Are you a sports “superfan”? Or do you wonder what’s driving the superfans in your life? Daniel Wann, PhD, of Murray State University, talks about why being a fan is usually good for people’s mental health, how they choose the teams they root for, why some are fair-weather fans while others love to cheer for the underdog, how fandom is changing among younger people, and whether a crowd of supportive fans can affect the outcome of a game.  For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD

"Speaking of Psychology" is an audio podcast series highlighting some of the latest, most important and relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these podcasts will help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives.

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If the thought of the upcoming election sends your stress level through the roof, you’re not alone. Psychologist Brett Q. Ford, PhD, and political scientist Kevin Smith, PhD, talk about how political stress affects people’s well-being; what high levels of political stress mean for people’s lives, for the U.S. and for democracy; and how to stay politically engaged while still maintaining your mental health. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

How to cope with political stress this election season, with Brett Q. Ford, PhD, and Kevin Smith, PhD

Sesame Street has entertained and educated generations of children. Developmental psychologist Rosemarie Truglio, PhD, Sesame Workshop’s senior vice president of curriculum and content, talks about why the show has a new focus on young children’s emotional well-being; how Sesame Street translates complicated concepts into stories that young kids can connect with; the research that underpins all of the content on Sesame Street; and why the Sesame Street characters still resonate with so many adults. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

How Sesame Street teaches kids about emotional well-being, with Rosemarie Truglio, PhD

The eerie sensation of “déjà vu” -- feeling a strong sense of familiarity in a new place or situation -- is one of memory’s strangest tricks. Researcher Chris Moulin, PhD, of Grenoble Alpes University, talks about why déjà vu happens; why both déjà vu and its lesser-known opposite, jamais vu, may actually be signs of a healthy memory at work; why young people are more prone to déjà vu; how he and others study déjà vu and jamais vu in the lab; and what these experiences can teach us about memory more broadly. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

What déjà vu can teach us about memory, with Chris Moulin, PhD

Picking up a new skill as an adult can seem daunting. But research suggests that learning new things as you age may be key to keeping your cognitive skills sharp -- and that middle aged and older adults may be just as good at learning as younger people are. Rachel Wu, PhD, of the University of California Riverside, talks about why lifelong learning matters, how adults can learn more like kids, why feedback and failure are important, and what types of learning opportunities to seek out. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage.

The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD

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