It can be difficult to understand how to navigate behavior when there is no direct cause and effect between what you’re doing and the impact you want to have. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about why it’s important to take daily actions toward long-term goals. The post Cause and Effect appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Time is important, especially when it comes to the brain. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about how our brains process and understand time and how we can reorient our goals within tasks to stay motivated and get more done. The post Time, Attention, and How To Get Things Done appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There’s a lot going on below the surface when it comes to what we reveal and conceal. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about a few perplexing dimensions of the psychology of transparency. The post Transparency appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Some of our behaviors tend to get in the way of goals we would like to achieve or even the lives we want to live, but changing our behavior can be more complicated than we think. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about the psychology of […] The post Abstinence vs. Moderation appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In April, we celebrate National Poetry Month, and in honor of this beautiful commemoration, we wanted to revisit our show on writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a widespread phenomenon. So what is it? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain […] The post How To Crush Writer’s Block appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A classic study found that individuals eat less soup when they have a visual cue of how much they have eaten, thus demonstrating the power of external cues about eating. However, this research, done by Brian Wansink and his colleagues in 2005, was called into question by the lead researcher’s demonstrations of scientific misconduct. A […] The post The Soup Study Revisited appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Nobel laureate and behavioral psychologist Daniel Kahneman passed away on March 27th, 2024, at the age of 90. Kahneman was not only a giant in the fields of psychology and economics, but as Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head he was also kind, generous, open-minded, and […] The post Remembering Daniel Kahneman appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Building in hedges to a sentence is a natural thing most of us do without thinking too much about it, but when we can’t form a sentence without “really” or “like ya know” it might be time to take a pause. That said, as we explore in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, […] The post Hedges and Crutches appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Dr. Art Markman explains how he advises organizational leaders about critiquing behavior. The post Bonus: Art’s XYZ Approach to Behavior Change appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many psychological elements go into the idea of changing or remaking oneself, so Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke decided to record a series on the psychology of change. Our third and final episode delves into the words we use to describe ourselves and others and why and how they matter. The post Change: The Fundamental Attribution Error appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many psychological elements go into the idea of changing or remaking oneself, so Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke decided to record a series on the psychology of change. Our second episode in the series looks at what we believe about who can change, how people change, and why it matters. The post Change: Belief Systems appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many psychological elements go into the idea of changing or remaking oneself, so Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke decided to record a series on the psychology of change beginning with the different intellectual lines on the idea of personal change. The post Change: Nature via Nurture appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There is a lot of psychology that goes into how, when, and why we part with our money, and to be sure marketers know this very well. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the freebie and how to take control of what we spend. The post Freebies appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Have you ever wondered about something but didn’t ask about it because you thought it was something you should already know about? You may have worried someone might think less of you for not knowing. It turns out that that happens more often than we’d like to admit mainly because of subtle judgments we may […] The post A Case For Curiosity Part II appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Being a curious person and finding out about things that interest us is a wonderful element of what it means to be human. In the first part of our look at the psychology of curiosity with Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why we should be open to curiosity, and […] The post A Case For Curiosity Part I appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

How we understand, assess, and determine what risks we are willing to take can change depending on many variables, but what we might not consider is that much of this is happening below our conscious awareness. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke conclude their series on risk by looking […] The post Risk Assessment appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

How we understand, assess, and determine what risks we are willing to take can change depending on a variety of variables, but what we might not consider is that much of this is happening below our conscious awareness. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the influence desire has […] The post Desire and Risk appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

How we understand, assess, and determine what risks we are willing to take can change depending on a variety of variables, but what we might not consider is that much of this is happening below our conscious awareness. With this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke begin our series on the […] The post The Psychology of Risk appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

According to the According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans say tipping is expected in more places today than it was five years ago. It seems everywhere you make a transaction the swiveling iPad is urging you to choose a percentage to tip before you sign. This cultural shift This cultural shift in […] The post Tipping appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Have you ever wanted to tell a friend about a book you just discovered by saying, “I’m reading…” then you have to qualify that by saying, “Actually I am listening to it.” Maybe you feel a bit like a cheat or an imposter? Well, you should not! Listening is different than reading because our brains […] The post How Our Brains Process Reading Vs. Listening (Rebroadcast) appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A lot of times when we think of or refer to common sense it is because we think someone may be lacking it. However, for our society to function we need to have some consensus, but how do we learn and teach this, and what exactly is common sense? In this episode of Two Guys on […] The post Common Sense appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Grades serve as a proxy to measure if we’ve learned what we need to learn, but emphasizing the grade over the value of learning is done more often than not to our detriment. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the importance of teaching the value of learning. The post Teaching The Value of Learning appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many times we think that if we set up the correct consequences for negative behavior children will learn to do the right thing, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about as we continue our series on the psychology of teaching with Two Guys on Your Head, it’s not that simple. The post Teaching a Moral Code appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There are many elements of being in a classroom that are difficult to navigate. It’s not only tough to teach, it’s hard to be an attentive student in an environment where we are stuck in our chairs for most of the day. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about […] The post Teaching and Behavior appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Why is it hard to have just one of those delicious slices of pound cake over the holidays? Well, it turns out it has less to do with the creamy butter and more to do with the way our brains react to those sweet white grains of sugar. In this edition of Two Guys on Your […] The post Sugar and The Brain (Rebroadcast) appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We may all count on our fingers, but we are not all counting on them the same way. In a 2012 issue of Cognition, German researchers Andrea Bender and Sieghard Beller argue that the extent of cultural diversity in finger-counting has been hugely underestimated. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca […] The post The Psychology of Finger Counting appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It can be really stressful to try to make the holidays a happy time. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about what psychological ingredients can help ensure more meaningful connections. The post Creating Happy Holidays appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

When it comes to theories about behavior change if it seems too good to be true it probably is. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the popular “Nudge” theory and why it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The post Nudge Theory appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There is playoff fever around the country and things are particularly hot here in Texas. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the psychology of why playoffs are so engaging. The post Playoffs appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Studies of charisma suggest that there are two key dimensions of a charismatic person that researchers have called “affability” and “influence.” Affability reflects how likable someone is and influence relates to people’s leadership ability and likelihood of motivating others to do something. We know not everyone possesses such traits but what is less obvious is that […] The post Charisma appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Some new research suggests that there is a lot more we consider when deciding to tell a fib or not. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about what’s on “the lying brain” and why it matters. The post The Lying Brain appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A midlife crisis is a time of transition when we might question what we’ve accomplished, done, or not done, and ask things like the Talking Heads do of our “Once in a Lifetime.” But what is a midlife crisis psychologically? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and […] The post The Midlife Crisis appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The way we respond to deadlines varies quite a bit. Some people fall apart when they’re up against a deadline while for others deadlines help them focus, and then there are those for whom deadlines don’t seem to matter at all. So, as with most things in science, the answer to the question about if […] The post Are We Motivated By Deadlines? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Feeling a bit nervous before an exam is normal and sometimes can even help to focus your attention. But as Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  test anxiety, can interfere with your test-taking performance, and hence not really demonstrate your aptitude for […] The post Test Anxiety appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

