The BrainCore Podcast

Kristina and Tolu investigate attachment styles as it relates to their relationships with others. In this episode, they discuss their attachment style reports and its implications on their upbringing, friendships, and romantic relationships! How does one get a secure attachment style? What does it mean to be anxiously attached to romantic partners? The term of the episode is Attachment Theory!

Article discussed:

Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (2017). Adult attachment, stress, and romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 19-24.

Quiz: https://quiz.attachmentproject.com/

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Congratulations to Rishik and Ashmita for winning the Brainstorm Jeopardy game! In this episode, Kristina and Tolu are joined by Nigerian Neuroscience researchers Dr. Ibukun Akinrinade and Dr. Mahmoud Maina. They discuss the issues that create barriers for neuroscience research in Nigeria. The issues include funding, lack of internal collaboration, outdated equipment, lack of graduate school opportunities, and more. They also talk about their involvement with TReND in Africa, an organization which helps to support African researchers and students. The term of the episode is Brain Drain.

BC Trivia Question: What was one of the findings from our episode with Dr. Regan Gurung?

Society for Neuroscience in Africa (SONA): https://sonafrica.org/

TReND in Africa: https://trendinafrica.org/

Article by Ibukun and Mahmoud:

Maina, M. B., Ahmad, U., Ibrahim, H. A., Hamidu, S. K., Nasr, F. E., Salihu, A. T., ... & Baden, T. (2021). Two decades of neuroscience publication trends in africa. Nature Communications, 12(1), 1-10.

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Tolu and Kristina are in two different countries!! They talk about the new chapters they're starting in their lives, new updates for the podcast, and what they see themselves doing in the future. They also briefly talk about elections, the water supply in Cyprus, and language barriers! The concept discussed is one of new beginnings. Don't forget to fill out our subscriber form!!

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What does your brain look like when you're praying? Meditating? Conducting a ritual? These are the questions Dr. Andrew Newberg investigates with his research. On this episode, Kristina and Tolu discuss the field of Neurotheology and the implications of it. They talk about the difficulties that may arise from mixing the two, very different disciplines together (i.e., neuroscience and theology) and how to embrace the bidirectional relationship between them. Andrew's dog gives some wise insight at the beginning of the episode as well!. The term of the episode or TOTE is Neurotheology.

Dr. Newberg's Books (and website) - http://www.andrewnewberg.com/all-books

Dr. Newberg's TedTalk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SJCDLHyeqk&t=34s

Books Kristina referenced - Sapiens (by Yuval Noah Harari) & 2048 (by John Lennox)

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Perhaps the majority of those embedded in philosophy have heard of the "Ghost in the Machine" analogy, introduced initially by Gilbert Ryle. It is one piece of the puzzle that is the conversation on consciousness. In this episode, Tolu and Kristina are joined by Peter Hampson from Blackfriars in Oxford, UK. Peter has a unique take on the subject because he has acquired degrees in both psychology and theology. They discuss what a monist perspective looks like from a psychological and theological perspective. They also discuss how both disciplines can inform one another on a topic as complex as consciousness. The term of the episode is Theology. 

Peter's Recommendations:

The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist

Thomas Fuchs' Monograph 

Understanding Consciousness by Max Velmans 

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To continue their conversations on consciousness, Tolu and Kristina are joined by Dr. Adrian Owen, a world-renowned neuroscientist, and Professor at the Brain and Mind Institute in London, Ontario. Back in 2006, Adrian's work showed that some individuals who were in a vegetative state could respond to questions with their brain activation - brain activation that could be viewed with an fMRI. In this episode, they discuss how this research informs the conversation on consciousness in disciplines such as philosophy and psychology. They also talk about the implications of the research on the legalities surrounding medical care and end-of-life care. Towards the end, they talk about Adrian's band BAM! and how through the pandemic, they've still been able to make some music. The term of the episode is the Gray Zone. 

Things we referenced:

Adrian’s Book

Into the Gray Zone: http://intothegrayzone.com/

Exciting clip from the study!: www.intothegrayzone.com/mindreader

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First off, Tolu apologizes for the sound quality on her end - but what is podcasting without mic issues? 

In this exciting episode, Tolu and Kristina start their two-month focus on the topic of Consciousness. They are joined by the knowledgable Patricia Churchland to discuss consciousness from a neurophilosophical point of view. Pat is one of the founders of Neurophilosophy and is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego. The trio discusses the possible re-definition of a soul, how the consciousness conversation differs from discipline to discipline, how one can revel in their biology, and more. The term of the episode or TOTE is Neurophilosophy.  

Links to Referenced Media/Books

Pat's Books - https://patriciachurchland.com/books/ 

Pat on The Colbert Show - https://vimeo.com/162561753

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Tolu and Kristina go all the way to Greece (virtually) to discuss psychodrama therapy with Dr. Nikos Takis. This month they aim to put the focus on their respective countries of origin: Greece for Kristina and Nigeria for Tolu. Together, they discuss the history of psychodrama, what a psychodrama therapy session is like and how certain concepts like myth can be incorporated into group sessions. The term of the episode or TOTE is Psychodrama!

Dr. Takis’ Article

Takis, N. (2018). Psychodrama and mythology in the service of addictions’ treatment: a case study. Zeitschrift Für Psychodrama Und Soziometrie, 17(2), 333–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11620-018-0451-z

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In this episode, Kristina and Tolu discuss their previous episodes and highlight their favourites so far. They also talk about how they felt at the start of their podcasting journey and how they feel now. Towards the end, they also talk about what the future may hold for the Braincore name! This is just a short episode to wrap up the school year and so there's no term of the episode. 

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How do you begin to feel like you belong in a certain environment? A specific position? A new job? How can you start to internalize your successes when they occur? In this episode, Tolu and Kristina tackle the Imposter Phenomenon, better known as Imposter Syndrome. They are joined by Brooke Vick (Associate Provost at Muhlenberg College), Nick Rule (Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto), and Linda Tropp (Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Massasuchetts Amherst). They all discuss the origins of their imposter feelings, how they have learned to work through them, and how we can all begin to battle our own feelings of perceived fraudulence. The term of the episode is Imposter Syndrome.

Article Discussed:

Jaremka, L. M., Ackerman, J. M., Gawronski, B., Rule, N. O., Sweeny, K., Tropp, L. R., ... & Vick, S. B. (2020). Common academic experiences no one talks about: Repeated rejection, impostor syndrome, and burnout. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(3), 519-543. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1745691619898848

1978 Clance & Imes Article:

Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006

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