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  • All
  • Talks 90
  • People 7
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  • Pages 21
  • TEDx events 14
Talks
1 - 30 of 90 results

Martin Seligman: The new era of positive psychology

Martin Seligman talks about psychology -- as a field of study and as it works one-on-one with each patient and each practitioner. As it moves beyond a focus on disease, what can modern psychology help us to become?
https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_the_new_era_of_positive_psychology

Mike Robbins: The power of appreciation

In this humorous and thought-provoking talk at TEDxBellevue, Mike talks about "The Power of Appreciation." As Mike discusses, there is an important distinction between "recognition" and "appreciation." Leaders, teams, organizations, and individuals who understand this distinction can have much more impact, meaning, and productivity in their live...
https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_robbins_the_power_of_appreciation

Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for...
https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend

Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of evil

Philip Zimbardo knows how easy it is for nice people to turn bad. In this talk, he shares insights and graphic unseen photos from the Abu Ghraib trials. Then he talks about the flip side: how easy it is to be a hero, and how we can rise to the challenge.
https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_evil

Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of time

Psychologist Philip Zimbardo says happiness and success are rooted in a trait most of us disregard: the way we orient toward the past, present and future. He suggests we calibrate our outlook on time as a first step to improving our lives.
https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_the_psychology_of_time

Alison Ledgerwood: A simple trick to improve positive thinking

Why does a failure seem to stick in our minds so much longer than a success? According to social psychologist Alison Ledgerwood, our perception of the world tends to lean negative, and reframing how we communicate could be the key to unlocking a more positive outlook. In this sharp talk, Ledgerwood shares a simple trick for kicking negative thin...
https://www.ted.com/talks/alison_ledgerwood_a_simple_trick_to_improve_positive_thinking

Anita Collins: How playing an instrument benefits your brain

When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What's going on? Educator Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians' brains when they play and examines some of the long-term positive effects o...
https://www.ted.com/talks/anita_collins_how_playing_an_instrument_benefits_your_brain

W. Keith Campbell: The psychology of narcissism

Narcissism isn't just a personality type that shows up in advice columns; it's actually a set of traits classified and studied by psychologists. But what causes it? And can narcissists improve on their negative traits? W. Keith Campbell describes the psychology behind the elevated and sometimes detrimental self-involvement of narcissists. [Direc...
https://www.ted.com/talks/w_keith_campbell_the_psychology_of_narcissism

Laura Carstensen: Older people are happier

In the 20th century we added an unprecedented number of years to our lifespans, but is the quality of life as good? Surprisingly, yes! Psychologist Laura Carstensen shows research that demonstrates that as people get older they become happier, more content, and have a more positive outlook on the world.
https://www.ted.com/talks/laura_carstensen_older_people_are_happier

Julia Shaw: How to support witnesses of harassment and build healthier workplaces

What makes you speak up -- or not -- when you see something you know is wrong? Memory scientist Julia Shaw explains the psychology of those who witness workplace discrimination and harassment -- and shares actionable steps companies can take to support and amplify their voices.
https://www.ted.com/talks/julia_shaw_how_to_support_witnesses_of_harassment_and_build_healthier_workplaces

Sara Garofalo: The psychology behind irrational decisions

Often people make decisions that are not "rational" from a purely economical point of view — meaning that they don't necessarily lead to the best result. Why is that? Are we just bad at dealing with numbers and odds? Or is there a psychological mechanism behind it? Sara Garofalo explains heuristics, problem-solving approaches based on previous e...
https://www.ted.com/talks/sara_garofalo_the_psychology_behind_irrational_decisions

Renée Lertzman: How to turn climate anxiety into action

It's normal to feel anxious or overwhelmed by climate change, says psychologist Renée Lertzman. Can we turn those feelings into something productive? In an affirming talk, Lertzman discusses the emotional effects of climate change and offers insights on how psychology can help us discover both the creativity and resilience needed to act on envir...
https://www.ted.com/talks/renee_lertzman_how_to_turn_climate_anxiety_into_action

Peter Mende-Siedlecki: Should you trust your first impression?

You can't help it; sometimes, you just get a bad feeling about someone that's hard to shake. So, what's happening in your brain when you make that critical (and often lasting) first judgment? Peter Mende-Siedlecki shares the social psychology of first impressions -- and why they may indicate that, deep down, people are basically good. [Directed ...
https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_mende_siedlecki_should_you_trust_your_first_impression

Elizabeth Cox: What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it?

Even after writing eleven books and winning several awards, Maya Angelou couldn't escape the doubt that she hadn't earned her accomplishments. This feeling of fraudulence is extremely common. Why can't so many of us shake feelings that our ideas and skills aren't worthy of others' attention? Elizabeth Cox describes the psychology behind the impo...
https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_cox_what_is_imposter_syndrome_and_how_can_you_combat_it

Skye C. Cleary: Why do we love? A philosophical inquiry

Ah, romantic love; beautiful and intoxicating, heart-breaking and soul-crushing... often all at the same time! If romantic love has a purpose, neither science nor psychology has discovered it yet – but over the course of history, some of our most respected philosophers have put forward some intriguing theories. Skye C. Cleary outlines five of th...
https://www.ted.com/talks/skye_c_cleary_why_do_we_love_a_philosophical_inquiry

James Flynn: Why our IQ levels are higher than our grandparents'