When it comes to taking tests, like college prep tests for example, why does how fast you complete the test matter? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about why speed matters when taking tests, but also why it’s not the best way to […] The post Speed and Test Taking appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Recognition is important, but it can be a double-edged sword if it’s not thoughtful and honest. In fact, it might often be counterproductive when trying to cultivate self-motivation. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. The post Intrinsic & Extrinsic Reward appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Recognition is a big deal. When we are not recognized for the things we do that are important to us we can feel invisible. However, there are many elements to recognition that we might not, well, recognize. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk […] The post Recognition and Expectation appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We have so many wonderful apps and gadgets that help us stay on track with our lives and goals so why would anyone still use a piece of paper and pen to make a list? It turns out there is a lot more to list-making than meets the eye. In this edition of Two Guys […] The post Why Do We Make Lists? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In psychology, the “Dark Triad” refers to narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. How do we identify those who are “high in the Dark Triad” and why is it important? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the Dark Triad. The post The Dark Triad (Rebroadcast) appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We might feel like we’ve been duped when we believe a lie someone has told us, and we may want to crawl into a hole when we share “fake news” on Facebook. But in actuality, we have evolved to trust vs. to question, which is why our tendency toward credulity is easily taken advantage of. […] The post Gaslighting (Rebroadcast) appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Making judgments based on merit is a common practice in our society, but how do we determine what counts when it comes to merit, and is it the best way to judge skills and ability? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy ask if there […] The post Merit appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Why don’t we lie to get what we want? We may think that if we are in a situation where we need something we don’t have we would do almost anything to get it, including lying, but as Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about in this episode of  Two Guys on […] The post Scarcity and Lying appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Self-Determination Theory suggests that there are three fundamental psychological needs humans have in order to thrive: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. But what do those things mean in terms of our day-to-day lives? In the third and final installment of our Two Guys on Your Head series on Self-Determination, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy […]

Self-Determination Theory suggests that there are three fundamental psychological needs humans have in order to thrive: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. But what do those things mean in terms of our day-to-day lives? In part II of our Two Guys on Your Head series on Self-Determination, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy discuss competence.

Some people may feel constrained, unmotivated, or alienated, while others are curious, and feel vital and self-motivated. It turns out that these differences are not just biological but have a lot to do with social context. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy discuss Autonomy; part […]

When it comes to assessing risk and preventing calamity, as humans, we’re not so great. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, we talk about why it’s important to structure our environment in a way that protects us from ourselves.

In part one of our exploration of values-alignment interventions Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke of Two Guys on Your Head discussed a recent study by Dr. David Yeager, Dr. Cintia Hinojosa,  and Dr. Christopher Bryan that demonstrates how interventions that attach certain behaviors to already existing values held by participants can be very […]

Changing behavior and forming new habits can be difficult, however as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head a recent study by Dr. David Yeager, Dr. Cintia Hinojosa,  and Dr. Christopher Bryan demonstrates how interventions that attach certain behaviors to already existing values held […]

We may think that we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, etc. but it turns out to be much more complicated. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore sense and perception.

New research suggests that the link between money and happiness could be more cohesive than previously thought. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore how more money can make you happier.

It takes a lot of confidence and humility to admit when we’re wrong, and that is especially true when it comes to science. So in the edition of  Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and  Rebecca McInroy are taking a moment to highlight one “Adversarial Collaboration” that could change the way […]

Laughter may be the best medician, but do we really understand why? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore the psychology of laughter.

We’ve done shows on the importance of being open to new opportunities; in short, saying yes. And while saying yes is very important, we might be too prone to saying yes to things when we should be saying no. Why is hard to say no? Why don’t we take into account the opportunity cost when […]

It’s summertime, and for some, that means it’s time for a vacation. But how do you get the most out of your time off and truly vacate? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how to disconnect and why it’s important.

We may think creativity is being able to come up with a new idea no one has ever thought about before, but in reality, so many factors go into what it means to be creative and innovative. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, we revisit a 2016 SXSW event where Dr. Art […]

A good coach understands individual differences, goals, and needs and helps people not only achieve what they want for themselves but to pursue the potential they have that they may not even see. We wrap up our Two Guys on Your Head series on coaching with a few psychological pro tips from Dr. Art Markman and […]

Sometimes as a coach, you need to help people get rid of unfavorable behaviors so they can improve. Yet, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, it’s a lot more complicated, psychologically, than you may think.

There are various dimensions to being a good coach. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, it’s one thing to coach an individual, but coaching a team is a whole other ballgame.

It’s very popular to enlist coaches these days, and as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, there are a lot of psychological reasons why this is a very good thing.

It turns out that although we may think we decide our preferences based on what we like or dislike, many times we are influenced by factors outside of our conscious awareness. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the psychology of influence.

When it comes to imagination and happiness, it turns out there’s a lot going on. If you think, as William Arthur Ward said, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it,” you might be in for a surprise when it comes to well-being. In this edition […]

Have you ever been in a situation that you just can’t see your way out of? Have you ever been stuck on a path you did not want to follow? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how we can practice gaining experiences that […]

It turns out that forgetting is a feature, not a bug. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the many ways forgetting is more important than we may think, especially when it comes to what we remember.

Turns out that understanding the why and how of play in our everyday lives is a serious business, but still a lot of fun! Listen back as Rebecca McInroy, Art Markman and Bob Duke of Two Guys on Your Head join Alison Preston, Kirk Lynn, and Sarah Abraham for a special presentation at the Texas […]

There are some things that just feel like they’re true. For example, the idea that people who are gifted musicians are also good at learning math, or vice versa. However, there isn’t any data that suggests that there are any links in the brain between these proclivities. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

It seems that people today carry with them the constant mantra, “I’m so busy.” And as it can be tough to juggle work, kids, and life in general, a lot of that feeling of being overwhelmed may be our own fault. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the […]

It turns out you don’t have to be exceptionally witty or charming to give a great talk, you just need to be you. And it doesn’t hurt, as Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, discuss in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, to follow a few other tips as well.

OpenAI is previewing a new tool called ChatGPT that uses AI to generate text based on prompts.  This raises a wide variety of questions. In the last episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and  Rebecca McInroy explored the relationship between competence vs. comprehension. In part II we ask, what […]

OpenAI is previewing a new tool called ChatGPT that uses AI to generate text based on prompts. This raises a wide variety of questions, many of which can be better understood when we look at what Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, explore in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, with Rebecca McInroy; the […]

In our last episode, we talked about how stress and discomfort aren’t always negative. Sometimes you can harness your energy by learning to reframe the negative feelings, but how do we do that? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the process of […]

Stress and discomfort aren’t always negative. Sometimes you can harness your energy by learning to reframe the negative feelings. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, some new research by Ayelet Fishbach and her colleagues suggests that doing this can help you get more done.

Having a pet is a big responsibility. Pets can be expensive, wake you up in the middle of the night, limit your travel plans, and bring home gifts that aren’t quite what you asked Santa for. Yet, we love them, they bring us joy, and they are really wonderful for us psychologically. In this episode […]

What is the evolutionary benefit of laughter? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore why we laugh.

It’s that time of the year when we resolve to drink less, exercise more, save money, etc. It may feel really good to intend to do “better” in the new year, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, real change takes planning and […]

Sometimes we put off celebrating until we achieve a big goal instead of taking a moment to enjoy the little achievements along the way, and that’s a problem. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the evolutionary reasons behind the importance of celebration, gratitude, and […]

Writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a very common phenomenon. So what is it? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain the ins and outs of how and why we sometimes get stuck – and what we can do to help […]

What causes us to choke under pressure, especially when we’re playing a sport? Why is it that when we start paying close attention to how we’re performing a motor skill, like running or speaking, we tend to mess it up? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about […]

If you’re in a leadership position you know you have to make some difficult decisions. Some of those decisions might put you in the doghouse for a while, but if you are motivated by the good of the group as opposed to the need to be liked, things tend to work out better. In this […]

For many of us, Thanksgiving means spending time with our families and carrying out traditions that we’ve practiced for years. While it can be very stressful, messy, and challenging to spend time with family members you don’t see very often, it can also be a beautiful time of re-centering. Traditions serve a psychological function. By […]

We evolved to believe what we are told, however, we did not evolve in an environment with mass media. This is what makes the spread of misinformation so insidious and effective. In this week’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why we believe lies.

