1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Psychology of Your Twenties, 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: the podcast where we talk through some of the big 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: life changes and transitions of our twenties and what they 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: mean for our psychology. 5 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 2: Hello everybody, Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to 6 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: the podcast. New listeners, old listeners. Wherever you are in 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 2: the world, it is so great to have you here. 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 2: Back for another episode today, I have something a little 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 2: bit different for you. I'm really excited about this because 10 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 2: it is not what we typically do on the show. 11 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: Most weeks, we pick two topics that we encounter in 12 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: our twenties and we break down the psychology behind them. 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 2: Obviously you guys know this, But this week I want 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 2: to do the reverse. I want to start with the 15 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 2: psychology and the research and the studies and show how 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 2: that applies to our lives. So yeah, I thought it 17 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: would be a little bit fun. In all honesty, I 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 2: have been experiencing a bit of a creative block recently, 19 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 2: and I thought kind of the best way to counteract 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 2: that is to just get back to the core of 21 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: why I love this podcast and this job, which is 22 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 2: because of the science and how fascinating human behavior and 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: psychology is, and how as humans we are really really 24 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: you know, great and really creative at observing this and 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: measuring this and you know, studying ourselves also. You know, 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: sometimes there isn't enough space in an episode or a season, 27 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: or it's like kind of never the right time to 28 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 2: bring up a study that I'd love and want to share. 29 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: So that's what we're going to do today. I'm going 30 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: to talk about my five favorite psychology papers psychology studies 31 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: of all time and what they can tell us about 32 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: our twenties. Now, these five studies that I have for 33 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: you today, they are not going to be like your 34 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: classic psychology studies that people tend to think of. I 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: think we all have some idea of you know, have 36 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 2: Havelov's Dogs and the Stanford prison experiment and the bystander 37 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: effect or the Bobo Doll study. I think that those 38 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 2: are part of our like regular psychobabble and like collective memory. 39 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: But I want to go a little bit deeper, kind 40 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: of pass the classics into not the every day but 41 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: into the stuff that you would typically stay like published 42 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: in a journal in this day and age, the studies 43 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 2: that don't necessarily make headlines, even if they deserve to 44 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: I have a study on jam, I have a study 45 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 2: on friendship, one on mental escapism and binge watching television shows. 46 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: I've got one on gender and imposter syndrome. And as 47 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,679 Speaker 2: a finale, my favorite study on something totally out of 48 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: left field, really, which is the ocean and the ancient 49 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,119 Speaker 2: Greek concept of the lasso therapy. Okay, reading that through, 50 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: I'm like, that's quite a mix back. But hopefully there 51 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: is like something for everybody, there's something for you to learn. 52 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: I'm so pumped to get into it and hopefully just 53 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,519 Speaker 2: give you some fun new party facts, some fun new 54 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 2: psychology trivia. So let's get into it. So, I know 55 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 2: I promised some lesser known studies, but I'm going to 56 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 2: start off with the most well known one that I 57 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: kind of have for you. It is known as the 58 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: Stanford Jam experiment. If you are a longtime listener of 59 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: the show, I have talked about this before, but never 60 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: in its entirety. You would kind of think of all 61 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: the ways that we can study human psychology, that a 62 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: condiment we put on toast isn't going to be one 63 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: of them. But I think psychologists and research is one 64 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 2: thing that they do have is like a very creative 65 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: knack for fine really like different ways to observe decision 66 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: making and human behavior and consumer choices using things that 67 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 2: seem quite ubiquitous. So the Stanford Jam experiment, it is 68 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: a classic study and it was conducted at Stanford University 69 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 2: by Sheena Yeager and Mark Lepper in nineteen ninety five, 70 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 2: so thirty years ago. And this study is essentially what 71 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 2: created the concept of the paradox of choice. So in 72 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 2: this experiment, they wanted to observe shoppers, grocery store shoppers 73 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: at an upstet supermarket. And how they did that was 74 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: they presented them with the tasting booth where they could 75 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: sample different flavors of jam. You know, we've all seen 76 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: that at like Costco or the grocery store, some new 77 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: product that they have, you get to have a free sample. 