Under the Law," by Laurence Steinberg and Grace Icenogle (Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2019).Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah (2016)."When Are You Really an Adult?" by Julie Beck (The Atlantic, 2016)."Adulthood in Law and Culture," by Vivian E. Hamilton (William & Mary Law School Scholarship Repository, 2016)."Emerging Adulthood. A Theory of Development From the Late Teens Through the Twenties," by Jeffrey Arnett (American Psychologist, 2000).EXTRA:"Do 'Generations' Mean Anything?" by No Stupid Questions (2023). -
What are Mike and Angelaâs favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? And what is Angela going to sing the next time she does karaoke?
SOURCES:Matthew Desmond, professor of sociology at Princeton University.Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.Joshua Knobe, professor of philosophy, psychology, and linguistics at Yale University.Simon McCarthy-Jones, professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.Yael Millgram, senior lecturer of psychological sciences at Tel Aviv University.Stanley Milgram, 20th-century American social psychologist.Ruth Reichl, food writer.Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University.Barbara Tversky, professor emerita of psychology at Stanford University.RESOURCES:"On the Value of Sad Music," by Mario Attie-Picker, Tara Venkatesan, George E. Newman, and Joshua Knobe (The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2024)."The Reason People Listen to Sad Songs," by Oliver Whang (The New York Times, 2023)."Adele 30: The Psychology of Why Sad Songs Make Us Feel Good," by Simon McCarthy-Jones (The Conversation, 2021)."Why Do Depressed People Prefer Sad Music?" by Sunkyung Yoon, Edelyn Verona, Robert Schlauch, Sandra Schneider, and Jonathan Rottenberg (Emotion, 2020).Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond (2016)."Sad as a Matter of Choice? Emotion-Regulation Goals in Depression," by Yael Millgram, Jutta Joormann, Jonathan D. Huppert, and Maya Tamir (Psychological Science, 2015)."Music and Emotion Through Time," by Michael Tilson Thomas (TED Talk, 2012).Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).EXTRAS:Girl Power Sing-Along with Laurie Santos and Catherine Price, at the Black Squirrel Club in Philadelphia (September 28, 2024)."What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of 'The Happiness Lab' (Replay)," by No Stupid Questions (2023). -
What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? Whatâs the difference between Swedish depression and American depression? And why arenât aliens interested in abducting Mike?
SOURCES:Jennifer Aaker, professor of marketing at Stanford University.Judd Apatow, film director, screenwriter, and comedian.Fredrik Backman, author.Naomi Bagdonas, lecturer in management at Stanford University.James Corden, actor, comedian, and former late-night television host.Dick Costolo, former C.E.O. of Twitter.Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University.Jimmy Fallon, comedian and late-night television host.Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.Jimmy Kimmel, comedian and late-night television host.Larry LaPrise, 20th-century American singer-songwriter.Jerry Seinfeld, comedian, actor, and writer.RESOURCES:"Fredrik Backman on Creative Anxiety and Procrastination," by Fredrik Backman (Simon & Schuster Centennial Celebration, 2024)."The Relative Importance of Joke and Audience Characteristics in Eliciting Amusement," by Hannes Rosenbusch, Anthony M. Evans, and Marcel Zeelenberg (Psychological Science, 2022)."The 100-Million-Year Origin Story of Laughter and Humor," by Dean Russell (Endless Thread, 2022).Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And How Anyone Can Harness It. Even You.), by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas (2021)."What Makes Things Funny? An Integrative Review of the Antecedents of Laughter and Amusement," by Caleb Warren, Adam Barsky, and A. Peter McGraw (Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2020).Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy, by Judd Apatow (2015).How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (1936).EXTRAS:"Can A.I. Take a Joke?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023)."The Comedian-Ophthalmologist Will See You Now," by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).There's Something About Mary, film (1998). -
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckworth in this classic episode from July 2020.
SOURCES:Pearl S. Buck, 20th-century American novelist.Jack Gallant, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.Deborah Small, professor of marketing at Yale University.Adin Steinsaltz, rabbi, philosopher, and author.Diana Tamir, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University.RESOURCES:"The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality," by Fatma Deniz, Anwar O. Nunez-Elizalde, Alexander G. Huth and Jack L. Gallant (Journal of Neuroscience, 2019)."Reading Fiction and Reading Minds: The Role of Simulation in the Default Network," by Diana Tamir, Andrew B. Bricker, David Dodell-Feder, and Jason P. Mitchell (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2016).Think Like a Freak, by Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt (2014).SuperFreakonomics, by Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt (2009).Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, by the Department of Defense (2009)."Stories or Statistics? Farmers' Attitudes Toward Messages in an Agricultural Safety Campaign," by S. E. Morgan, H. P. Cole, T. Struttmann, and L. Piercy (Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 2002)."Explaining the Identifiable Victim Effect," by Karen Jenni and George Loewenstein (Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 1997)."Explanation-Based Decision Making: Effects of Memory Structure on Judgment," by N. Pennington and R. Hastie (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 1988).The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck (1931).EXTRAS:"Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2022)."This Is Your Brain on Podcasts," by Freakonomics Radio (2016). -
Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road?
SOURCES:Christian Crandall, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and co-author of the Freakonomics books.Scott Eidelman, professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas.David Hume, 18th century Scottish philosopher.Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University.Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.John McWhorter, professor of linguistics, English, and comparative literature at Columbia University.Mark Twain, 19-20th century American writer.RESOURCES:"What Countries Use the Imperial System?" by William Harris and Sascha Bos (HowStuffWorks, 2023)."UK Quietly Drops Brexit Law to Return to Imperial Measurements," by George Parker (Financial Times, 2023)."Heads or Tails: The Impact of a Coin Toss on Major Life Decisions and Subsequent Happiness," by Steven D. Levitt (The Review of Economic Studies, 2021)."A âThrillingâ Mission to Get the Swedish to Change Overnight," by Maddy Savage (BBC, 2018)."Why We Canât Quit the QWERTY Keyboard," by Rachel Metz (MIT Technology Review, 2018)."Why Americans Still Use Fahrenheit Long After Everyone Else Switched to Celsius," by Zack Beauchamp (Vox, 2015)."The Intuitive Traditionalist: How Biases for Existence and Longevity Promote the Status Quo," by Scott Eidelman and Christian Crandall (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2014)."What Scientific Concept Would Improve Everybody's Cognitive Toolkit?" (Edge, 2011)."Mars Probe Lost Due to Simple Math Error," by Robert Lee Hotz (Los Angeles Times, 1999).EXTRAS:"Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?" by Freakonomics Radio (2013)."The Upside of Quitting," by Freakonomics Radio (2011). - Show more