There are many ways in which reading enriches our lives, but we may overlook some of the most important. In this week’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke conclude their exploration into the psychology of reading.

Many of us enjoy reading novels but rarely do we ask ourselves why we prefer one over another. In this week’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of reading.

You can go to the gym and work out your quads, your biceps, or your balance and isolate those muscle groups to focus on the improvement of those areas of function with work. So it’s not too far of a stretch to assume if we exercise specific areas of our brains might we see improvement […]

Healing from an injury, suffering a loss, or struggling with a mental illness, can be isolating, and yet many of us don’t take the time or know how to ask about where our friends, colleagues, or loved ones are in their process of healing from or dealing with these challenges; and that’s a problem. In […]

When someone offends you you may think the right thing to do is to confront them in that moment, yet as  Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, it turns out there might be a better and more productive approach.

There is a common misconception that when you’re not succeeding at something all you need to do is put in more effort, when in fact it may be a better option to give up. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore quitting and […]

It’s much more efficient and effective to type LOL in a text rather than Laugh Out Loud, but can using acronyms excessively be more trouble than it’s worth? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy answer a listener’s question about acronyms.  

There are many aspects of healing from an injury other than just the physical element. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about what Art learned from his recent accident about the psychology of healing from trauma and experiencing pain. 

We all have difficulties in our lives and rough patches we have to navigate, but in the moment it’s hard to know what can help. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, talk about the psychology of healing from a first-hand perspective.

How do we get our kids excited to learn, to feel good about themselves and their time at school, and be interested in communicating what they’re learning and doing to us and others? Sometimes it’s all about prompting. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca […]

Sleep is an essential part of our overall well-being and health, and throughout our lives how much sleep we need and when we need it changes. Teenagers, for example, are wired to stay up late and sleep in but a lot of times our school and extracurricular schedules don’t allow for it. In this episode […]

School is back in session and for many, that means early mornings. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about why the adolescent brain is having a particularly tough time waking up.

Time flies when you’re having fun, the old saying goes. But how can time – maybe the most fundamental concept of the universe – feel different under different conditions? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke – break down the factors influencing our perception of time.

Why is it hard to have just one of those delicious slices of pound cake over the holidays? Well, it turns out it has less to do with the creamy butter and more to do with the way our brains react to those sweet white grains of sugar. In this edition of Two Guys on […]

“Porosity” is a term developed by anthropologist Tanya Marie Luhrmann and psychology researcher Kara Weisman, to help understand the root of religious and spiritual beliefs. They argue that at the heart is the concept of a porous boundary between mind and world and that people in all human societies have conflicting intuitions about this boundary. […]

Last week’s episode focused on the concept of “porosity” a term developed by anthropologist Tanya Marie Luhrmann and psychology researcher Kara Weisman, to help understand the root of religious and spiritual beliefs. They argue that at the heart is the concept of a porous boundary between mind and world and that people in all human […]

When attempting to understand the root of religious and spiritual beliefs, anthropologist Tanya Marie Luhrmann and psychology researcher Kara Weisman argue that at the heart is the concept of a porous boundary between mind and world and that people in all human societies have conflicting intuitions about this boundary. In this episode of  Two Guys […]

Negative thoughts aren’t always bad, but when they are keeping you from things you want to do it may be time to reframe your perspective, especially when considering how we talk to ourselves. In this episode of  Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about how to get out […]

In order to effectively teach, we may need to reframe the idea of teaching altogether. In Part II of our look at the psychology of teaching and learning with Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, explore the role of creating effective learning experiences.

When we try to learn something new we might be tempted to sign up for the very popular master classes that are popping up all over the place, but how effective is getting advice in the process of learning? In Part, I of our look at the psychology of teaching and learning with Two Guys […]

We may underestimate the role that our emotions of an event play in our memory of that event. But it turns out there are ways to manipulate those memories and separate the emotion out; even from Flashbulb memories. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk […]

When we go about joint problem solving it’s important to agree on what problem we’re solving for and then go about working toward a solution. However, many times this doesn’t happen. In today’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about how the psychology of reasoning from […]

When we lose someone close to us we go through a very significant and public grieving process. When we hear of horrific tragedies our bodies and brains want to grieve for those losses as well, but we don’t have the same social community to grieve with. In today’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, […]

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology behind both sides of America’s ongoing debate about firearms and gun control.

Framing negotiations in terms of winning and losing w can set us up for disappointment, not only when it comes to how we negotiate with others but also how we negotiate with ourselves. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke off some other options that might […]

The COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for what has been termed the Great Resignation, which may allow people more time to consider taking up a new hobby. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke continue their discussion of the psychology of hobbies

The COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for what has been termed the Great Resignation, which may allow people more time to consider taking up a new hobby. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke take a look at the psychology of hobbies.

There are some things that just feel like they’re true. For example, the idea that people who are gifted musicians are also good at learning math, or vice versa. However, there isn’t any data that suggests that there are any links in the brain between these proclivities. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

It seems that people today carry with them the constant mantra, “I’m so busy.” And as it can be tough to juggle work, kids, and life in general, a lot of that feeling of being overwhelmed may be our own fault. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the […]

Wordle is not just an incredibly fun and addictive game, as  Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke point out in this week’s Two Guys on Your Head, it can teach us a lot about the psychology of how we learn.

A lot of us who are not experiencing disaster, war, or significant hardship may wonder how others who are can get through the day-to-day. It might be even more foreign to us to think how anyone could possibly laugh or smile or make jokes during such times. However, in this episode of Two Guys on […]

A listener asked a question about why it is that we can feel a lot younger than we are. This prompted Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke to explore the psychology of how we perceive age.

There is more to making change happen than meets the eye. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the art and psychology of effective subversion.

How many people are too many-psychologically? As we’re slowly getting back to large in-person events, we thought we would revisit a 2019 episode of Two Guys on Your Head, where Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how our brains help us to navigate crowds.

We know our minds are our bodies, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about on this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, how these connections work is more complex than we might think.

We may think we are making decisions based on choices that are in front of us, but it turns out that’s not the case. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head. Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke discuss a recent study about how we determine the choices we have.

Recent discussion about the dissemination of fake N95 masks inspired this edition of Two Guys on Your Head. Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke discuss why fakes can be so disconcerting and why we are more likely to be dupped because of time.

DYOR stands for Do Your Own Research. It is a common acronym used throughout the internet due to how fast and easily misinformation can spread. It is encouraging people to research things and become informed before making a decision. However, it turns out it’s not so easy to do your own research for a variety […]

DYOR stands for Do Your Own Research. It is a common acronym used throughout the internet due to how fast and easily misinformation can spread. It is encouraging people to research things and become informed before making a decision. However, it turns out it’s not so easy to do your own research for a variety […]

A recent study suggests there are 4 characteristics that mentally well people share: openness to feelings, openness to emotions, truthfulness, and they’re not neurotic. But what does that really mean? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke we’ll conclude our series unpacking each characteristic with a […]

A recent study suggests there are 4 characteristics that mentally well people share: openness to feelings, openness to emotions, truthfulness, and they’re not neurotic. But what does that really mean? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke continue our series unpacking each characteristic with a discussion […]

You may think that bookending a critique in two compliments is a good strategy, but it turns out it has unintended negative consequences. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the “sh*t sandwich.”