78 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: And so what they did was they set up two 79 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: kind of stores, one on day one and one also 80 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: one on the first weekend, and then the next weekend 81 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: they came back. So in the first weekend, which was 82 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: the first condition, the researchers offered a display with a 83 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: limited selection of six different jams. You know, your strawberry, 84 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: your marmalade, your classics. In the second condition, the weekend after, 85 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: they offered a much larger selection of twenty four gems. 86 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: What they wanted to see was how likely people were 87 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: to purchase a gem in each of these conditions. So 88 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: basically they were observing investigating how the number of choices 89 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 2: we are presented affects our ability to make decisions and 90 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: to be satisfied with our choices. I think, from a 91 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 2: surface level, like intuitively, you would think that when people 92 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: had more jam, they were more likely to make a purchase. 93 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: They were more likely to buy a jam because there 94 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: was a greater chance that the jars one of the 95 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: flavors matched their preferences. But actually, although people were more 96 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 2: attracted to the store when there were a larger number 97 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: of jams, people asked for more tasters, fewer people actually 98 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: made a purchase compared to when there was a smaller 99 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: assortment of only six jams. The second part of these 100 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: findings was that those people who had more options on 101 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: the first weekend were actually a lot less satisfied with 102 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: their choice, and they were more likely to regret it. 103 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 2: So when they went and talked to them afterwards and 104 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: they said, oh, was there another germ that you would 105 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 2: have wanted. How happy are you with your choice? How 106 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 2: excited are you with your new jam? They'd be like, 107 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 2: oh yeah, pretty good. I don't know, though, there seems 108 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 2: to be like maybe I should have gotten this other one. 109 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: What if the strawberry was going to be better than 110 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: the raspberry? Whereas with the people who had purchased when 111 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 2: there were only six jams, they didn't seem to have 112 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 2: that same level of back and forth with themselves. So 113 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 2: this experiment really highlighted the concept of choice overload, where 114 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: when we have too many options, this can actually lead 115 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 2: to decision paralysis, decrease satisfaction, and even avoidance of making 116 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: a decision altogether because we have too much to consider. 117 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 2: More options might seem like more freedom, but it actually 118 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: feels quite restrictive because unconsciously, I think we feel as 119 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 2: if we are more likely to make the wrong choice 120 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: given we have more options, and therefore we don't make 121 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 2: one at all. So this has so much application to 122 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: our twenties you wouldn't believe it. I think dating apps 123 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,239 Speaker 2: are the first example I like to think of because 124 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 2: they are so commonplace in this day and age. Most 125 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 2: of us have encountered dating apps in some form, and 126 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: the thing about them is that they give us so 127 00:07:54,920 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 2: many options and choices. We have like endless matches and 128 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: our fingertips. If the first person you see on those 129 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 2: apps isn't the one, the next person might be, and 130 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 2: if they're not, you have another person, and another person 131 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: and another shot after that. But that can actually be 132 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 2: really overwhelming because everybody we encounter begins to lose their appeal. 133 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 2: The whole process becomes very paralyzing because we have choice overload. 134 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: We have too many people to consider. We get too 135 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 2: paralyzed by the possibility of wait, was that person the one? 136 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 2: But what about this person or the next person or 137 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 2: the next person, And so we don't end up going 138 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 2: on dates or meeting in person, or really engaging with 139 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 2: any of our candidates because it's hard to choose between them. 140 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 2: It's hard to feel satisfied with any one person and 141 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: want to pursue it further. Another important application is our 142 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,559 Speaker 2: career choices. I think this is a common experience. There 143 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 2: are so many lives that we want to live, especially 144 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 2: in our twenties, when like the world feels very open 145 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 2: to us, there are so many future versions of ourselves 146 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: we want to realize that it can feel I think 147 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 2: quite impossible to choose just one and feel satisfied for that. 148 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 2: Do we go the traditional route, do we take a 149 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 2: gap year, do we do our masters? Do we want 150 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: