The way we dress can say a lot about who we are, especially when it comes to rank. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore how what we wear conveys our agency, power, and autonomy.
The Psychology of Style: The Uniform
The way we dress, whether to stand out or blend in, can say a lot about who we are. But what influences that choice? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore how uniforms can shape our identity, behavior, and sense of belonging, and what they reveal not just about us as individuals, but about the culture and society we live in.
The Psychology of Style
What we wear not only expresses who we are, it also shapes how we see and interpret the world around us. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore the surprising psychology of style.
The Psychology of Play
Turns out that understanding the why and how of play in our everyday lives is a serious business, and a lot of fun! In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Rebecca McInroy, Art Markman, and Bob Duke join Alison Preston, Kirk Lynn, and Sarah Abraham from a special presentation at the Texas Science Festival on the psychology, science, and performance of play!
Listen to the full conversation, The Psychology, Science and Performance of Play.
How to Give a Great Talk (Rebroadcast)
You don’t need to be wildly witty or irresistibly charming to give a great talk; you just need to be yourself. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke share why authenticity matters most, along with a few practical tips that can take your speaking skills to the next level.”
Human-Centered Design: Prevention
How do you bring human-centered design into systems that weren’t built with humans in mind?
In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore how small, thoughtful changes, even in complex, rigid systems, can prevent problems and demonstrate that people matter.
Human-Centered Design: Administration
Have you ever been forced to sit through hours of training because someone in another department made a mistake that has nothing to do with you? This “fire hose” approach that organizations sometimes take to address problems is surprisingly common. In our first episode of a series on the psychology of human-centered design, Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy look at how well-meaning administrative decisions can miss the mark, waste time, and forget that people are, well, human.
Why We Continue To Threaten Punishment
If threatening punishment is not an effective way to change behavior or motivate people, why do we continue to do it? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy wrap up their exploration of the psychology of punishment by examining why we rely on threats and why they still don’t work.
Signal Value and Punishment
Not all punishment is created equal. While punishment can serve many purposes, it’s not always effective when it comes to changing behavior, especially if the goal is simply to avoid getting punished. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy continue their exploration of the psychology of punishment, focusing on its signal value and what that means for behavior change.
Threatening Punishment
In the moment, threatening punishment to see behavior change might seem like a good idea, but does it work? It turns out it depends on your goal. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the psychology of punishment and reveal why scolding, threats, and consequences might get short-term results but rarely lead to lasting change.
Reasoning From The Desired Conclusion
It can be frustrating to be in conversations that get you nowhere, often because one party knows what they want already and is not interested in hearing the other side. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore the all too common practice of reasoning from the desired conclusion.
Apathy and Value Systems
Our culture, personal reflection, and life experiences shape how we understand our value within larger systems, and this, in turn, affects how we see our role in creating change. In the third and final installment in our Two Guys on Your Head series on the psychology of apathy, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy discuss how our value systems influence apathy, motivation, and our sense of connection or isolation—and why it matters.
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How To Combat Apathy
When the weight of the world feels overwhelming, tuning out can feel like the only option. But what happens when apathy becomes a habit, and how do we break free from it?
In this episode, the second in our Two Guys on Your Head series on the psychology of apathy, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy shift from understanding why apathy takes hold to exploring how we can overcome it.
Learned Apathy
When life feels like a nonstop barrage of problems we can’t fix, it’s natural to want to shut down. But apathy doesn’t make the problems go away, and it can leave us feeling even more stuck.
In this episode—the first in our Two Guys on Your Head series on the psychology of apathy—Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore the concept of learned apathy, why it takes hold, and how we can start to build the confidence and motivation to re-engage with the world around us.
Spring
Spring is in the air in Austin, Texas, and on this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Art Markman and Bob Duke talk about why–psychologically–it’s important to enjoy the beauty of this moment.
Conversation
Conversations change our minds. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Art Markman and Bob Duke explore the psychology of why and how that happens.
Embodied Emotions (Rebroadcast)
Emotions are sometimes good to listen to when you’re trying to make a decision, but sometimes, they’re not so good. However, as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, the more you know about how your brain works and what certain feelings may indicate, the more tools you have to act.
Bypassing
There is a lot of misinformation out there, and we might think that we just need more correct and factual information to combat it. While that can be true, it turns out that how and when we get information plays a huge role in what we believe. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Art Markman and Bob Duke explore the psychological concept of “bypassing.”
Meritocracy
When it comes to deciding what is valued and what is not, we often proceed with an illusion of objectivity instead of an evaluation system that can showcase expertise and quality. So, what does it really mean to be “the best,” and who gets to decide? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Art Markman and Bob Duke explore how culture shapes our understanding of merit, fairness, and success and why it matters.
Giving Up and Agency
One misconception about giving up is that it takes less energy, motivation, or stamina than sticking to something. However, in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Art Markman and Bob Duke discuss the agency and energy it takes to stop doing something and change course.
