Minding the Brain

Oct 01 2024 81 ep. 40 mins 773
Minding the Brain Podcast artwork

Minding the Brain is an award-winning, monthly science podcast by Dr. Jim Davies and Dr. Kim Hellemans. It focuses on exploring and discussing the fascinating topics surrounding the scientific study of the brain. Minding the Brain is brought to you by Carleton University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Find us on the web @ https://mindingthebrainpodcast.com

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Moral Goodness Psychology with Matt Coleman – #77

Oct 01 2024 22 mins  
Jim interviews Matt Coleman of Giving Multiplier, a website that provides evidence-based recommendations to help people give to the most effective charities. They discuss the importance of giving to the most effective charities, the paradox of how our emotional responses to giving don’t tend to scale with the impact of our giving, why we should care about people in the futur

Mommy Brain and the Mental Load of Motherhood – #76

Sep 01 2024 62 mins  
Kim interviews Dr. Jodi Pawluski about mommy brain and the mental load of motherhood. How is society failing mothers? Is it okay to take anti-depressants during pregnancy? How do people’s brains change when they become parents? Discover the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Minding the Brain! Explore further: www.jodipawluski.com IG: @dr.jodi_pa

Personality Disorders with Dr. Pete Kelly

Aug 01 2024 60 mins  
Dr. Kim Hellemans interviews Dr. Pete Kelly about personality disorders. What are personality disorders and what are some common symptoms? What does therapy look like for someone with a personality disorder? Find the answers to these questions and many more, on this episode of Minding the Brain! Find Dr. Pete Kelly’s podcast here:

Mantra Meditation – #75

Jul 01 2024 44 mins  
Jim talks to Dr. Doug Oman, a scientist and scholar with a special interest in spirituality and health. They discuss the practice of mantra meditation, an approach that uses the repetition of phrases to promote focus and intention. What is the origin of mantra meditation? Does it have benefits? What is the scientific evidence for its efficacy? How can you begin your own mantra med

Cultural Evolution – #74

Jun 01 2024 36 mins  
Jim and Kim explore the role of cultural evolution in shaping human behavior and survival. What has enabled humans to dominate the globe more successfully than any other species despite our relative helplessness as individuals? How have human groups produced ingenious technologies and complex institutions while individual humans struggle with basic survival challenges? Find the an

Q&A: Magic Mushrooms, Chat GPT in Academia, Ice Baths, Caffeine & More – #73

May 01 2024 37 mins  
Jim and Kim answer student questions about magic mushrooms, Chat GPT in academia, ice baths, caffeine, the impact of listening to music, self-efficacy and reducing stigma around mental health and substance use disorders.

Fake News with Gordon Pennycook – #72

Apr 01 2024 24 mins  
Jim interviews Gordon Pennycook about the phenomenon of fake news. What types of misinformation tend to spread? What role will generative AI play in the information landscape? How do bias, intuition, and rationality impact the way people read the news? Explore further:Gordon Pennycook’s website

#71 Nutritional Neuroscience

Mar 01 2024 43 mins  
Kim interviews Orsha Magyar about the emerging field of nutritional neuroscience. How can we combat nutritional pseudoscience on social media? Are there such things as superfoods? How does the average North American diet impact our brain health? What are omega fatty acids, and are they important for our brain health? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this month�

#70 Aloneliness and the Value of Solitude

Feb 01 2024 53 mins  
Kim interviews Dr. Robert Coplan about aloneliness and the value of solitude. What are the benefits of solitude? How should we balance solitude and social interaction? How do collectivist cultures think about the need for solitude? Tune in to hear the answers to these questions and more on this episode of Minding the Brain!

#69 AI & Existential Risk

Jan 01 2024 35 mins  
Jim interviews Darren McKee, author of Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World. What are the long-term dangers of artificial intelligence? Could artificial intelligences develop power seeking behaviors? What safeguards can be put in place to ensure that AI contributes to human flourishing in the future? Discover the answers to thes