The Psychology Podcast

4.4 (1.7K)
SOCIAL SCIENCES
UPDATED WEEKLY

In each episode, we talk with inspiring scientists, thinkers, and other self-actualized individuals who will give you a greater understanding of yourself, others, and the world we live in. Scott Barry Kaufman explores the depths of human potential and tries to get a glimpse into human possibility in every episode.

6D AGO

Busting Viral Mental Health Myths w/Joe Nucci

This week, Scott speaks with psychotherapist and writer Joe Nucci, whose work tackles the intersection of mental health, misinformation, and pop psychology. Joe has built a large following by debunking viral myths and bringing nuance to conversations that are too often oversimplified online. Together, they dive into his new book, Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths and the Truths to Set You Free. From the overuse of labels like “narcissist” to the assumption that mindfulness is good for everyone, Joe challenges widely accepted but misleading ideas. They also take on bigger cultural narratives—like whether everyone has trauma or whether everyone should be in therapy. This conversation sheds light on how misinformation spreads, why it matters, and what we can do to ground our understanding of mental health in science and compassion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 9m
SEP 11

The Psychology of Athletic Excellence w/Dr. Alex Auerbach

This week, Scott Barry Kaufman sits down with Dr. Alex Auerbach, a licensed counseling and sport performance psychologist who works with some of the world’s top performers—from Olympic champions to NBA, NFL, and MLB athletes, as well as elite military units, Fortune 500 companies, and high-growth startups. Together, they dive into insights from Dr. Auerbach’s book, To Greatness: Your Personal Playbook for the Pursuit of Excellence. The conversation explores the science of resiliency, adaptive capacity, and wellness, along with the role of self-awareness, values, confidence, and belief in reaching one’s highest potential. Dr. Auerbach believes greatness isn’t reserved for a select few—it’s available to anyone willing to answer the call. This episode is filled with practical wisdom and inspiring takeaways for performers in every arena of life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

55 min
AUG 28

Dealing with Feelings w/ Dr. Marc Brackett

This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Dealing with Feelings: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want. Together, they explore why so many of us struggle to manage our emotions and what we can do about it. Dr. Brackett explains the importance of co-regulation, self-compassion, and learning to work with our feelings rather than against them. As he reminds us, nearly every experience in our lives—good or bad—is shaped by how we respond emotionally. This conversation is full of practical wisdom and science-backed tools to help you better understand your inner world and harness the power of emotions for growth, resilience, and joy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

56 min
AUG 14

Rethinking Time and the Myth of Urgency w/ Chris Guillebeau

This week Scott speaks with author, entrepreneur, and world traveler Chris Guillebeau, best known for The Art of Non-Conformity and his latest book, Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency and a Better Way to Live. Chris unpacks the concept of time anxiety—the persistent feeling that we’re running out of time—and explains why it’s different from FOMO or ADHD. Together, he and Scott explore how cultural pressures toward constant efficiency can leave us feeling perpetually behind, and how to redefine “enough” in our own lives. This conversation offers fresh perspectives on slowing down, finding meaning, and reclaiming your relationship with time. Whether you’re chasing big dreams or simply trying to savor the present, this episode will help you rethink how you spend your most precious resource. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43 min
JUL 31

Can You Really Change Your Personality? w/ Olga Khazan

This week Scott speaks with journalist and Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan about her latest book, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change. Olga shares her personal journey experimenting with ways to reshape her own personality—armed with insights from the latest psychological research. Together, she and Scott explore whether personality traits like introversion, neuroticism, and even antagonism can truly change over time, and what science says about how we can become better versions of ourselves. This episode dives into the surprising plasticity of personality, why certain traits are harder to shift than others, and the real-life tools that can help spark meaningful, lasting transformation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48 min
JUL 17

Debunking the Genius Myth w/ Helen Lewis

This week, Scott sits down with acclaimed journalist and Atlantic staff writer Helen Lewis to explore her latest book, The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea. Together, they examine how society defines—and often distorts—the concept of genius. Helen argues that there’s no universal, objective definition of genius, and that the people we anoint as such often reflect what a culture values, rather than any absolute measure of brilliance. This “genius” label, she suggests, grants select individuals undue latitude and props up misleading narratives about creativity, intelligence, and individual achievement. Scott and Helen also dig into the misuse and limitations of IQ, shared myths about extraordinary minds, and the social consequences of genius worship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 7m
JUL 3

Embracing Neurodiversity w/ Robin Ince

This week, Scott sits down with English comedian, author, and BBC radio host Robin Ince. Known for co-presenting The Infinite Monkey Cage alongside physicist Brian Cox, Robin brings his signature wit and wisdom to a deeply personal and socially relevant conversation. The episode centers around Robin’s new book, Normal Weird and Weirdly Normal: Adventures of Neurodiversity, in which he champions the beauty of embracing one's authentic self. Together, Scott and Robin explore the rigid social norms that often stifle creativity, connection, and individuality—and how celebrating neurodiversity can open the door to a richer, more inclusive world. This episode is a tribute to the magic that happens when we let go of “normal” and celebrate what makes us weirdly wonderful. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

57 min
JUN 19

The Science of Inspiring Leadership w/ Dr. Adam Galinsky

This week, Scott welcomes Dr. Adam Galinsky, Professor at Columbia Business School and author of Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Together, they explore what makes a truly inspiring leader—and how anyone, regardless of title or position, can develop the qualities to lead with vision, courage, and impact. Dr. Galinsky shares powerful insights on the "leader amplification effect," the importance of expanding the "status pie," and how leaders can empower others while staying grounded in authenticity. This timely and energizing conversation is packed with research-backed wisdom and practical strategies for cultivating influence and purpose in your personal and professional life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 hr

See All (473)

Scott Barry Kaufman

Host

4.4

out of 5

1,741 Ratings

A must listen

12/14/2024

witchyspa

Finding a podcast that dissects psychological theories and studies in a needy way while remaining engaging and witty is incredibly difficult but Dr. Scott, you have nailed it! There hasn’t been one episode that I’ve listened to where I wasn’t completely fascinated. You highlight the work of brilliant people who may not otherwise be on my radar to learn from. I find this show to be thoroughly enriching to my life and it helps me not only understand myself better but those in my everyday world. Thank you Scott and all of the guests for the amazing work you do. Please keep it up! -Christine McCuen
Terrible host

Aug 31

PodcastListener882

The host is unbearable and the worst interviewer ever. He asks bad questions, keeps groaning in between the guests answers, says “um” too much and doesn’t contribute anything. He doesn’t know how to guide the guest and the guest just starts rambling about nothing. Podcasts really need to be vetted so we don’t waste time with this garbage.
Condescending

May 27

(20M

The topics are interesting, the podcaster is smart, but jesus he’s superior and condescending
Patronizing Host

Mar 5

ABurnette123

I found the topic and the guest to be engaging; however, I perceived the host's tone as condescending.

In each episode, we talk with inspiring scientists, thinkers, and other self-actualized individuals who will give you a greater understanding of yourself, others, and the world we live in. Scott Barry Kaufman explores the depths of human potential and tries to get a glimpse into human possibility in every episode.

Channel

iHeartPodcasts
Creator

iHeartPodcasts
Years Active

2014 - 2025
Episodes

473
Rating

Clean
Copyright

2025 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
Show Website

The Psychology Podcast
Provider

iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc