Shrink Tank Podcast

What is the Psychology of Classism? Analyzing 'Parasite', 'Knives Out', and 'Us'

The year's films Parasite, Knives Out and Us all explored how classism impacts our day to day life.

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss the erosion of middle class, the exploitation of the lower class, and the evolution of economic status over the last decade.

Listen to 'What is the Psychology of Classism? Analyzing 'Parasite', 'Knives Out', and 'Us'' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Parasite, Knives Out and Us all are rooted in the theme of classism.

To break that down and inspire a larger conversation, we turned to the internet to find an article to frame our first discussion.

According to research published by the American Psychological Association, people who see themselves as being in a higher social class may tend to have an exaggerated belief that they are more adept than their equally capable lower-class counterparts, and that overconfidence can often be misinterpreted by others as greater competence in important situations, such as job interviews.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

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Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Analyzing 'The Mandalorian': How Attachment Impacts our Identity

The Mandalorian explores how an individual's moral development — or moral code — fosters their decision making and personal identity.

The show follows lead character Mando as he puts himself in the crossfire of the Empire to protect the Baby Yoda.

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss the psychological elements present, including classism, self-determination, and attachment.

Listen to Analyzing 'The Mandalorian': How Trauma and Attachment Impact our Identity here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Since The Mandalorian follows a bounty hunter’s mission, we wanted to talk about real-life bounty hunting—yes, it still exists in 2019.

In a recent article from GQ, writer Jeff Winkler got licensed as a bail enforcement agent, otherwise known as a BEA, and spent months working on-site to collect research. What he found was a mess for pretty much everyone caught up in a broken system.

The article covers how bounty hunting works, it’s variances based on state legislature, as well as his own anecdotes of his training and “missions” he’s taken on.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

 

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Analyzing 'Watchmen': Reverse Racism, Reparations, and Morality

Watchmen is an American superhero drama television series, which serves as a continuation of the 1987 DC Comics limited series of the same name created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

The HBO drama is set in an alternate reality where white supremacist group, the Seventh Kavalry, has appropriated Rorschach's writings and masked image to wage violent war against minorities and the police that enforce special reparations for victims of racial injustice.

Inspired by the show, today we wanted to cover the topics of reverse racism, reparations, and the psychology of Watchmen in general.

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss the psychology of HBO's Watchmen, reverse racism, and reparations.

Listen to 'Analyzing 'Watchmen': Reverse Racism, Reparations, and Morality' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Since HBO’s Watchmen covers the concepts of racism and reparations, we wanted to cover the topic of discrimination.

As our politics have fractured increasingly around race, there seems to be more and more confusion about who’s discriminating against whom.

A national survey reported that both blacks and whites believed that discrimination against blacks had declined over the past few decades, but whites believed that discrimination against whites was now more common than discrimination against blacks.

The reason, say the study’s authors Michael Norton and Sam Sommers, is that whites see discrimination as a zero-sum game. The more they thought discrimination against blacks was decreasing, the more they felt discrimination against whites was increasing.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Greta Thunberg: Psychology of Teenage Activism

Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist on climate change whose campaigning has gained international recognition.

Every Friday, Thunberg would skip school in order to sit outside the Swedish parliament to call for stronger action on global warming by holding up a sign saying (in Swedish) "School strike for the climate". Her efforts have inspired other students to embrace this movement, titled “Fridays for Future.”

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss Greta Thunberg's environmental advocacy, climate change, Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as the influence of youth on our world.

Listen to 'Greta Thunberg: Psychology of Teenage Activism' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

We can’t have a discussion about Greta Thunberg’s activism without bringing up the topic of climate change.

According to an article Newsweek, psychologists warned parents and guardians about being climate change alarmists, noting an increasing number of children who are being treated for "eco-anxiety."

Researchers at the University of Bath and members of the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA) in the United Kingdom say children are commonly being subjected to a barrage of concerns about the future of the planet and "environmental doom."

But CPA members said they don't want the rising "eco-anxiety" social phenomenon in children to be classified as a mental illness because it is a "rational" fear, unlike the causes behind most standard anxiety issues.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Jeopardy, Alex Trebek, Cancer, and Positive Psychology

Alex Trebek, the longtime host of Jeopardy! has been a pop culture staple since the show’s revival in 1984. 

Apart from being a beloved icon of public television, he’s made waves this year for how he’s eloquently handled his diagnosis of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in the public eye. 

Trebek first announced in March of 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Following a round of chemotherapy, he said in May that his cancer was in remission. In September, however, Trebek said he was undergoing another round of chemotherapy following a setback in his recovery.

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss Alex Trebek dealing with cancer in the public eye, handling tough situations with grace and dignity, choosing to live despite dying, and positivity.

Listen to 'Jeopardy Host Alex Trebek Is Teaching Us an Important Lesson Through His Battle with Cancer' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

For those of you that are not familiar with Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, there are eight stages across the lifespan that help to define an individual’s personality.

Since we’ll be discussing how Alex’s Trebek has handled his cancer diagnosis in the public eye, we wanted to touch on Erikson’s eighth and final stage— Integrity vs. Despair.

At each stage of psychosocial development, people are faced with a crisis that acts as a turning point in development. Successfully resolving the crisis leads to developing a psychological virtue that contributes to overall psychological well-being.

The integrity versus despair stage begins as the aging adult tackles the problem of his or her mortality. This stage is often triggered by life events such as retirement, losing a spouse, losing friends or acquaintances, facing a terminal illness, or other major life changes.

This stage’s key conflict centers on questioning whether or not the individual has led a meaningful, satisfying life.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

 

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Is Tom Hanks the Mister Rogers of Today's Time?

