The psychology of spending, debt and budgeting, with Abigail Sussman, PhD

Buy now, pay later plans have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, adding yet another variable to consider when making spending decisions. Abigail Sussman, PhD, discusses the psychological biases that influence how we spend, budget and borrow, including why splitting payments can make purchases feel more affordable, why we underestimate irregular expenses, and why many people carry debt even when they have savings. She also shares research-based strategies to help you make more deliberate choices and better manage your money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before babies have the words to tell us what they're thinking, they can laugh. Developmental psychologist Gina Mireault, PhD, explains how she sets up a “baby comedy club” in her lab; what babies find funny and why; when babies start trying to make other people laugh; and what studying laughter can tell us about babies’ cognitive development and how they experience the world in their first year of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much can you really tell about someone at first glance? Nicholas Rule, PhD, of the University of Toronto, talks about the science of first impressions: How your brain starts making judgments about other people in milliseconds--before you’re even aware of it--how accurate those judgments are and how they’re shaped by stereotypes and biases; the research on “gaydar”; to what degree you can pick up on traits like extraversion and trustworthiness; and the real-world consequences of our accurate – and inaccurate – snap judgments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tourette disorder and other tic disorders affect millions of people yet remain widely misunderstood. John Piacentini, PhD, director of the UCLA Child OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Clinic, explains the brain basis of Tourette disorder; talks about why tics are very common in young children; debunks common myths—such as the idea that Tourette disorder mainly involves uncontrollable swearing—and discusses how recent behavioral therapies are helping many patients manage tics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life is full of situations -- and people -- that try our patience, from a standstill traffic jam to an obstinate preschooler who won’t put on her shoes. Sarah Schnitker, PhD, talks about why patience can be so hard to come by; whether modern life and modern technology have made us less patient; the difference between patience and passivity; and cognitive strategies to build up your ability to be patient. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than half of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. involve stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There are no medications to treat stimulant addiction, but there is a behavioral treatment that works: contingency management, which involves offering tangible, immediate rewards for abstaining from drugs. Lara Coughlin, PhD, and Michael McDonell, PhD, discuss why contingency management works and the psychological principles it’s based on; how it can be used to treat other addictions including alcohol, tobacco and opioids; and recent momentum in moving it from research labs to the real world at large scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do some ideas, products, news stories and trends spread like wildfire, while others disappear? Jonah Berger, PhD, discusses the science of what catches on; the psychological forces that drive word of mouth, including social currency and high-arousal emotions like awe and anger; whether online and offline sharing differ; and what his research can tell us about the spread of misinformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From school pressures to friendship ruptures, all kids will face challenges as they grow. Mary Alvord, PhD, talks why building resilience is key to helping kids handle both everyday stresses and significant life setbacks; how to help children and teens develop foundational resilience skills like emotion regulation, problem solving and an “action mindset”; and how the Resilience Builder program is being scaled up to classrooms and schools to reach more kids who could benefit from it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Popular culture often frames love and dating as a competitive marketplace shaped by evolution and rigid gender differences, but relationship science tells a different story. Paul Eastwick, PhD, talks about what the research says about attraction, compatibility and long-term bonding; why men and women are more alike than different in what they seek; how dating apps distort romantic expectations and how to use the apps better; and how evolutionary ideas about love and relationships can be misused in ways that fuel harmful stereotypes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many women, being a daughter is not just a family role – it’s a lifelong job. Dr. Allison Alford discusses what she calls “daughtering”: the work of managing family dynamics, from coordinating schedules to soothing emotions to worrying about a parent’s future. She discusses why these expectations fall on daughters; why the work often goes unrecognized; the role of birth order and “eldest daughter syndrome”; and how daughters and families can rethink their roles to make them sustainable and fulfilling for everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices