Happily Confused

Do you feel happy today? How about happily disgusted? Maybe sadly surprised, or sadly disgusted? Human emotions are complex. But at least they’re the common language that unites us all – except when they don’t. A tribe in Namibia might interpret our expression of fear as one of wonderment. And people with autism don’t feel the emotions that others do.

So if you’re now delightfully but curiously perplexed, tune in and discover the evolutionary reason for laughter … how a computer can diagnose emotional disorders that doctors miss … and why the world’s most famous autistic animal behaviorist has insight into the emotional needs of cattle.

Guests:

• Scott Weems – Cognitive scientist, author of Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why
• Brian Malow – Science comedian
• Aleix Martinez – Cognitive neuroscientist at The Ohio State University
• Maria Gendron – Post-doctoral researcher at Northeastern University
• Temple Grandin – Professor of animal science, Colorado State University, author of 
Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals

First released April 21, 2014

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