School of Psych | Insightful interviews and stories about psychology, culture, and relationships. - SoP 2 | Why we love being scared: Psychology and the science of fear w/ Margee Kerr, PhD

SoP 2 | Why we love being scared: Psychology and the science of fear w/ Margee Kerr, PhD

01/02/16 • 41 min

School of Psych | Insightful interviews and stories about psychology, culture, and relationships.

For Margee Kerr, PhD, dangling from the ledge of a 1,000 ft. tall tower with nothing but a harness, a carabiner, and an odd set of safety instructions is just another day in the life. Whether it’s hanging out in haunted prisons, trekking the globe to find the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoasters, or contemplating life and death in Japan’s Suicide Forest, Margee investigates the effects of fear on our minds, bodies, and brains. Find out why one Washington Post reporter called Margee’s book Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear “the creepiest book I read this year”.Margee isn’t content just studying the science and psychology of fear, she wants to experience it herself. And on today’s episode, she shares some of her adventures and experiences and what she learned along the way about what scares us and why.Listen to find out about:-How roller coasters, thrill rides, and haunted houses create effective physical thrills and jolts by shaking up your body and your brain.-What makes a place "haunted" and why are old prisons, hospitals, and institutions so creepy?-Is infrasound giving you the chills without you knowing about it?-Can a thrilling experience help us overcome worry and anxious rumination?-What’s the scariest experience of them all?Find out on today’s episode of the School of Psych! For more frightfully good times, subscribe to the podcast and check us out over at SchoolofPsych.com

Previous Episode

SoP 1 | Unrequited Love and Romantic Obsession w/ author Lisa A. Phillips

Lisa A. Phillips knows first-hand how love can make us do some crazy things. The summer she turned 30, she found herself in the throes of romantic obsession with a man who didn’t love her back. From there, Lisa’s personality took a dark turn into becoming someone she didn’t recognize. She would talk about him frequently, call him compulsively, and one day snuck into his apartment building to be met with a moment and a confrontation that changed her life forever.

Lisa talks about her book Unrequited: Women and Romantic Obsession. Through conversations and interviews with dozens of women who had been through similar experiences before, she pulled on her skills and years of experience as a journalist to dig deep into an investigation of the nature of unrequited love, romantic obsession, and stalking. Lisa (lisaaphillips.com) is a journalism professor at SUNY New Paltz and a former radio reporter. Her own story of unrequited love and romantic obsession was featured in the New York Times Modern Love column, and she has contributed stories to NPR, The Boston Globe, Cosmopolitan, and Psychology Today. She’s the recipient of several regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault Media Excellence Award. We’re extremely proud to have her as the very first guest on the School of Psych podcast. Listen to today’s episode to find out more about: -What Lisa learns from her own close encounter with romantic obsession. -How do I know if someone’s crossed the line between courtship and stalking? -How can we get over unrequited love or move forward when someone doesn’t love us back?

-What is the transformational power of unrequited love, and can we use it for positive growth? Find out on today’s episode of the School of Psych! And don’t leave us hanging out all alone, subscribe to the podcast and check us out over at SchoolofPsych.com...we’ve only got eyes for you!

Next Episode

SoP 3 | How to survive your wedding w/ Jocelyn Charnas, PhD

Jocelyn Charnas, PhD is New York’s “Wedding Doctor”, but it hasn’t always been bouquets and bridal gowns for her along the way. Jocelyn shares her journey on how she went from a reluctant bride ready to slap on her sneakers for a quick “I do” at City Hall for her own wedding to counseling couples through the stresses and strains of their big wedding day. Jocelyn runs a private practice in Manhattan and has been interviewed for the New York Times, Elle Magazine, Newsday, and The Knot.com. She’ll also share with us the unique way she earned the title “The Wedding Doctor” from New York Magazine in 2012. Not too worried about wedding stress? No problem, because this episode is about so much more than how to overcome stress for your wedding day. In today’s episode we’ll learn about: -How societal and cultural messages create pressures for wedding ceremonies that are bigger, better, and more lavish than ever. -One big secret that brides and grooms just aren’t talking about.

-The peril and the pressure of big expectations for your big wedding day. -How to let go of perfection and embrace each other.

You are cordially invited to join us for a very special celebration of love, life, and marital happiness on today’s episode of the School of Psych podcast! After the ceremony, make sure to subscribe to the podcast and sign up for our newsletter at SchoolofPsych.com to keep this party rolling!