The Psychology Undergrad Podcast

The Psychology Student
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Transforms dense psychology textbooks into lively, easy-to-digest conversations between two hosts. Each episode focuses on a single chapter — unpacking theories, experiments, and key thinkers through examples you’ll actually remember. Whether you’re cramming for exams, revisiting core concepts, or just curious how the mind works, this podcast helps you understand, not memorize. RSSVERIFY

  1. 4D AGO

    Does Teen Pregnancy Actually Ruin Lives?

    A deep dive into the psychology of teenage motherhood—debunking the "epidemic" myth with data showing rates have dropped since the 1950s, exploring why mental health struggles exist even without the baby, and how young mothers describe motherhood as a "competency anchor" that gave them purpose in a world that offers them nothing else. psychology, teen pregnancy, teenage motherhood, moral panic, poverty, stigma, developmental psychology, sociology, qualitative research, Patel & Sen study, fundamental attribution error, competency anchor, defensive mothering, family psychology, public policy.

    32 min

  2. FEB 12

    The Science of Adoption: Trauma, Biology, and Recovery

    A deep dive into the neuroscience and sociology of adoption—exploring how early trauma physically rewires the HPA axis (and can even stop physical growth), the history of the 60s Scoop, and whether a loving environment is enough to reverse the biological damage of neglect. psychology, adoption, neurobiology, HPA axis, trauma, child development, nature vs nurture, 60s Scoop, indigenous history, transracial adoption, open adoption, brain plasticity, cortisol, epigenetics, social work.

    37 min

  3. FEB 12

    The "No Difference" Myth in Same-Sex Parenting

    A deep dive into the "methodology war" of same-sex parenting research—contrasting the old "no difference" consensus with big-data findings that reveal a shocking paradox: why sons of gay dads might outperform everyone, while daughters struggle, and what it means for the nature vs. nurture debate. psychology, same-sex parenting, LGBTQ families, research methodology, Douglas Allen study, 2006 Canadian Census, sociology, family structure, gender roles, nature vs nurture, evolutionary psychology, child development, graduation rates, quantitative vs qualitative research.

    28 min

  4. FEB 12

    Adolescent Psych: The Mega-Review

    A high-intensity, chapter-by-chapter cram session for adolescent psychology, covering everything from the HPG axis and the dual-systems brain model to parenting styles, identity foreclosure, and why teens take risks (the "Ferrari engine, bicycle brakes" theory). psychology, adolescent psychology, exam review, study guide, puberty, HPG axis, brain development, dual systems model, parenting styles, identity formation, peer pressure, risk taking, developmental psychology, psych undergrad, cram session.

    45 min

  5. FEB 11

    Does Divorce Damage Kids for Life?

    A deep dive into Judith Wallerstein's controversial 25-year longitudinal study tracking children of divorce into adulthood—exploring the "internal template" theory, the sleeper effect, three types of post-divorce mothers, and why the damage might not show up until your 30s. psychology, divorce, child development, longitudinal study, Judith Wallerstein, developmental psychology, family psychology, parenting after divorce, sleeper effect, internal template, attachment, resilience, trauma, marriage counseling, relationship psychology.

    25 min

  6. FEB 11

    Can Prayer Add 13 Years to Your Life?

    An undergrad-psych deep-dive into how religion actually works in families—how researchers measure "the unmeasurable," why Native cultures flip Maslow's pyramid upside down, and how prayer functions as a cognitive tool for conflict resolution and longevity .psychology, religion and psychology, family systems, spirituality, health outcomes, longevity, qualitative research methods, indigenous psychology, marriage counseling, prayer, Fincham, Marx and Dollahite, Redhorse, faith-based interventions, developmental psychology, conflict resolutio

    38 min

  7. FEB 8

    Is Parenting Written In Your DNA?

    A psychology-undergrad deep-dive podcast where we actually read the stack of research PDFs and turn them into real explanations for real life—starting with the big question: is parenting “written in your DNA”? Expect clear breakdowns of the ACE model, gene–environment correlation (passive/evocative/active rGE), and gene × environment interaction (G×E), plus what the evidence implies for family dynamics, responsibility, and whether “free will” is more complicated than we think. psychology, psych undergrad, behavioral genetics, nature vs nurture, parenting, ACE model, heritability, twin studies, adoption studies, gene environment correlation, rGE, gene environment interaction, GxE, developmental psychology, family psychology, research methods, meta-analysis, biopsychology, personality, neuroscience, epigenetics (discussion), education, study help

    40 min

  8. FEB 5

    The Lonely Box: Why Western Parenting Is the Global Outlier

    Think the way you were raised is just "normal human development"? This episode proves that Western parenting—isolated nuclear families, helicopter parents, self-esteem obsession—is actually the global outlier.​ We explore Robert Levine's hierarchy of parental goals, from Cotton Mather losing 13 of 15 children to measles in colonial America, to the controversial practice of "selective neglect" in Brazilian shantytowns where survival trumps sentiment. You'll learn why Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation Test falls apart across cultures, with German babies labeled "avoidant" and Japanese babies "anxious" when they're actually just culturally appropriate.​ Discover the "bench warmer theory" of childcare—how the Efe of Congo and Aka foragers share parenting duties while American moms play every position alone and burn out. We examine how sibling caregivers (nurse children) raise toddlers in most of the world, why age-segregated schooling destroyed this system, and what Barbara Kingsolver meant when she said American children are treated like "toxic waste".​ Topics covered: Levine's hierarchy, maternal instinct myths, cross-cultural attachment, nuclear family isolation, China's 4-2-1 phenomenon, sibling caregiving, and why modern Western parenting feels so exhausting and lonely.

    34 min
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About

Transforms dense psychology textbooks into lively, easy-to-digest conversations between two hosts. Each episode focuses on a single chapter — unpacking theories, experiments, and key thinkers through examples you’ll actually remember. Whether you’re cramming for exams, revisiting core concepts, or just curious how the mind works, this podcast helps you understand, not memorize. RSSVERIFY

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