No Stupid Questions

Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?

• SOURCES:
  • Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
  • David Brooks, author and opinion columnist. 
  • Andrew Grove, former C.E.O. and chairman of Intel Corporation.
  • Kalev Leetaru, founder of the GDELT Project.
  • Steven Maier, professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder.
  • Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former first lady of the United States.
  • Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Amanda Ripley, journalist and author.
  • Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.
  • Edward Zigler, professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Chicken Littles Are Ruining America," by David Brooks (The Atlantic, 2024).
  • Generations, by Jean Twenge (2023).
  • Enlightenment Now, by Steven Pinker (2018).
  • "The Short History of Global Living Conditions and Why It Matters That We Know It," by Max Roser (Our World in Data, 2016).
  • "Learned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights from Neuroscience," by Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. Seligman (Psychological Review, 2016).
  • "Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Stressor Controllability in Adolescent Rats," by Kenneth H. Kubala, John P. Christianson, Steven F. Maier, et al. (Behavioural Brain Research, 2012).
  • The Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker (2011).
  • "Forecasting Large-Scale Human Behavior Using Global News Media Tone in Time and Space," by Kalev Leetaru (First Monday, 2011).
  • "Motivational Aspects of Changes in IQ Test Performance of Culturally Deprived Nursery School Children," by Edward Zigler and Earl C. Butterfield (Child Development, 1968).
  • "Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock," by Martin E. P. Seligman and Steven F. Maier (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967).
  • Upworthy.

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR? 

• SOURCES:
  • Neil Bradbury, professor of physiology at Rosalind Franklin University.
  • Nicholas Carr, writer and journalist.
  • Johann Hari, writer and journalist.
  • Charles Howard, University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Felicity Huntingford, emeritus professor of functional ecology at the university of Glasgow.
  • Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine.
  • Rick Rubin, music producer and record executive.
  • Herbert Simon, professor of computer science and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.

• RESOURCES:
  • Uncovering Your Path: Spiritual Reflections for Finding Your Purpose, by Charles Lattimore Howard (forthcoming 2025).
  • Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity, by Gloria Mark (2023).
  • The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin (2023).
  • Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention — and How to Think Deeply Again, by Johann Hari (2022).
  • "Quibi’s Founder and CEO Explain What Went Wrong," by Jessica Bursztynsky (CNBC, 2020).
  • "Digital Democracy Survey, Eleventh Edition," by Deloitte (2017).
  • "Busting the Attention Span Myth," by Simon Maybin (BBC News, 2017).
  • "Attention Span During Lectures: 8 Seconds, 10 Minutes, or More?" by Neil Bradbury (Advances in Physiology Education, 2016).
  • "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr (The Atlantic, 2008).
  • "Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World," by Herbert Simon (Computers, Communications, and the Public Interest, 1971).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Multitasking Doesn’t Work. So Why Do We Keep Trying?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).

What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age? 

• SOURCES:
  • Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Jonathan Haidt, professor of social psychology at the New York University Stern School of Business.
  • Michael Lewis, author.
  • Cooper McAllister, senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton.
  • Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "‘Narcissistic Abuse’ Has Gone Mainstream. But What Is It?" Abby Ellin (The Washington Post, 2024).
  • "Development of Narcissism Across the Life Span: A Meta-Analytic Review of Longitudinal Studies," by Ulrich Orth, Samantha Krauss, and Mitja D. Back (Psychological Bulletin, 2024).
  • The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt (2024).
  • "America Is Obsessed With Narcissists. Is Trump to Blame?" by Charles Trepany (USA Today, 2024).
  • "Narcissism Today: What We Know and What We Need to Learn," by Joshua D. Miller, Mitja D. Back, Donald R. Lynam, and Aidan G. C. Wright (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2021).
  • "Egos Deflating With the Great Recession: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis and Within-Campus Analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, 1982–2016," by Jean M. Twenge, Sara H. Konrath, Cooper McAllister, et al. (Personality and Individual Differences, 2021).
  • "Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Diagnostic and Clinical Challenges," by Eve Caligor, Kenneth N. Levy, and Frank E. Yeomans (American Journal of Psychiatry, 2015).
  • Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled — and More Miserable Than Ever Before, by Jean Twenge (2006).
  • Cincinnatus and the Citizen-Servant Ideal: The Roman Legend's Life, Times, and Legacy, by Michael J. Hillyard (2001).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "Do 'Generations' Mean Anything?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Is Pride the Worst Sin?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis (2010).

How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?

• SOURCES:
  • Joel Waldfogel, professor of strategic management & entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota.

• RESOURCES:
  • “How to Become a Truly Excellent Gift Giver,” by Eliza Brooke (Vox, 2022).
  • “How to Calculate a Holiday Tip for the Doorman,” by Ronda Kaysen (The New York Times, 2022).
  • “Least Favorite Gifts to Receive for Christmas in the United States in 2022, by Generation,” (Statista, 2022).
  • “(Not) Giving the Same Old Song and Dance: Givers’ Misguided Concerns About Thoughtfulness and Boringness Keep Them From Repeating Gifts,” by Julian Givi (Journal of Business Research, 2020).
  • “Does Anyone Really Buy the Giant Car Bows You See in Every Commercial?” by Aditi Shrikant (Vox, 2018).
  • “It’s the Motive That Counts: Perceived Sacrifice Motives and Gratitude in Romantic Relationships,” by Mariko L. Visserman, Francesca Righetti, Emily A. Impett, Dacher Keltner, and Paul A. M. Van Lange (Emotion, 2018).
  • “Why Certain Gifts Are Great to Give but Not to Get: A Framework for Understanding Errors in Gift Giving,” by Jeff Galak, Julian Givi, and Elanor F. Williams (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2016).
  • “The Girl Who Gets Gifts From Birds,” by Katy Sewall (B.B.C. News, 2015).
  • “The Disappointing Gift: Dispositional and Situational Moderators of Emotional Expressions,” by Renée M. Tobin and William G. Graziano (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2011).
  • Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays, by Joel Waldfogel (2009).
  • “The Deadweight Loss of Christmas,” by Joel Waldfogel (The American Economic Review, 1993).
  • United States Postal Service Employee Tipping and Gift-Receiving Policy.

• EXTRAS:
  • “Have a Very Homo Economicus Christmas,” by Freakonomics Radio (2012).

How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your children online? And does Angela regret talking about her daughters on the podcast?

• SOURCES:
  • Erin Carbone, visiting assistant professor of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • Jimmy Kimmel, comedian and late-night television host.
  • George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter.
  • Christie Tate, essayist and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Five Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation Into Child Influencers," by The New York Times (2024).
  • "Online 'Sharenting': The Dangers of Posting Sensitive Information About Children on Social Media," by Pietro Ferrara, Ignazio Cammisa, Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, et al. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2023).
  • "Privacy Preferences and the Drive to Disclose," by Erin Carbone and George Loewenstein (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2023).
  • "My Daughter Asked Me to Stop Writing About Motherhood. Here’s Why I Can’t Do That," by Christie Tate (The Washington Post, 2019).
  • "When Kids Realize Their Whole Life Is Already Online," by Taylor Lorenz (The Atlantic, 2019).
  • "'Sharenting' Puts Young at Risk of Online Fraud," by Sean Coughlan (BBC News, 2018).
  • "Everything You Need to Know About the 'Right to be forgotten,'" fact sheet by the European Union.

• EXTRAS:
  • "What Is Your Password?" by Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2015).
  • "The Best Day," by Taylor Swift (2009).

Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online?  And why did Angela go trick-or-treating in a trash bag? 

• SOURCES:
  • Hajo Adam, professor of management at the University of Bath.
  • Marianna Cerini, journalist.
  • Edward Diener, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Illinois.
  • Adam Galinsky, professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School.
  • J. Nathan Matias, assistant professor at the Cornell University Departments of Communication and Information Science.
  • Lisa Morton, paranormal historian and author.
  • Isaac Bashevis Singer, 20th-century Polish-American author.
  • Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Halloween Was Once So Dangerous That Some Cities Considered Banning It," by Christopher Klein (History, 2023).
  • "Why Do People Sometimes Wear an Anonymous Mask? Motivations for Seeking Anonymity Online," by Lewis Nitschinsk, Stephanie J. Tobin, Deanna Varley, and Eric J. Vanman (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2023).
  • "From Pagan Spirits to Wonder Woman: A Brief History of the Halloween Costume," by Marianna Cerini (CNN, 2020).
  • "The Real Name Fallacy," by J.Nathan Matias (Coral, 2017).
  • "Can Your Employees Really Speak Freely?" by James R. Detert and Ethan Burris (Harvard Business Review, 2016).
  • "'Mask Index' Helps Predict Election Day Outcome," by Adriana Diaz (CBS Evening News, 2016).
  • "Enclothed Cognition," by Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2012).
  • "Effects of Deindividuation Variables on Stealing Among Halloween Trick-or-Treaters," by Edward Diener, Scott C. Fraser, Arthur L. Beaman, and Roger T. Kelem (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976).
  • "The Human Choice: Individuation, Reason, and Order Versus Deindividuation, Impulse, and Chaos," by Philip G. Zimbardo (Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 1969).

• EXTRAS:
  • "What Is Evil?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "How to Maximize Your Halloween Candy Haul," by Freakonomics Radio (2012).

Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? What’s the difference between an excuse and a justification? And why is it important to remember that you’re not a pizzeria on the Jersey Shore? 

• SOURCES:
  • Robert Cialdini, professor of psychology at Arizona State University.
  • Raymond Higgins, professor emeritus of psychology at University of Kansas.
  • Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Rick Snyder, professor emeritus of psychology at University of Kansas.

• RESOURCES:
  • "‘Explain, but Make No Excuses’: Service Recovery After Public Service Failures," by Matthias Döring (Public Management Review, 2022).
  • "To Justify or Excuse?: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of Explanations," by John C. Shaw, Eric Wild, and Jason A. Colquitt (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2003).
  • "Excuses: Their Effective Role in the Negotiation of Reality," by C. R. Snyder and Raymond L. Higgins (Psychological Bulletin, 1988).
  • "The Attributional Style Questionnaire," by Christopher Peterson, Amy Semmel, Carl von Baeyer, Lyn Y. Abramson, Gerald I. Metalsky, and Martin E. P. Seligman (Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1982).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • "Under the Boardwalk," song by The Drifters (1964).

What’s wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do volunteer work to pad their resumes? And why is Angela stopping women in public parks to compliment them?

• SOURCES:
  • Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
  • Geoffrey Goodwin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Jon Huntsman, politician, diplomat, and businessman.
  • Immanuel Kant, 18th-century German philosopher.
  • Emrys Westacott, professor of philosophy at Alfred University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "How Inferred Motives Shape Moral Judgements," by Ryan W. Carlson, Yochanan E. Bigman, Kurt Gray, Melissa J. Ferguson, and M. J. Crockett (Nature Reviews Psychology, 2022).
  • "Just 2 Minutes of Walking After a Meal Is Surprisingly Good for You," by Rachel Fairbank (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "Psychological Egoism," by Emrys Westacott (ThoughtCo, 2020).
  • "A Meta-Analytic Review of Moral Licensing," by Irene Blanken, Niels van de Ven, and Marcel Zeelenberg (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2015).
  • "Selfish or Selfless? On the Signal Value of Emotion in Altruistic Behavior," by Alixandra Barasch, Emma E. Levine, Jonathan Z. Berman, and Deborah A. Small (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014).
  • "Greenwashing — the Deceptive Tactics Behind Environmental Claims," by the United Nations.

• EXTRAS:
  • "Giving It Away," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).
  • "How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).
  • "Does Doing Good Give You License to Be Bad?" by Freakonomics Radio (2018).

How do you come back from being “canceled”? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? And what makes a successful public apology? 

• SOURCES:
  • Karen Cerulo, professor emeritus of sociology at Rutgers University.
  • Bill Clinton, former president of the United States.
  • David Gergen, professor emeritus of public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School; former White House adviser to four U.S. presidents.
  • Benjamin Ho, professor and chair of economics at Vassar College.
  • Monica Lewinsky, activist.
  • John List, professor of economics at the University of Chicago.
  • Brandon Rottinghaus, professor of political science at the University of Houston.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Slut-Shamed at 22, an Icon at 50 — How Monica Lewinsky Got Her Life Back," by Helen Rumbelow (The Times, 2024).
  • "Do Scandals Matter?" by Brandon Rottinghaus (Political Research Quarterly, 2023).
  • "Toward An Understanding of the Economics of Apologies: Evidence from a Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment," by Basil Halperin, Benjamin Ho, John List, and Ian Muir (The Economic Journal, 2022).
  • "Embodied Remorse: Physical Displays of Remorse Increase Positive Responses to Public Apologies, but Have Negligible Effects on Forgiveness," by Matthew J. Hornsey, Michael J. A. Wohl, Emily A. Harris, Tyler G. Okimoto, Michael Thai, and Michael Wenzel (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2020).
  • "Commentary: Time for Bill Clinton to Go Away," by Will Rahn (CBS News, 2018).
  • "The Price of Shame," by Monica Lewinsky (TED Talk, 2015).
  • "Apologies Demanded Yet Devalued: Normative Dilution in the Age of Apology," by Tyler G. Okimoto, Michael Wenzel, and Matthew J. Hornsey (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2015).
  • "Apologies of the Rich and Famous: Cultural, Cognitive, and Social Explanations of Why We Care and Why We Forgive," by Janet M. Ruane and Karen Cerulo (Social Psychology Quarterly, 2014).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How to Optimize Your Apology," by Freakonomics Radio (2018).
  • "Coal Digger," S1.E5 of Modern Family (2009).

When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?

• SOURCES:
  • Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
  • Sigmund Freud, neurologist and father of psychoanalysis.
  • Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University.
  • George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Research Institute.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The 10 Scariest Horror Movies Ever," by RT Staff (Rotten Tomatoes, 2022).
  • "Box Office History for Horror," (The Numbers, 2022).
  • "Around the World, Adolescence Is a Time of Heightened Sensation Seeking and Immature Self-Regulation," by Laurence Steinberg, Grace Icenogle, Hanan M. S. Takash, et al. (Developmental Science, 2018).
  • "Why Taste Buds Dull As We Age," by Natalie Jacewicz (The Salt, 2017).
  • Horror Literature Through History, edited by Matt Cardin (2017).
  • "Why We Love the Pain of Spicy Food," by John McQuaid (The Wall Street Journal, 2014).
  • "Glad to Be Sad, and Other Examples of Benign Masochism," by Paul Rozin, Lily Guillot, Katrina Fincher, Alexander Rozin, and Eli Tsukayama (Judgment and Decision Making, 2013).
  • "The Ignorant and the Furious: Video and Catharsis," by the Association for Psychological Science (2010).
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck (2006).
  • "Adaptive Mental Mechanisms: Their Role in a Positive Psychology," by George E. Vaillant (American Psychologist, 2000).

• EXTRAS:
  • Terrifier 2, film (2022).
  • "How to Change Your Mind (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
  • "Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
  • "Why Is Academic Writing So Bad?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • Han Dynasty restaurant.

What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor?

• SOURCES:
  • Jonathan Haidt, professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business.
  • Christina Maslach, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Stanley Milgram, 20th century professor of psychology at Yale University.
  • Edward R. Murrow, 20th century American broadcast journalist and war correspondent.
  • Alexander Pope, 17-18th century English poet.
  • Adrian Raine, professor of criminology, psychiatry, and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Oskar Schindler, 20th century German businessman.
  • Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Mental Illness and Violence: Debunking Myths, Addressing Realities," by Tori DeAngelis (Monitor on Psychology, 2021).
  • "Debunking the Stanford Prison Experiment," by Thibault Le Texier (American Psychologist, 2019).
  • "How 'Evil' Became a Conservative Buzzword," by Emma Green (The Atlantic, 2017).
  • "The Double-Edged Sword: Does Biomechanism Increase or Decrease Judges' Sentencing of Psychopaths?" by Lisa G. Aspinwall, Teneille R. Brown, and James Tabery (Science, 2012).
  • "The Psychology of Evil," by Philip Zimbardo (TED Talk, 2008).
  • The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, by Philip Zimbardo (2007).
  • "When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions that Liberals may not Recognize," by Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham (Social Justice Research, 2007).
  • "Abu Ghraib Whistleblower Speaks Out," by Michele Norris (All Things Considered, 2006).
  • Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View, by Stanley Milgram (1974).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Does Free Will Exist, and Does It Matter?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov (1955).
  • "Essay on Man, Epistle II," poem by Alexander Pope (1733).

Who decided that we’re fully mature at 18? Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote? And why are young people bringing their parents to job interviews?

• SOURCES:
  • Jeffrey Arnett, senior research scholar in psychology at Clark University.
  • Julie Beck, staff writer at The Atlantic.
  • Grace Icenogle, confinement prevention administrator in the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
  • Allyson Mackey, professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Trevor Noah, comedian, writer, and late-night television host.
  • Heejung Park, professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College.
  • Lawrence Steinberg, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Temple University.
  • Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "1 in 4 Gen Zers Brought a Parent to a Job Interview," (ResumeTemplates.com, 2024).
  • "Puberty Starts Earlier Than It Used To. No One Knows Why," by Azeen Ghorayshi (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "Early Life Stress Is Associated With Earlier Emergence of Permanent Molars," by Cassidy L. McDermott, Katherine Hilton, Anne T. Park, Allyson P. Mackey, et al. (PNAS, 2021).
  • "When Are You Really an Adult?" by Maria Cramer (The New York Times, 2020).
  • "The Decline in Adult Activities Among U.S. Adolescents, 1976-2016," by Jean M. Twenge and Heejung Park (Child Development, 2019).
  • "Using Developmental Science to Distinguish Adolescents and Adults Under the Law," by Laurence Steinberg and Grace Icenogle (Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2019).
  • Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah (2016).
  • "When Are You Really an Adult?" by Julie Beck (The Atlantic, 2016).
  • "Adulthood in Law and Culture," by Vivian E. Hamilton (William & Mary Law School Scholarship Repository, 2016).
  • "Emerging Adulthood. A Theory of Development From the Late Teens Through the Twenties," by Jeffrey Arnett (American Psychologist, 2000).

• EXTRA:
  • "Do 'Generations' Mean Anything?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

What are Mike and Angela’s favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? And what is Angela going to sing the next time she does karaoke?

• SOURCES:
  • Matthew Desmond, professor of sociology at Princeton University.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Joshua Knobe, professor of philosophy, psychology, and linguistics at Yale University.
  • Simon McCarthy-Jones, professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.
  • Yael Millgram, senior lecturer of psychological sciences at Tel Aviv University.
  • Stanley Milgram, 20th-century American social psychologist.
  • Ruth Reichl, food writer.
  • Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University.
  • Barbara Tversky, professor emerita of psychology at Stanford University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "On the Value of Sad Music," by Mario Attie-Picker, Tara Venkatesan, George E. Newman, and Joshua Knobe (The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2024).
  • "The Reason People Listen to Sad Songs," by Oliver Whang (The New York Times, 2023).
  • "Adele 30: The Psychology of Why Sad Songs Make Us Feel Good," by Simon McCarthy-Jones (The Conversation, 2021).
  • "Why Do Depressed People Prefer Sad Music?" by Sunkyung Yoon, Edelyn Verona, Robert Schlauch, Sandra Schneider, and Jonathan Rottenberg (Emotion, 2020).
  • Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond (2016).
  • "Sad as a Matter of Choice? Emotion-Regulation Goals in Depression," by Yael Millgram, Jutta Joormann, Jonathan D. Huppert, and Maya Tamir (Psychological Science, 2015).
  • "Music and Emotion Through Time," by Michael Tilson Thomas (TED Talk, 2012).
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).

• EXTRAS:
  • Girl Power Sing-Along with Laurie Santos and Catherine Price, at the Black Squirrel Club in Philadelphia (September 28, 2024).
  • "What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of 'The Happiness Lab' (Replay)," by No Stupid Questions (2023).

What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? What’s the difference between Swedish depression and American depression? And why aren’t aliens interested in abducting Mike? 

• SOURCES:
  • Jennifer Aaker, professor of marketing at Stanford University.
  • Judd Apatow, film director, screenwriter, and comedian.
  • Fredrik Backman, author.
  • Naomi Bagdonas, lecturer in management at Stanford University.
  • James Corden, actor, comedian, and former late-night television host.
  • Dick Costolo, former C.E.O. of Twitter.
  • Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
  • Jimmy Fallon, comedian and late-night television host.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Jimmy Kimmel, comedian and late-night television host.
  • Larry LaPrise, 20th-century American singer-songwriter.
  • Jerry Seinfeld, comedian, actor, and writer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Fredrik Backman on Creative Anxiety and Procrastination," by Fredrik Backman (Simon & Schuster Centennial Celebration, 2024).
  • "The Relative Importance of Joke and Audience Characteristics in Eliciting Amusement," by Hannes Rosenbusch, Anthony M. Evans, and Marcel Zeelenberg (Psychological Science, 2022).
  • "The 100-Million-Year Origin Story of Laughter and Humor," by Dean Russell (Endless Thread, 2022).
  • Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And How Anyone Can Harness It. Even You.), by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas (2021).
  • "What Makes Things Funny? An Integrative Review of the Antecedents of Laughter and Amusement," by Caleb Warren, Adam Barsky, and A. Peter McGraw (Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2020).
  • Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy, by Judd Apatow (2015).
  • How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (1936).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Can A.I. Take a Joke?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
  • "The Comedian-Ophthalmologist Will See You Now," by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).
  • There's Something About Mary, film (1998).

Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckworth in this classic episode from July 2020.

• SOURCES:
  • Pearl S. Buck, 20th-century American novelist.
  • Jack Gallant, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
  • George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • Deborah Small, professor of marketing at Yale University.
  • Adin Steinsaltz, rabbi, philosopher, and author.
  • Diana Tamir, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality," by Fatma Deniz, Anwar O. Nunez-Elizalde, Alexander G. Huth and Jack L. Gallant (Journal of Neuroscience, 2019).
  • "Reading Fiction and Reading Minds: The Role of Simulation in the Default Network," by Diana Tamir, Andrew B. Bricker, David Dodell-Feder, and Jason P. Mitchell (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2016).
  • Think Like a Freak, by Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt (2014).
  • SuperFreakonomics, by Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt (2009).
  • Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, by the Department of Defense (2009).
  • "Stories or Statistics? Farmers' Attitudes Toward Messages in an Agricultural Safety Campaign," by S. E. Morgan, H. P. Cole, T. Struttmann, and L. Piercy (Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 2002).
  • "Explaining the Identifiable Victim Effect," by Karen Jenni and George Loewenstein (Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 1997).
  • "Explanation-Based Decision Making: Effects of Memory Structure on Judgment," by N. Pennington and R. Hastie (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 1988).
  • The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck (1931).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
  • "This Is Your Brain on Podcasts," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road?

• SOURCES:
  • Christian Crandall, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.
  • Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
  • Scott Eidelman, professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas.
  • David Hume, 18th century Scottish philosopher.
  • Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
  • John McWhorter, professor of linguistics, English, and comparative literature at Columbia University.
  • Mark Twain, 19-20th century American writer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "What Countries Use the Imperial System?" by William Harris and Sascha Bos (HowStuffWorks, 2023).
  • "UK Quietly Drops Brexit Law to Return to Imperial Measurements," by George Parker (Financial Times, 2023).
  • "Heads or Tails: The Impact of a Coin Toss on Major Life Decisions and Subsequent Happiness," by Steven D. Levitt (The Review of Economic Studies, 2021).
  • "A ‘Thrilling’ Mission to Get the Swedish to Change Overnight," by Maddy Savage (BBC, 2018).
  • "Why We Can’t Quit the QWERTY Keyboard," by Rachel Metz (MIT Technology Review, 2018).
  • "Why Americans Still Use Fahrenheit Long After Everyone Else Switched to Celsius," by Zack Beauchamp (Vox, 2015).
  • "The Intuitive Traditionalist: How Biases for Existence and Longevity Promote the Status Quo," by Scott Eidelman and Christian Crandall (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2014).
  • "What Scientific Concept Would Improve Everybody's Cognitive Toolkit?" (Edge, 2011).
  • "Mars Probe Lost Due to Simple Math Error," by Robert Lee Hotz (Los Angeles Times, 1999).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?" by Freakonomics Radio (2013).
  • "The Upside of Quitting," by Freakonomics Radio (2011).

What happens when machines become funnier, kinder, and more empathetic than humans? Do robot therapists save lives? And should Angela credit her virtual assistant as a co-author of her book?

• SOURCES:
  • Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus of psychology at Arizona State University.
  • Reid Hoffman, co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn; co-founder and board member of Inflection AI.
  • Kazuo Ishiguro, novelist and screenwriter.
  • Ethan Mollick, professor of management and co-director of the Generative A.I. Lab at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Ann Patchett, author.
  • Kevin Roose, technology columnist for The New York Times and co-host of the podcast Hard Fork.
  • Niko Tinbergen, 20th-century Dutch biologist and ornithologist.
  • Lyle Ungar, professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • E. B. White, 20th-century American author.

• RESOURCES:
  • Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, by Ethan Mollick (2024).
  • "Meet My A.I. Friends," by Kevin Roose (The New York Times, 2024).
  • "Loneliness and Suicide Mitigation for Students Using GPT3-Enabled Chatbots," by Bethanie Maples, Merve Cerit, Aditya Vishwanath, and Roy Pea (NPJ Mental Health Research, 2024).
  • "AI Can Help People Feel Heard, but an AI Label Diminishes This Impact," by Yidan Yin, Nan Jia, and Cheryl J. Wakslak (PNAS, 2024).
  • "Romantic AI Chatbots Don’t Have Your Privacy at Heart," by Jen Caltrider, Misha Rykov and Zoë MacDonald (Mozilla Foundation, 2024).
  • Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021).
  • The Study Of Instinct, by Niko Tinbergen (1951).
  • Pi.

• EXTRAS:
  • "Are Our Tools Becoming Part of Us?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).
  • "Is GPS Changing Your Brain?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How to Think About A.I.," series by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
  • "Would You Rather See a Computer or a Doctor?" by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).

Do you see yourself the same way others see you? What’s the difference between self-perception and self-awareness? And why do Mike and Angela both hate fishing?

• SOURCES:
  • Luis von Ahn, co-founder and C.E.O. of Duolingo; former chair of the board at Character Lab.
  • Paul DePodesta, chief strategy officer of the Cleveland Browns; former baseball executive.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Michel de Montaigne, 16th-century French philosopher.
  • Barbara Tversky, professor emerita of psychology at Stanford University and professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "What Makes a 360-Degree Review Successful?" by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman (Harvard Business Review, 2020).
  • "Self-Other Agreement in Personality Reports: A Meta-Analytic Comparison of Self- and Informant-Report Means," by Hyunji Kim, Stefano I. Di Domenico, and Brian S. Connelly (Psychological Science, 2019).
  • "Don’t Let a Lack of Self-Awareness Hold You Back," by Tim Herrera (The New York Times, 2018).
  • "Self-Discipline Outdoes IQ in Predicting Academic Performance of Adolescents," by Angela Duckworth and Martin E.P. Seligman (Psychological Science, 2005).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Personality: The Big Five," series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Remembering Daniel Kahneman," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).
  • "How Much Personal Space Do You Need?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • Moneyball, film (2011).
  • Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, by Michael Lewis (2003).

What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?

• SOURCES:
  • Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University.
  • Yaniv Hanoch, professor of decision sciences at Coventry University.
  • Hugo Mercier, research scientist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
  • George Parker, 19-20th century American con artist.
  • Clark Stanley, 19th century American herbalist and quack doctor.
  • William Thompson, 19th century American criminal and con artist.
  • Danny Wallace, British filmmaker, comedian, writer, and actor.
  • Stacey Wood, professor of psychology at Scripps College.