to be more entrepreneurial, Do we want to start our 151 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: own business, work for ourselves, work for a company that 152 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: has security, or do something totally out of the ordinary, 153 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 2: you know, become an artist or a zookeeper, whatever. I 154 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 2: think the example is that our twenties are brimming with 155 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: opportunity and that is such a blessing. But the more 156 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 2: decisions we make when it comes to our careers, the 157 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: more doors I think seem to close. So it makes 158 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: it quite stressful and confronting, and intuitively, we don't want 159 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 2: to make a decision or make a choice and feel 160 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: like we're limiting ourselves. And that is, you know, a 161 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 2: real life example of this jam experiment. So my next 162 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 2: study is about another core aspect of our twenties. It's 163 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 2: about friendship and how many friends we need to actually 164 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 2: feel fulfilled, feel satisfied and to boost our wellbeing. So 165 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 2: in twenty fifteen, a thirty year longitudinal study out of 166 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 2: the University of Rochester was published in the Journal of 167 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 2: Psychology and aging. Thirty years, that's how long it had taken, 168 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 2: and it determined that in our twenties it is actually 169 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,079 Speaker 2: the quantity of friends that we have, whilst in our 170 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: thirties it's the quality that seems to matter when it 171 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 2: comes to our psychological wellbeing. Essentially, what this study kind 172 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 2: of suggested or concluded is that in our twenties we 173 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 2: should actually be focused on building a large, expansive network, 174 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 2: even if not everybody is hand selected and our best friend, 175 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: whereas in our thirties it's about prune those relationships, being 176 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 2: comfortable with some of them fading, and really seeking out 177 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 2: quality friendship over quantity. So how did they conclude this? 178 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,599 Speaker 2: This research, like I said, published in twenty fifteen, so 179 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 2: only ten years ago, but it began in the nineteen seventies. 180 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 2: So the researcher Paul Duberstein. He is a psychiatry professor 181 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 2: at the University of Rochester, and he followed one hundred 182 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 2: students who were once students at the university, so they 183 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: were once students, not anymore. He followed one hundred ex 184 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 2: students alumni from when they were students through their twenties, 185 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 2: their thirties and their forties now. At multiple points in 186 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 2: their twenties and thirties, they were asked to record their 187 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,079 Speaker 2: daily interactions with others and to score them on intimacy 188 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 2: and unpleasantness. So they weren't doing this like all the time, 189 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 2: he would kind of like pop back up to them 190 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 2: for just a small period and say, hey, I just 191 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: needed to take some notes on this for a couple 192 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: days or for a week. Decades later, he got back 193 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 2: in touch with them and he asked them some questions 194 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 2: relating to their psychological well being, their sense of loneliness, 195 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 2: and quality of friendship. And what they found was that 196 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 2: having too many friends at thirty was actually a bit 197 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 2: of a problem because it could prevent you from developing 198 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 2: meaningful relationships. But on the flip side, just meeting more 199 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 2: people in your twenties, regardless of the depth of your 200 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 2: interactions and your relationships, that kind of has its own merits. 201 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 2: So what does this study tell us about friendship in 202 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 2: our twenties. I think it tells us two things. The 203 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 2: first thing is that you don't need to be too 204 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: worried about meeting your best friend at this age. If 205 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 2: you're in your twenties, you don't need to be concerned 206 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 2: by the fact that you haven't found your people yet, 207 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 2: because you have time. And it seems that this decade 208 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: is about prioritizing just getting out there right, just having 209 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 2: those situational friendships, those fleeting moments, even if they don't last. 210 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 2: Our thirties are the decade for quality friendship and for 211 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 2: kind of fine tuning and deepening those pre existing relationships. 212 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 2: I will say that a small problem with this research 213 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 2: was that it was mainly conducted before the invention of 214 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: social media. Things have changed a lot now, so it 215 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 2: would be really fascinating to see how these results may 216 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: shift as we have more interactions online, and you know, 217 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 2: face to face interactions aren't always the norm for catching 218 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 2: up and communicating and chatting with our friends. I think 219 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 2: one way you could adapt this study is to kind 220 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: of like download software onto participants phones that monitors who 221 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 2: they talk to on social media, whether they speak to 222 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 2: the same five people or like a broad community, and 223 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 2: then see how that relates to wellbeing in our twenties 224 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 2: or thirties, or whether it's the quantity of interactions like 225 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: dictated by social media versus the quality which we would 226 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 2: kind of assume come from in person interactions that count. 