Minds Matter

How can dissociation lead to positive and negative outcomes, and how does it affect an individual? Dr. Anikó Kusztor joins us this week to discuss the results of dissociation, and how they vary from person to person. Ava and Beth recount their personal dissociative experiences and contemplate where they fall on the spectrum of dissociation.

What is beauty, and just how subjective is it? Dr. Aenne Brielmann joins us this week to discuss how our minds react when we see or find something beautiful. Ava and Beth discuss the age old question in terms of how emotion affects perception, and further dive into the philosophy of beauty.

How do you handle tough emotions? Do you deal with things on your own or with support from others? Dr. Razia Sahi joins us to explore why leaning on others might be more powerful than we think. She shares her research on social emotion regulation, showing that when someone helps us reframe a difficult situation, it can be even more effective than doing it alone, and how the emotional benefits can last well beyond the moment. From reappraisal and validation to hand-holding and voice tone, we explore the many ways others can help us navigate difficult emotions. Beth and Ava discuss differences in how people might prefer to give and receive social support.

What really is addiction—and can we actually get addicted to our phones? Dr. Keanan Joyner joins us to discuss how addiction works from both a biological and social lens. He shares insights from his lab’s research on drug use, genetics, and disinhibition, and explains why substance abuse isn’t just about individual choice. Ava and Beth also discuss screen use, dopamine, and what counts as “real” addiction. Plus, Dr. Joyner shares why EEG studies often exclude Black participants, and what his lab is doing to change that.

Have you ever seen a robot that looks almost human, but something feels a bit off? Did it make you feel unsettled, and maybe a bit creeped out? Dr. Yulia Vaitonytė joins us to discuss her research on this phenomenon of the uncanny valley. She unpacks the brain and perceptual cues behind this eeriness, and tells us why certain kinds of imperfections might actually help robots appear more real. Beth & Ava play a game to see if they can recognize real faces from artificially generated ones.