• RESOURCES:
  • "They Thought Loved Ones Were Calling for Help. It Was an A.I. Scam," by Pranshu Verma (The Washington Post, 2023).
  • "Who Experiences Scams? A Story for All Ages," by the Federal Trade Commission (2022).
  • "The Scams Among Us: Who Falls Prey and Why," by Yaniv Hanoch and Stacey Wood (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2021).
  • "The Nigerian Prince Scam Is Still Fooling People. Here’s Why," by Eleanor Cummins (Popular Science, 2020).
  • "How Gullible Are We? A Review of the Evidence From Psychology and Social Science," by Hugo Mercier (Review of General Psychology, 2017).
  • "The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice," by Jeff Maysh (Smithsonian Magazine, 2016).
  • "Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling," by Paul J. Zak (Harvard Business Review, 2014).
  • "A History Of 'Snake Oil Salesmen,'" by Lakshmi Gandhi (Code Switch, 2013).
  • Yes Man, by Danny Wallace (2005).
  • "For You, Half Price," by Gabriel Cohen (The New York Times, 2005).
  • Influence, by Robert Cialdini (1984).
  • "Arrest of the Confidence Man," (New York Herald, 1849).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Are N.F.T.s All Scams?" by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
  • "Trust Me," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

Should government jobs have mandatory retirement ages? Is it foolish to care about your legacy? And why did Jason always call Angela’s father “Dr. Lee”?

• SOURCES:
  • William Bridges, professor emeritus of American literature at Mills College, consultant, and author.
  • Arthur Brooks, professor of leadership at Harvard University.
  • Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States and founder of the Carter Center.
  • Erik Erikson, 20th-century psychoanalyst.
  • Craig Fox, professor of management at the University of California, Los Angeles.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Mitt Romney, U.S. Senator from Utah.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Congress Today Is Older Than It's Ever Been," by Geoffrey Skelley (FiveThirtyEight, 2023).
  • "America’s Bosses Just Won’t Quit. That Could Spell Trouble," (The Economist, 2023).
  • "At What Age Is Your Brain the Sharpest?" by Kendra Cherry (Verywell Mind, 2023).
  • "Mitt Romney Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection as He Calls for ‘New Generation of Leaders’," by Clare Foran (CNN, 2023).
  • From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks (2022).
  • "Psychological Research on Retirement," by Mo Wang and Junqi Shi (Annual Review of Psychology, 2014).
  • "Daniel Kahneman in Conversation with Craig Fox," (2004).
  • "The Psychology of Life Stories," by Dan P. McAdams (Review of General Psychology, 2001).
  • Childhood and Society, by Erik Erikson (1950).
  • Bridges Transition Model.

• EXTRA:
  • "Personality: The Big Five," series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "What Does Success Look Like?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "How Do You Deal With Big Life Changes?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "What’s So Great About Retirement?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • "I Know Him," song by Jonathan Groff (Hamilton: An American Musical, 2015).

Do you get your principles from your parents — or in spite of them? Is there anything wrong with valuing conformity? And why doesn’t McDonald’s sell salads? 

• SOURCES:
  • Erika James, dean of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Olivia Rodrigo, singer-songwriter.
  • Shalom Schwartz, professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew ‎‎University of Jerusalem.
  • Thomas Talhelm, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Measuring Trends in Americans' Personal Values," by Frank Newport (Gallup, 2023).
  • "America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds," by Aaron Zitner (The Wall Street Journal, 2023).
  • "What Really Happened To McDonald's McSalad Shakers," by Colin McCandless (Mashed, 2023).
  • "Personal Values Across Cultures," by Lilach Sagiv and Shalom H. Schwartz (Annual Review of Psychology, 2022).
  • "Moving Chairs in Starbucks: Observational Studies Find Rice-Wheat Cultural Differences in Daily Life in China," by Thomas Talhelm, Xuemin Zhang, and Shigehiro Oishi (Science Advances, 2018).
  • "Large-Scale Psychological Differences Within China Explained by Rice Versus Wheat Agriculture," by Thomas Talhelm, Xuemin Zhang, Shigehiro Oishi, Shinobu Kitayama, et al. (Science, 2014).
  • "An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values," by Shalom Schwartz (Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2012).
  • The Short Schwartz’s Value Survey, from "Measuring values with the Short Schwartz's Value Survey," by Marjaana Lindeman and Markku Verkasalo (Journal of Personality Assessment, 2005).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "How Sinful Are 'No Stupid Questions' Listeners?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "hope ur ok," song by Olivia Rodrigo (Sour, 2021).

How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists? 

• SOURCES:
  • William Broyles Jr., screenwriter, journalism, and former U.S. Marine Corps officer.
  • Beatriz Flamini, Spanish mountaineer.
  • Craig Haney, professor of psychology at the University of California Santa Cruz.
  • Harry Harlow, 20th-century American psychologist.
  • Sarah Hepola, author.
  • Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa.
  • Tree Meinch, freelance writer, editor, and freediver.
  • Alexander Selkirk, 18th-century Scottish privateer and Royal Navy officer.
  • Cheryl Strayed, writer and podcast host.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Impact of Isolation on Brain Health," by Vibol Heng, Craig Haney, and Richard Jay Smeyne (Neurobiology of Brain Disorders, 2023).
  • "What Happens When Humans Are Extremely Isolated?" by Tree Meinch (Discover, 2023).
  • "Spanish Climber Leaves Cave After 500 Days in Isolation," by Ciarán Giles (AP News, 2023).
  • "Solitary Confinement Is Not 'Solitude': The Worst Case Scenario of Being 'Alone' in Prison," by Craig Haney (The Handbook of Solitude, 2021).
  • This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger (2019).
  • Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed (2012).
  • "The Real Robinson Crusoe," by Bruce Selcraig (Smithsonian Magazine, 2005).
  • "Lost at Sea and Back Again," by Sarah Hepola (The Austin Chronicle, 2000).
  • "Social Recovery of Monkeys Isolated for the First Year of Life: I. Rehabilitation and Therapy," by Melinda Novak and Harry Harlow (Developmental Psychology, 1975).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Do You Need a Hug?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "What Makes a Good Gathering?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "What to Do When Everything Looks Like a Catastrophe?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • Cast Away, film (2000).

Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’t Angela want to hug anyone for eight seconds?

• SOURCES:
  • Ophelia Deroy, chair of the department of philosophy of mind and cognitive neuroscience at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
  • Kory Floyd, professor of communications at the University of Arizona.
  • Harry Harlow, 20th-century American psychologist.
  • Sirin Kale, associate editor at Vice.
  • Christy Kane, clinical mental health counselor.
  • Carmen Rasmusen Herbert, country music artist and columnist.
  • Virginia Satir, 20th-century clinical social worker and family therapist.

• RESOURCES:
  • "A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-Analysis of the Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Touch Interventions," by Julian Packheiser, Helena Hartmann, Kelly Fredriksen, Valeria Gazzola, Christian Keysers, and Frédéric Michon (Nature Human Behaviour, 2024).
  • "WHO Advises Immediate Skin to Skin Care for Survival of Small and Preterm Babies," by the World Health Organization (2022).
  • "Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective," by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Ilona Croy, et al. (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2021).
  • "Results Revealed for The Touch Test: The World’s Largest Study of Touch," (BBC Media Centre, 2020).
  • "How 8-Second Hugs Can Counteract the Negative Side Effects From Electronics," by Carmen Rasmusen Herbert (Deseret News, 2018).
  • "Confidence is Higher in Touch Than in Vision in Cases of Perceptual Ambiguity," by Merle T. Fairhurst, Eoin Travers, Vincent Hayward, and Ophelia Deroy (Nature: Scientific Reports, 2018).
  • "The Life of the Skin-Hungry: Can You Go Crazy from a Lack Of Touch?" by Sirin Kale (Vice, 2016).
  • "Warm Partner Contact Is Related to Lower Cardiovascular Reactivity," by Karen M. Grewen, Bobbi J. Anderson, Susan S. Girdler, and Kathleen C. Light (Behavioral Medicine, 2010).
  • "The Nature of Love," by Harry Harlow (American Psychologist, 1958).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).

How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them?

• SOURCES:
  • Max Bazerman, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
  • Deepak Malhotra, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
  • Elon Musk, owner and C.T.O. of X Corp (formerly Twitter), C.E.O. of Space X, and C.E.O. of Tesla.
  • John Krasinski, actor and filmmaker.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Try to Rehire Some of Its Laid-Off Staff, and That Some of the People He Fired 'Shouldn't Have Been' Cut," by Pete Syme (Business Insider, 2023).
  • "Read the Midnight Email Elon Musk Sent Twitter Staff Telling Them to Work 'Long Hours at High Intensity' – or Quit," by Jyoti Mann (Business Insider, 2022).
  • "When to Use Ultimatums & When to Avoid Them," by Deepak Malhotra (Negotiation Insights Video Series, 2020).
  • "'Take It or Leave It!' A Choice Mindset Leads to Greater Persistence and Better Outcomes in Negotiations," by Anyi Ma, Yu Yang, and Krishna Savani (Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2019).
  • "John Krasinski Was Ready To Quit Acting Before 'The Office'," by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2018).
  • "Models of the Evolution of Fairness in the Ultimatum Game: A Review and Classification," by Stéphane Debove, Nicolas Baumard, and Jean-Baptiste André (Evolution and Human Behavior, 2016).
  • "15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer," by Deepak Malhotra (Harvard Business Review, 2014).
  • Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond, by Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazerman (2007).
  • "Fairness Versus Reason in the Ultimatum Game," by Martin A. Nowak, Karen M. Page, and Karl Sigmund (Science, 2000).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Get Your Share of the Pie," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).
  • Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber (1996).

Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was Angela the most annoying person in her college classes?

• SOURCES:
  • Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto.
  • Ed Diener, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois.
  • Michael Easter, author.
  • Alex Hutchinson, journalist.
  • Shigehiro Oishi, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
  • Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter.

• RESOURCES:
  • "World Happiness Report," (Gallup, 2024).
  • "How Painful Should Your Workout Be?" by Alex Hutchinson (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "Taylor Swift’s NYU Commencement Speech: Read the Full Transcript," by Hannah Dailey (Billboard, 2022).
  • The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self, by Michael Easter (2021).
  • The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning, by Paul Bloom (2021).
  • "Residents of Poor Nations Have a Greater Sense of Meaning in Life Than Residents of Wealthy Nations," by Shigehiro Oishi and Ed Diener (Psychological Science, 2014).
  • "Confusion Can Be Beneficial for Learning," by Sidney D’Mello, Blair Lehman, Reinhard Pekrun, and Art Graesser (Learning and Instruction, 2014).
  • "Stranger Situations: Examining a Self-Regulatory Model of Socially Awkward Encounters," by Joshua Clegg (Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize about during ninth-grade English class?

• SOURCES:
  • Patrick Bet-David, YouTuber and founding C.E.O. of PHP Agency Inc.
  • Barbara Corcoran, "Shark" and executive producer on ABC’s Shark Tank and founder of The Corcoran Group.
  • Peter Gollwitzer, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Danny Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology at Princeton University.
  • Robert Nozick, philosopher.
  • Gabriele Oettingen, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Kim Scott, co-founder of Radical Candor and prominent C.E.O. coach in Silicon Valley.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Dreamscrolling," by Empower (The Currency, 2024).
  • "Most Americans Can’t Afford a $1,000 Emergency: Survey," by Travis Schlepp (The Hill, 2024).
  • "Positive Fantasies and Negative Emotions in Soccer Fans," by A. Timur Sevincer, Greta Wagner, and Gabriele Oettingen (Cognition and Emotion, 2019).
  • Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, by Kim Scott (2017).
  • "Pleasure Now, Pain Later: Positive Fantasies About the Future Predict Symptoms of Depression," by Gabriele Oettingen, Doris Mayer, and Sam Portnow (Psychological Science, 2016).
  • "Positive Fantasies About Idealized Futures Sap Energy," by Heather Barry Kappes and Gabriele Oettingen (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "Self-Regulation of Goal Setting: Turning Free Fantasies About the Future Into Binding Goals," by Gabriele Oettingen, Hyeon-ju Pak, and Karoline Schnetter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001).
  • "Intuitive Prediction: Biases and Corrective Procedures," by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (DARPA Technical Report, 1977).
  • Anarchy, State, and Utopia, by Robert Nozick (1974).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Can You Really 'Manifest' Success Through Positive Visualization?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person? And why doesn’t Hallmark sell empathy cards? 

• SOURCES:
  • Daniel Batson, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kansas.
  • Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at University of Toronto.
  • Paul Polman, businessman, author, and former C.E.O. of Unilever.

• RESOURCES:
  • “Empathy, Sympathy, and Emotion Regulation: A Meta-Analytic Review,” by H. Melis Yavuz, Tyler Colasante, Emma Galarneau, and Tina Malti (Psychological Bulletin, 2024).
  • “Have Some Sympathy,” by Pamela Paul (The New York Times, 2023).
  • “What is Club 33? Inside Disney’s Most Exclusive Club,” by Evelyn Long (Walt Disney World Magazine, 2022).
  • “The Case Against Empathy,” by Sean Illing (Vox, 2019).
  • Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion, by Paul Bloom (2016).
  • “Beautiful friendship: Social sharing of emotions improves subjective feelings and activates the neural reward circuitry,” by Ullrich Wagner, Lisa Galli, Björn H. Schott, Andrew Wold, Job van der Schalk, Antony S. R. Manstead, Klaus Scherer, and Henrik Walter (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2015).
  • Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil, by Paul Bloom (2013).
  • The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery (2006). 
  • “Immorality from Empathy-Induced Altruism: When Compassion and Justice Conflict,” by Daniel Batson, Tricia Klein, Lori Highberger, and Laura Shaw (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1995).
  • “The Four Horsemen: Contempt,” by Ellie Lisitsa (The Gottman Institute).

• EXTRAS:
  • “Is Empathy in Fact Immoral?” by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • Parasite, film (2019).
  • King James Bible, Job 2:1-13. 
  • The Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18:9.

Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you? 

