Psychology and Stuff

What happens to our brains when we go without food? While some people swear that fasting improves their concentration and mental clarity, others find that hunger makes it harder to focus. So, what does the research actually tell us about fasting and our psychological well-being? In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with two researchers exploring the psychology of fasting from different perspectives. Dr. Christoph Bamberg, a researcher at the University of Salzburg in Austria, studies intermittent fasting, eating behavior, and cognitive performance. Darya Ahmed, a researcher affiliated with Koya University and the University of Exeter, has examined the relationship between Ramadan fasting, mental health, sleep quality, and cognitive functioning. Together, they explore whether skipping meals affects concentration, how our expectations about hunger can shape our performance, and why individual differences matter. From the surprising role of placebo effects to the psychological and social dimensions of Ramadan, their conversation challenges common assumptions about fasting and reveals why its effects may be more complicated than we think. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Eb2QxQC5qKM Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychandstuff/

Are college students avoiding difficult conversations, or are they simply looking for safer ways to have them? In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano welcomes Fred Duong of More in Common to discuss a nationwide study on civil dialogue in higher education funded by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Drawing on surveys, experiments, and social media analysis, Duong examines what students and faculty really think about polarization, free speech, and respectful disagreement. Together, they explore why students consistently express a desire for dialogue despite fears of social consequences, how online conversations can misrepresent campus realities, and what universities can do to foster trust and constructive engagement. Their conversation offers a hopeful look at the role dialogue can play in strengthening both higher education and democracy. Learn More about More in Common: https://moreincommonus.com/ Arthur Vining Davis Foundation: https://www.avdf.org/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I_RWcdbclF8 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychandstuff/

Numbers can tell us a lot about the world, but only if we understand the people and experiences behind them. In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Dr. Alison Jane Martingano sits down with Dr. Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges, Professor of Psychology at UW-Green Bay, to discuss the power of storytelling in statistics and why making data meaningful matters more than ever. Drawing on her decades of teaching statistics and research methods, Georjeanna explains how connecting numbers to real-world experiences can reduce math anxiety, improve scientific communication, and help people see the relevance of data in their own lives. From interpreting uncertainty and visualizing data to questioning the assumptions behind averages, their conversation explores the importance of human judgment in an age of AI, the lessons educators can learn from their students, and how a better understanding of statistics can help us tell more honest, compassionate, and impactful stories.

In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with UW–Green Bay psychologists and endurance athletes Dr. Chelsea Wooding and Dr. Jason Cowell to explore the psychology of endurance sports, from personality and motivation to pain and perseverance. Their conversation was inspired by their recent 100.5-mile Door County Century ride, and the mental and physical challenges they faced along the way. Chelsea and Jason break down what separates endurance athletes from the rest of us, why conscientiousness may be key to going the distance, and how training, social connection, and small rewards can reshape our relationship with effort. From the “pain cave” to the differences between amateur and professional athletes, they explore what it really takes to keep moving forward, and whether women may have an advantage when endurance events reach their most extreme.

What does it take to make a team thrive in space? In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with Dr. Morgan Stosic, a research psychologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, to explore the psychology behind human performance in extreme environments. From studying nonverbal behavior and fatigue to understanding how astronauts communicate, collaborate, and cope with isolation, Morgan shares how psychology helps prepare humans for life beyond Earth. Martingano and Stosic discuss why personality traits that work well on Earth can shift in space, how communication delays could reshape empathy on future Mars missions, and what simulated Mars environments can teach us about teamwork and performance. They also explore what makes an astronaut—and why strong communication skills may be one of the most important tools for psychologists working beyond the traditional boundaries of the field.

In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with UW-Green Bay 2026 commencement speaker, Grace Holschuh, to talk about finding your path through college and beyond. Grace reflects on her journey from discovering psychology to pursuing medical school, and how research, service, and leadership helped her figure out what she wanted for her future. Martingano and Holschuh discuss why it’s okay not to have your career figured out, how trying new opportunities can open unexpected doors, and why meaningful service can benefit both the people you help and yourself. From psychology research labs to study abroad in Thailand, Grace shares the experiences that have shaped her education, her goals, and her commitment to serving others. Follow Psych & Stuff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychandstuff/

In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with Dr. Neema Trivedi-Bateman, senior lecturer in criminology at Loughborough University and founder of the Compass Project, an innovative intervention designed to strengthen moral development and promote prosocial behavior in young people. Neema shares how her research on empathy, shame, guilt, and decision-making inspired the creation of Compass, and explains why helping young people reflect on their emotions and choices may be more effective than focusing solely on rules and punishment. Together, they explore the role of moral reasoning, self-control, and social environments in shaping behavior, as well as the challenges of translating theory into real-world programs. From promising early results in schools to plans for international expansion, their conversation highlights how research-driven interventions can help young people make healthier decisions and create positive changes in their communities.

What does it really mean to be “information literate” in a world overflowing with content? In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with UW–Green Bay Assistant Library Director Renee Ettinger to explore how students—and all of us—can better navigate today’s complex information landscape. Drawing on her work supporting research, teaching, and undergraduate scholarship, Renee explains how to evaluate sources, recognize authority (and false authority), and slow down in a fast-moving digital world. From classroom instruction to conference presentations, their conversation highlights the skills that help turn information into insight—and why those skills matter far beyond the classroom.

What if your home isn’t just where you live—but something that actively shapes who you become? In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with UW–Green Bay psychology professor and environmental psychologist Dr. Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges to explore the powerful relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Drawing on her background in social ecology, Georjeanna explains how our homes function as dynamic systems—shaped by routines, relationships, and the broader environments around them. From childhood development and household “chaos” to pandemic-era living and aging in place, they unpack how design, flexibility, and social connection influence well-being. The conversation reveals why a home is never just a physical space—and how small changes can transform how we live in it.

In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, Dr. Alison Jane Martingano sits down with Dr. Jason Harman, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Factors at Michigan Technological University, to explore how we learn from experience when making decisions. They discuss how memory, frequency, and feedback shape our choices over time, why early experiences can have such a lasting impact, and how rare events can sometimes mislead our decision-making. The conversation also dives into real-world applications, including police training, risk-taking, and how people make split-second judgments. Dr. Harman also shares his work on gamified personality assessment, using interactive storytelling and game-like environments to measure behavior in new ways. Listen in to learn more about how our past experiences shape the decisions we make—and why changing those patterns can be harder than we think.