Loyalty is an interesting and elusive concept. As much as we may profess our loyalty to a certain organization, institution, person, belief system, etc. if that bond–as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, –is only as strong as your last dissenting act, it may be time […]

Are extroverts really happier than introverts? It turns out, maybe, but there is more to the story. In the third installment of our Two Guys on Your Head series on attributes of mental wellness, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about a subcomponent of the personality characteristic of extroversion that has to do […]

It turns out that being open to feelings–happy, sad, angry, uncomfortable…– is an important element of mental wellness. But there is a lot to unpack. In the second installment of KUT’s Two Guys on Your Head series on the characteristics of mental wellness, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about a facet of […]

A recent study suggests there are 4 characteristics that mentally well people share: openness to feelings, openness to emotions, truthfulness, and they’re not neurotic. But what does that really mean? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke unpack this study and talk about what it can […]

The idea that money doesn’t make you happy is easy to get behind if you have it, but if you don’t it’s a hard one to buy into (pun intended). Yet the correlation between money and happiness is more complicated than one might think. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art […]

Why is it hard to have just one of those delicious slices of pound cake over the holidays? Well, it turns out it has less to do with the creamy butter and more to do with the way our brains react to those sweet white grains of sugar. In this edition of Two Guys on […]

Giving someone a compliment is more complicated than it might seem, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, the benefits of compliments are extensive.

Because we know “how” things work sometimes we think we understand “why” these things work as they do, and that can be a problem. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the difference between “how” vs. “why” knowledge, and why it’s important to recognize […]

It doesn’t feel good when you can’t express your emotions, but the effect of repressing emotions can have reproductions far beyond just feeling bad. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of repressing emotions.

One could ask, if we need anger management why don’t we also need management for other emotions? Turns out anger management isn’t a new thing at all and, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, for good reason.  

We might not have the most positive associations with anger, and for good reason. Anger can be threatening and lead to destruction, but it can also move us to get off the dime and do something. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about anger and motivation.

There are some things that just feel like they’re true. For example, the idea that people who are gifted musicians are also good at learning math, or vice versa. However, there isn’t any data that suggests that there are any links in the brain between these proclivities. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

We have a limited number of ways to experience the world psychologically, but many ways to interpret that experience. In that interpretation, the words we use are very important and perhaps in surprising ways. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the language we […]

A listener wrote in: “Please take a moment to address why September 11, 2001, is still a cultural touchstone, but February 26, 1993, was so easily forgotten.” Thank you for the question Bob M. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about remembering 9/11 and […]

When we live through a profound and historic event we have a different understanding of it than if we just read about it. That has a complex and interesting significance on how we see the world. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the […]

As humans, we don’t come ready to interact with the world when we are born. We have to learn a language, we have to learn how to roll over, to walk, to hold things, we have to learn all kinds of things. One thing that psychologists have been asking for a long time is how […]

Why do we continue to believe in ideas that sound scientific long after they have been scientifically proven to be incorrect? That is the question that Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head.

Lila Gleitman was an American professor of psychology and linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. who passed on August 8, 2021, at the age of  91. She was an internationally renowned expert on language acquisition and developmental psycholinguistics, focusing on children’s learning of their first language. In this edition of  Two Guys on Your Head, […]

We make sense of things by creating stories about them; our brains want to connect the dots. But it turns out that life has its own sequence that sometimes doesn’t make much sense. This brings us to COVID and the illogical logic of the evolution of the virus that keeps going even after some thought […]

Mentorships can be helpful if they are set up well. Yet, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke point out in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, so often they’re not.

There are a lot of resources and people who offer advice every day, but not all advice is equal. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of giving and taking advice.

We’ve all been through a lot during the COVID 19 pandemic, and some of us are deciding to use it as an opportunity to take a leap into the unknown. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, we talk about the psychology of making big […]

We express a lot with our gestures, but as Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, there is a lot more than communication happening when we’re waving our hands or bobbing our heads.

Almost every individual on this planet has been impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic, and with the vaccines for COVID now available many of us are seeing a light at the end of this very long and devastating tunnel. Yet, even though the vaccines are safe and effective some people who have access to them […]

Social psychologist Edward Diener, nicknamed Dr. Happiness and known for his pioneering research into what defined contentment, died on April 27 at his home in Salt Lake City. He was 74. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke we remember the life and work of […]

To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, there are the known knowns, the known unknowns, and the unknown unknowns; and it’s in the latter that the most cause for concern arises. What we don’t know we don’t know but think we know can be dangerous, and in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. […]

It can be enjoyable, even exciting, and inspiring to watch TED Talks or read self-help books, or even listen to this show. But the truth is, doing these things won’t solve the big problems. Just taking in information cannot feed the world, won’t treat depression, and can’t change behavior; these things take a lot of […]

What is it about online shopping that makes us feel so good, even when we don’t actually purchase anything? In this edition of  Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke take stock of the psychology behind the online shopping experience.

It’s tough to eliminate bias and noise from any decision we make, so how do we deal with all the noise and bias in our life? As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, prioritizing what’s most important can help.

There is a lot of talk in our society today about eliminating bias from decision making, but it turns out that even if you could do that there are things influencing your decisions that are still beyond your control. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about […]

We may think when we are oohing and aahing at little babies that we are just having fun, but they’re actually learning a lot about language and communication. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of infant-directed speech.

The idea that money doesn’t make you happy is easy to get behind if you have it, but if you don’t it’s a hard one to buy into (pun intended). Yet the correlation between money and happiness is more complicated than one might think. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art […]

Why is it hard to have just one of those delicious slices of pound cake over the holidays? It turns out it has less to do with the creamy butter and more to do with the way our brains react to those white sweet grains of sugar. In this edition of Two Guys on Your […]

We may think that being able to pay attention to two or more things at the same time is a character trait. We say, “so and so is just scatterbrained and can’t focus on more than one thing.” But the truth is none of us can. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. […]

There is an observation in psychology that looks at how people behave when they have not lived up to the expectations they set for themselves; the “What The Hell Effect.” In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about, not only what it is, but why it is.

We may underestimate the role that our emotions of an event play in our memory of that event. But it turns out there are ways to manipulate those memories and separate the emotion out; even from Flashbulb memories. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk […]

We’ve all heard of it, but what is it? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the midlife crisis.

We may use the saying, “it’s a slippery slope,” without knowing the full psychological dimensions of it. That’s why in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, we asked Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke to explore what the saying actually entails.

You’ve heard the saying, “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.” But does that literally mean you have to put yourself in someone’s position in order to understand where they are coming from? As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, according to a […]

From a Views and Brews recorded live at the Cactus Cafe in 2019, KUT’s Rebecca McInroy talks with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology behind how to interviewing for a job.

It can be hard to talk with kids about tough things; a death or sickness in the family, the loss of a job, mental illness, the list goes on. But as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, learning strategies for opening up conversations is better […]

Selfishness gets a bad rap, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, taking time for yourself is a necessity.

Holding the attention of a group isn’t easy, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, a little confidence can go a long way.

When it comes to disasters and preparing for them there is a lot we might not consider. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of being in the midst of catastrophe (in this case a very cold one) and how to mentally focus in […]

You may think that bookending a critique in two compliments is a good strategy, but it turns out it has unintended negative consequences. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the “sh*t sandwich.”

