Rebecca McInroy

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 HeadDr. Art MarkmanDr. 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.

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 HeadDr. Art MarkmanDr. 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.

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.