Everything's Psychology

Why are we so obsessed with vampires?

In this episode, I'm joined by psychologist and author David Cohen. We chat about his book The Psychology of Vampires (Routledge, 2019) and David unpacks what vampires really represent in the human mind—from repressed desires and forbidden sexuality to our deepest fears about death, power, and emotional dependency.

We delve into how Freud, Jung, and modern psychological theories help explain the vampire’s grip on our imagination—and why this mythical figure has evolved from a terrifying predator to a tortured, seductive anti-hero in today’s pop culture.

You can order a copy of the Psychology of Vampires directly from Routledge

Find out more about David's books and films here

And you can contact David on [email protected]

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If you haven't listened to the previous interview episode with Dr Janina Scarlet on the idea of Superhero Therapy then instead get the cheat sheet with all the best bits here. 

Also, I extrapolate from Superhero Therapy to Bandura's Bobo doll experiments from the 1960s, behavioural noise from Daniel Kahneman, and I also share a couple of super resources for you to dive into.

Resources

Superhero Therapy for Anxiety and Trauma by Dr Janina Scarlet: https://amzn.eu/d/1SX8xbv

Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html

Noise by Daniel Kahneman: https://amzn.eu/d/jjm6eor

Our Superheroes, Ourselves by Robin Rosenberg: https://amzn.eu/d/d4SVYXU

Oxford Risk study (2021) into decision noise for financial advice: https://www.oxfordrisk.com/blog-posts/adviser-noise-in-retirement-income-advice

Hero Cards: www.loveherocards.com

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In this episode, discover the innovative concept of superhero therapy with Dr. Janina Scarlett. Her work with military personnel, adults, and children integrates pop culture heroes into evidence-based therapy to help individuals cope with anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges.

Links from the episode

Dr Janina Scarlet's website: https://www.superhero-therapy.com/

The Superhero Therapy podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NLrbC0hDBF4TPZe5t8G4a

Dr Scarlet's online courses on Pesi.com 

Paper on the effectiveness of Avatar Therapy in people with psychosis

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This is the first of shorter episodes to sit in-between the main interview episodes. It means you'll now get an Everything's Psychology episode every week.

Here, I dig a little deeper into the psychology behind the Hero's Journey and share a couple of academic studies which reveal the power of storytelling.

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Here's some links which I mention:

Christopher Vogler's 7-page memo on the relevance of the hero's journey in screenwriting: https://livingspirit.typepad.com/files/chris-vogler-memo-1.pdf

Egan, L.C., Santos, L.R. and Bloom, P. (2007) ‘The Origins of Cognitive Dissonance’, Psychological Science, 18(11), pp. 978–983.

Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Epstein, S. (1992). Cognitive-experiential self-theory and subjective probability: Further evidence for two conceptual systems. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(4), 534–544. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.63.4.534

McAdams, D.P. (2001) ‘The Psychology of Life Stories’, Review of General Psychology, 5(2), pp. 100–122. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.2.100.

McAdams, D.P. (2019) ‘“First we invented stories, then they changed us”: The Evolution of Narrative Identity’, Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture, 3(1), pp. 1–18. Available at: https://doi.org/10.26613/esic.3.1.110.

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Why are we so drawn to stories about transformation? About leaving the ordinary world, facing a crisis, and returning changed?

From King Lear to The Lion King, from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, the same plot shape appears again and again: a lone hero sets off on a journey, struggles, grows, and triumphs.

This structure — famously named The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell — has come to dominate the way we tell stories. But why? Why this structure? And what does its popularity say about us, psychologically?

In this episode, I’m joined by writer and radio producer Eliane Glaser, whose Aeon article “Our Narrative Prison” unpacks the history, psychology, and cultural consequences of the Hero’s Journey.

Together, we’ll explore how the monomyth taps into deep behavioural drivers — and whether it’s time to rethink the stories we live by.

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You'll find Eliane's article here: https://aeon.co/essays/why-does-every-film-and-tv-series-seem-to-have-the-same-plot

You can find out more about Eliane and her books here: https://www.elianeglaser.com/

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I chat with Dr Paul Sacher about the state of AI within the behavioural sciences. Should we be scared how AI will be used or excited about the opportunities it opens for research and the application of psychology?

Paul is an AI and Behavioural scientist, CEO of Sacher.ai, and a senior lecturer in AI and behavioural science in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London.

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Do habits really take 66 days to form? Should you rely on willpower? How does a psychologist approach overcoming their own bad habits and starting good ones?

Professor Ben Gardner leads us through the intricate world of habits, exploring their definitions, the distinction between habits and routines, and the psychological mechanisms behind habitual behaviour. 

Professor Gardner shares insights from his extensive research, highlighting the importance of instigation habits that trigger actions and the role of willpower in habit formation and the need for a nuanced understanding of habits to effectively implement behaviour change in daily life. 

Find out more about Ben's work at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/benjamin-gardner

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This episode dives into the complexities of cat behaviour.

Dr Claude Béata, animal behaviouralist and author of The Interpretation of Cats, emphasises cats dual role as both predator and prey and how this distinction can help us understand these most wonderful creatures. 

Our discussion also covers the importance of experience in shaping behaviour, the nuances of attachment and over-attachment, and therapeutic approaches that prioritise positive reinforcement. Additionally, the conversation highlights the various aspects of cat behaviour, including litter box preferences, the debate between indoor and outdoor living, the fascination with cardboard boxes, the impact of breeding practices, and the challenges of adopting rescue cats.

Go order a copy of Dr Béata's book, The Interpretation of Cats and Their Owners. It's a fascinating, enjoyable, and enlightening book for all cat lovers. 😻

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What is vulnerability and how does it affect people differently? How should consumer organisations, such as banks be catering for people with characteristics of vulnerability?

I chat with Dr Chris Fitch from the Money Advice Trust about the impact of being vulnerable and some of the innovative ways organisations are changing to be inclusive and accessible.

Find out more about the Money Advice Trust here

Listen to Chris's podcast ‘Vulnerability Matters’ on Soundcloud or search for Vulnerability Matters wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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I'm joined by Dr Lori Beth Bisbey, a psychologist, a sex & intimacy coach, host of the A to Z of Sex podcast and star of Open House: The Great Sex Experiment on Channel 4. 

We talk about the psychology behind people's sexual kinks and fetishes, if engaging in kinky behaviour is healthy for relationships, and if such behaviour should be seen as ‘normal’.

You can find out more about Lori Beth at her website www.drloribethbisbey.com

You can listen to the A to Z of Sex podcast here

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