The Psych Files - Michael Britt

Latest Episodes:

Heuristics (Video): Rules of Thumb Explained - Episode 151 Jun 18, 2011

Show notes

We all take shortcuts when we are making decisions. And in those shortcuts often lie our mistakes. In this episode find out the difference between the availability and representativeness heuristics, as well as the "Take the Best", Hindsight, and the Base Rate Neglect (Fallacy) heuristics. Lots of examples of these heuristics at work are included. Let's face it - we all have lazy minds! Either that or we're all too busy to try to weed through complicated statistics and probabilities. Heuristics help us make decisions fast. But are they the right ones?

Audio: Object Permanence - Does Your Dog Have It? Episode 150 Jun 07, 2011

Show notes

Piaget's concept of object permanence is essential to understand. But how did they study this idea among 1 year olds? Obviously children can't tell you that they believe that something no longer exists when they can't see it, so how do we know what is going on inside a child's mind? How about this challenge: do animals also understand object permanence? If you've ever seen your cat or dog look under or around objects for a lost toy then yes - you've seen that they do understand object permanence.How can you study object permanence - or a related idea called "expectancy violation" - in animals? Let's take a look in this 150 episode of The Psych Files.

Video: Object Permanence - Does Your Dog Have It? Episode 150 Jun 07, 2011

Show notes

Audio: Object Permanence - Does Your Dog Have It? Episode 150 Jun 07, 2011

Show notes

How can you study object permanence - or a related idea called "expectancy violation" - in animals? Let's take a look in this 150 episode of The Psych Files.

Date Rape: How Can We Prevent It? Episode 149 May 31, 2011

Show notes

You've probably heard of many times when people knew that someone was hurt or might be hurt and they did not help. How can we prevent that from happening? You may have learned about bystander apathy and the concept of diffusion of responsibility. But now what do we DO with what we know? How can we put that knowledge into action? Meet Vicky Banyard and see what she and her colleagues at the University of New Hampshire are doing with a program called Bring in the Bystander.

Date Rape: How Can We Prevent It? Episode 149 May 31, 2011

Show notes

Bringing in the Bystander program at the University of New Hampshire.

There's an interesting checklist on the Know Your Power website. It's called the Checklist for Bystander Action. Also take a look at the Bystander Store where you can order the poster's Dr. Banyard talked about in this episode.

What Can We Do To End Anti-Gay Bullying in Schools? Episode 148 May 22, 2011

Show notes

What can we do to end bullying against gays? There is a shocking increase in the number of young homosexuals who are commit suicide. Many anti-bullying programs don't work and in this episode I talk to Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer of Concordia University about what can be done. No one should be bullied and we all need to care about those who are bullied to the point of considering suicide.

What Can We Do To End Anti-Gay Bullying in Schools? Episode 148 May 22, 2011

Show notes

On Yawning, Swearing, Credit Cards and Sex: Psych Files Brief #1 May 18, 2011

Show notes

In this first Psych Files Brief episode, we look at whether swearing actually reduces your sensation of pain (ever stub your toe?), whether or not vertical stripes actually do make you look thinner (no surprise - the answer is no), whether you're more likely to run up that credit card when you're feeling low, and why is it (and when is it) that yawns become contagious?

On Yawning, Swearing, Credit Cards and Sex: Psych Files Brief #1 May 18, 2011

Show notes

In this first "Psych Files Brief" episode, we look at whether swearing actually reduces your sensation of pain (ever stub your toe?), whether or not vertical stripes actually do make you look thinner (no surprise - the answer is no), whether you're more likely to run up that credit card when you're feeling low, and why is it (and when is it) that yawns become contagious?