Shrink Space

Did Democrats win, or did Trump lose? The 2026 Midterm Elections delivered unexpected results, raising questions about why voters changed course.
Psychologists David Colarossi and Rob Patterson discuss the surprising shifts, including in traditionally Republican states like Texas, and what they reveal about voter behavior, political loyalties, and the mood of the American public.

Can relationships between parents and adult children be repaired after years of conflict and estrangement? How do families rebuild trust, and should every relationship be repaired?
Psychologists David Colarossi and Rob Patterson discuss Colin Gosselin and Amy Acton, exploring family estrangement and the complexities of reconciliation.

Does America want to watch an execution?
Pete Hegseth's plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, raise questions about capital punishment and whether executions should be made public. Why would Hegseth want to livestream an execution, and what are the potential consequences of making it a public event?
In this episode of Shrink Space, psychologists Dave and Rob discuss the drawbacks and potential benefits of public executions, including the risks of broadcasting an execution and whether greater transparency and accountability could serve the public interest.

In this episode of Shrink Space, David and Rob take on the Cornell 7 case, the allegations of a sexual assault at a Cornell fraternity party, through a psychological lens. We get into:• Why most sexual assault is acquaintance assault, not the stranger-in-the-garage scenario• Why a "we're fine" text two days later isn't evidence of consent, and why many survivors don't label what happened right away• What the Milgram experiments tell us about how one dissenting voice changes a room• How objectification in a group chat creates distance from the human being upstairs• The debate over naming the accuser vs. the accused (and the Richard Jewell lesson)• Why the case has split along political lines, and the DA's decision not to charge #Cornell7 #BystanderEffect #ConsentCulture #ShrinkSpace #Psychology⚠️ Content note: this episode discusses sexual assault in detail. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, RAINN's hotline is 1-800-656-4673 (rainn.org).All parties are referred to as alleged; no charges have been filed as of recording.⏱️ Chapters0:00 Cold open: why it's not the bystander effect5:39 Today's topic: the Cornell 76:10 Timeline of the night9:33 First reactions11:36 Talking about Jane Doe without victim blaming14:09 Why perpetrators rarely see it as assault15:41 The group chat18:59 Bystander effect vs. pluralistic ignorance25:10 What Milgram teaches us29:14 Culture, empathy, and entitlement36:17 Megyn Kelly's take37:19 Should we know the names?40:08 The Richard Jewell lesson41:06 "It was fine": what her text does and doesn't mean43:57 Why is this political?48:40 The police interview and the DA's decision53:11 David vents about the legal standard54:50 The special prosecutor57:04 Rob pushes back: 43 vs. 7🎧 Follow Shrink Space everywhere: @ShrinkSpaceShowLike, subscribe, and tell us what you think in the comments.

Macklemore vs. Ed Sheeran has reignited the debate over whether musicians and other public figures should speak up about politics.
Rob and Dave discuss the expectations placed on celebrities to share their political opinions, the potential benefits and drawbacks of speaking out, and the pressure public figures can face when they choose to take a stand. They also explore whether entertainment should be political at all, or whether artists should simply be able to entertain without having an agenda.