Loyalty is an interesting and elusive concept. As much as we may profess our loyalty to a certain organization, institution, person, belief system, etc. if that bond–as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, –is only as strong as your last dissenting act, it may be time […]

We may think we understand history from the classes we took in school. Yet, there is so much more to the events and the players than we memorized in class. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how biographies add a missing dimension to the psychology of […]

It can be hard to lose, and at times, to play by the rules, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, politics is more than just a game.

There are a lot of hopes riding on 2021, and those hopes have a lot to do with why categorization is so important. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of “The New Year.”

We may take for granted our ability to count, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye!

When we have two things that are very similar to each other we might wonder, why do we have two when they seem to be the same? Turns out this is important for many reasons. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the principle of […]

This year’s holidays might look a lot different for many of us due to the pandemic and social distancing, but they don’t have to be all bad. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of virtual holidays.

Developing new skills is about a lot more than practice. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the importance of building perceptual acuity.

When we see something, like a chair, we are not only seeing the chair but our brains are also making calculations as to what that chair can afford us; give us a place to sit perhaps. It turns out that we are making those types of calculations all the time. In fact, the relationships change […]

We might consider pessimism to be a negative attribute, but it turns out that sometimes pessimism can give us the energy we need we need in order to help us to accomplish our goals. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about defensive pessimism.

The ups and downs of rewards that praise participation in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke.

Failure is a word that carries a lot of baggage, arousing emotional responses that we’d usually rather avoid. But what about success? Why does the thought of success conjure images and feelings of comfort and satisfaction? This week,  Two Guys on Your Head‘s  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke examine how the heights of success and […]

The stalwart engineer for Two Guys on Your Head, David Alvarez is throwing in the towel and turning his attention to the finer things in life. David has worked at KUT since 1982 and has been the engineer for Two Guys since our first recording back in 2013. In this edition of the show Dr. Art Markman, Dr. […]

And they lived happily ever after, isn’t just a cliched ending, it’s psychologically destructive. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the myth of happiness.

We create stories for many reasons. Stories help us remember things, stories add meaning to our lives, and stories also create hierarchies of value–that much of the time hide more than they reveal about the past. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of the storyline.

Writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a very common phenomenon. So what is it? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain the ins and outs of how and why we sometimes get stuck – and what we can do to help […]

A lot of us may be working from home right now, which means that we don’t have to wear a suit to an office. But as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke point out in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, we may still want to consider our attire when jumping on a […]

The changing of seasons can bring with it mixed emotions depending on what is going on in our lives. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of seasonal change.

It’s true investing is not for the faint of heart, but have you ever wondered why? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of investing.

There is an observation in psychology that looks at how people behave when they have not lived up to the expectations they set for themselves; the “What The Hell Effect.” In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about, not only what it is, but why it is.

When times are tough and uncertain it can be a welcome oasis to read a book or watch a movie; especially with a friend or family member. Being able to imagine that things could be different is one unique thing about being human, and sharing these realities with others has a special significance. On this […]

Our brains really cannot comprehend the hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people who have access to what we post on social media. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how and why posting on social media is the “high-tech version of picking your […]

Even during a global pandemic and civil rights movement, much of our experience is that of the day-to-day. However, when we look back on things how will we remember this moment? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the role that history plays in how […]

Hypochondrias is a condition where a person worries excessively and unduly about having a serious illness. It can be debilitating and require treatment from a psychologist. But oftentimes we refer to people who think they might be sick as having hypochondria because it is a way to dismiss their concern or say, “you always just […]

We have all experienced walking into a room and noticing right away the giant elephant in the conversation that no one wants to talk about. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss why it’s important to address the proverbial elephant in the room, and they […]

Some stories just work. They are pleasurable to listen to and to tell. But why is that? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain the psychology behind what makes a good children’s story.

It can be hard to think in terms of the long game when there is so much that needs our attention in the moment. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss strategies for focusing in the short-term to make informed decisions that will affect the future.

There is a certain amount of trust build into systems that work well, but when times are uncertain and tensions are running high what we trust can change. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of trust and cooperation.

If you’re in a leadership position you know you have to make some difficult decisions. Some of those decisions might put you in the doghouse for a while, but if you are motivated by the good of the group as opposed to the need to be liked, things tend to work out better. In this […]

We naturally categorize everything, it’s what we do as human beings. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, how we categorize-especially when it comes to how we categorize ourselves-can change our perspective quite dramatically.

Demonstrations for Black Lives Matter over the past few weeks have already led to changes in policy and in society, yet as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, keeping up momentum for reform after the protests can be challenging.

The way our physical bodies feel affects how our minds process and understand what’s going on around us. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about illness and identity.

When it comes to video conferencing and meeting online the dynamics of our social interactions are a lot different than when we are meeting face to face. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about social distancing and spontaneity.

Covid-19 has made us rethink a lot especially when it comes to our social lives, our work lives, and our family lives. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about identity and adapting to a changing environment.

A traumatic event, like the loss of a loved one, disrupts the continuity of the narrative of our lives. It’s a terribly stressful and disturbing experience to carry the burden of a loss that incites the grief reaction. Some losses are so huge in our lives that they just don’t make sense. They seem like […]

We may think that decision making is a process that we undertake in the same way no matter what the choices are that we have to make, but in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how our brains work differently when both choices have […]

On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of moral injury.

When large groups of people believe something has happened that has not actually happened it is referred to as The Mandela Effect. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how this happens from a psychological perspective.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take audience questions about how much is too much when it comes to social media, and how to get anything done when trying to homeschool your children and work your normal job, during a live virtual Views and Brews.

One thing that happens during a pandemic is that a lot of numbers, percentages, charts, and graphs get tossed around on a daily, even hourly basis. However, all those numbers and graphics are really difficult for us to process. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

When it comes to how information influences our mood, how we identify ourselves plays a big role. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the role of identity in processing information.

During this time of crisis, you might be at home feeling guilty that you aren’t doing more to help people. You might not know what to do. You might feel you ought to be doing more. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke answer a listener […]

In uncertain times it can be helpful, and feel good, to do something–anything. But why? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how to navigate the psychology of hysteria.

The CDC is recommending that to avoid spreading the Coronavirus we wash our hands often and don’t touch our face. However, when it comes to habits like touching our faces, just stopping cold turkey is harder than we might think. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk […]

Tearing down something is quick, easy and often gratifying. What’s more time-consuming and difficult is creating, building and constructing. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, however, the reasons why we are more likely to criticize than create aren’t just about effort.

Predictions about the future can make us feel good, but only to a certain extent. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the psychology behind why and what we want to know when it comes to what’s coming up.

It turns out our relationship to the present has more to do with how we imagine the future than we might think. In this episode, Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of futurism.

Random unbidden thoughts can be unsettling, especially when they are persistent, perhaps frightening, and seemingly out of the blue. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, demystify the phenomenon of intrusive thoughts.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about The Imposter Syndrome. What is the real problem when you feel inadequate? How can you help yourself overcome it when you recognize it?

Many factors play into how we make sense of the world and our place in it. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how the accessibility of certain explanations frames our understanding.

It turns out that our motivational system has a lot to do with how we present ourselves. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology behind motivation and self-presentation and what that means when it comes to gender.

Writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a very common phenomenon. So what is it? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explain the ins and outs of how and why we sometimes get stuck – and what […]

Turns out it is hard to change your mind, not to mention biologically expensive. But as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head there are many reasons we should learn how to do it better and more often.

We give for many reasons, and most of the time it feels pretty good. But when you’re on the receiving end of generosity, feelings can be mixed. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of giving and receiving.

You win some you lose some, right? It turns out that when it comes to the psychology of winning and losing there is a lot more at play. In part two of our series on the psychology of awards, Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about Norm Theory.

