Why do think we contribute more in a group situation than we actually do? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of egocentric bias. It can be pretty destructive, but not necessarily in ways we predict.
Scott Blackwood
Author Scott Blackwood talks about his new novel “See How Small,” with host Owen Egerton.
Reading vs. Listening
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how our brains process information differently based on the mode of consumption.
Bonus: Gender and Negotiation
Men and women can approach negotiation a lot differently and that can influence many aspects of their personal and professional lives. In this unedited bonus clip Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk a little bit about the role of gender in negotiation, and also a little bit about negotiation and children.
Negotiation
Negotiations are everywhere, in almost every element of our daily lives, yet how do we understand negotiations? It turns out that the way we frame the idea of negotiation has a lot to do with how we understand value and happiness.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the various elements of negotiation.
The Economics of Our Relationships
What is the value of our relationships?
As it turns out, the way we answer that question defines the relationship itself.
In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, talk about the various ways we understand the economics of the relationships in our lives, and why the value of community should never be underestimated.
Women, Gender, & Sexuality
This episode recognizes women, gender, and sexuality with a discussion of the complexities of gender and sexuality from contemporary and historical perspectives. Our discussants share what they’ve learned from their respective research projects, while exploring how privilege and power function in constructions of gender and sexuality.
Ultimately, they agree that listening with empathy to each other’s needs and desires demonstrates mutual respect and can allow us to have greater faith in our individuality.
The Discussion
Lisa Moore is a professor of English and Interim Director of the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies at UT-Austin. In Sister Arts: The Erotics of Lesbian Landscapes, she explores how women of the Eighteenth century used the natural world to create artworks that celebrated their bonds with each other. On In Perspective, Moore helps us to deconstruct the notion of “woman” as part of a vast gender spectrum.
Thinking about the intersectional nature of identity, she asks: How do we determine who counts within various gender and sexuality categories?
Suzy Spencer is the author of New York Times bestseller, Secret Sex Lives: A Year on the Fringes of American Sexuality. She brings frankness to the discussion of sex and desire, based on interviews with American men and women of different ages and sexual orientations regarding their experiences. Here, Spencer emphasizes the need for empathy and acceptance of alternative sex practices and unconventional attitudes about sex.
Ward Keeler is a professor of Anthropology and Women’s and Gender Studies at UT-Austin. He conducts field research in Burma, studying masculinities and transgender identities. Keeler’s understanding of Burmese norms of gender and sexuality expands the conversation beyond the U.S. context in useful ways.
He calls attention to the fact that in some Southeast Asian cultures, sexuality is not a central point of identification as it often can be in the United States.
What’s your perspective?
As we continue to struggle to achieve equal rights and protections for women and LGBTQ persons, it is necessary to have more conversations like this one about what gender and sexuality mean in the United States and internationally. The issues brought up here are not exactly new ones, but they remain urgently important if we are to develop a mutually respectful, compassionate, and empathetic society.
Bias & Diversity
Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of bias, and the importance of diversity.
How To Catch a Liar
There’s no such thing as a “tell”. For example, when people look up, fidget or stutter they might just be nervous, and not exactly lying. However, because we rely on the truth to make our culture go round, it might make our lives easier if we could just spot a liar out of the crowd.
As it turns out you can tell if people are telling the truth or not, but it takes some skill, time and knowledge.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about lying, and a new study that reveals a more accurate way to catch someone in a lie.
Amanda Eyre Ward
Amanda Eyre Ward on compassion, gratitude and “The Same Sky.”
In this episode of The Write Up, Amanda talks with host Owen Egerton about the calling of telling stories of the voiceless and powerless, the importance of looking past politics and statistics to the faces of real people, and the ways in which exploring the lives of these courageous children has impacted her own life.
We discuss the unpredictable creative process. Amanda celebrates “circling confusion” and even the unexpected blessing in abandoning a “broken book.”
We also touch on the gift of good readers, challenges of balancing writing and family, and the glory of Texas barbecue.
Sleep and Age
Do we need less sleep as we age? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the relationship between sleep, age and cognitive decline.