• SOURCES:
  • Fredrik Backman, author.
  • David Chavis, senior fellow at Community Science.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Sebastian Junger, journalist and author.
  • David McMillan, clinical and community psychologist.
  • Priya Parker, strategic advisor and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do Conversations End When People Want Them to?" by Adam M. Mastroianni, Daniel Gilbert, Gus Cooney, and Timothy D. Wilson (PNAS, 2021).
  • "3 Steps to Turn Everyday Get-Togethers Into Transformative Gatherings," by Priya Parker (TED Talk, 2019).
  • The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker (2018).
  • Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger (2016).
  • Beartown, by Fredrik Backman (2016).
  • “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love,” by Daniel Jones (The New York Times, 2015).
  • A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (2012).
  • "Sense of Community: A Definition and Theory," by David McMillan and David Chavis (Journal of Community Psychology, 1986).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Can You Get Closer to the People You Care About?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • A Man Called Otto, film (2022).

What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common?

• SOURCES:
  • Anette Asp, project manager and research coordinator at the California Institute of Technology.
  • Lalin Anik, professor of marketing at Vrije University Amsterdam.
  • Marc Bain, journalist.
  • Judy Blume, young adult author.
  • Colin Camerer, professor of behavioral economics at the California Institute of Technology.
  • James Dean, 20th-century American actor.
  • Ryan Hauser, Ph.D. candidate at the Yale School of Management.
  • Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player.
  • Johnny Miles, senior value manager at Workday.
  • Steven Quartz, professor of philosophy at the California Institute of Technology.
  • David Skinner, editor of Humanities magazine.
  • Lindsey Vonn, Olympic alpine skier.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do You Think You're Cool?" poll by YouGov (2024).
  • "What Cool Means Now," by Marc Bain (Quartz, 2020).
  • "The History of Michael Jordan's 'Banned' Sneakers," (Complex, 2020).
  • "Brand Coolness," by Caleb Warren, Rajeev Batra, Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, and Richard P. Bagozzi (Journal of Marketing, 2019).
  • "How to be Cool," by Johnny Miles (UVA Darden Ideas to Action, 2017).
  • Cool: How the Brain’s Hidden Quest for Cool Drives Our Economy and Shapes Our World, by Steven Quartz and Anette Asp (2015).
  • "How Capitalism Created 'Cool,'" by Bourree Lam (The Atlantic, 2015).
  • "How Did Cool Become Such a Big Deal?" by David Skinner (Humanities, 2014).

• EXTRA:
  • "Are We Getting Lonelier?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time? 

• SOURCES:
  • Laura Wheatman Hill, journalist.
  • George Lin, Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Melinda Wenner Moyer, journalist and author.
  • Luciano Pavarotti, Italian operatic tenor.
  • Amy Stoeber, clinical psychologist.
  • Jacqueline Woolley, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Parenting by Lying," by Peipei Setoh, Petrina Hui Xian Low, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024).
  • "Should You Always Tell Your Kids the Truth? It Depends," by Laura Wheatman Hill (CNN, 2021).
  • "Parenting by Lying in Childhood Is Associated With Negative Developmental Outcomes in Adulthood," by Peipei Setoh, Siqi Zhao, Rachel Santos, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2020).
  • "The Santa Lie," by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • "When Is It OK to Tell a Lie?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • How to Raise Kids Who Aren't A*******: Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting — from Tots to Teens, by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2021).
  • Life Is Beautiful, film (1997).
  • "Love at the Five and Dime," song by Nanci Griffith (1986).
  • The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom (1971).

WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to academic celebrity.

Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And why did Angela eat off of a stranger’s plate at a sushi bar? 

• SOURCES:
  • Ludwig van Beethoven, 18th-19th century composer and pianist.
  • Jen Christensen, reporter and producer at CNN.
  • Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, professor of management & organizations at Northwestern University.
  • Sigmund Freud, neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis.
  • Shirley MacLaine, actor.
  • George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
  • Ali Wong, comedian.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Sad Clown: The Deep Emotions Behind Stand-Up Comedy," by Jen Christensen (CNN, 2018).
  • "Neuroticism," by Jennifer L. Tackett and Benjamin B. Lahey (The Oxford handbook of the Five Factor Model, 2017).
  • "Thinking Too Much: Self-Generated Thought as the Engine of Neuroticism," by Adam M. Perkins, Danilo Arnone, Jonathan Smallwood, and Dean Mobbs (Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2015).
  • "Survivor Mission: Do Those Who Survive Have a Drive to Thrive at Work?" by Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, Elizabeth Shulman, and Angela Duckworth (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2014).
  • "Age Differences in Personality Traits From 10 to 65: Big Five Domains and Facets in a Large Cross-Sectional Sample," by Christopher J. Soto, Oliver P. John, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jeff Potter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "Adaptive Mental Mechanisms: Their Role in a Positive Psychology," by George Vaillant (American Psychologist, 2000).
  • The Harvard Study of Adult Development.

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Terms of Endearment, film by James L. Brooks (1983).
  • "Invictus," poem by William Ernest Henley (1888).

Where is the line between a good guy and a doormat? Do people with sharp elbows make more money? And why did Angela’s mother give away her birthday present?

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Kristen Bell, actor.
  • Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon.
  • Harry Connick Jr., singer, pianist, and actor.
  • Juli Fraga, psychologist and writer.
  • Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Allison Sweet Grant, writer.
  • Timothy Judge, chair of the department of Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University.
  • Frank Jacobs, journalist and columnist at Big Think.
  • Beth Livingston, professor of industrial relations at the University of Iowa.
  • Topher Payne, playwright and screenwriter.
  • Dax Shepard, actor and podcast host.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Are You a Chronic People-Pleaser? Here’s How to Be Kinder to Yourself," by Juli Fraga (The Washington Post, 2023).
  • "Geopsychology: Your Personality Depends on Where You Live," by Frank Jacobs (Big Think, 2023).
  • "We Need to Talk About ‘The Giving Tree,'" by Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant (The New York Times, 2020).
  • The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries, by Topher Payne (2020).
  • "Do as You’re Told! Facets of Agreeableness and Early Adult Outcomes for Inner-City Boys," by Margaret Kern, Angela Duckworth, Sergio Urzúa, Rolf Loeber, Magda Stouthamer-Loeber, and Donald Lynam (Journal of Research in Personality, 2013).
  • Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant (2013).
  • "Do Nice Guys — and Gals — Really Finish Last? The Joint Effects of Sex and Agreeableness on Income," by Timothy Judge and Beth Livingston (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

What’s the difference between being introverted and being shy? What are extroverts so cheerful about? And does Angela’s social battery ever run out?

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Susan Cain, author.
  • Will Fleeson, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.
  • Sigmund Freud, neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis.
  • Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Carl Jung, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.
  • Donald Kamentz, founder and C.E.O. of Contigo Ed.
  • Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.
  • Seth Margolis, professor of biological chemistry at Johns Hopkins University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "A Crucial Character Trait for Happiness," by Arthur C. Brooks (The Atlantic, 2023).
  • "Experimental Manipulation of Extraverted and Introverted Behavior and Its Effects on Well-Being," by Seth Margolis and Sonja Lyubomirsky (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2020).
  • "Challenges to Capture the Big Five Personality Traits in Non-WEIRD Populations," by Rachid Laajaj, Karen Macours, Daniel Alejandro Pinzon Hernandez, Omar Arias, Samuel D. Gosling, Jeff Potter, Marta Rubio-Codina, and Renos Vakis (Science Advances, 2019).
  • "Rethinking the Extraverted Sales Ideal: The Ambivert Advantage," by Adam Grant (Psychological Science, 2013).
  • "The Power of Introverts," by Susan Cain (TED Talk, 2012).
  • Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (2012).
  • "Personality Trait Change in Adulthood," by Brent W. Roberts Daniel Mroczek (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008).
  • "Toward a Structure- and Process-Integrated View of Personality: Traits as Density Distributions of States," by William Fleeson (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Is it really that important to make your bed? What’s the benefit of hiring a lazy person? And how many cups of spinach can Mike fit in a red Solo cup?  

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • David Barack, philosopher and neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Randall Bell, socio-economist and C.E.O. of Landmark Research Group.
  • Julia Cameron, author, poet, songwriter, filmmaker, and playwright.
  • Charles Duhigg, journalist and author.
  • Guy Kawasaki, author and Silicon Valley venture capitalist.
  • William McRaven, professor of national security at the University of Texas at Austin and retired Admiral in the United States Navy.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Large Studies Reveal How Reference Bias Limits Policy Applications of Self-Report Measures," by Benjamin Lira, Joseph M. O’Brien, Pablo A. Peña, Brian M. Galla, Sidney D’Mello, David S. Yeager, Amy Defnet, Tim Kautz, Kate Munkacsy, and Angela Duckworth (Nature: Scientific Reports, 2022).
  • "Too Much of a Good Thing? Exploring the Inverted-U Relationship Between Self-Control and Happiness," by Christopher Wiese, Louis Tay, Angela Duckworth, Sidney D'Mello, Lauren Kuykendall, Wilhelm Hofmann, Roy Baumeister, and Kathleen Vohs (Journal of Personality, 2018).
  • "7 ‘Rich Habits’ of Highly Successful People, From a Man Who Studied Them for 25 Years," by Kathleen Elkins (CNBC, 2017).
  • Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World, by William McRaven (2017).
  • The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg (2012).
  • "Who Does Well in Life? Conscientious Adults Excel in Both Objective and Subjective Success," by Angela Duckworth, David Weir, Eli Tsukayama, and David Kwok (Frontiers in Psychology, 2012).
  • The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron (1992).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Personality: The Big Five," series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Angela Duckworth: The Gritty Road to Growth," by Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People (2024).
  • "How to Have Great Conversations," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).

What do the most creative people have in common?  How open-minded are you, really? And what’s wrong with ordering eggs Benedict? 

Take the Big Five inventory: 

freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Max Bennett, co-founder and C.E.O. of Alby.
  • David Epstein, author and journalist.
  • Ayelet Fishbach, professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
  • Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Steve Jobs, co-founder and former C.E.O. of Apple.
  • Oliver John, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Claude Shannon, 20th century mathematician and computer scientist.
  • Jannik Sinner, professional tennis player.
  • Christopher Soto, professor of psychology at Colby College.
  • Dashun Wang, professor of management and organizations at Northwestern University.
  • Kaitlin Woolley, professor of marketing at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

• RESOURCES:
  • A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains, by Max Bennett (2023).
  • "Exploration vs. Exploitation: Adults Are Learning (Once Again) From Children," by Alison Gopnik (Observer, 2023).
  • "Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort," by Kaitlin Woolley and Ayelet Fishbach (Psychological Science, 2022).
  • "Understanding the Onset of Hot Streaks Across Artistic, Cultural, and Scientific Careers," by Lu Liu, Nima Dehmamy, Jillian Chown, C. Lee Giles, and Dashun Wang (Nature Communications, 2021).
  • "Improv Experience Promotes Divergent Thinking, Uncertainty Tolerance, and Affective Well-Being," by Peter Felsman, Sanuri Gunawardena, and Colleen M. Seifert (Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2020).
  • Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David Epstein (2019).
  • "Openness to Experience," by Robert R. McCrae and David M. Greenberg (The Wiley Handbook of Genius, 2014).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).

Are you the same person you were a decade ago? Do we get better as we age? And is your sixth-grade class clown still funny? 

• SOURCES:
  • Aaron (Tim) Beck, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic. 
  • Brian Little, professor of psychology at the University of Cambridge.
  • Jordi Quoidbach, professor of people management and organisation at ESADE, University Ramon Llull.
  • Carl Rogers, 20th-century psychologist.
  • Martin Short, actor and comedian.
  • Richard Wiseman, professor of the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire.
  • Timothy Wilson, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.

• RESOURCES:
  • "I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality," by Olga Khazan (The Atlantic, 2022).
  • "You Can Be a Different Person After the Pandemic," by Olga Khazan (The New York Times, 2021).
  • "The Theory of Modes: Applications to Schizophrenia and Other Psychological Conditions," by Aaron T. Beck, Molly R. Finkel, and Judith S. Beck (Cognitive Therapy and Research, 2020).
  • “Brian Little: Are Human Personalities Hardwired?" by Guy Raz (TED Radio Hour, 2017).
  • I Must Say: My Life As a Humble Comedy Legend, by Martin Short (2014).
  • "The End of History Illusion," by Jordi Quoidbach, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson (Science, 2013).
  • "Age Differences in Personality Traits From 10 to 65: Big Five Domains and Facets in a Large Cross-Sectional Sample," by Christopher J. Soto, Oliver P. John, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jeff Potter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "The Rank-Order Consistency of Personality Traits From Childhood to Old Age: A Guantitative Review of Longitudinal Studies," by Brent W. Roberts and Wendy F. DelVecchio (Psychological Bulletin, 2000).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, TV series (2012-present).

Is it dangerous to live in the past? Why is Disney remaking all of its classic movies? And why does Angela get sentimental over a cup of soup and a free roll? 

• SOURCES:
  • Julie Beck, senior editor at The Atlantic.
  • Danielle Campoamor, freelance writer and reporter.
  • Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker.
  • Amelia Dennis, research associate in psychology at the University of Bath.
  • Erica Hepper, lecturer in personality/social psychology at the University of Surrey.
  • Lucy Hone, director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience.
  • Imran Rahman-Jones, freelance journalist.
  • Florence Saint-Jean, executive director of Global Trauma Research.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Pancultural Nostalgia in Action: Prevalence, Triggers, and Psychological Functions of Nostalgia Across Cultures," by Erica Hepper, Constantine Sedikides, Bettina Zengel, et al. (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2024).
  • "From Rosy Past to Happy and Flourishing Present: Nostalgia as a Resource for Hedonic and Eudaimonic Wellbeing," by Erica Hepper and Amelia Dennis (Current Opinion in Psychology, 2023).
  • "Locating Nostalgia Among the Emotions: A Bridge From Loss to Love," by Wijnand A.P. van Tilburg (Current Opinion in Psychology, 2023).
  • "Hindsight is 2022: The Psychology Behind Our Cultural Nostalgia," by Kyle Chayka (Town & Country, 2022).
  • "Why We Reach for Nostalgia in Times of Crisis," by Danielle Campoamor (The New York Times, 2020).
  • "Mulan: Disney Remakes and the Power of Nostalgia During Coronavirus," by Imran Rahman-Jones (BBC, 2020).
  • "The Three Secrets of Resilient People," by Lucy Hone (TEDxChristchurch, 2019).
  • "When Nostalgia Was a Disease," by Julie Beck (The Atlantic, 2013).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Zoom, by Istvan Banyai (1995).
  • Peter and Wendy, by J. M. Barrie (1911).

