Human Potential Lab

L.A. Paul joins Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman to explore transformative experiences, the nature of personal change, and why some of life's most important decisions cannot be fully understood until we experience them. They discuss how trauma can lead to growth without making the original suffering worthwhile, why subjective experience matters, and how our values and sense of self can change through major life events.

The conversation also examines gradual moral transformation, mental corruption and empathy, cognitive decline, and the limits of imagining our future selves. Paul connects her framework of transformative experience to artificial intelligence, arguing for precaution amid rapid technological change and questioning whether AI alignment can remain reliable when both human values and artificial systems are capable of changing in unpredictable ways.

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Michael Levin joins Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman to explore intelligence beyond the human brain, the hidden minds of cells and biological systems, the origins of genius and inspiration, and the possibility that intelligence and creativity may not be something we simply "make."

They discuss bioelectricity, xenobots and anthrobots, consciousness, extraordinary abilities, the nature of genius, the Platonic space, and what these ideas could mean for biology, AI, and the future of science.

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What if the AI systems we're building aren't simply tools, but the beginnings of something more?

In this episode, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman sits down with cognitive scientist Cameron Berg to explore one of the most unsettling questions at the frontier of artificial intelligence: could AI systems actually be conscious?

Berg explains why we still don't know whether today's AI models are sophisticated calculators or emerging minds, and why behavior alone may never be enough to answer the question. They explore whether AI could experience pleasure or suffering, whether reinforcement learning could create machine equivalents of reward and punishment, and what happens if we're developing powerful systems without understanding what is happening inside them.

The conversation also dives into Berg's documentary Am I?, which was inspired by an extraordinary interaction with an AI system called Maya. What happened during that conversation is strange enough to challenge our assumptions about what these systems are, what they might experience, and how seriously we should take the possibility of machine consciousness.

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After 12 years, The Psychology Podcast has become the Human Potential Lab. New conversations with the scientists, philosophers and technologists whose work is actively deciding the future of humanity. The first three episodes drop October 28, 2026.

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After 11 years, 478 episodes, and countless conversations exploring the depths of human potential, this episode marks the final chapter of The Psychology Podcast in its current form.

In this deeply meaningful farewell episode for Scott, he sits down with acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul — fittingly, the very first guest ever featured on the show back in 2014. Together, they reflect on the podcast’s evolution, its mission, and the major themes that have shaped more than a decade of inquiry into what it means to be fully human.

Scott opens up about why he’s choosing to step away: to recenter, recharge, and make space for his own continued growth. He discusses how the podcast landscape has transformed since he launched the show at a time when psychology podcasts were virtually nonexistent, and shares what he hopes listeners will carry forward from this body of work.

This episode explores the seven core insights Scott has gleaned from hosting the show — themes that have come to define its spirit:
• Being over doing
• Creativity over efficiency
• Self-actualization over achievement
• Deep fulfillment over temporary happiness
• Self-transcendence over self-enhancement
… along with lessons about meaning, compassion, and human possibility.

With honesty and gratitude, Scott takes a moment to thank the listeners who have supported the show since its inception — a community that made this journey possible week after week, year after year. If you get a chance, please leave a comment telling Scott what the show has meant to you. He would love to hear from you!

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This week, Scott sits down with his longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Alia Crum—one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of mindsets. Dr. Crum’s groundbreaking work investigates how our subjective beliefs and interpretations can produce real, measurable changes in behavior, physiology, and psychological well-being.

Drawing inspiration from research on the placebo effect, Dr. Crum explores how mindsets influence everything from health and stress to performance and interpersonal effectiveness. She and Scott discuss the mechanisms through which mindsets shape objective reality, and how deliberately shifting our mental lenses can lead to meaningful transformation in our lives and organizations.

This conversation is especially personal for Scott, who first met Dr. Crum during their graduate school days at Yale. They revisit early philosophical chats while highlighting how far her research—and its real-world implications—has come.

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This week, Scott welcomes Dr. Elisabet Lahti—educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of the Sisu Lab. Dr. Lahti is the world’s leading expert on sisu, a Finnish concept that embodies extraordinary courage, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity.

Together, they explore the meaning of sisu and how it can help us persevere even when we think we’ve reached our limits. Dr. Lahti shares her own personal experiences of struggle and growth, illustrating how strength and gentleness can coexist and create a more compassionate, resilient world.

This heartfelt conversation is a celebration of inner power, perseverance, and the human capacity to overcome hardship with grace.

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This week, Scott speaks with RaQuel Hopkins, a certified coach with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. RaQuel shares her personal and professional journey—from mastering the art of coping to discovering the transformative power of growth.

Together, they explore how adults can expand their mental and emotional capacity, why many people feel stuck in “survival mode,” and what it really means to thrive. RaQuel opens up about her own evolution and how she now helps others move beyond simply managing life to fully engaging with it.

If you’ve ever felt that there’s more to life than just getting by, this episode will inspire you to embrace your potential and take meaningful steps toward growth.

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This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and one of today’s most engaging science communicators. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interaction, and his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection, explores how our relationships shape our minds and well-being.

Together, they dive into the science of why humans are wired for connection, the growing epidemic of loneliness, and how social interactions influence the brain. They also unpack the neurobiology of empathy—what it is, how it works, and whether we can actually train ourselves to become more empathetic.

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This week, Scott speaks with psychotherapist and writer Joe Nucci, whose work tackles the intersection of mental health, misinformation, and pop psychology. Joe has built a large following by debunking viral myths and bringing nuance to conversations that are too often oversimplified online.

Together, they dive into his new book, Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths and the Truths to Set You Free. From the overuse of labels like “narcissist” to the assumption that mindfulness is good for everyone, Joe challenges widely accepted but misleading ideas. They also take on bigger cultural narratives—like whether everyone has trauma or whether everyone should be in therapy.

This conversation sheds light on how misinformation spreads, why it matters, and what we can do to ground our understanding of mental health in science and compassion.

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