Awards are a double-edged-sword; whenever someone wins someone else is left out. It turns out that there is a lot more than merit wrapped up in winning awards. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the social and psychological aspects of awards.

Many people chase after goals that seem to them important and promising—getting into the right college, getting the dream job, moving to a big house. But what do you really need to be happy? To have a sense of fulfillment and joy? And why is it important? Listen back to KUT’s Views and Brews recorded […]

When Millennials use a phrase like, “OK Boomer” to dismiss what older people say or do it, has deleterious on everyone; why is that? As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, categorization is a double-edged sword.    

When it comes to the holidays, how important is the day, psychologically, that we celebrate? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the importance rituals in marking time, and the way in which we can alleviate stress in our lives by understanding that things […]

There is an observation in psychology that looks at how people behave when they have not lived up to the expectations they set for themselves; The What The Hell Effect. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke discussion about TWTHE and how it relates to identity, […]

There is an observation in psychology that looks at how people behave when they have not lived up to the expectations they set for themselves; the “What The Hell Effect.” In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about, not only what it is, but why […]

We may underestimate the role that our emotions of an event play in our memory of that event. But it turns out there are ways to manipulate those memories and separate the emotion out; even from Flashbulb memories. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk […]

It turns out there is a lot to learn about when studying the psychology of near misses. One thing we learn is that the memories of these events–like the time you almost ran into a tree with your bike, or the time you stuck your head out of a moving train and then pulled it […]

Listen back to Two Guys on Your Head recorded live at The Cactus Cafe in Austin, Texas for a Views and Brews, as KUT’s Rebecca McInroy talks with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology of happiness. In this episode, we answer an audience question about money and happiness.

Listen back to Two Guys on Your Head recorded live at The Cactus Cafe in Austin, Texas for a Views and Brews, as KUT’s Rebecca McInroy talks with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology of happiness. Many people chase after goals that seem to them important and promising—getting into the right […]

***This episode references guns and suicide and may be upsetting for some of our listeners*** Data can be a tricky thing to bring into discussions around guns and suicide. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, being more critical about the way information is […]

Why can experiencing art in a museum be significant? It turns out there’s much more to it than just the pictures on the walls. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of museums and art.

It turns out the idea that women are better than men at multitasking is not true at all. In fact, men and women are equally bad at multitasking, however, why does this notion persist? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on multitasking and gender.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how to rethink your approach to work for a happier life.

Why do we continue to believe in ideas that sound scientific long after they have been scientifically proven to be incorrect? That is the question that Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head.

What is the real problem when you feel inadequate? How can you help yourself overcome it when you recognize it? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about The Imposter Syndrome.

Our environment affects our thinking in ways beyond our conscious awareness; even if we happen to be scientists. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about science and society.

Most of us know what we need to do to be healthy, even if we don’t always do it. However, when a doctor prescribes a medication for what ails us we might take it more seriously. So what happens psychologically when a doctor prescribes a social activity to heal our ills? In this edition of […]

In light of recent events, we are rebroadcasting an edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology behind both sides of America’s ongoing debate about firearms and gun control.

We may be drawn to loud sounds in the environment, but do we really know why? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of volume.

Is empathy inherently a good thing? It turns out, not always. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of empathy.

From a Views and Brews recorded live at the Cactus Cafe KUT’s Rebecca McInroy talks with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology behind how to interviewing for a job.

Listen back as KUT’s Rebecca McInroy talks with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology behind how to interview for a job, manage tensions with peers, lead companies, and much more.    

Growing pains are inevitable, and the frustration associated with them can often magnify existing issues or create new ones altogether. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of population – and why this all matters.

Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about some problems with research on embodied cognition and look at what it means and what it doesn’t.

We know our minds are our bodies, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about on this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, how these connections work is more complex than we might think.

KUT’s Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the role of praise in motivating change.

KUT’s Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about when and why to say “thank  you.”

Mentorships can be helpful if they are set up well. Yet as Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke point out, so often they’re not.

There are many types of advice, some good and others not so good. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of giving and taking advice.

It turns out when it comes to magic it’s more about psychology than it is hocus pocus. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the role our perceptual system plays in understanding trickery.

We might think the idea of happiness and joy are interchangeable, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss on this episode Two Guys on Your Head they are very different.

KUT’s Rebecca McInroy along with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why it’s so important to diversify your interests. What is unhealthy about a one track mind? And why is it important to step outside our brain’s comfort zone?

Listen back to a Views and Brews discussion, recorded live at The Cactus Cafe in Austin, Texas, about “The Psychology of Risk and Reinvention” with Two Guys on Your Head. Join KUT’s Rebecca Mcinroy along with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke to explore when and why we take risks, and what goes into […]

What is joy? That is the question that prompted this week’s edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke. You might vaguely understand the definition of joy, but when it comes to the psychology of joy the more know the better equip you are to set yourself up […]

Even though we know how unreliable our visual memory is, we still put a huge amount of stock into what someone says they saw. Why is an eyewitness account so important in legal proceedings and beyond, and why should we question the value of an eyewitness testimony? On this episode of Two Guys on Your […]

For some, completing a task the moment it arises is of utmost importance. But if you do something to completion far ahead of its deadline, you may miss out on important information. On this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss “pre-crastination”.

Looking back, we tend to associate our legacy with accomplishments in our career and we rarely think about the value of our work in the moment. Yet a personal sense legacy can be derived from a number of meaningful things outside the workplace, even if we’re not considering them right now. On this episode of […]

In psychology, the “Dark Triad” refers to narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. How do we identify those who are “high in the Dark Triad” and in what ways can these people be detrimental to our professional or personal life? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the Dark Triad.

A new idea that matches our beliefs is easy to latch onto and one that contradicts us makes us try and find reasons why it’s false. In an age of information-seeking, how can we best judge “the facts”? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss accepting and dismissing […]

A new idea that matches our beliefs is easy to latch onto and one that contradicts us makes us try and find reasons why it’s false. In an age of information-seeking, how can we best judge “the facts”? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss accepting and dismissing information.

A psychological study with null results is less likely to be published than one with surprising results, so it’s no wonder researchers tailor and conduct experiments with a preferred outcome in mind. So why is it so difficult to replicate a popular study around the time of its initial publication? In this episode of Two […]

As tax day nears, it’s not a bad idea to look at our spending habits. Typically when we experience a windfall, we tend to spend more. When we come up short, we spend less. So although objectively we should maintain an average amount of spending, our financial habits continue to be influenced by how much […]

Dating back to when we were kids, two weeks into the future seems a lot longer than two weeks in the past. Even as adults we know two weeks is the same length regardless of when it takes place and yet we still experience this asymmetrical mindset. In this episode of Two Guys on Your […]

We’ve covered what signal detection theory is, so how does it come up when we assign labels to behaviors that could be considered “micro aggressions”? Are there significant benefits to these labels? In the second episode of this two-part conversation on Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke continue their discussion on signal detection. […]

When thinking about the concept of a “micro aggression”, what we’re really doing is subscribing to signal detection theory. What is the theory and how does it come into play when we’re dissecting the behaviors of others? In the first episode of this two-part conversation on Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss […]

We judge our own actions on our intentions, yet we take other people’s behaviors at face value. Is it acceptable to do something virtuous in light of ill intent? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss actions and intentions.

We live in an era with push notifications and all-day news coverage, but is keeping up to date with the latest development really that important? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss 24 hour news cycle.

