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6 Psychology Podcasts You Should Listen To

November 13, 2018

Earphones hooked up to an Iphone listening to a podcast

Ever since podcasts appeared on the audio-blogging scene in 2004, users have increased exponentially from just a handful to an estimated 124 million listeners. This large number of listeners subscribe to podcasts of a wide variety of genres, including psychology.

Just as psychology has a broad range of branches, within the world of podcasts, there are numerous psychology programs available. The podcasts available range from personal discussions to academic reviews, but all provide fascinating insights that will teach you something new, like how to become a happier person or how architecture impacts our behavior.

Below, we dive into six unique psychology podcasts that you should be listening to now.

“Happier with Gretchen Rubin”

Although not a psychologist by trade, Rubin’s observation of happiness and human nature makes her podcast, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin,” a must-listen. With more than 42 million podcast downloads, Rubin showcases her understanding of human behavior and how she has helped motivate people to accomplish their goals. Each episode, she and her co-host sister discuss tips and tricks on how to become and stay happy in life when challenges arise.

“Hidden Brain”

NPR science correspondent Shankar Vedantam hosts a weekly podcast called “Hidden Brain” focusing on social sciences to explain human behavior. Vedantam interviews psychologists and expert scientists to explore different facets of the brain and behavior. In a recent episode, John Hibbing, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said that he can tell if someone tends to lean toward a liberal or conservative point of view based on a brain scan. This claim suggests that political views could be in part influenced by our biology in addition to our environments.

“Speaking of Psychology”

Speaking of Psychology,” produced by the American Psychological Association, takes a deep dive into psychological research of contemporary issues. Each week, the rotating cast of hosts interviews scientists and medical professionals about a specific topic. During the episodes, the host and guest will offer advice to users to help them overcome issues related to psychology, like using critical cognitive thinking to avoid clicking phishing e-mails.

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“Waking Up”

Sam Harris, a famous author who holds a degree in philosophy and a Ph.D. in neuroscience, hosts a weekly podcast called “Waking Up.” In the podcast, Harris interviews guests who use psychological principles in their professions but don’t necessarily practice psychology in a clinical setting. In one episode, Harris interviews a former FBI hostage negotiator to discuss how he got inside the mind of criminals. In another interview with author Yuval Harari, Harris and his guest discuss the importance of meditation and the desire to update our beliefs about human civilization.

“All in The Mind”

BBC Radio’s “All in the Mind” examines various psychology topics each week, like tolerance in the brain and exercise to prevent depression. Claudia Hammond, a radio personality with college degrees in applied and health psychology, hosts a wide-variety of guests who work within the psychology field. In recent episodes, Hammond and her guests have broken down the results of the Loneliness Experiment, an experiment designed to better understand how loneliness impacts people. Topics included why young people feel the loneliest and how people can feel less lonely. If this interests you, make sure to check out this article on psychological studies and experiments.

“99% Invisible”

99% Invisible” creates the full picture of a product from inception to modern day use. Hosted by Roman Mars, “99% Invisible” looks at a product or subject and digs deep into its history, life cycle, and how it’s subconsciously impacted our country. In one episode, Mars and his guest, author Selena Slavic, discussed the psychological impact of urban benches. Newer benches are being made of stone and designed in a way that becomes uncomfortable over time. Urban planners have designed these benches to allow people to rest for a short time and then urge them to move on.

Enjoying Psychology through Podcasts

With two of the top 20 most-listened to podcasts, the field of psychology is witnessing incredible growth in the podcast industry. In addition to the six described above, there are hundreds more psychology podcasts available to users over the Internet, and more are being added every day. Learn more about this topic with a unique online bachelor’s in Psychology from King University’s. Our program offers a flexible, completely online format, which allows you to balance your psychology education with your busy life.

The above podcasts are available to download and listen on iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or any of your preferred listening apps.