When it comes to theories about behavior change if it seems too good to be true it probably is. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the popular “Nudge” theory and why it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

There is playoff fever around the country and things are particularly hot here in Texas. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the psychology of why playoffs are so engaging.

Studies of charisma suggest that there are two key dimensions of a charismatic person that researchers have called “affability” and “influence.” Affability reflects how likable someone is and influence relates to people’s leadership ability and likelihood of motivating others to do something. We know not everyone possesses such traits but what is less obvious is that […]

Some new research suggests that there is a lot more we consider when deciding to tell a fib or not. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about what’s on “the lying brain” and why it matters.

A midlife crisis is a time of transition when we might question what we’ve accomplished, done, or not done, and ask things like the Talking Heads do of our “Once in a Lifetime.” But what is a midlife crisis psychologically? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and […]

The way we respond to deadlines varies quite a bit. Some people fall apart when they’re up against a deadline while for others deadlines help them focus, and then there are those for whom deadlines don’t seem to matter at all. So, as with most things in science, the answer to the question about if […]

Feeling a bit nervous before an exam is normal and sometimes can even help to focus your attention. But as Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  test anxiety, can interfere with your test-taking performance, and hence not really demonstrate your aptitude for […]

When it comes to taking tests, like college prep tests for example, why does how fast you complete the test matter? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about why speed matters when taking tests, but also why it’s not the best way to […]

Recognition is important, but it can be a double-edged sword if it’s not thoughtful and honest. In fact, it might often be counterproductive when trying to cultivate self-motivation. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.

Recognition is a big deal. When we are not recognized for the things we do that are important to us we can feel invisible. However, there are many elements to recognition that we might not, well, recognize. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk […]

We have so many wonderful apps and gadgets that help us stay on track with our lives and goals so why would anyone still use a piece of paper and pen to make a list? It turns out there is a lot more to list-making than meets the eye. In this edition of Two Guys […]

In psychology, the “Dark Triad” refers to narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. How do we identify those who are “high in the Dark Triad” and why is it important? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the Dark Triad.

We might feel like we’ve been duped when we believe a lie someone has told us, and we may want to crawl into a hole when we share “fake news” on Facebook. But in actuality, we have evolved to trust vs. to question, which is why our tendency toward credulity is easily taken advantage of. […]

Making judgments based on merit is a common practice in our society, but how do we determine what counts when it comes to merit, and is it the best way to judge skills and ability? In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy ask if there […]

Why don’t we lie to get what we want? We may think that if we are in a situation where we need something we don’t have we would do almost anything to get it, including lying, but as Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about in this episode of  Two Guys on […]

Self-Determination Theory suggests that there are three fundamental psychological needs humans have in order to thrive: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. But what do those things mean in terms of our day-to-day lives? In the third and final installment of our Two Guys on Your Head series on Self-Determination, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy […]

Self-Determination Theory suggests that there are three fundamental psychological needs humans have in order to thrive: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. But what do those things mean in terms of our day-to-day lives? In part II of our Two Guys on Your Head series on Self-Determination, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy discuss competence.

Some people may feel constrained, unmotivated, or alienated, while others are curious, and feel vital and self-motivated. It turns out that these differences are not just biological but have a lot to do with social context. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy discuss Autonomy; part […]

When it comes to assessing risk and preventing calamity, as humans, we’re not so great. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, we talk about why it’s important to structure our environment in a way that protects us from ourselves.

In part one of our exploration of values-alignment interventions Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke of Two Guys on Your Head discussed a recent study by Dr. David Yeager, Dr. Cintia Hinojosa,  and Dr. Christopher Bryan that demonstrates how interventions that attach certain behaviors to already existing values held by participants can be very […]

Changing behavior and forming new habits can be difficult, however as Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head a recent study by Dr. David Yeager, Dr. Cintia Hinojosa,  and Dr. Christopher Bryan demonstrates how interventions that attach certain behaviors to already existing values held […]

We may think that we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, etc. but it turns out to be much more complicated. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore sense and perception.

New research suggests that the link between money and happiness could be more cohesive than previously thought. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore how more money can make you happier.

It takes a lot of confidence and humility to admit when we’re wrong, and that is especially true when it comes to science. So in the edition of  Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and  Rebecca McInroy are taking a moment to highlight one “Adversarial Collaboration” that could change the way […]

Laughter may be the best medician, but do we really understand why? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head  Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore the psychology of laughter.