227 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 2: I don't know, just an interesting way of like adapting 228 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: this to a modern context, because I think it could 229 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 2: really tell us a lot more. If you want to 230 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 2: read about this study, any of the studies, I really 231 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 2: would recommend the article in the description. So our third 232 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 2: study is entirely different. We are switching gears away from 233 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 2: our careers and friendship and relationships to our TVs, to 234 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 2: our laptops. We're going to talk about binge watching, mental escapism, loneliness, 235 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 2: how those three things are correlated or have a relationship 236 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 2: to each other. I was having this conversation with my 237 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 2: friends the other day that the way TV shows are 238 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: released these days makes them so much easier to binge 239 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: watch and consume rapidly. I don't know if if you're 240 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 2: in your twenties, like in your mid late twenties, you 241 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 2: will remember when like Gossip Girl and gleebe would come 242 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 2: out and you would have to like wait each week 243 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: for the next episode, and then they would like take 244 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 2: a two week break, like randomly over Christmas or in 245 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 2: the summertime, and you would have to watch like Simpson's 246 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 2: reruns or whatever it was. Nowadays, like the whole thing 247 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 2: comes out all at once, and companies like Netflix and 248 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: Hulu and Apple, Amazon Prime, they're really focused on like 249 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 2: these mini series that we can consume really quickly and 250 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: then immediately go looking for something else. I'm gonna admit 251 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 2: I'm into it. I just finished Baby Reindeer on Netflix. 252 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: I'm like captivated. I got through it in three days, 253 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 2: and it's kind of one of those behaviors that you 254 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 2: just fall into. I think that it's a lot more 255 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 2: common though, amongst people who are seeking a kind of 256 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 2: mental escapism from their daily lives, whether that's because their 257 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 2: jobs aren't going well, they're lonely, something else is going on, 258 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 2: their relationship is breaking down. We turned to binge watching 259 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 2: as a form of mental escapism. So the study I 260 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: want to talk about that discovered this correlation was published 261 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty one and it's titled Loneliness, Escapism, and 262 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 2: Identification with Media Characters. An Exploration of the psychological factors 263 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: underlying binge watching tendency. Okay, bit of a mouthful. So 264 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: in this study, they had a sample of four hundred 265 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 2: and ninety individuals mainly from the UK and the United States, 266 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 2: and they were asked about their typical media usage and 267 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 2: how many hours they spent watching TV, along with which 268 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: streaming services they were using that you know, could include 269 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 2: any of them, you know, like we said, Amazon, Netflix, 270 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: stand they just wanted to know. They were then measured 271 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 2: for loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale and a binge 272 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 2: watching tendency test, which is a real thing we can 273 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 2: measure how likely you are to binge watch a TV show. 274 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 2: It asks questions like I always need to watch more 275 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 2: episodes to feel satisfied. Do you strongly agree or strongly disagree? 276 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 2: I keep watching even when I have other things I 277 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 2: need to do. I avoid sleep to keep watching my 278 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 2: TV series. Those are kind of the questions that operationalize 279 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 2: this concept of binge watching. So when the researchers looked 280 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 2: at the results, what they found was that higher feelings 281 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: of loneliness are associated with higher levels of problematic binge 282 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:40,679 Speaker 2: watching behaviors an excessive TV consumption. This was interpreted as 283 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 2: a form of mental escapism, wanting a mental break from 284 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 2: your daily life by seeking solace in something that is 285 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 2: entirely different. And the reason why this kind of behavior 286 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 2: would be so common amongst those who were looking for 287 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 2: a mental escape is because binge watching is so low 288 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 2: effort and undemanding, but it provides a really engaging distraction 289 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 2: even when our mental energy reserves are super depleted and 290 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: we're super drained. I actually think that binge watching is 291 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 2: an activity that it's easier to continue than to quit. 292 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 2: Right Like, when you're approaching the end of an episode, 293 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 2: the next one is immediately going to play, meaning that 294 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 