Does instinct trump expertise? Can playing poker improve your intuition? And why did Angela jump off of a moving trolley car?

• SOURCES:
  • Tom Brady, former quarterback for the New England Patriots.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making.
  • Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Josh Waitzkin, former chess player, martial arts competitor, and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "When and How To Sleep Train Your Baby," by Cleveland Clinic (2021).
  • "The ShadowBox Approach to Cognitive Skills Training: An Empirical Evaluation," by Gary Klein and Joseph Borders (Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 2016).
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).
  • "Conditions for Intuitive Expertise: A Failure to Disagree," by Daniel Kahneman and Gary Klein (American Psychologist, 2009).
  • "Dumb Ways to Die," by Metro Trains Melbourne (2009).
  • The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance, by Josh Waitzkin (2007).
  • Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, by Gary Klein (1998).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Is It So Hard to Make Decisions?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Daniel Kahneman on Why Our Judgment is Flawed — and What to Do About It," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • "How to Make a Bad Decision," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”?

• SOURCES:
  • Scott Hugo, housing justice attorney at Oakland City Attorney’s Office.
  • Bob Ladouceur, former head football coach at De La Salle High School.
  • Jon Marcus, writer at The Hechinger Report.
  • Amelia Nierenberg, Connecticut correspondent for The New York Times. 
  • James Pennebaker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Stuart Rojstaczer, writer and former professor of geophysics at Duke University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Making the (Letter) Grade: The Incentive Effects of Mandatory Pass/Fail Courses," by Kristin Butcher, Patrick J. McEwan, and Akila Weerapana (Education Finance and Policy, 2023).
  • "To Help New Students Adapt, Some Colleges Are Eliminating Grades," by Jon Marcus (NPR from Hechinger Report, 2023).
  • "Grade Inflation Continues to Grow in the Past Decade," by Edgar I. Sanchez and Raeal Moore (ACT Research, 2022).
  • "Why Good Teaching Evaluations May Reward Bad Teaching: On Grade Inflation and Other Unintended Consequences of Student Evaluations," by Wolfgang Stroebe (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2016).
  • "Grade Inflation at American Colleges and Universities," by Stuart Rojstaczer (GradeInflation.com, 2016).
  • Chasing Perfection: The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way, by Bob Ladouceur and Neil Hayes (2015).
  • "Daily Online Testing in Large Classes: Boosting College Performance while Reducing Achievement Gaps," by James W. Pennebaker, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jason D. Ferrell (PLOS One, 2013).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).
  • "Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School," series by Freakonomics Radio (2022).

How can you summon courage when you’re terrified? Is hiking more dangerous than skiing? And what is the stupidest thing that Mike has ever done?

• SOURCES:
  • Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
  • Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine.
  • Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist and senior advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University.
  • Christopher Peterson, professor of psychology and organizational studies at the University of Michigan.
  • Stanley Rachman, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
  • Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic alpine skier.
  • Lindsey Vonn, Olympic alpine skier.
  • Shaun White, Olympic snowboarder.
  • Joseph Wolpe, 20th-century South African psychiatrist.

• RESOURCES:
  • The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, by Lisa Damour (2023).
  • "What Scares the World’s Most Daring Olympians," by John Branch, Mark Boyer, Larry Buchanan, Emily Rhyne, Bedel Saget, Joe Ward, and Jeremy White (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "The Upside of Anxiety," by Christina Caron (The New York Times, 2022).
  • Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive, by Marc Brackett (2019).
  • "World With No Fear," by Invisibilia (2015).
  • Abū Zayd Al-Balkhī''s Sustenance of the Soul: The Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century Physician, by Malik Badri (2013).
  • "Searching for the Source of a Fountain of Courage," by Natalie Angier (The New York Times, 2011).
  • Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman (2004).
  • Fear and Courage, by Stanley Rachman (1978).
  • "Relative Efficacy of Desensitization and Modeling Approaches for Inducing Behavioral, Affective, and Attitudinal Changes," by Albert Bandura, E. B. Blahard, and B. Ritter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1969).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Fear No Mort," S7.E10 of Rick and Morty (2023).
  • "Can Fear Be Good Medicine?" by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).
  • How We Feel, smartphone app.

Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth? And what would Mike’s perfect brother Peter do? 

• SOURCES:
  • David Brooks, opinion columnist for The New York Times.
  • Colin Camerer, professor of economics at the California Institute of Technology.
  • James Clear, writer.
  • Mason Currey, author.
  • David Goggins, ultra-endurance athlete and retired U.S. Navy SEAL.
  • Jesse Itzler, entrepreneur and author.
  • Katy Milkman, professor of operations, information and decisions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and host of the Choiceology podcast.
  • Aneesh Rai, professor of management and organization at the University of Maryland.
  • Tony Robbins, author, motivational speaker, and life coach.
  • Sydney Scott, professor of marketing at Washington University in St. Louis.
  • Cass Sunstein, professor and founding director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School.
  • Elanor Williams, professor of marketing at Washington University in St. Louis.

• RESOURCES:
  • "A Field Experiment on Subgoal Framing to Boost Volunteering: The Trade-Off Between Goal Granularity and Flexibility," by Aneesh Rai, Marissa A. Sharif, Edward H. Chang, Katherine L. Milkman, and Angela L. Duckworth (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2023).
  • "What’s Next? Advances and Challenges in Understanding How Environmental Predictability Shapes the Development of Cognitive Control," by Yuko Munakata, Diego Placido, and Winnie Zhuang (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2023).
  • "A Neural Autopilot Theory of Habit: Evidence From Consumer Purchases and Social Media Use," by Colin Camerer, Yi Xin, and Clarice Zhao (Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2023).
  • "In Goal Pursuit, I Think Flexibility Is the Best Choice for Me but Not for You," by Sydney E. Scott and Elanor F. Williams (Journal of Marketing Research, 2022).
  • Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear (2018).
  • Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond (2016).
  • Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet, by Jesse Itzler (2015).
  • "The Good Order," by David Brooks (The New York Times, 2014).
  • Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, by Mason Currey (2013).

What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish exit”? And why is Mike secretly buying lottery tickets?

• SOURCES:
  • Roy Baumeister, social psychologist and visiting scholar at Harvard University.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • John Gottman, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Washington.
  • Kurt Lewin, 20th-century German-American psychologist.
  • E. J. Masicampo, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.
  • Timothy Wilson, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.
  • Bluma Zeigarnik, 20th-century Soviet psychologist.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Life and Work of the Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik," by M. Marco (Neurosciences and History, 2018).
  • "Why We Need Answers," by Maria Konnikova (The New Yorker, 2013).
  • "Consider It Done! Plan Making Can Eliminate the Cognitive Effects of Unfulfilled Goals," by E. J. Masicampo and Roy Baumeister (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples, by John Gottman (2011).
  • "'Let Me Dream On!' Anticipatory Emotions and Preference for Timing in Lotteries," by Martin Kocher, Michal Krawczyk, and Frans van Winden (Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper, 2009).
  • "Explaining Away: A Model of Affective Adaptation," by Timothy Wilson and Daniel Gilbert (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2008).
  • "On Finished and Unfinished Tasks," by Bluma Zeigarnik (A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology, 1938).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Can We Disagree Better?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Would You Be Happier if You Were More Creative?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How Can You Be Kinder to Yourself?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "What’s Wrong With Holding a Grudge?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, by Eileen Spinelli (1991).

How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem?

• SOURCES:
  • Kristin Andrus, philanthropist.
  • Aaron (Tim) Beck, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Thomas Curran, professor of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics.
  • Julia DiGangi, neuropsychologist.
  • Zac Efron, actor.
  • Scott Hugo, housing justice attorney at Oakland City Attorney's Office.

• RESOURCES:
  • "For Happiness in the New Year, Stop Overdoing Everything," by Julia DiGangi (The Wall Street Journal, 2023).
  • "Good Enough," by Thomas Curran (Character Lab, 2023).
  • The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough, by Thomas Curran (2023).
  • "Perfectionism Is Not the Secret to Success (and Pursuing It May Guarantee the Opposite)," by Next Big Idea Club (Fast Company, 2023).
  • "Zac Efron Rides Again," by Lauren Larson (Men's Health, 2022).
  • "Tim Beck’s Final Brainstorms," by Stephen Fried (The Philadelphia Gazette, 2022).
  • "Perfectionism Is Increasing Over Time: A Meta-Analysis of Birth Cohort Differences From 1989 to 2016," by Thomas Curran and Andrew P. Hill (Psychological Bulletin, 2019).
  • "UCLA Senior From Alamo Among 32 Rhodes Scholars," by Steve Rubenstein (SFGate, 2008).

• EXTRAS:
  • "What Does Success Look Like?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Life?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).
  • "Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • Happy Days, TV series (1974-1984).
  • The Period Project.

Does anyone have any real agency? What do McDonald’s and Oxford University have in common? And why did Angela give up on philosophy?

• SOURCES
  • Sam Harris, neuroscientist, philosopher, author, and podcast host.
  • Brian Galla, associate professor of health and human development at University of Pittsburgh.
  • Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology at Stanford University.
  • Harry Emerson Fosdick, founding minister of Riverside Church in New York City.
  • Martin E. P. Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Brian Kershisnik, American painter. 
  • Plato, ancient Greek philosopher.

• RESOURCES
  • Free Will, by Sam Harris (2012).
  • Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will, by Robert Sapolsky (2023).
  • “Free Will Beliefs Predict Attitudes Toward Unethical Behavior and Criminal Punishment,” by Nathan D. Martin, Davide Rigoni, and Kathleen D. Vohs (PNAS, 2017).
  • “Learned Helplessness: Theory and Evidence,” by Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. Seligman (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 1976).
  • “Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock,” by Martin E. P. Seligman and Steven F. Maier (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967).

• EXTRAS
  • “Final Thoughts on Free Will” by Making Sense with Sam Harris (2021).
  • “Sam Harris: ‘Spirituality is a Loaded Term’” by People I Mostly Admire (2021).

Should you shout your sins from the rooftops? How many skeletons are in the average person’s closet? And what has Angela been hiding?

• SOURCES:
  • Maya Angelou, memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist.
  • Stephen Baum, postdoctoral researcher at Olin Business School at Washington University.
  • Clayton Critcher, professor of marketing, cognitive science, and psychology at Berkeley Haas School of Business.
  • John Legend, singer-songwriter and pianist.
  • Kareem Abdul Jabbar, former professional basketball player.
  • Michael Slepian, professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School.
  • Jason Sudeikis, actor, writer, and producer.
  • Chrissy Teigen, model and TV personality.
  • Vauhini Vara, journalist and author.
  • Lindsey Vonn, alpine ski racer.
  • John Wooden, men’s basketball coach at the University of California, Los Angeles.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Bright Side of Secrecy: The Energizing Effect of Positive Secrets," by Michael Slepian, Katharine Greenaway, Nicholas Camp, and Adam Galinsky (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2023).
  • "Ghosts," by Vauhini Vara (The Believer, 2021).
  • "The Costs of Not Disclosing," by Stephen Baum and Clayton Critcher (Current Opinion in Psychology, 2020).
  • "Why the Secrets You Keep Are Hurting You," by Michael Slepian (Scientific American, 2019).
  • "The Benefits and Burdens of Keeping Others' Secrets," by Michael Slepian and Katharine Greenaway (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2018).
  • "The Experience of Secrecy," by Michael Slepian, Jinseok Chun, and Malia Mason (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2017).
  • Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court, by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2017).
  • "Survey Says 1 In 5 People Are Keeping A Major Secret From Their Spouse," by Taryn Hillin (HuffPost, 2014).

• EXTRAS:
  • Ted Lasso, TV show (2020-2023).
  • "All of Me," song by John Legend (2013).

Do you really deserve the credit for your accomplishments? Should college admissions be determined by lottery? And how did Mike’s contribution to a charity auction change his life? 

• SOURCES:
  • Warren Buffett, investor and philanthropist.
  • James Flynn, political philosopher at the University of Otago.
  • Robert Frank, professor emeritus of management at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
  • Rogé Karma, staff writer at The Atlantic.
  • Nicholas Lemann, professor of journalism and dean emeritus at Columbia Journalism School.
  • Daniel Markovits, professor of law at Yale Law School.
  • Charles Munger, investor and philanthropist.
  • John Rawls, 20th-century legal and political philosopher.
  • Guy Raz, creator and host of How I Built This and Wisdom from the Top; founder and C.E.O. of Built-It Productions.
  • Michael Sandel, professor of government at Harvard University.
  • Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Ryan Smith, founder and executive chairman of Qualtrics; owner of the Utah Jazz.

• RESOURCES:
  • The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael Sandel (2020).
  • The Meritocracy Trap: How America's Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite, by Daniel Markovits (2019).
  • "'The Meritocracy Trap,' Explained," by Rogé Karma (Vox, 2019).
  • "Reflections About Intelligence Over 40 Years," by James Flynn (Intelligence, 2018).
  • "Here’s Why Warren Buffett Says That He and Charlie Munger Are Successful," by Emmie Martin (CNBC, 2018).
  • Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy, by Robert Frank (2016).
  • The Lottery, film by Madeleine Sackler (2010).
  • The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy, by Nicholas Lemann (1999).
  • “The Psychology of Human Misjudgment,” speech by Charles Munger (1995).

• EXTRAS:
  • "What’s the Point of I.Q. Testing?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "What’s So Bad About Nepotism?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).

Where does sentimental value come from? Why did Angela throw out her childhood journals? And would Mike wear Hitler’s sweater? 