It's called the "Flynn effect" -- the fact that each generation scores higher on an IQ test than the generation before it. Are we actually getting smarter, or just thinking differently? In this fast-paced spin through the cognitive history of the 20th century, moral philosopher James Flynn suggests that changes in the way we think have had surpr...
https://www.ted.com/talks/james_flynn_why_our_iq_levels_are_higher_than_our_grandparents

Danielle Allen: An ethical plan for ending the pandemic and restarting the economy

As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political theorist Danielle Allen describes how we can ethically and democratically address both problems by scaling up "smart testing," which would track positive cases with peer-to-peer software on people's ce...
https://www.ted.com/talks/danielle_allen_an_ethical_plan_for_ending_the_pandemic_and_restarting_the_economy

Rana el Kaliouby: This app knows how you feel -- from the look on your face

Our emotions influence every aspect of our lives -- how we learn, how we communicate, how we make decisions. Yet they're absent from our digital lives; the devices and apps we interact with have no way of knowing how we feel. Scientist Rana el Kaliouby aims to change that. She demos a powerful new technology that reads your facial expressions an...
https://www.ted.com/talks/rana_el_kaliouby_this_app_knows_how_you_feel_from_the_look_on_your_face

Lucy Hone: 3 secrets of resilient people

Everyone experiences loss, but how do you cope with the tough moments that follow? Resilience researcher Lucy Hone shares three hard-won strategies for developing the capacity to brave adversity, overcome struggle and face whatever may come head-on with fortitude and grace.
https://www.ted.com/talks/lucy_hone_3_secrets_of_resilient_people

Ryan Martin: Why some anger can be good for you

Anger researcher Ryan Martin draws from a career studying what makes people mad to explain some of the cognitive processes behind anger and why a healthy dose of it is, in fact, useful. "Your anger exists in you because it offered your ancestors an evolutionary advantage," he says. "It's a powerful and healthy force in your life."
https://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_martin_why_some_anger_can_be_good_for_you

Marisa G. Franco: The secret to making new friends as an adult

Making friends as an adult can feel like a baffling obstacle course. Why was it so much easier to connect as kids? To help you find well-rounded and fulfilling friendships, psychologist Marisa Franco discusses science-backed tips on how to make (and keep) friends, like the optimism-inducing "acceptance prophecy" and the shame-reducing "theory of...
https://www.ted.com/talks/marisa_g_franco_the_secret_to_making_new_friends_as_an_adult

Peggy Andover: The difference between classical and operant conditioning

Why is it that humans react to stimuli with certain behaviors? Can behaviors change in response to consequences? Peggy Andover explains how the brain can associate unrelated stimuli and responses proved by Ivan Pavlov's famous 1890 experiments and how reinforcement and punishment can result in changed behavior. [Directed by Alan Foreman, narrate...
https://www.ted.com/talks/peggy_andover_the_difference_between_classical_and_operant_conditioning

Jay Van Bavel and Dominic Packer: The sibling rivalry that divided a town

One day a pair of brothers working together as shoemakers had an explosive fight that split the family business in two. Over the coming years, this disagreement divided their town— residents and businesses chose sides. Could such a serious divide really be about shoes? Doesn't it take more significant differences to produce this degree of confli...
https://www.ted.com/talks/jay_van_bavel_and_dominic_packer_the_sibling_rivalry_that_divided_a_town

Christina Costa: How gratitude rewires your brain

When a psychologist who studies well-being ends up with a brain tumor, what happens when she puts her own research into practice? Christina Costa goes beyond the "fight" narrative of cancer -- or any formidable personal journey -- to highlight the brain benefits of an empowering alternative to fostering resilience in the face of unexpected chall...
https://www.ted.com/talks/christina_costa_how_gratitude_rewires_your_brain

Carol Dweck: The power of believing that you can improve

Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain's capacity to learn and to solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.
https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve

Kashfia Rahman: How risk-taking changes a teenager's brain

Why do teenagers sometimes make outrageous, risky choices? Do they suddenly become reckless, or are they just going through a natural phase? To find out, Kashfia Rahman -- winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (and a Harvard freshman) -- designed and conducted an experiment to test how high school students respond to and...
https://www.ted.com/talks/kashfia_rahman_how_risk_taking_changes_a_teenager_s_brain

TED-Ed: 4 things all great listeners know

It's easy to tell when someone's not paying attention, but it can be surprisingly tricky to know what good listening looks like. Good listening is one of the most important things we can do to improve our relationships, develop our worldview, and potentially change people's minds. So what can we do to become better listeners? Dig into different ...
https://www.ted.com/talks/ted_ed_4_things_all_great_listeners_know

Guy Winch: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid

We'll go to the doctor when we feel flu-ish or a nagging pain. So why don't we see a health professional when we feel emotional pain: guilt, loss, loneliness? Too many of us deal with common psychological-health issues on our own, says Guy Winch. But we don't have to. He makes a compelling case to practice emotional hygiene — taking care of our ...
https://www.ted.com/talks/guy_winch_why_we_all_need_to_practice_emotional_first_aid

Michael Shermer: The pattern behind self-deception

Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.
https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shermer_the_pattern_behind_self_deception

Ryan Martin: Why we get mad -- and why it's healthy

Anger researcher Ryan Martin draws from a career studying what makes people mad to explain some of the cognitive processes behind anger -- and why a healthy dose of it can actually be useful. "Your anger exists in you ... because it offered your ancestors, both human and nonhuman, an evolutionary advantage," he says. "[It's] a powerful and healt...
https://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_martin_why_we_get_mad_and_why_it_s_healthy
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