From seeing a UFO to advancing a conspiracy theory, often the simplest explanation is the most likely one. Yet we still tend to fancy convoluted ideas with lots of moving parts, just because they sound good to us. On this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss Occam’s Razor.

What we refer to as “reverse psychology” is more or less a strategy of deception based on expected defiance, and any short term gratification is often met with long term problems. So why has reverse psychology become such a trope in parenting or dealing with contrarians? On this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art […]

When we invest a lot into something, be it a relationship, job, or even a used car, it can be tough to cut your losses and start anew. So why are we so prone to sticking with it rather than moving on? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

In the heat of the moment, revenge can be an appealing idea to consider but often it has devastating results with fleeting satisfaction. Revenge narratives permeate popular media and we dislike when a wrongdoer goes unpunished, so why don’t we actually decide to carry out justice ourselves? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. […]

We’re used to seeing certain people in one context, but why do we get so thrown off when we see them elsewhere? How do cultural differences in collectivism and individualism shape the way we may perceive people in a variety of settings? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss acquaintances […]

Labels are an essential part of distinguishing between one another but they can also pigeonhole one’s sense of identity. How can we adjust our approach to labeling mental illnesses, particularly in children, in a communally constructive way? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss labels.

Happy 2019! It’s that time of the year when we resolve to drink less, exercise more, save money, etc. It may feel really good to intend to do “better” in the new year, but as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke  explain in this 2015 edition of Two Guys on Your Head, real change takes planning and hard work.

The two cheapest and easiest things we can do for our health is sleep more and exercise more, so why don’t we do it? Sleep and exercise have an immense impact on physical and mental health both in the moment and for your future self. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. […]

If you’ve caught yourself wanting to lie in a social situation, you’re not alone. Honesty is a huge part of trust in every relationship but can be difficult to maintain across all sorts of interactions. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about honesty and happiness.

On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke continue their discussion on leadership with a look at the psychology of leadership and the importance of trust.

If you’re in a leadership position you know you have to make some difficult decisions. Some of those decisions might put you in the doghouse for a while, but if you are motivated by the good of the group as opposed to the need to be liked, things tend to work out better. In this […]

For many of us, Thanksgiving means spending time with our families and carrying out traditions that we’ve practiced for years. While it can be very stressful, messy, and challenging to spend time with family members you don’t see very often, it can also be a beautiful time of re-centering. Traditions serve a psychological function. By […]

Status is a double-edged sword. On the one hand having status can give you access to opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have, and on the other losing it can be very hard to deal with psychologically. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology […]

Humans are not rational beings, and when it comes to data this is blindingly evident. On this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about data and the brain.

Is greed good?  Is greed a human instinct?  Why are some people inclined to hoard? For some individuals, greed and selfishness are much more commonly displayed than generosity. So, it might be fair to say greed feels more natural for some. On the other hand, most might say they favor unselfishness. In this installment of […]

Why is it hard to have just one of those delicious slices of pound cake over the holidays? Well, it turns out it has less to do with the creamy butter and more to do with the way our brains react to those sweet white grains of sugar. In this edition of Two Guys on […]

Many times we use metaphors not only to illustrate what we are talking about but also to denote that we belong in a certain group. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of metaphors and framing discourse.

We might fancy ourselves as responsible, socially conscious people, but when new technologies such as communal scooters are introduced into our environments all that can easily fly out the window. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of scooter culture in Austin.

We might feel like we’ve been duped when we believe a lie someone has told us, and we may want to crawl in a hole when we share “fake news” on Facebook. But in actuality, we have evolved to trust vs. to question, which is why our tendency toward credulity if easily taken advantage of. […]

When and why do we take risks? What goes into the process of remaking yourself at any age or stage of life? What is the role of grief when we talk about reinvention? These are some of the questions we discussed with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke at a recent Views and Brews […]

Can you remember what it was like for you to learn your native language?  Probably not, but why is that? As humans, we begin learning to speak our native language during the earliest stages of our lives, in infancy.  Most people don’t have many accessible memories from this period of development. How do we do […]

Anger is an interesting emotion. It creates energy and can be contagious, it can also motivate you to act. But it’s not always the most effective form of motivation if you want to get people to think and work together to create change. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman […]

Time flies when you’re having fun, the old saying goes. But how can time – maybe the most fundamental concept of the universe – feel different under different conditions? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke – break down the factors influencing our perception of time.

A few weeks ago we came across an article on “The Cheerleader Effect,” or the idea that people seem more attractive in a group than in isolation. Although there does seem to be evidence that this is true, we couldn’t help but speculate as to why. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, […]

“Hey, you know, you’re really good at that.” That feels good to hear, doesn’t it? Praise always feels good to hear, but not all praise motivates us to try new things, challenge ourselves or deal with failure. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss how […]

A few months ago, we rebroadcast an episode on Money and Happiness. The show focused on research into whether money brings happiness. The researchers’ conclusion was that money helps, but happiness is contingent on what we spend it on. If we buy experiences rather than things, chances were we would be happier people. Turns out […]

Say a store you love changes hands and you aren’t too fond of the new place. So why do you continue to go back to the store when you know it’s not the same? Turns out a lot of psychology goes into the decision-making process around this dilemma. On this edition of Two Guys on […]

We may think that civil discourse is a good idea, but when it gets down to practicing it how skilled are we? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on the psychology of civility.

This week, the Two Guys On Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke, will toss around the topic of jerks – and provide some insightful, doctor prescribed strategies for handling difficult people in our lives.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in a debate that it doesn’t occur to us to change the frame of the conversation. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, it’s always important to find new ways to talk about and think about […]

Join KUT’s Rebecca McInroy along with professors Art Markman and Bob Duke as they talk about the psychology of social activism, the effectiveness of deterrence, and the health consequences of negative emotions. Views and Brews is free and open to the public, hope to see you at the Cactus soon!

Last week’s conversation on editing left us thinking, maybe one reason why people are hesitant to edit their work is that they might be seen as going back on their ideas, or flip-flopping. In this week’s edition of Two Guys on Your Head Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why flip-flopping is seen […]

When we’re just starting out as writers or artists it can be hard for us to go back to the drawing board after we’ve composed the first draft. But why is it easier to be willing to edit after years of experience? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and […]

We might think that confidence is a performance and that some people are more believable than others because they exude a certainty that we don’t have. However, it turns out that confidence comes with experience and knowledge, and that having some hesitation about accuracy can be beneficial. In this edition of Two Guys on Your […]

As humans, we like to categorize, and with services like Ancestry.com and 23 and Me, we have new ways to figure out where we fit and where we don’t. But what can we really find out that we don’t already know? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. […]

The idea that money doesn’t make you happy is easy to get behind if you have it, but if you don’t it’s a hard one to buy into (pun intended). Yet the correlation to money and happiness is more complicated then one might think. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art […]

Humans may take the card we swipe for granted at the grocery store when we buy food. We might look at our bank balance and not even think of how unique it is that we can translate those little numbers into experiences and things. It’s merely one of the benefits of having big brains. In […]

Understanding what we want to make public and what we want to keep private might seem like an easy choice. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head when it comes to life online, our brains aren’t quite equipped to navigate the complexity of […]

Framing negotiations in terms of winning and losing w can set us up for disappointment, not only when it comes to how we negotiate with others but also how we negotiate with ourselves. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke off some other options that might […]

Negotiation is a complicated process. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about some psychological elements that can make it a little easier.

Time is important, especially when it comes to the brain. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how our brains process and understand Time, and how we can reorient out goals within tasks to stay motivated and get more done.

