Mind and Behavior

Mind and Behavior

A black and white soccer ball floats on the surface of the ocean under a partly cloudy sky.
10mins
“When you start to accept that you have profound influence on the world, but very limited control, you start to see the world differently.”
Close-up of a burnt matchstick with smoke swirling around its charred tip against a dark background.
2mins
“In most instances, ‘good enough’ is good enough.” A time management expert, a cognitive scientist, and a psychologist share their takes on productivity, perfectionism, and the harm of hustle culture.
Unlikely Collaborators
Six brain MRI scan images are arranged in two rows, showing various cross-sectional views of the human brain, with the bottom row featuring a blue and pink color overlay.
3mins
From neuroscience to philosophy, experts reveal why compassion may be the most important human skill we have.
Unlikely Collaborators
A rat stands on a concrete floor, casting a shadow on the wall that resembles the shape of a sheep.
9mins
“There would be something very, very empty and meaningless about [a] sort of life with no problems.”
A man in a light blue shirt sits on a chair in a white studio with a teal background featuring graphs and charts.
1hr
“Let me walk you through the biggest traps that you should be aware of that are a danger to your financial wellbeing.”
3mins
Philosophy asks if free will is real. Neuroscience reveals why the answer is more complicated than we expected.
Unlikely Collaborators
24mins
“Deep down the natural endpoint of this whole goal of looking for planets is to answer the question: are we alone?”
Black and white cutout of a smiling man's face with red heart shapes drawn over his eyes on a black background.
16mins
“No matter what their gods were, what they did for a living, what they wore, the songs they sang, everything varies except love, and everybody loves.”
9mins
“The universe clicks along in perfect accord with the laws of physics forever.”
A split image showing a brain scan on the left and hands using a smartphone on the right.
6mins
Daily habits can help you thrive or quietly turn into addictions. The difference is how your brain handles cues, routines, and rewards. Three experts explain how to work with your wiring instead of against it.
Unlikely Collaborators
Close-up of a sepia-toned drawing showing a person with crossed arms, wearing a robe with highlights, against a background with a partial view of a stone wall.
2mins
Is gratitude to a deity different from gratitude to other people? Psychology and neuroscience professor Sarah Schnitker explains.
A person is leaping between two buildings against a clear blue sky.
20mins
“It's certainly clear that the issues of boys and men haven't gone away in the last few years. If anything, they're getting even more attention, which is good when it's the right kind of attention.”
A person with curly brown hair wearing a black shirt and gray t-shirt sits against a plain white background, gesturing with both hands raised near their chest.
10mins
“The way my mind works is just out of anxiety and catastrophization.”
A human hand is positioned palm up below a floating anatomical model of a human brain against a plain light blue background.
3mins
Language is a huge part of human development, even the language we keep to ourselves. Three experts explain how words and beliefs can change our brains and our lives:
Unlikely Collaborators
Text "Trauma in the Body" is displayed in bold white letters on a black shape, with yellow starburst shapes on a blue background.
59mins
"One of the largest mitigating factors against getting traumatized is who is there for you at that particular time."
A digital illustration of a human brain next to a crescent moon on a dark background.
3mins
Sleeping better helps you think better, which helps you live better. Three experts explain why quality sleep is imperative to brain function, problem solving, communication, and more.
Unlikely Collaborators
The word "ALONE" in large white letters on a purple background, with a sad person's face visible inside the letter "O.
2mins
“The media is 10x more likely to describe experiences of being alone as negative, as compared to positive.” Psychologist Ethan Kross shares how reframing the idea of loneliness can help us feel more peace when we’re on our own.
Abstract image split in two: the top half shows blue neural-like network lines, while the bottom half displays orange flames and sparks against a dark background.
7mins
How can the brain — a piece of matter — love? Physics and chemistry explain the material world, but they can’t explain why it feels like something to be alive. This is the mystery of consciousness, according to these experts.
Unlikely Collaborators
Two men in suits face each other against a yellow background, one yelling with a clenched fist, the other pointing and appearing angry.
23mins
“We can have that fight for a 1,000 years, but we could have a shot at figuring out what we both need and noticing when there's opportunities to make that happen.”
9mins
“The sexual excitation system is the accelerator or the gas pedal, and it notices all the sex-related information in the environment.”
Three semi-transparent human brains, side by side, over a gradient background transitioning from red to blue, with rounded corners.
2mins
A physician, a psychologist, and a mindfulness teacher explain what stress does to your body and mind, and how to use it to get smarter and stronger.
Unlikely Collaborators
A woman in a black dress lies on a green sofa, holding a closed book in one hand, resting with her eyes closed.
2mins
Modern culture has made us feel like there’s no time to be patient. Sarah Schnitker’s lab at Baylor University is researching how this often-forgotten virtue could improve our overall well-being.
A triangle labeled "The Fraud Triangle" with its three sides named Incentive, Opportunity, and Rationalization, on an orange background.
32mins
“Fraud is a trillion dollar problem, about $5 trillion today with that number increasingly rising annually.”
Split image: Left side shows a silhouette of a person with hands on hips against a starry sky; right side shows an older man in a yellow jacket against a plain white background.
6mins
Everything you experience is filtered through your brain, and everyone’s brain is different. Neuroscientist Christof Koch explains how understanding this can deepen your connection to the world around you.
Unlikely Collaborators
Close-up of a classical painting showing a woman in a white headscarf looking upward with her lips pressed together; background is dark.
6mins
Free speech can amplify hatred, but it also protects the fight against it. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
Close-up of a person's face with brown eyes and freckles, next to an abstract blue and white pattern resembling tree branches and lightning.
7mins
A neuroscientist, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist discuss how emotions are stories built from old experiences.
Unlikely Collaborators
A painted woman's face is seen upside down on the left, looking at a large gray rock on the right, with a blue sky and clouds in the background.
2mins
What separates a disciplined life from a virtuous one? Psychologist Sarah Schnitker says the answer lies in your purpose.
A person with long blonde hair wearing a beanie and plaid jacket looks upward outdoors; a transparent geometric square overlay is centered on the image.
2mins
Happiness researchers Robert Waldinger MD, Tal Ben-Shahar PhD, and Peter Baumann explain why the happiest people aren’t happy all the time.
Unlikely Collaborators
A person in classical attire holds a laurel wreath and a palm branch against a blue sky background.
6mins
Virtue is hard to attain, and that’s the point. Sarah Schnitker explains why self-help shortcuts miss the mark.
Silhouette of a person overlaid with a sunset sky and a full moon, with tall grass in the foreground.
9mins
“You can be aware of sadness from a point of view that is not merely sad, and you can be aware of fear from a point of view that's not merely afraid.”