The Psych Files

The Psych Files


Latest Episodes

Final Episode of The Psych Files
February 21, 2020

I’ve decided, after 13 years, to bring the show to a close. Time to move on to other things. It’s been great, I’ve learned so much and I wanted to thank all of my listeners! Take care. - Michael

Ep 340 What's a High Sensation Seeker?
December 11, 2019

Do you like to bungee jump? Perhaps you’re into parachuting or wing suit flying? If so, you’re probably a “high sensation seeker”. In this fascinating interview with Dr. Kenneth Carter, author of the new book “Buzz!”, we talk about what kind of personalit

Ep 339: What Makes a Song Appealing?
December 06, 2019

Music researchers analyzed over 700 top Billboard songs (which included examining over 80,000 chords) and they determined that the “Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da” is the most appealing song ever written. How in the world, you might ask, did they choose that (some wou

Ep 338: What Role Are Women Really Playing? The Bechdel Test
November 21, 2019

In movies and TV, women are understandably tired of playing roles like the “Wife” or the “Girlfriend”. Nowadays we’re seeing more women in film and TV but has their role in the production really changed all that much? That’s what the “Bechdel test” is all

Ep 337: Why Do We Think Women Aren't Funny?
November 07, 2019

Have you ever heard someone say that they don’t think that women can be funny? I have to admit that I didn’t hear that until recently, so I looked at some of the research on gender and perceptions of humor. I think you’ll be surprised. In this episode I s

Ep 336: Why is it Usually Men Who Commit Violent Acts?
October 24, 2019

Another violent act in America. Another man who committed it. Why Is it that men in our society are the ones who usually carry out violent acts? Is it how we bring up boys? Or is there another influence - genes. I was lucky enough to get professor Steve S

Ep 335: Conspiracy Theories - Why So Easy To Believe?
October 17, 2019

Why do some conspiracy theories seem to have so much evidence to support them? Well, that’s because if you look hard enough at any event, and you don’t have any particular theory before you start looking, you’re eventually going to find something. And you

Ep 334: The Psychology of the Fantasticks
October 01, 2019

Have you seen the musical The Fantasticks? Not only does it have wonderful music but it also has pearls of wisdom.  Oh yea, and gender issues. In this episode I talk about the psychology inside this great show. I also talk about how you know when somethin

Ep 333: Bible Codes, Anti-Vaccination Beliefs and the Look Elsewhere Effect
September 19, 2019

In this episode I talk about whether there really is a bible code, anti-vaccination beliefs and whether jellybeans cause acne. It's all part of how we humans love to find patterns in the world and the amount of wiggle room we're willing to give ourselves

Ep 332: How the Brain Lost Its Mind
September 03, 2019

Most of us have heard of Anton Mesmer and Jean Charcot. They were some of the first to dabble in the "mind cure" using hypnosis and the power of suggestion. But what role did syphilis play in the development of psychology? You'd be surprised. Join me and