Date: December 19, 2025
Brains vs. Beliefs: Debunking Psychological Misconceptions
Episode 2: Full Moon

In this episode, psychologists Emily Stark and Karla Lassonde discuss the misconception that the full moon influences our behavior. We describe some cultural and folklore connections to the full moon, and how widespread the belief is that people act wilder during a full moon. We share how research has tested this myth, and describe a number of studies that show no connection between phases of the moon, and behaviors such as reported crimes, psychiatric admissions, emergency calls, and other archival data. Overall, we connect this misconception to our brain's tendency to notice patterns, and how we pay more attention to things that confirm our beliefs--even though there is no connection between the full moon and our behaviors. 

You can find references for this episode and information about psychological science at our website, https://www.communicatingpsychologicalscience.com/. Use the Contact page to share your thoughts on this episode and other topics that you'd like us to cover. Thanks for listening!