Our Fascination With Pushing Buttons & How Ga...

People will go to ridiculous lengths to avoid paying fees. Adding extra items to an online order just to get “free” shipping. Avoiding ATM fees like they’re a personal insult. Or driving across town to save a few cents on gas. There’s actually a fascinating psychology behind why ...  Show more

Fear can save your life—or quietly ruin it.. Fear keeps you alert, helps you avoid danger, and in many situations can literally save your life. Without fear, humans probably wouldn’t survive very long. But fear also has another side. Sometimes the fear response kicks in when ther ...  Show more

It’s that time of the year when many of us are at home with friends and family, losing track of time, eating leftovers, and, of course, playing games. This festive season, we look at the science of games and, of course, play some ourselves. It’s presenter Marnie Chesterton versus ...  Show more

What does nostalgia do to our minds — and our wallets? In this talk with Jannine Lasaleta, we talk about her research into the surprising psychological and emotional effects of nostalgia. Why do people become more generous and loose with money when they’re feeling nostalgic? How ...  Show more

In the first of two special holiday episodes, Claudia Hammond and an expert panel of psychologists look back, nostalgically. At this festive time of year, you might be thinking wistfully about Christmas past – perhaps you’ll be rewatching old films, arguing over a game of Monopol ...  Show more

In this episode—in which Abby confronts my sister and me about our inability to have fun—discover: 1. The one “fun” post that caused more people to unfollow me on social media than any other. 2. Why girls may disassociate early from their ability to access fun. 3. Science’s insis ...  Show more