• SOURCES:
  • Jeffrey Galak, professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • John Irving, author.
  • Marie Kondo, professional organizer and consultant.
  • Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Yang Yang, research scientist at the Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Experiences Endure," by Angela Duckworth (Character Lab, 2022).
  • "Study Finds That THESE Are the Most Valued Family Heirlooms," by SWNS Staff (SWNS, 2021).
  • "Micro Wave: How 'Bout Dem Apple...Seeds," by Thomas Lu, Madeline K. Sofia, and Brit Hanson (Short Wave, 2021).
  • "Sentimental Value and Its Influence on Hedonic Adaptation," by Yang Yang and Jeffrey Galak (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2015)
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo (2010).
  • "A Real-Life Version of the Hitler’s Sweater Experiment," by David Berreby (Big Think, 2010).
  • "The Makings of the Magical Mind: The Nature and Function of Sympathetic Magical Thinking," by Carol Nemeroff and Paul Rozin (Imagining the Impossible: Magical, Scientific, and Religious Thinking in Children, 2000).
  • "Operation of the Laws of Sympathetic Magic in Disgust and Other Domains," by Paul Rozin, Linda Millman, and Carol Nemeroff (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Do You Savor or Gobble?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • "Why Do We Hoard?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).
  • The Twilight Saga, by Stephanie Meyer (2005-2020).
  • A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving (1989).

Is there any scientific basis for the law of attraction? Are people who believe in “cosmic collaboration” more successful? And what happens when you write yourself a check for $10 million?

• SOURCES:
  • Rhonda Byrne, writer and TV producer.
  • Jim Carrey, actor.
  • Christopher Clarey, sports journalist and author.
  • Peter Gollwitzer, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Dave Levin, co-founder and executive director of KIPP Public Charter Schools.
  • Gabriele Oettingen, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Wallace Wattles, self-help writer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "'The Secret' to Success? The Psychology of Belief in Manifestation," by Lucas J. Dixon, Matthew J. Hornsey, and Nicole Hartley (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2023).
  • "Making Dreams Come True: Inside the New Age World of Manifesting," by Stuart McGurk (The Guardian, 2022).
  • "TikTok's ‘Manifesting’ Craze, Explained," by Stuart McGurk (GQ, 2021).
  • "From Feeling Good to Doing Good," by Gabriele Oettingen and Peter M. Gollwitzer (The Oxford Handbook of Positive Emotion and Psychopathology, 2019).
  • "Self-Regulation of Time Management: Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions," by Gabriele Oettingen, Heather Barry Kappes, Katie B. Guttenberg, and Peter M. Gollwitzer (European Journal of Social Psychology, 2015).
  • "Olympians Use Imagery as Mental Training," by Christopher Clarey (The New York Times, 2014).
  • “Self-Fulfilling Prophecy,” by R. Rosenthal (Encyclopedia of Human Behavior - Second Edition, 2012).
  • The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne (2006).
  • The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace Wattles (1910)

Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops?

• SOURCES:
  • David Bjorklund, professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University.
  • Peter Gray, professor of psychology at Boston College.
  • David Lancy, professor emeritus of anthropology at Utah State University.
  • Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Well-being: Summary of the Evidence," by Peter Gray, David Lancy, and David Bjorklund (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2023).
  • "Parental Intrusive Homework Support and Math Achievement: Does the Child's Mindset Matter?" by Daeun Park, Elizabeth Gunderson, Erin Maloney, Eli Tsukayama, Sian Beilock, Angela Duckworth, and Susan Levine (Developmental Psychology, 2023).
  • "Children Today Have Less Independence. Is That Fueling a Mental Health Crisis?" by Caitlin Gibson (The Washington Post, 2023).
  • "Yes, the ‘Old Enough!’ Kids Really Think the Camera Crew Are ‘Electricians’," by Charlotte Walsh (Tudum by Netflix, 2022).
  • "Kidnapped Children Make Headlines, but Abduction Is Rare in U.S.," by Jonathan Allen (Reuters, 2019).
  • "Utah’s ‘Free-Range Parenting’ Law Said to Be First in the Nation," by Meagan Flynn (The Washington Post, 2018).
  • "Mother Who Left Baby Outside New York Restaurant in 1997 Says Arrest Was Unjust," (The Guardian, 2017).
  • "Children’s Independent Mobility: An International Comparison and Recommendations for Action," by Ben Shaw, Martha Bicket, Bridget Elliott, Ben Fagan-Watson, and Elisabetta Mocca (Policy Studies Institute, 2015).
  • "I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone. I Got Labeled the ‘World’s Worst Mom,’" by Lenore Skenazy (The Washington Post, 2015).
  • "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone," by Lenore Skenazy (The New York Sun, 2008).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Should You Give Kids an Allowance or Make Them Get Jobs?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • Old Enough!

What matters more: meeting our own ambitions, or winning fame and glory? What’s it like to earn a gold medal at the Olympics? And why didn’t Mike’s grandfather get a watch?

• SOURCES:
  • Alain de Botton, writer and founder of The School of Life.
  • Kirk Flatow, head coach of co-ed varsity track and field at Monta Vista High School.
  • Katie Ledecky, competitive swimmer.
  • Diana Nyad, long-distance swimmer.
  • Michael Phelps, former competitive swimmer.
  • Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Kerri Walsh Jennings, professional beach volleyball player.
  • John Wooden, men's basketball coach at the University of California, Los Angeles.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Why Success Doesn’t Lead to Satisfaction," by Ron Carucci (Harvard Business Review, 2023).
  • "Katie Ledecky Matches Michael Phelps Record With Dominant World Championships Win," by Patrick Andres (Sports Illustrated, 2023).
  • Success Index, by Populace and Gallup (2019).
  • "PERMA and the Building Blocks of Well-Being," by Martin Seligman (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2018).
  • "Michael Phelps: ‘I Am Extremely Thankful That I Did Not Take My Life,’" by Susan Scutti (CNN, 2018).
  • "The PERMA-Profiler: A Brief Multidimensional Measure of Flourishing," by Julie Butler and Margaret L. Kern (International Journal of Wellbeing, 2016).
  • "Diana Nyad: Dream Accomplished," by Michel Martin (Tell Me More, 2013).
  • "A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success," by Alain de Botton (TEDGlobal, 2009).
  • "The Difference Between Winning and Succeeding," by John Wooden (TED, 2001).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Where Is the Line Between Exaggeration and Lying?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Is a 'Success Hangover' Real?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).

Why do we mirror other people’s accents? Does DJ Khaled get tired of winning? And also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy?

• SOURCES:
  • Albert Bandura, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.
  • John Bargh, professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University.
  • Tanya Chartrand, professor of marketing at Duke University.
  • Clay Cockrell, psychotherapist and founder of Walk and Talk Therapy.
  • Iain Couzin, director of the department of collective behavior at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
  • William Irvine, professor of philosophy at Wright State University.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology at Princeton University.
  • Stephen Kosslyn, professor emeritus of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Cristine Legare, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Kevin Ochsner, professor of psychology at Columbia University.
  • Amos Tversky, professor of psychology at Stanford University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "How to Escape the Hedonic Treadmill and Be Happier," by Anna Katharina Schaffner (Positive Psychology, 2016).
  • “Revealing the Hidden Networks of Interaction in Mobile Animal Groups Allows Prediction of Complex Behavioral Contagion,” by Sara Brin Rosenthal, Colin R. Twomey, Andrew T. Hartnett, Hai Shan Wu, and Iain Couzin (PNAS, 2015).
  • “A Calm Look at the Most Hyped Concept in Neuroscience — Mirror Neurons,” by Christian Jarrett (WIRED, 2013).
  • “The Chameleon Effect: The Perception–Behavior Link and Social Interaction,” by Tanya Chartrand and John Bargh (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1999).
  • “Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk,” by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (The Econometric Society, 1979).
  • “Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models,” by Albert Bandura, Dorothea Ross, and Sheila A. Ross (Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1961).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Are Rich Countries So Unhappy?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • "Do You Mind if I Borrow Your Personality?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • “Episode 2: The Unhappy Millionaire,” by The Happiness Lab (2019).
  • The Happiness Lab.

Why do we get overwhelmed when we have too many choices? Should we make our own decisions or copy other people's? And how can Angela manage her sock inventory?

• SOURCES:
  • Arie Kruglanski, professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park.
  • Katy Milkman, professor of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Sylvia Plath, 20th-century American novelist and poet.
  • Barry Schwartz, professor of social theory and social action at Swarthmore College.
  • Herbert Simon, professor of computer science and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University.
  • Will Smith, actor and film producer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Choice Deprivation, Choice Overload, and Satisfaction with Choices Across Six Nations," by Elena Reutskaja, Nathan N. Cheek, Barry Schwartz, et al. (Journal of International Marketing, 2021).
  • Will, by Will Smith with Mark Manson (2021).
  • "Can’t Decide What to Stream? Netflix’s New Feature Will Choose for You," by Katie Deighton (The Wall Street Journal, 2021).
  • The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, by Barry Schwartz (2004).
  • "The Tyranny of Choice," by Barry Schwartz (Scientific American, 2004).
  • "Maximizing Versus Satisficing: Happiness Is a Matter of Choice," by Barry Schwartz, Andrew Ward, John Monterosso, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Katherine White, and Darrin R. Lehman (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2002).
  • "Self-Determination: The Tyranny of Freedom," by Barry Schwartz (American Psychologist, 2000).
  • "To 'Do the Right Thing' or to 'Just Do It': Locomotion and Assessment as Distinct Self-Regulatory Imperatives," by Arie Kruglanski, Erik P. Thompson, E. Tory Higgins, M. Nadir Atash, Antonio Pierro, James Y. Shah, and Scott Spiegel (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000).
  • "Rational Choice and the Structure of the Environment," by Herbert Simon (Psychological Review, 1956).
  • Administrative Behavior, by Herbert Simon (1947).

• EXTRA:
  • "Do You Mind if I Borrow Your Personality?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • "How Much Should We Be Able to Customize Our World?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • "Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).
  • Cars.com Superbowl Ad (2009).

Why does your horoscope seem so accurate? Is it possible to believe and not believe in something at the same time? And is Mike a classic Gemini?

• SOURCES:
  • P. T. Barnum, 19th-century American showman and businessman.
  • David Brooks, New York Times Opinion columnist.
  • Bertram Forer, 20th-century American psychologist.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Irving Kirsch, associate director of the Program in Placebo Studies and lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School.
  • Sten Odenwald, Director of STEM Resource Development at NASA.
  • Sydney Page, staff reporter for The Washington Post. 
  • Jane L. Risen, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Young People Are Flocking to Astrology. But It Comes With Risks," by Sydney Page (The Washington Post, 2023).
  • "The Age of Aquarius, All Over Again!" by David Brooks (The New York Times, 2019).
  • "Response Expectancy and the Placebo Effect," by Irving Kirsch (International Review of Neurobiology, 2018).
  • "Believing What We Do Not Believe: Acquiescence to Superstitious Beliefs and Other Powerful Intuitions," by Jane L. Risen (Psychological Review, 2016).
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).
  • "Effects of Stress and Tolerance of Ambiguity on Magical Thinking," by Giora Keinan (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1994).
  • Changing Expectations: A Key to Effective Psychotherapy, by Irving Kirsch (1990).
  • "The Fallacy of Personal Validation: A Classroom Demonstration of Gullibility," by Bertram Forer (The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1949).
  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

• EXTRAS:
  • "What Do Broken-Hearted Knitters, Urinating Goalkeepers, and the C.I.A. Have in Common?" by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
  • "Sam Harris: 'Spirituality Is a Loaded Term,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).

Are gifted and talented programs discriminatory? Why do so many adults still remember their SAT scores? And how did Angela transform from a party girl to an Ivy League psychologist?

• SOURCES:
  • Alfred Binet, 19th-century French psychologist.
  • Stefan Dombrowski, professor of psychology and director of the School Psychology Program at Rider University.
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 18th- to 19th-century German author.
  • Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the N.F.L.
  • Robert O'Connell, writer and reporter.
  • Robert Rosenthal, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.
  • Amy Tan, author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "What’s the Best Way to Find a Gifted 4-Year-Old?" by Ginia Bellafante (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "Without the Wonderlic, the N.F.L. Finds Other Ways to Test Football I.Q.," by Robert O’Connell (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "The Dark History of I.Q. Tests," by Stefan Dombrowski (TED-Ed, 2020).
  • Grinnell College 2019 Commencement Address, by Amy Tan (2019).
  • "Universal Screening Increases the Representation of Low-Income and Minority Students in Gifted Education," by David Card and Laura Giuliano (PNAS, 2016).
  • "The Supreme Court Ruling That Led To 70,000 Forced Sterilizations," by Terry Gross (Fresh Air, 2016).
  • "Intelligence Is Not Enough: Non-IQ Predictors of Achievement," by Angela Lee Duckworth (Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 2006).
  • "Pygmalion in the Classroom," by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson (The Urban Review, 1968).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Are Humans Smarter or Stupider Than We Used to Be?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • "America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan (1995).
  • The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan (1989).

What happens when three psychologists walk into a magic show? What’s Angela’s problem with the word “talent”?  And why does LeBron James refer to himself in the third person?

SOURCES:

• John Bargh, professor of psychology at Yale University.
• Derren Brown, mentalist.
• Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
• Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
• Ethan Kross, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
• Barbara Mellers, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Daniel Southwick, visiting professor of psychology at Brigham Young University and former N.F.L. quarterback.
• Lior Suchard, mentalist.

RESOURCES:

• "4 Ways to Get Into the Magic Castle," by Stephanie Breijo (TimeOut, 2023).
• "The Trouble With Talent: Semantic Ambiguity in the Workplace," by Daniel A. Southwick, Zhaoying V. Liu, Chayce Baldwin, Abigail L. Quirk, Lyle H. Ungar, Chia-Jung Tsay, and Angela L. Duckworth (Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2023).
• "A Decade of Power Posing: Where Do We Stand?" by Tom Loncar (The Psychologist, 2021).
• "Influencing Choices With Conversational Primes: How a Magic Trick Unconsciously Influences Card Choices," by Alice Pailhès and Gustav Kuhn (PNAS, 2020).
• "If You Want Your Marketing Campaign To Succeed, Choose Your Words Carefully," by Allan Hug (Forbes, 2019).
• "What's Next for Psychology's Embattled Field of Social Priming," by Tom Chivers (Nature, 2019).
• "Silent Third Person Self-Talk Facilitates Emotion Regulation," by Christopher Bergland (Psychology Today, 2017).
• "Disputed Results a Fresh Blow for Social Psychology," by Alison Abbott (Scientific American, 2013).
• "A Proposal to Deal With Questions About Priming Effects," email by Daniel Kahneman (2012).
• "Behavioral Priming: It's All in the Mind, but Whose Mind?" by Stéphane Doyen, Olivier Klein, Cora-Lise Pichon, and Axel Cleeremans (PLoS One, 2012).
• Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).