2: it's more demanding for you to stop and turn the 295 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 2: TV off than it is to just continue the show. 296 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 2: I also think that when we continually watch the same 297 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,239 Speaker 2: kind of TV series that features the same characters, the 298 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 2: same plots, the same locations, it's less cognitively demanding than 299 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 2: switching to other activities, which is why when we're going 300 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:53,399 Speaker 2: through I think, tough, lonely, draining periods of burnout, whatever 301 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 2: it is, we are more likely to turn to you know, 302 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 2: television or mini series or Netflix for comfort. Media companies 303 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 2: leverage this. They know we have a lot going on, 304 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 2: and they know that if they provide a comfortable place 305 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 2: for our brains to relax, we'll keep coming back, even 306 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 2: if it's at the expense of other things we want 307 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,719 Speaker 2: to do with our days, with our lives. What can 308 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 2: we kind of take from this well. I think it's 309 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 2: about being aware of the why. Why can't we stop? 310 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 2: Why do we have to watch the whole thing in 311 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 2: one night? Why does so many of us find it 312 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 2: easier to kind of switch off in this way and 313 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 2: stay that way for hours then to do something more 314 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 2: active in our lives. I don't think that it's always 315 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 2: necessarily a bad thing, but when it does become a 316 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: form of mental escapism, whereby it's like you're kind of 317 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,479 Speaker 2: sitting into a whole new reality, You're completely switching off 318 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: from your life. You're trying not to engage with what's 319 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 2: actually going on in your every day, that can be 320 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 2: quite problematic. I really love this study so much. I 321 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 2: think it makes a lot of sense. Right. We find 322 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 2: so much comfort in TV shows in the media, in binge, 323 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 2: watching something repetitive or something that we know, or something 324 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 2: that has just come out and as exciting and novel, 325 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 2: But sometimes we don't really think about the why behind 326 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 2: our excessive consumption behaviors. So it's a fascinating one. Again, 327 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 2: it will be in the description. So far we've covered 328 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 2: my top three. We have two left, and we're going 329 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 2: to get to them after this short break, so stay 330 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 2: with us. I think we've all heard about the idea 331 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 2: of imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome refers to a psychological pattern 332 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: where individuals like you and I doubt our accomplishments and 333 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 2: we have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud, 334 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 2: as a liar despite the evidence of our competence and 335 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 2: of our success in the fact that we are intelligent people, 336 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 2: we feel really undeserving. We feel like our successes and 337 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 2: achievements all come down to luck or external factors rather 338 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 2: than our own abilities, and therefore we're constantly in a 339 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 2: state of fear that people are going to figure out 340 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 2: that we really don't know what we're doing. This is 341 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 2: such a common feeling, and it's also such a well 342 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 2: known term that I don't think we actually know where 343 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: it comes from. So this brings me to study number four, 344 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 2: The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women, Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. 345 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 2: That is the title of this article of this study 346 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 2: that was conducted at Georgia State University once again back 347 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 2: in the seventies, in nineteen seventy eight. So this research 348 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: and analysis it focused one hundred and fifty highly successful women, 349 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 2: women who had earned PhDs, who were respected doctors, professors 350 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 2: recognize for the academic success. They were at the top 351 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 2: of their field, and they were all linked not just 352 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 2: by their achievements, but this paralyzing sense that they didn't 353 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 2: deserve any of it, despite all the evidence to the contrary. So, 354 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 2: for example, in this study, these two researchers, doctor Paulin Klanz, 355 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 2: doctor Susan Immis, they spoke to these women, these one 356 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty women, and some of the statements and 357 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: self reports that they collected during this study included these 358 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 2: students who were like absolutely convinced that there had been 359 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 2: some like administrative eraror in admitting them to like a 360 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: really prestigious college. There were heaps of graduate students who 361 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 2: had really high exam scores and they would say to 362 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: them full honestly, like they believed this to their core, 363 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 2: that something must have happened. Their scores were wrong, their 364 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 2: papers had been misgraded, there was faulty judgment by the professor. 