Tom Hanks has one of the most long-standing careers in Hollywood, yet has remained one of the kindest individuals in the industry. Tom Hanks' portrayal of Mister Rogers in It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood inspired this discussion on his psychological make up.

That said, how does Tom Hanks maintain his kindness, despite the odds against him determined through his line of work?

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss how Tom Hanks' background, mindset, and exploration of the human condition through his acting roles inspire his behavior and personality.

Listen to 'Is Tom Hanks the Mister Rogers of Today's Time?' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Since Tom Hanks is starring as the iconic Mister Rogers in the upcoming film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, we had to use this opportunity to talk about kindness.

When we decide to practice more kindness, are all types of kind acts equally rewarding?

A new study published in The Journal of Social Psychology sought to test out this question by investigating how different types of kind acts affect our happiness. The researchers split the study into four types of kindness: directing kindness towards people you’re close to, directing kindness towards people they were less close to, directing kindness towards yourself, and observing kindness of other people.

Surprisingly enough, the researchers found that kindness in any form made participants feel equally good.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Psychology of Fetishes: How Do We Think about Fetishes in a Sex-Positive Culture?

With an ever-changing culture on the way we talk about sex, our panel of Shrinks wanted to approach the subject of fetishes. How do fetishes start? Are fetishes psychologically healthy? How do fetishes relate to vulnerability and intimacy?

In today's episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast, our panel of Shrinks discuss the psychology of fetishes, including consent, sexual preferences, cultural acceptance and the evolution of the way we think about sex.

Listen to 'Psychology of Fetishes: How Do We Think About Fetishes in a Sex Positive Culture' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

 

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

We can’t approach the conversation on fetishes without a discussion on sex-positivity.

Nowadays, talking about sex has become much more acceptable. The taboos surrounding sex are decreasing, and the benefits of sex are much more well known. In an article from the women’s health app, Flo, the sex-positive movement is focused on emphasizing safe and consensual sexual activities, encouraging sexual preferences to be met without judgment, as well as motivating individuals to prioritize sex education.

Another key part of sex-positivity is battling sex-related shaming. In essence, a sex-positive culture is focused on everyone having a right to make their own choices about their sex life.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

 

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

JoJo Rabbit: Is it Okay to Use Hitler as a Punch Line? 

JoJo Rabbit, the latest film from Taiki Waititi, follows a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend—Adolf Hitler—Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.

Our panel of Shrinks analyzes the film as well as breaks down some of the psychological concepts that are present in the film. This episode covers discussion on offensive comedy, the psychology of humor, benign violation, and more.

Listen to 'JoJo Rabbit: Is it Okay to Use Hitler as a Punch Line?' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Surprisingly enough, World War II has been at the forefront of a lot of pop culture discussions lately. While the film JoJo Rabbit is set in Nazi Germany, conversation on World War II has recently made headlines for other reasons.

Just this past week, Instagram influencer Freddie Bentley argued that young people should be learning less about World War II, claiming the subject was too “intense” for the mental health of young adults.

During a debate on Good Morning Britain, the 22-year-old influencer was quoted saying that “World War II needs to be taught in moderation to promote mental health and focus on teaching young people real-life skills."

He also expressed that students should instead be taught “to prepare for current issues that are relevant to us such as how to get a mortgage, what are the real impact of Brexit and climate change for the future generation!”

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

Should Student-Athletes Be Paid? Where Moral Psychology Comes into Play

In September of this year, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a measure that allows players to receive endorsement deals, despite the NCAA calling the move “unconstitutional.”

When asked about the NCAA’s differing view on the subject, Governor Newsom said, “I have deep reverence, deep respect for the NCAA and college athletics. I just think the system has been perverted, and this is fundamentally about rebalancing things. It’s about equity, it’s about fairness, and it’s about time.”

In today's podcast episode, our panel is joined by special guest Tarik Sloussi, LPC to discuss the debate of whether or not college athletes should be paid. This discussion touches on money, power imbalance and corruption, gender/racial/economic injustice, and more.

Listen to 'Should Student-Athletes Be Paid? Where Moral Psychology Comes into Play' here, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Being Human

Every week our panel of Shrinks breaks down trending topics of psychology in the news that we call Being Human.

Since later on we’ll be discussing the culture shift of athletes receiving financial support, we wanted to highlight another change that needs to happen: more support for mental health care.

In an article from Global Sports Matters, Gen Z is described as being “on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades.”

Just this last year, public admissions from athletes at all levels of competition prove the prevalence of mental health issues. Despite this, many student-athletes are still afraid to seek help, finding that it can be challenging especially if their coach isn’t supportive.

Our panel of Shrinks breaks down their thoughts on these findings.

You can read the study that inspired our discussion here.

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.

How Misbehavin' was Born: Interviewing 'The Righteous Gemstones' Composer, Joseph Stephens

In today's special edition of the Shrink Tank Podcast, panelist Jonathan Hetterly sits down with the composer of The Righteous Gemstones, Joseph Stephens.

Joseph Stephens is an American multi-instrumentalist, film score composer, and songwriter who wrote the infectious tune Misbehavin’ on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. 

In this interview, they discuss his history of working with show creator Danny McBride and director Jody Hill, some of the inspiration he drew for the show, as well as his creative process.

If you enjoy this special edition of the Shrink Tank Podcast, we encourage you to check out our episode on The Righteous Gemstones. We’re available wherever you get your podcasts. 

 

Watch us on YouTube!

Great news! We're on another platform. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast, available on our YouTube channel. You can subscribe to our channel here.

 

Speak your Mind!

Comment below or send us your thoughts at [email protected]. Your input could even be featured on the next episode of the Shrink Tank Podcast!

Need a longer session with the Shrinks? Check out our last episode here.