Race In America
Race in America
This month’s episode recognizes Black History Month by bringing together several scholars for a discussion of race in contemporary America. As we look back on 2014, we celebrate the achievements of African-Americans, but we also find racial inequality and abuses of power and privilege that continue to endanger and oppress non-white Americans. We must also ask ourselves: Where are we, as a nation, in our ongoing debates regarding race? Among other inquiries, host Rebecca McInroy asks these In Perspective discussants which conversations about race are most productive to pursue.
The Discussion
Cherise Smith is a professor of art history and Director of the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Smith reminds us that while the effects of racial discrimination are very real, race is also a social construction that gets piled onto other issues of power and identity, including gender, class, and education.
Rich Reddick is a professor of educational administration and Faculty Director for Campus Diversity Initiatives at UT Austin. Reddick argues that we need to have more general conversations about race, rather than rely on reactionary discussions, in order to help us work through and understand ongoing institutional racism.
Eric Tang is a professor of African and African diaspora studies and Asian American studies at UT Austin. For Tang, race is a set of practices, which assign values and power to certain bodies based on individual daily life, as well as policy. He brings to our attention the significance of race in how Austin has changed over time.
Regina Lawrence is a professor of journalism at UT Austin and author of The Politics of Force: Media and the Construction of Police Brutality. For Lawrence, conversations about race begin with a shared language and a greater sense of empathy—something she finds lacking in discussions driven by social media where earnest conversation can be foreclosed by a culture of shaming.
What’s your perspective?
Race is a sensitive issue in this country to say the least. It is a complicated social construction that keeps us divided through institutionalized means, via the daily reproduction of social conventions, and via the easy reliance on harmful stereotypes. While we engage in this discussion during Black History Month, it is clear that race impacts all our lives regardless of how we might identify and regardless of how others categorize us. When we understand race in relation to power and privilege, we begin to see how it plays out in our daily experiences. How does race impact your daily life.
The Placebo Effect
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how and why placebos can make us feel better.
Rose Colored Glasses
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about all the factors that go in to why we attracted to certain people, while others just rub us the wrong way from the beginning.
Gone With The Wind
Gone With The Wind is one of the most iconic American historical fiction movies ever made. Even today, this Civil War epic still has cultural relevance. However, due to the variety of themes, the political significance of the content, and the expectations set by the novel, the pressure to execute the production perfectly was immense. In this episode, Rebecca McInroy is joined by Dr. Coleman Hutchinson, Dr. Dina Berry, and Steve Wilson to discuss the some of the creative decisions in the making of the film and the prevailing messages and impact of this classic.
Coincidence
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on the psychology behind the phenomenon of coincidences.
The Intergalactic Nemesis
The Intergalactic Nemesis is one of the most unique science fiction shows being performed today. What originally started as a radio program has evolved to graphic novels, a live action performance, and a YouTube channel. In this episode, Rebecca McInroy interviews creator Jason Neulander to discuss the production and progression of the series.
1968 Bullock Museum
1968 was one of the most impactful years in American history; the United States was in the middle of the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy were each assassinated, and the Apollo 8 mission was launched and completed successfully. The Bullock Texas State History Museum has an exhibit that presents all the significant developments throughout the year in a month-by-month display. In this episode, Rebecca McInroy invites Kate Betts, Margaret Cook, Nancy Baker Jones, and Jean Heath to discuss this exhibit and review the year in depth.
The Armadillo (*DISCLAIMER* contains elicit content)
The Armadillo World Headquarters was one of the most celebrated music venues in Austin in the 1970s. During this time, it became a marquee destination for groups traveling through Texas. In this episode, Rebecca McInroy welcomes guest host Jody Denberg to talk with Michael Priest, Eddie Wilson, Jim Franklin, Joe Nick Patoski, Danny Garret, and Guy Juke, about the history of the cultural arts laboratory and share some memorable performances and experiences. *DISCLAIMER* contains some elicit content
https://www.cah.utexas.edu/feature/tpa/gallery.php
George Gershwin and the Art of America
George Gershwin was a legendary American jazz musician in the 1920s and 30s. In his short life, he was able to establish a style that would continue to influence the way music is composed. In this episode, Rebecca McInroy and Rabbi Neil Blumofe discuss Gerwin’s legacy from his Russian roots, to his background of growing up in New York City in the early 19th century, and working with his brother Ira, while sharing some of his music throughout the examination of his life and career.