365 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 2: There were also professors and doctors who would say, some 366 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 2: mistake was made in my selection process that gave me 367 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,959 Speaker 2: my tenure, or obviously I'm in this position because my 368 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 2: abilities have been overestimated. There was another woman with two 369 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 2: master's degrees, a PhD, numerous publications who was a lecturer, 370 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 2: and she basically said, I'm unqualified to teach. This was 371 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 2: a mistake. This is just luck. Somebody is obviously screwed up, 372 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 2: and when they find out, I'm in big trouble. This 373 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 2: seemed so irrational and bizarre to these researchers because it 374 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 2: just seemed that all of the evidence was there. These 375 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 2: women should be totally secure in their accomplishments and where 376 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 2: they were in their lives. But within the context of 377 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 2: the nineteen seventies, they kind of hypothesized that the reason 378 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 2: women were experiencing this like syndrome more than men was 379 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 2: because of how they were socialized at the time to 380 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 2: be humble, to be meek, to not be intelligent, to 381 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,479 Speaker 2: not take credit for their successes, whereas men were allowed 382 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 2: to be the heroes. They were allowed to be confident, 383 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: if not arrogant, and celebrate themselves publicly for their successes 384 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: and their achievements. They also kind of speculated that because 385 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 2: at the time, women weren't super common in these high profile, 386 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 2: exceptional academic and professional environments, they didn't really have a 387 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 2: narrative for their success because it seemed so unexpected compared 388 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 2: to those around them, So the most natural conclusion was 389 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: that it must be a fluke. The other thing they 390 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 2: also sought an explanation in was family dynamics and the 391 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 2: childhood that these women had, And this is a component 392 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 2: of imposter syndrome. I think people don't typically know about 393 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 2: how imposter syndrome really does have its roots in our infancy, 394 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 2: in our childhood, in our adolescence. What they concluded was 395 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 2: that these quote unquote impostors, they typically fell into one 396 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 2: of two groups. They fell into a group of high 397 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: achievers or the designated kind of intelligent member of the family, 398 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 2: or they were the sensitive member of the family, not 399 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 2: particularly special, not really made to shine. So the intelligent 400 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,679 Speaker 2: child constantly worked to meet their family prophecy that they 401 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 2: were brilliant. She was told numerous examples of how she 402 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 2: had always been bright, how she was such a quick learner, 403 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 2: how she excelled from an early age. In the family 404 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 2: member's eyes, I think she's perfect. They lavish her with praise, 405 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 2: But then she encounters things the older she gets that 406 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 2: she can't do, and so she begins to doubt her abilities. 407 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 2: She no longer lives up to this like perfection with 408 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 2: ease idea that her parents and her family have pushed 409 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 2: on her. And if she's not the genius that she 410 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 2: was always told she was, she's an intellectual impostor. That 411 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 2: was group one of these women who were experiencing impost syndrome. 412 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 2: They were the women who, since young age, you know, 413 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,360 Speaker 2: were lucky enough to have parents and family who really 414 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 2: celebrated them, perhaps too much so to the point where 415 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 2: they kind of had a too big to fail mentality. 416 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 2: On the other hand, they had this other group of 417 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 2: women who were experiencing imposter syndrome, who were kind of 418 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 2: always second, who were always runner up compared to the 419 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 2: bride sibling. They could never really impress their parents. Their 420 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 2: achievements and performance and accolades were never really seen as 421 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 2: that special to like directly quote from the article, these 422 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 2: women in one domain really crave validation and keep pushing 423 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 2: to prove their intellectual competence, kind of in rebellion of 424 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 2: what their parents and their family has always said. But 425 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 2: on the other hand, they also think that their family 426 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 2: must be correct. So this woman secretly doubts her intellect 427 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 2: and begins to wonder whether she has actually gained high 428 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 2: marks because of her social skills, because she has tricked people, 429 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 2: because there's been a mistake. And so the imposter syndrome 430 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 2: emerges from a constantly wanting to prove that she is intelligent, 431 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 2: that she is worthy, that she is successful, but then 432 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 2: having that self doubt that comes from that inner voice 433 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 2: her parents have instilled in her that she isn't smart enough, 434 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: that she doesn't deserve this. I really love this study 435 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 2: because it was honestly one of the first ever academic 436 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 2: pieces of research that focused