“People just don’t have the attention spans they used to,” is a popular refrain. But on this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, we ask Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke if there’s any truth to it.

Leadership is not as easy as it might appear. At times even leaders themselves might not be aware of everything that makes their leadership effective. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about leadership and they muse about how it’s easy to work harder than […]

It turns out you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to your charismatic leader. On this week’s edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore why that is.

Completing all the tasks we have to do during the day can be exhausting, but we might not realize the fatigue we feel due to all of the things we leave undone. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the Zeigarnik effect. Also, check […]

There are many reasons we might not be happy with the decisions we make, but it turns out not many of them have to do with the actual choice. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of disappointment.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology behind both sides of America’s ongoing debate about firearms and gun control.

Dr. Art Markman offers some advice on how to talk to your children about the Austin bombings.

In this special edition of Two Guys on Your Head Dr. Art Markman and Rebecca McInroy talk about the psychology of the current moment in Austin and how to negotiate moving forward following the traumatic events of this month.

It seems that people today carry with them the constant mantra “I’m so busy.” It can be tough to juggle work, kids, and life in general, but a lot of that feeling of being overwhelmed may be our own fault. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob […]

We might think that in order to keep order in our households, workplaces, or classrooms, that it’s important to hold people accountable for their negative behavior. However, what that can lead to is a playing field that allows for either nothing to happen or punishment. It is more important to focus on the behaviors we […]

Tearing something down is quick, easy, and very gratifying. What is more time-consuming and difficult is creating, building, and constructing. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, the reasons why we are more likely to criticize than create aren’t just about effort.

It might seem odd that when we have so much entertainment at our fingertips every day that anyone still treks out to see live theatre. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, psychologically we may get more from a visit to our local […]

We are as transfixed as you are by the Westminster Dog Show. So on this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why we want to know what our lovely pups are thinking.

This is too good to leave on the cutting room floor. Dr. Art Markman explains new research on how dogs read human facial expressions and what it could tell us about how they think.

There are a lot of factors that help to regulate our overall health and wellness. If we are content in our lives and relationships, we are more likely to be healthy. If we exercise and eat well, we reap the benefits in our mind and body. Also, as recent studies by Ted Kaptchuck and others show, […]

Because we know “how” things work sometimes we think we understand “why” these things work as they do, and that can be a problem. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the difference between “how” vs. “why” knowledge, and why it’s important to recognize […]

When thinking about how we present ourselves, say at a job interview, we might think that the more good stuff we tell our prospective employer the better. However, that’s not really the case. Our best assets can be overshadowed by the average of all we present. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, […]

Last month on All Things Considered NPR’s Kelly McEvers and Pop Culture Happy Hour‘s Linda Holmes and Glen Weldon talked about this era of TV and movies, many of which are catering to Gen X nostalgia. Weldon asserted that, “…the strongest nostalgia you feel is for the stuff that you chose. So in your teens […]

We give for many reasons, and most of the time it feels pretty good to help other people. But when you’re on the receiving end of generosity feelings can be mixed. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of giving and receiving.

We’re biased towards what we pay attention to, and we generally pay more attention to outcomes rather than process. Yet, if we really want to learn from our mistakes or our successes, we have to look at the process as well. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. […]

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is noted as having said,  “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” But what does that mean for us today? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk […]

When it comes to mindfulness there is clear evidence that practicing it can be beneficial, but perhaps not for everyone all the time. It might even have some adverse effects on memory. In our final piece in our series on mindfulness, Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about […]

There are many benefits to mindfulness, but it might not be for everyone. On this week’s edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the more negative elements of being present.

When was the last time someone said to you, “just take a breath?” It’s a way to slow down, be in the moment, create space. It’s also a big part of a mindfulness trend. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, there are […]

For many of us, Thanksgiving means spending time with our families, carrying out traditions that we’ve practiced for years. While it can be very stressful, messy, and challenging to spend time with family members you don’t see very often, it can also be a beautiful time of recentering. Traditions serve a psychological function. By repeating […]

Have you ever told someone, “Hey, I read that book!” then continued with a guilty, “…well, I listened to the audio version.” It’s time to wash that guilt right out of your soul, because in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about how our brains process […]

Yes, we are a people divided, but what does that really mean and how can we come together? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of political polarization.

On a recent Views and Brews at The Cactus Cafe, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talked about how to process tragedy through media in uncertain times. You can listen to the full conversation here, but we wanted to bring you a bit of it on this week’s edition of Two Guys on Your […]

There are some things that just feel like they’re true. For example, the idea that people who are gifted musicians are also good at learning math, or vice versa. However, there isn’t any data that suggests that there are any links in the brain between these proclivities. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke […]

It seems that people today carry with them the constant mantra, “I’m so busy.” And as it can be tough to juggle work, kids, and life in general, a lot of that feeling of being overwhelmed may be our own fault. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. […]

It can be said that ignorance is bliss, and when it came to football that was the case for our own Dr. Bob Duke. A lifelong football fan, Duke was thrown into a dilemma by a recent study done by researchers at Boston University that revealed that, “chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain […]

Writer’s block! That phrase might induce panic and a recollection of a familiar experience. It’s a very common phenomenon. So what is it? When in the beginning stages of undertaking a new writing project, a writer might find themselves blocked – stuck in front of a blank page or screen with no thoughts coming to […]

“Hey, you know, you’re really good at that.” That feels good to hear, doesn’t it? Praise always feels good to hear, but not all praise motivates us to try new things, challenge ourselves, or deal with failure. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss how […]

A traumatic event in life is like a scratch on a record. Every time the record player, or your mind, runs over the scratch, it skips. This skipping record thought pattern is called rumination. Until we’re able to fill the scratch, it will keep skipping. So how do we fill the scratch, move on and […]

As gratifying as applied research is, to set out to answer a specific research question, it’s not always the best way to come up with new ideas, discover new things, and develop understanding. For these things you need basic research or just a curiosity about the world and how it works. As Dr. Art Markman […]

When it comes to language, the psychology around how we use words is as interesting and as consequential as the words themselves. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of closed classed words in English like pronouns, determiners, conjunctions, and prepositions, and […]

The high reliance on painkillers by the medical community has become an increasingly controversial topic.  For patients, that reliance can easily transform a treatment into an addiction. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the relationship between pain and the brain. And they touch […]

Popular linguistic theories like, Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, give us the idea that language determines how and what we think. However, looking at the psychology behind how we use language points in another direction. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how nouns can teach us […]

On average most policies are put in place to help people, protect people, or regulate dangerous behavior, so why don’t these policies work? In the most recent episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the unintended consequences of policy, and how psychology can help us discover […]

Struggle has a way of defining us. But while we often use struggles to teach lessons and build resilience, a struggle without a purpose doesn’t always yield positive results. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the difference between struggling and suffering, and why […]

Most people feel in over their heads when they first enter a challenging situation or even a new job. And, while conventional wisdom suggests those with trepidations about trying new things should “fake it ’til they make it,” it may not always be the best course of action. In this edition of Two Guys on […]

Humiliation can make us feel small and insignificant, so why do humans humiliate one another? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of humiliation and how you can make choices in your life to prevent you from feeling humiliated when the bullies […]

One of the reasons it’s so difficult to relate scientific findings to the general public is because the same words literally take on different meanings in those realms. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke deconstruct two such terms–significance and theory– and talk about why knowing […]

In our last episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talked about how to influence behavior using rewards first, then examples, and finally verbal direction. However, things aren’t that simple when it comes to building teams and motivating groups, especially in the workplace. In this follow-up edition, they […]