How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And also: how does a cook become a chef?

RESOURCES:

• “Social Support From Weak Ties: Insight From the Literature on Minimal Social Interactions,” by Joshua Moreton, Caitlin S. Kelly, and Gillian Sandstrom (Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2023).
• Join or Die, documentary (2023).
• “I Tried Bumble BFF for 30 Days — Here’s What Happened,” by Beth Gillette (The Everygirl, 2022).
• Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends, by Marisa Franco (2022).
• “Grocery Store Opens ‘Chat Registers’ for Lonely Customers,” by Gabriel Geiger (Vice, 2021).
• “The State of American Friendship: Change, Challenges, and Loss,” by Daniel A. Cox (Survey Center on American Life, 2021).
• “Number of Close Friends Had by Adults in the United States in 1990 and 2021,” by Michele Majidi (Survey Center on American Life, 2021).
• “You’re Not Uncool. Making Friends as an Adult Is Just Hard,” by Peter O’Dowd and Kalyani Saxena (WBUR, 2021).
• "My Restaurant Was My Life for 20 Years. Does the World Need It Anymore?" by Gabrielle Hamilton (The New York Times Magazine, 2020).
• “Why You Miss Those Casual Friends So Much,” by Gillian Sandstrom and Ashley Whillans (Harvard Business Review, 2020).
• “The Bros Who Met Their BFFs on Bumble,” by Rebecca Nelson (GQ, 2016).
• “Sex Differences in Social Focus Across the Life Cycle in Humans,” by Kunal Bhattacharya, Asim Ghosh, Daniel Monsivais, Robin I. M. Dunbar, and Kimmo Kaski (Royal Society Open Science, 2016).
• Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, by Gabrielle Hamilton (2011).
• “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review,” by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B. Smith, and J. Bradley Layton (PLoS Medicine, 2010).
• Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Robert Putnam (2000).
• The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community, by Ray Oldenburg (1999).
• Character Lab.

EXTRAS:

• “How Much Are the Right Friends Worth?” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).
• “Is It Weird for Adults to Have Imaginary Friends?” by No Stupid Questions (2022).
• “How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future?” by No Stupid Questions (2020).
• “Is There Really a ‘Loneliness Epidemic’?” by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
• Tell Me Something I Don’t Know (2017).

SOURCES:

• Daniel Boulud, chef and restaurateur.
• Pete Davis, co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network.
• Wylie Dufresne, chef and restaurateur.
• Marisa Franco, assistant clinical professor at The University of Maryland.
• Beth Gillette, beauty editor at Cosmopolitan.
• Gabrielle Hamilton, chef, restauranteur, and writer.
• Daniel Humm, chef and restaurateur.
• Ray Oldenburg, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of West Florida.
• Robert Putnam, author and professor of public policy at Harvard University.
• René Redzepi, chef and restaurateur.
• Gillian Sandstrom, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Sussex.
• Dieter Uchtdorf, Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former Senior Vice President Flight Operations at Lufthansa Airlines.
• Lyle Ungar, professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Can long-term relationships do more harm than good? Where is the line between intimacy and codependence? And should we all try to be more like Mike’s parents?

RESOURCES:

• "A Record-High Share of 40-Year-Olds in the U.S. Have Never Been Married," by Richard Fry (Pew Research Center, 2023).
• "Divorce Skyrocketing Among Aging Boomers," by Sharon Jayson (AARP, 2023).
• "Don’t Let Love Take Over Your Life," by Faith Hill (The Atlantic, 2023).
• "Marriage Provides Health Benefits – and Here’s Why," by Libby Richards, Melissa Franks, and Rosie Shrout (The Conversation, 2023).
• "The Benefits of Diversifying Your Social Portfolio," by Samantha Boardman (Psychology Today, 2023).
• "Satisfying Singlehood as a Function of Age and Cohort: Satisfaction With Being Single Increases With Age After Midlife," by Yoobin Park, Elizabeth Page-Gould, and Geoff MacDonald (Psychology and Aging, 2022).
• "Pathology in Relationships," by Susan C. South (Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 2021).
• "Behind 'the Collateral Heartbreak' and Intense Devotion of the Reagans' Decades-Long Romance," by Virginia Chamlee (People, 2021).
• "U.S. Marriage Rate Plunges to Lowest Level on Record," by Janet Adamy (The Wall Street Journal, 2020).
• "The Suffocation Model: Why Marriage in America Is Becoming an All-or-Nothing Institution," by Eli J. Finkel, Elaine O. Cheung, Lydia F. Emery, Kathleen L. Carswell, and Grace M. Larson (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015).

EXTRAS:

• "Are We Getting Lonelier?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
• "The Facts Are In: Two Parents Are Better Than One," by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
• “Why Did You Marry That Person? (Replay),” by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
• “The Fracking Boom, a Baby Boom, and the Retreat From Marriage,” by Freakonomics Radio (2017).

SOURCES:

• Eli Finkel, professor of psychology and of management and organizations at Northwestern University.
• Katie Genadek, economist at the U.S. Census Bureau and faculty research associate at the Institute for Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
• Faith Hill, senior associate editor of culture at The Atlantic.
• Abraham Maslow, 20th-century psychologist.
• Katherine K. Merseth, senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Why do we use “literally” figuratively? Does conveying an "emotional truth" justify making things up? And are Angela’s kids really starving or just hungry? 

RESOURCES:

• "My Response to The New Yorker Article," by Hasan Minhaj (YouTube video, 2023).
• "Hasan Minhaj’s 'Emotional Truths,'" by Clare Malone (The New Yorker, 2023).
• "Lying to Spice up Life," by Holly Cole (Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 2019).
• Words on the Move: Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally), by John McWhorter (2016).
• "Literally," entry by Deathmatch1127 (Urban Dictionary, 2015).
• "Does Living in California Make People Happy? A Focusing Illusion in Judgments of Life Satisfaction," by David A. Schkade and Daniel Kahneman (Psychological Science, 1998).
• The Giver, by Lois Lowry (1993).

EXTRAS:

• "Swearing Is More Important Than You Think," by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
• "The Ugly Truth of Fast Fashion," S5.E3 of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (2019).

SOURCES:

• Holly Cole, assistant professor of psychology at Wesleyan College.
• Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
• Mark Liberman, professor of linguistics and computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Lois Lowry, author.
• John McWhorter, professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia Unviersity.
• Hasan Minhaj, comedian.

How can you be lonely when so many people showed up at your birthday party? Can you fight loneliness by managing expectations? And where can you find company while enjoying the best garlic cheeseburger in the greater Salt Lake City metro area?

RESOURCES:

• "Surgeon General: We Have Become a Lonely Nation. It’s Time to Fix That," by Vivek H. Murthy (The New York Times, 2023).
• "Home Alone: More Than A Quarter of All Households Have One Person," by Lydia Anderson, Chanell Washington, Rose M. Kreider, and Thomas Gryn (United States Census Bureau, 2023).
• "Loneliness Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis," by Mareike Ernst, Daniel Niederer, Antonia M. Werner, Sara J. Czaja, Christopher Mikton, Anthony D. Ong, Tony Rosen, Elmar Brähler, and Manfred E. Beutel (American Psychologist, 2022).
• "Loneliness Across Time and Space," by Maike Luhmann, Susanne Buecker, and Marilena Rüsberg (Nature Reviews Psychology, 2022).
• Will, by Will Smith with Mark Manson (2021).
• "Loneliness and Social Isolation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan: An International Survey," by Bianca DiJulio, Liz Hamel, Cailey Muñana, and Mollyann Brodie (KFF, 2018).
• "Work and the Loneliness Epidemic," by Vivek Murthy (Harvard Business Review, 2017).
• "The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone," by Maria Popova (The Marginalian, 2016).

EXTRAS:

• "Is It Harder to Make Friends as an Adult?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
• "The Side Effects of Social Distancing," by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
• "Is There Really a 'Loneliness Epidemic'?" by Freakonomics Radio (2020).

SOURCES:

• Wendell Berry, novelist and poet.
• Ty Burrell, actor.
• William James, 19th-century psychologist.
• Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States.
• Maria Popova, essayist, author, and poet.
• Will Smith, actor and film producer.

Do you suffer from the sin of certainty? How did Angela react when a grad student challenged her research? And can a Heineken commercial strengthen our democracy?

RESOURCES:

• "Disagree Better," National Governors Association initiative led by Spencer Cox (2023-2024).
• "Cooling Heated Discourse: Conversational Receptiveness Boosts Interpersonal Evaluations and Willingness to Talk," by Julia Minson, David Hagmann, and Kara Luo (Preprint, 2023).
• "Megastudy Identifying Effective Interventions to Strengthen Americans’ Democratic Attitudes," by Jan G. Voelkel, Robb Willer, et al. (Working Paper, 2023).
• Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together, by Ian Leslie (2021).
• "How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground," by Julia Dhar (TED, 2018).
• "From the Fundamental Attribution Error to the Truly Fundamental Attribution Error and Beyond: My Research Journey," by Lee Ross (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2018).
• "The Humanizing Voice: Speech Reveals, and Text Conceals, a More Thoughtful Mind in the Midst of Disagreement," by Juliana Schroeder, Michael Kardas, and Nicholas Epley (Psychological Science, 2017).
• "Worlds Apart," ad by Heineken (2017).
• "Gritty Educations," by Anindya Kundu (Virginia Policy Review, 2014).
• Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).
• "Experiences of Collaborative Research," by Daniel Kahneman (American Psychologist, 2003).

EXTRAS:

• TikTok with advice from Apple Store employee (2023).
• "Can You Change Your Mind Without Losing Face?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
• 12 Angry Men, film (1957).

SOURCES:

• Spencer Cox, governor of Utah and chair of the National Governors Association.
• Julia Dhar, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group.
• David Hagmann, professor of management at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
• Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
• Anindya Kundu, professor of educational leadership at Florida International University.
• Ian Leslie, British journalist and author.
• Kara Luo, Ph.D. candidate in organizational behavior at Stanford University.
• Julia Minson, professor of public policy at Harvard University.
• Pedro Noguera, professor of education and dean of the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.
• Jared Polis, governor of Colorado.
• Lee Ross, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
• Julia Schroeder, professor of management of organizations at the University of California, Berkeley.
• Jared Smith, co-founder of Qualtrics.
• Anne Treisman, professor of psychology at Princeton University.
• Jan Voelkel, Ph.D. candidate in sociology at Stanford University.

Should you become an artist or an accountant? Did Sylvia Plath have to be depressed to write The Bell Jar? And what can Napoleon Dynamite teach us about the creative life?

RESOURCES:

• "The Science of Why You Have Great Ideas in the Shower," by Stacey Colino (National Geographic, 2022).
• "So, You Think You’re Not Creative?" by Duncan Wardle (Harvard Business Review, 2021).
• "The Correlation Between Arts and Crafts and a Nobel Prize," by Rosie Cima (Priceonomics, 2015).
• "Report: State of the American Workplace," by Gallup (2014).
• "Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function," by Anandi Mani, Sendhil Mullainathan, Eldar Shafir, and Jiaying Zhao (Science, 2013).
• "Forks in the Road: The Many Paths of Arts Alumni," by the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (2011).
• "A Meta-Analysis of 25 Years of Mood-Creativity Research: Hedonic Tone, Activation, or Regulatory Focus?" by Matthijs Baas, Carsten K. W. De Dreu, and Bernard A. Nijstad (Psychological Bulletin, 2008).
• "The Relationship Between Creativity and Mood Disorders," by Nancy C. Andreasen (Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2008).
• "The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions," by Barbara Fredrickson (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 2004).
• "Happiness and Creativity: Going With the Flow," by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (The Futurist, 1997).

EXTRAS:

• "Why Are Rich Countries So Unhappy?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
• "Do You Really Need a Muse to Be Creative?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
• "Does All Creativity Come From Pain?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).
• "How To Be Creative," series by Freakonomics Radio (2018-2019).
• "How to Be Happy," by Freakonomics Radio (2018).
• Napoleon Dynamite, film by Jared Hess (2004).
• The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath (1963).
• Connections, game by The New York Times. 

SOURCES:

• Stephen Covey, author.
• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, professor of psychology and management at Claremont Graduate University.
• Barbara Fredrickson, professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Sigmund Freud, psychologist and founder of psychoanalysis.
• Jared Hess, filmmaker.
• Abraham Maslow, 20th-century psychologist.
• Sylvia Plath, 20th-century poet and novelist.
• Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Duncan Wardle, former head of Innovation and Creativity at the Walt Disney Company.

Is it better to be an egocentric navigator or an allocentric navigator? Was the New York City Department of Education wrong to ban ChatGPT? And did Mike get ripped off by Michael Jackson’s cousin?

RESOURCES

• "Don’t Ban Chatbots in Classrooms — Use Them to Change How We Teach," by Angela Duckworth and Lyle Ungar (Los Angeles Times, 2023).
• "How GPS Weakens Memory — and What We Can Do about It," by Mar Gonzalez-Franco, Gregory Dane Clemenson, and Amos Miller (Scientific American, 2021).
• "Habitual Use of GPS Negatively Impacts Spatial Memory During Self-Guided Navigation," by Louisa Dahmani and Véronique Bohbot (Nature Scientific Reports, 2020).
• "Navigational Strategy May Be More a Matter of Environment and Experience Than Gender," by Sharon A. Livingstone-Lee, Philip M. Zeman, Susan T. Gillingham, and Ronald W. Skelton (Learning and Motivation, 2014).
• "Acquiring 'the Knowledge' of London's Layout Drives Structural Brain Changes," by Katherine Woollett and Eleanor Maguire (Current Biology, 2011).
• "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr (The Atlantic, 2008).

EXTRAS

• "Dunder Mifflin Infinity," S4.E2 of The Office (2007).