on successful women and their 437 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 2: psychology and their upbringing. And it was conducted again by 438 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 2: two really amazing female doctors and female psychologists who went 439 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 2: on to create that term through this research, that term 440 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 2: imposta syndrome that is now like a huge part of 441 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 2: our collectives, psychobabble, and our language. But when you really 442 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 2: look into it further and you actually read their analysis 443 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 2: and their suggestions, there are so many more fascinating conclusions 444 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 2: than most of us are aware of. And I think 445 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 2: we like to throw around the term imposter syndrome, but 446 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,680 Speaker 2: there is a lot of depth behind that, a lot 447 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 2: of fascinating history and of course psychology that this study 448 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: really goes into, so honestly, it is worth reading. The 449 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 2: first time I came across it, it genuinely changed so 450 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 2: much about how how I kind of saw myself, how 451 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 2: I saw my friends, my family, my childhood, my present 452 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 2: day insecurities and self doubts. Again it will be in 453 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 2: the description. So this brings us to our fifth and 454 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 2: final study of the day, and I want to end 455 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 2: on something kind of positive and beautiful and joyful. So 456 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about a study that really articulates 457 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 2: some of the beauty and nice parts about being human 458 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 2: and kind of the fact that we are really connected 459 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 2: to nature and all living things around us. So the 460 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 2: whole subdiscipline of ecopsychology is really focused on that. And 461 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,320 Speaker 2: if you've listened to this episode that we did previously 462 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 2: on the healing power of Nature, you'll know I kind 463 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 2: of have a real soft spot for any research, any concepts, 464 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 2: any theories that emphasizes our relationship and the importance of 465 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 2: being outdoors and rewilding our minds and our bodies. I 466 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 2: also grew up really close to the ocean. It was 467 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 2: such like a significant part of my childhood, like going 468 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,719 Speaker 2: down to burly heads and crumb and waters in the 469 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 2: Gold Coast, and the sea is like one of those 470 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 2: places that I feel very comfortable in and at peace, 471 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 2: and I think it's you know, tangent here. But it's 472 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: a really huge blessing to have grown up like in 473 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 2: a country that has such a huge beach culture and 474 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 2: like access to this natural asset. And the thing that 475 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,239 Speaker 2: I've always found is that being by the ocean is 476 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 2: one of the easiest ways to reduce my stress levels, 477 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 2: to reset, to bring about perspective in my life. My 478 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 2: dad used to always say that, like the ocean is 479 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 2: nature's natural healer and eases or wounds physical and mental. 480 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 2: And this study I'm about to tell you about actually 481 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 2: seems to provide some science and some evidence for that. 482 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 2: So this study was conducted in Japan and is titled 483 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 2: the Effects of Coastal Environment on Well Being. So they 484 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 2: wanted to know whether living by the ocean was better 485 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 2: for your health and better especially for your emotional and 486 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 2: psychological health. And they did this by comparing five hundred 487 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 2: and eighteen residents from the Heogo Prefecture, which is where 488 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 2: Kobe is the origin of Kobe beef, and they compared 489 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 2: people in this area who lived by the sea and 490 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 2: people who lived inland and in the major cities, and 491 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 2: what they found was this, people by the seaside seemed 492 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 2: a whole lot happier. They reported higher positive psychological effects 493 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 2: of the ocean. This was particularly the case for women 494 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,960 Speaker 2: and elderly residents, but actually in general there was not 495 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 2: a single person who wasn't happier living by the sea, 496 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 2: and they wanted to know why this was well. I 497 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 2: think the argument they made is that the coast is 498 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 2: a therapeutic landscape. It brought upon really important and strong 499 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 2: feelings of restoration of awe and a peace of mind, 500 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 2: which it seemed harder for people who lived in big 501 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 2: cities to achieve. And that all kind of contributed to 502 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 2: a greater sense of mental well being. Access to the ocean, 503 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 2: to the sea, to the coast. It also seemed to 504 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 2: play part in this sense of like magnitude and the 505 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,959 Speaker 2: sense that we are small, but because of that, what 506 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 2: we're doing doesn't really matter, if that makes sense, So 507 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 2: it feels quite existential, but actually it was quite liberating. 