The Psychology of your 20s

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Latest Episodes:

480. The 6 cognitive biases that will ruin your 20s Nov 12, 2026

Show notes

Your brain doesn’t always steer you towards what’s best for you...especially in your 20s. Sometimes it convinces you to stay in the wrong relationship, give up after one rejection or believe you should have your entire life figured out by 25 even though you know that's not true! Why is that?

Watch on Netflix: HERE

In today’s episode, we explore six cognitive biases that shape our decisions in our 20s, including:

Why we underestimate how long good things will take
How instant gratification keeps us putting off our goals
Why we keep investing in things we know aren’t right
Why rejection and change rarely feel as bad as we predict
How recent experiences distort our expectations
Why we judge others more harshly than ourselves

We also discuss how to catch these biases in action and stop letting automatic assumptions make your biggest decisions.

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

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479. Why you're not who you want to be (yet) Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

Most of us have an idea of the person we would like to become - more confident, more successful, healthier, calmer, more disciplined. But where did that ideal come from? And is it actually ours? In this episode, we explore the psychology behind the real and ideal self, asking what happens when the person we are feels increasingly distant from the person we think we should be.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We explore:

Where the idea of the real and ideal self comes from
The role of congruence for self-esteem and well-being
How conditions of worth can disconnect us from what we truly want
The difference between Rogers’ real/ideal self and Winnicott’s true/false self
How to differentiate your ideal from your ought self
How to identify goals to reflect your own values

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

Our favourite sources:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jad.12111
https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-295X.94.3.319
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144518301396?via%3Dihub

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478. The 5 most important psychology studies for your 20s Nov 08, 2026

Show notes

Of the thousands of psychology papers I’ve read for this podcast, these are five I think every 20 something should know about. Today, we’re exploring the research that could change how you think about feeling behind, getting rejected, finding love and chasing success. We discuss:

The two types of quarter life crisis and what each can teach us
Why your 20s don’t have to be the best years of your life
How rejection can increase your desire to take control
Why your friendships deserve as much attention as your romantic life
The hidden cost of tying your self-worth to money

Five studies, five massive themes for our 20s and so much to take away. Listen now!

Read the studies:

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

477. The psychology of beauty Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Why do certain things stop us in our tracks? A beautiful sunset, a painting, even the way light shines through the window in the morning. Where does this sense of beauty actually come from? Does it exist objectively in the world, or is it something our brains create? In this episode, we explore the psychology behind what makes something beautiful, and how the brain processes aesthetic experiences.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We explore:
• The function of the aesthetic triad
• Why experiencing beauty can feel rewarding
• Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?
• Why familiarity, culture and personal experience can change what we find beautiful
• How nature generates a sense of awe
• Why we see beauty in ugliness
• Why we need to look for more beauty in the everyday

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

Our favourite sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24768244/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3130765/
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-21454-002

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476. Why you need more rituals! Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

In a culture increasingly organised around productivity and individual choice, many of our repeated behaviours have become about efficiency rather than meaning. In this episode, we explore why even very small rituals - a meal, a walk, a song, a candle - can give shape and significance to ordinary life, particularly in our 20s.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We explore:

Why rituals aren’t just religious or spiritual
Why performing rituals is an integral part of human behaviour
How rituals create belonging and maintain relationships
How predictable rituals can provide an anchor during uncertainty, overwhelm and periods of change
Why our 20s may particularly benefit from rituals
The importance of ritualising endings

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

Our favourite sources:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1088868317734944
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S109051381500077X
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00084298241238680
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1545-5300.1992.00151.x

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475. Why some people can't stay single Oct 31, 2026

Show notes

Why do some people seem to move from relationship to relationship with barely any time in between, and why does being single feel almost impossible for them? In this bonus episode, we’re diving into the psychology behind relationship hopping (aka serial monogamy) and what’s really happening when someone craves commitment quickly, struggles with time alone, or keeps repeating the same cycle with different partners.

We explore:
• The role of attachment in serial monogamy
• Why artificial closeness is so appealing
• The pull of the infatuation cycle
• The brain chemistry of love, reward and attachment
• What this pattern can teach us about self-growth
Happy listening!

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

474. How I transformed my relationship with exercise Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

Content note: This episode includes discussions of exercise, dieting, weight loss and body image.

How do you learn to love exercise when it has always felt like punishment? In today’s more personal episode, I’m sharing how I completely changed my relationship with movement over the past three years, from barely moving to running half marathons and genuinely enjoying the gym.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We discuss:

Why enjoyment became more important than discipline
Starting slowly and letting yourself stop
How I focused on progress that wasn't attached to my appearance
Removing comparison from your fitness journey
My running tips
Why taking a break doesn’t mean having to start all over again

Happy listening!

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

473. The psychology of clubbing Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Why does dancing in a crowd feel so good? What is the emotional allure of the dance floor, the club scene, the music? Today, we’re exploring the psychology of clubbing, from the physiological rush of a beat drop to the role it plays in making the most of our 20s.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We discuss:

How music and dance influence our mood
Collective effervescence: the feeling of being part of something bigger
Why clubs feel freeing for some and overwhelming for others
Alcohol, inhibition and “hangxiety”
Clubbing as a coming-of-age ritual
FOMO, nostalgia and why our relationship with nightlife changes

Happy listening!

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

472. What ACTUALLY makes people compatible? Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Is a 'spark' all that it takes to be compatible in the long-term? What about sharing the same interests, personality or sense of humour? Or is it something more deep and intangible? In today’s episode, we explore what ACTUALLY makes two people right for each other, and why the things that draw us together aren’t always the things that keep us together.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We discuss:

Chemistry versus long-term compatibility
Why shared values matter more than shared hobbies
The importance of feeling understood, appreciated and responded to (i.e the Gottman's theory of responsiveness)
How the belief in soulmates can shape your relationship
The Four Horsemen that erode connection
What an argument can reveal about your future together

Whether you’re dating someone new or reflecting on a long-term relationship, this episode explores what it means to build a love that lasts, through change, conflict and the thousands of little choices we make along the way.

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

471. The psychology of weddings Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Why is there so much pressure for your wedding to be the best day of your life? And what happens when that pressure gets in the way of actually enjoying it? Today, we’re unpacking the psychology of weddings: the expectations, money, family dynamics and friendship tensions that come with saying “I do”.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We explore:

Why the “perfect wedding” can leave us feeling disappointed
How weddings became such extravagant events
Social media, comparison and the pressure to spend more
The surprising relationship between wedding spending and divorce
Why weddings can expose cracks in our friendships
The psychology of elopements ...

Whether you’re planning a wedding, attending your sixth this year or wondering whether to skip the whole thing, let’s talk about keeping the celebration from overshadowing the relationship.

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.