The Psych Files - Michael Britt

Latest Episodes:

Episode 94: How Do You Learn to Act Like a Woman or like a Man? May 19, 2009

Show notes

How do we learn to act in what are called gender appropriate ways? How did you learn to act like a girl and then a woman? Or like a boy and then like a man? Did you experience either penis envy or womb envy? Did this happen as a result of what Freud would call an oedipal complex or perhaps does our tendency to behave in stereotypical masculine and feminine ways come about more simply as a result of watching other males and females in your family, among your friends and on TV? In this episode of The Psych Files we look at the interesting and complex issue of gender identity.

Episode 93: Your Brain on a Website May 13, 2009

Show notes

How can you use psychology to design a website so people are likely to buy products from you? Or design a website so people are likely to donate money to your cause? In this episode Dr Susan Weinschenk discusses some of these ideas from her book Neuro Web Design. Ever thought you could apply brain science to web design? Find out how in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 92: Passion For Your Work is Overrated Apr 24, 2009

Show notes

Everyone tells you that you should have "passion for your work". Personally, I think that's a bunch of malarky, balderdash and hooey. And much of it could be the fault of psychologists. You might actually enjoy work that you never dreamed could make you happy. In this episode I talk about what Mike Rowe of the show Dirty Jobs had to say about work and how that ties into the work of Dan Gilbert (author of Stumbling On Happiness).

Episode 91: The Psychology of Effective Meetings Apr 14, 2009

Show notes

Do you hate meetings as much as I do? How do you make them work? Business people and students often hate meetings and group projects because it's hard to get everyone to participate and it's hard to just get things done. In this episode of The Psych Files I show the many connections between a typical Introductory Psychology textbook and the everyday event of a business or group meeting. In the end I talk with professional project manager April Montana who shares with you some of her secrets to making group members get things done.

Episode 90: The Learning Styles Myth: An Interview with Daniel Willingham Mar 29, 2009

Show notes

Guess what? There's no such thing as a learning style! Don't believe it? Listen to this interview with professor and author Daniel Willingham as he and I discuss the topic of learning styles. If there is no scientific support for learning styles then whey do we believe they must exist? We also discuss the multiple intelligence. While there is support for this idea, many people are confused as to what Howard Gardner really says about his own theory. Let's see if we can set the record straight about learning styles, abilities, and intelligences in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 89: Don't Touch That Dial! Why You Should Love Commercials Mar 16, 2009

Show notes

Watching commercials actually increases your enjoyment of the show. Do you believe it? Did you, like myself, pay good money on a Tivo or video digital recorder just so you could avoid commercials? Well, before you skip passed those commercials check out this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 88: Sexual Harassment: Who is Most Likely to be a Victim? Mar 07, 2009

Show notes

Who is most likely to be a victim of sexual harassment? Is it the attractive female secretary? The attractive female employee by a man who is higher up in the organizational hierarchy? These are the stereotypes that many people hold but there may be qualities that some women have that make some men uncomfortable and this may result in sexual harassment. Learn more about this complex issue in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 87: Manhood: Are You A "Real Man"? Feb 27, 2009

Show notes

Why does it seem that males in many cultures have to prove their manhood? Do women have to prove their womanhood? Why is this and what happens when men feel like they are less than a man? In this review of a recent research article entitled, Precarious Manhood, we take a look at this intriguing issue.

Episode 86 (video): Educational Games Feb 21, 2009

Show notes

Can games really be educational? They certainly addictive and engaging. Can we harness this aspect of games and use it to learn? In this video I show you why I believe the answer is yes. Let's talk about what really good teaching is and what really good games are like. Then I take you on a brief tour of what I believe are some of the best examples of great educational games. This time on The Psych Files.

Episode 31 (video): Lemon Slices and a New Face on Mars! Gestalt Principles at Work Feb 09, 2009

Show notes

Let's take a close look at why people see a lot of strange things around them - including me. We'll see images on lemon slices, building tops, etc. Why do we perceive these things? ...

Show notes and more available at http://www.thepsychfiles.com