508 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 2: There was also to follow that up and other paper 509 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 2: that looked into this original study, and it found that 510 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 2: there is a more neurological impact of the ocean in 511 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 2: our psychology. Staring at the sea, staring at the waves 512 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: literally changes our brain wave frequency. It kind of puts 513 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 2: us in a mild meditative state that has a relaxing 514 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 2: effect on all of our senses. When we allow ourselves 515 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 2: to kind of watch the ebb and flow of the swell, 516 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 2: that has a genuine impact on our brain wave frequency, 517 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 2: on our brain activity. This may be a recent study, 518 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 2: but it's not a recent concept. There is a Greek 519 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 2: idea known as the Lasser therapy, which stems from the 520 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 2: Greek word the lassa meaning sea and therapy. Basically, the 521 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 2: ancient Greek believed that the ocean had genuine healing properties. 522 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 2: And I kind of have to agree it encompassed like 523 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 2: this whole range of treatments, Like the Lasser therapy was 524 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 2: like a genuine kind of like treatment plan you could 525 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 2: get from your ancient Greek doctor, and it included things 526 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 2: like seawater baths, marine mud raps, seaweed raps, inhalation of 527 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 2: sea miss and these treatments were believed to have various benefits, 528 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 2: not just physical. They thought they helped with circulation, with 529 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 2: relieving muscle tension, with kind of detoxifying the body. But 530 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 2: on a psychological and mental level, it also helped promote relaxation, 531 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 2: and it brought about a level of mental clarity and 532 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 2: peace for these individuals that is so valuable even to 533 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 2: this day for our emotional state. I got to say, 534 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 2: I love this study so much because it really highlights 535 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 2: how important nature is for our health, which is something 536 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 2: that I think we tend to neglect as cities become 537 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:58,200 Speaker 2: more concrete, more industrialized, our life becomes busier, and we 538 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 2: are naturally kind of separated from the natural environments that 539 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 2: we evolved in. I think it's also a good reminder 540 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: that if you're feeling a bit restless, a bit unsettled, 541 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 2: a bit unsure about your future, about your current state 542 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 2: of affairs, if you're kind of looking for meaning, you're 543 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 2: looking for peace, the ocean is a really good place 544 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 2: to go. It is such a restorative environment. I always 545 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,319 Speaker 2: say you never regret a swim in the ocean, and 546 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 2: I think that's true. I think it's true because when 547 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 2: you are like very much immersed in this natural environment, 548 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 2: you feel very small, but that allows you to feel 549 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 2: very free and it allows you to really slow down 550 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 2: from a lot of the industrial you know, hustle, culture, 551 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:47,160 Speaker 2: rise and grind, mentality, and like focus in on the 552 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:49,919 Speaker 2: fact that you are human, the fact that everything's going 553 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 2: to be okay, the fact that you know you have 554 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,880 Speaker 2: this place for rest and this place for peace where 555 00:34:57,440 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: nature doesn't care about you, and isn't that kind of 556 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 2: like a beauty full, beautiful thing. So that was the 557 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:06,240 Speaker 2: final study that I had for you today. I really 558 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,879 Speaker 2: hope that you enjoyed this. This was actually so fun 559 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 2: for me. I think it's so rare that I get 560 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 2: to really break into like specific articles and studies and 561 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 2: spend like some serious time on them, let alone getting 562 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 2: to do that for five of my favorites. So I 563 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 2: really hope that you learned something. I hope that you 564 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 2: picked up maybe a new word, a new piece of 565 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 2: psychology trivia, a new thing to bring up at work, 566 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:32,800 Speaker 2: bring up to your friends, bring up to your family. 567 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 2: And as always, if you did enjoy this episode, please 568 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 2: feel free to share it with a friend or give 569 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 2: us five stars on Apple or Spotify or wherever you're listening. 570 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 2: It really does help the show grow, and if you 571 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 2: enjoy this content, it would be great if it reached 572 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: new audiences and new people, so make sure you're following along, 573 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 2: make sure you're subscribed. If you have something to contribute 574 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 2: based on this disc if you have a favorite psychology 575 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 2: study that you want me to talk about, if you 576 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 2: have anything to say about the ones I've already spoken about, 577 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 2: please feel free to reach out to me on Instagram 578 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 2: at that Psychology Podcast, also with episode suggestions. I love 579 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 2: hearing from you guys. I love getting your feedback, so 580 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 2: make sure you're following us there as well, and as always, 581 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:25,279 Speaker 2: be kind, be gentle to yourselves, and we'll talk very 582 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 2: soon