SOURCES:

• Véronique Bohbot, professor of psychiatry at McGill University.
• Nicholas Carr, journalist and writer.
• Winston Churchill, 20th-century Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
• Louisa Dahmani, research fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.
• Jason Duckworth, president of Arcadia Land Company and Angela's husband.
• Omar Johnson, founder of ØPUS United, former C.M.O. of Beats by Dre and former V.P. of Marketing at Apple.
• Eleanor Maguire, professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London.
• Michael Scott, fictional character and protagonist of NBC sitcom The Office.
• Socrates, ancient Greek philosopher.
• Hieronimo Squarciafico, 15th-century Venetian editor.
• Lyle Ungar, professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Katherine Woollett, clinical psychologist at the Kings College London Hospital.

What’s the difference between being busy and being productive? Would you be better at your job if you cared a little less? And can somebody get Mike a cup of coffee? 

RESOURCES:

• "State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report," (Gallup, 2023).
• "What’s Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once?" by Alison Green (Slate, 2023).
• "The Problem With Venting," by Ethan Kross (Character Lab, 2021).
• "Conan O'Brien's Final Monologue: 'Nobody in Life Gets What They Thought They Were Going to Get,'" by Lynette Rice (Entertainment Weekly, 2020).
• "Employee Burnout, Part 1: The 5 Main Causes," by Ben Wigert and Sangeeta Agrawal (Gallup, 2018).
• "Finding Solutions to the Problem of Burnout," by Christina Maslach (Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 2017).
• "Maslach Burnout Inventory: Third Edition," by Christina Maslach, Susan E. Jackson, and Michael P. Leiter (Evaluating Stress: A Book of Resources, 1997).
• Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement, by Herbert Freudenberger and Geraldine Richelson (1980).
• "Staff Burn-Out," by Herbert Freudenberger (Journal of Social Issues, 1974).
• "Dehumanization in Institutional Settings," by Christina Maslach and Philip Zimbardo (U.S. Office of Naval Research, 1973).

EXTRAS:

• "How Do You Cure a Compassion Crisis?" by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
• Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White (1952).

SOURCES:

• Christina Maslach, professor emertia of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
• Herbert Freudenberger, 20th-century psychologist.
• Ethan Kross, professor of psychology and management/organizations at the University of Michigan.
• Conan O'Brien, podcast host, comedian, and former late-night television host.
• E.B. White, author.
• Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.

Do you get grittier as you age? What's worse for mental health: video games or social media? And do baby boomers make the best D.J.s? 

RESOURCES:

• Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America's Future, by Jean Twenge (2023).
• "5 Things to Keep in Mind When You Hear About Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and Other Generations," by Michael Dimock (Pew Research Center, 2023).
• "Lock Screens," by Jean Twenge (Character Lab, 2023).
• "The Blurred Lines Between Goldman C.E.O.’s Day Job and His D.J. Gig," by Emily Flitter and Katherine Rosman (The New York Times, 2023).
• From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks (2022).
• "The Great Resistance: Getting Employees Back to the Office," by Nicholas Bloom (Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, 2022).
• "Generations and Generational Differences: Debunking Myths in Organizational Science and Practice and Paving New Paths Forward," by Cort W. Rudolph, Rachel S. Rauvola, David P. Costanza, and Hannes Zacher (Journal of Business and Psychology, 2021).
• "Patterns of Cumulative Continuity and Maturity in Personality and Well-Being: Evidence From a Large Longitudinal Sample of Adults," by Frank D. Mann, Colin G. DeYoung, and Robert F. Krueger (Personality and Individual Differences, 2021).
• "Global Prevalence of Gaming Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," by Matthew W.R. Stevens, Diana Dorstyn, Paul H Delfabbro, and Daniel L King (Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2020).
• "A Majority of Young Adults in the U.S. Live With Their Parents for the First Time Since the Great Depression," by Richard Fry, Jeffrey S. Passel, and D'Vera Cohn (Pew Research Center, 2020).
• "Managing the Strategy Development Process: Deliberate vs. Emergent Strategy," by Clayton Christensen (Harvard Business Review Case Study, 2019).
• "Distinguishing Aging, Period and Cohort Effects in Longitudinal Studies of Elderly Populations," by Robert D. Blanchard, James B. Bunker, and Martin Wachs (Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 1977).
• "Gaming Disorder," by the World Health Organization.

EXTRAS:

• "Why Can’t Baby Boomers and Millennials Just Get Along?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).

SOURCES:

• Arthur Brooks, professor of the practice of public and nonprofit leadership and professor of management practice at Harvard University.
• David Costanza, professor of psychology and organizational sciences at The George Washington University.
• Clayton Christensen, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
• David Solomon, chairman and C.E.O. of Goldman Sachs (and D.J.).
• Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.

Does anyone really know what they’re doing? How do we reward the competent and not the confident? And what’s wrong with using TikTok for research? 

RESOURCES:

• "Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It," by Leslie Jamison (The New Yorker, 2023).
• "The Impostor Phenomenon Revisited: Examining the Relationship between Workplace Impostor Thoughts and Interpersonal Effectiveness at Work," by Basima Tewfik (Academy of Management Journal, 2022).
• "You’re Not an Imposter. You’re Actually Pretty Amazing," by Kess Eruteya (Harvard Business Review, 2022).
• "Workplace ‘Impostor Thoughts’ May Have a Genuine Upside," by Meredith Somers (Ideas Made to Matter, 2022).
• The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, by Michelle Obama (2022).
• "Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review," by Dena M. Bravata, Sharon A. Watts, Autumn L. Keefer, Divya K. Madhusudhan, Katie T. Taylor, Dani M. Clark, Ross S. Nelson, Kevin O. Cokley, and Heather K. Hagg (Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2020).
• "What Is Imposter Syndrome and How Can You Combat It?" by Elizabeth Cox (TED-Ed, 2018).
• "Is Resilience Only Skin Deep?: Rural African Americans' Socioeconomic Status-Related Risk and Competence in Preadolescence and Psychological Adjustment and Allostatic Load at Age 19," by Gene H. Brody, Tianyi Yu, Edith Chen, Gregory Miller, Steven M. Kogan, and Steven R. H. Beach (Psychological Science, 2013).
• “Emotion Generation and Emotion Regulation: One or Two Depends on Your Point of View,” by James Gross and Lisa Feldman Barrett (Emotion Review, 2011).
• "Good C.E.O.’s Are Insecure (and Know It)," by Adam Bryant (The New York Times, 2010).
• Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, by Howard Schultz (1997).

EXTRAS:

• "Reading Dostoevsky Behind Bars," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).
• "Can a Moonshot Approach to Mental Health Work?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).
• "Why Do We Get Angry?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

SOURCES:

• Edith Chen, professor of psychology at Northwestern University.
• Pauline Rose Clance, professor emerita of psychology at Georgia State University.
• Kess Eruteya, founder of InclusionZ and fellow at the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.
• Obi Felten, founder and C.E.O. of Flourish Labs.
• Suzanne Ament Imes, clinical psychologist and academic researcher at Georgia State University.
• Erika James, dean of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
• Steven Levitt, professor of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
• Gregory Miller, professor of psychology at Northwestern University.
• Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former first lady of the United States.
• Howard Schultz, former C.E.O. and chairman emeritus of Starbucks.
• Basima Tewfik, professor of work and organization studies at the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management.
• Eric Weiner, professor of educational foundations at Montclair State University.

How much control do you really have over your body? Could understanding genetics help combat fat-shaming? And why is Mike’s life coach so happy all the time?

How do you practice self-care if you don’t have time for a break? Is it weird to talk to yourself? And does Mike need a bag of Doritos — or just a hug?

How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them?

Why would a successful person feel the need to stick it to the little guy? Is Angela a name-dropper? And why do rappers grab their crotches?

How do you deal with a close talker? Is Angela drinking too much water? And why can’t Mike keep his phone out of his bedroom?

Is it better to be the best player on the worst team or the worst player on the best team? How did Angela cope with her extremely impressive freshman dorm mates? And why won’t Shaquille O'Neal let Charles Barkley have an onion ring?

How well do you know the people in your life, really? Are you stuck having surface-level conversations? And should we all be in couples therapy?

How vulnerable should you get with your coworkers? What’s the benefit of telling strangers about your relationship with your mother? And why did Mike’s childhood home burn down — twice?

What’s more stressful, divorce or jail? Are you in the middle of a “lifequake”? And should we all be taking notes from Martha Stewart?

Why do people drink? Why do people not drink? And why specifically do Angela and Mike not drink?

Is a walk through the city as good as a walk through the woods? Who’s most likely to die while taking a selfie? And how does Angela protect herself from the beer cans falling onto her deck? 

Is it worse to regret something you’ve done, or something you haven’t done? What’s the upside of rejection? And which great American short-story writer convinced Angela to quit driving?

Must one always strive for excellence? Is perfectionism a good thing? And can Mike have two bad days in a row? 

What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?

How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And is Angela more important to Mike than Mike is to Angela?

What’s the difference between people who preserve special things and people who devour them right away? Why do we love to binge-watch? And did Adam really eat an apple?

Why does time fly when you’re having fun? How do you teach rats to play hide and seek? And what does all this have to do with Anne Boleyn?

Is it enough to toss a soda can in the recycling? Why is Maria obsessed with Nobel Prize lectures? And wait — is that a news alert or a tiger?

Should you visualize success or failure? How do you bounce back from a mistake? And will Maria hustle Angela into a poker game? 

Are highly effective people quicker to share credit? What does poverty do to your brain? And how did Stephen's mother teach him about opportunity costs? Plus: an announcement about the future of the show.

We asked you to nominate the worst sins of the modern age. Which one do Stephen and Angela think belongs on the list? And which does Angie struggle with the most? 

What does the Seven Deadly Sins survey tell us about the people who listen to this podcast? Are we more afflicted by sloth or by lust? And what does Angela mutter under her breath?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

Is pride an emotion? Where’s the line between self-esteem and hubris? And what does Stephen have against peacocks?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

Who’s greedier — gamblers or casinos? What’s the difference between betting on sports and entering a charity raffle? And does Angela know the name of her city’s football team?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

What does social media do to our self-esteem? How is envy affecting our politics? And should you go to your high school reunion?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

What’s the difference between anger and indignation? What’s Angela’s problem with turkey sandwiches? And why wasn’t a No Stupid Questions listener angry at the men who assaulted him?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

Are we too busy watching Friends? Is porn driving us apart? And why did New Yorkers stop vacationing in the Catskills?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

Is your favorite treat changing your brain? Why do so many snacks melt in your mouth? And why can’t Stephen replicate his favorite salad dressing?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

How can we distinguish between laziness and patience? Why do people do crossword puzzles? And how is Angie like a combination of a quantum computer and a Sherman tank?

Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/

Birthdays! Why do Americans prefer Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July to theirs? Why do they make Stephen think of molasses and chicken feed? And is “Happy Birthday” the worst song ever written?

How far would you go to extend your life? What’s the best way to stay sharp as your brain ages? And does Keith Richards deserve a Nobel Prize? 

What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s?

Are those travelers on their laptops just showing off? Why does V8 taste better at 35,000 feet? And why won't Angela chat with her seatmate? 

Are things as dire as they seem? How big is your moral circle? And should Angela spend time with her kids or answer her emails?

Is sobbing a survival tactic? What happened when Angela wept in front of her boss? And what do sauerkraut and sadness have in common?

Why are people so inconsistent? Is there such a thing as character? And did Stephen once have the world's longest chain of gum wrappers?

Is there such a thing as a victimless crime? In an unfair system, is dishonesty okay? And are adolescent vandals out of ideas? 

How do you know when it’s the right time to retire? What does a “good” retirement look like? And will Stephen and Angela ever really hang up their hats?

How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?

How do you express yourself when you're not sure what you want to say? What’s the number one way to get people to listen to you? And why are letters to advice columns always well-written? Plus: An update to the NSQ drinking game.

When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?

What do gamblers and referees have in common? When do machines make better decisions than people? And has Stephen been replaced by a computer?

How can you break a bad habit if you’re not aware that you’re doing it? Does Barack Obama grind his teeth? And is Angela’s dentist a crook? 

What’s the difference between schadenfreude and sadism? Can envy be put to good use? And how do you teach a kid to punch a clown?

Can a little dishonesty be a good thing? How many fibs does Angela tell every day? And why does Stephen have a forehead?

If you’re frustrated with your family, should you cut ties with them? Who’s more likely to break with relatives over politics, liberals or conservatives? And what would it take for Stephen to buy a baby elephant?

How much can you tell about someone from the first few seconds of a Zoom call? What did Stephen think of Angie when he first met her? And: a special message to babies from the future. 

How does comparing yourself to others affect your well-being? What do you do when there’s no one left to blame? And should we all just move to Finland? 

What’s the purpose of profanity? Why is cursing on the rise? And will Angela finally swear off swearing?

How should you treat Seasonal Affective Disorder? Would we all be happier if we hibernated? And why does Stephen think football fans have an easier time?

How do you let go of resentment? Do apologies even work? And what grievances have Stephen and Angela been nursing for years?

Do highway warnings save lives or cost lives? How do you keep men from peeing on the floor? And what’s Angela’s plan to get more people washing their hands?

How is aging different today than it was in the past? What do young people get wrong about happiness? And what does it mean if you impulsively decide to get your ear pierced in an unusual place?

Can exercising your body boost your brain's stamina? Are some people just born lazy? And why did Angela stop reading “Us Weekly”?

Why do some activities tire your brain more than others? How exhausting is poverty? And could most of the world’s problems be solved with a sandwich?

Are Europeans more sophisticated than Americans? What’s wrong with preferring Taylor Swift to Puccini? And is Steve Levitt “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob”?

Will Angela finally break up with Philadelphia? Is New York really the unhappiest city in the U.S.? And are there trash tornadoes in the metaverse?

Are you a problem solver or an opportunity seeker? Why is it so hard to find a good leader these days? And could you be Angela’s next boss?

What risks are worth taking? When should you ignore feedback and go with your gut? And what did Stephen learn on a fishing trip with the town barber?

What’s worse: shame, guilt, or humiliation? Does Angela have psychopathic tendencies? And where’s the worst place to sit at a magic show?