Connection, with Alison Crowther

10/05/21 • 39 min

Being alive can be a lonely business, as can trying to do something about climate change. But how important to our brains is connecting with others? And in our individualised world, might we be hugely undervaluing the importance of interpersonal connection in helping society take meaningful and effective action on climate change?
Joining Dave this week is coach, facilitator, and expert in the growing field of positive psychology, Alison Crowther. Alison works to encourage deeper connection and collaboration with others, learning from science and nature to form more resilient systems – be they at work or in the community.
Extra reading as highlighted by the owl noises:
-- 04:16: TED talk with Martin Selignan on positive psychology
-- 12:17: CLANG of wellbeing (connect, learn, be active, notice and give), courtesy of MIND
-- 18:16: The story of Rachel Carson and Silent Spring, from NRDC
-- 31:51: What is Eudaimonia?
Your Brain on Climate is a podcast about human psychology vs the climate crisis: what we think, why we think it, and how it all adds up to a planet-sized emergency. Contact the show: @brainclimate on Twitter, or [email protected].
The show is hosted by Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Twitter. All music throughout the show and audio production is by Dave, because he's far too much of a control freak to let anyone else loose on it.
Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.

Recharge with David Ko
Recharge with David Ko is a 5-part limited podcast series premiering in May to...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Recharge with David Ko
Recharge with David Ko is a 5-part limited podcast series premiering in May to...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Previous Episode

Conflict, with Ian Leslie

Ever found yourself yelling at someone you love and thinking: hang on, what are we even fighting about? Or embroiled in a blood-pressure-raising ding-dong with a climate denier, which only succeeds in making you both hate each other even more than you did to start with?
Conflict: some of us find it easy, and some of us (like Dave) very difficult. It has its own momentum and its own rules. What is for sure is there's good and bad ways of doing it. So what is the best way to ensure human brains meet each other for an amicable cuppa, not a plate-smashing flare-up? And is it even worth arguing with someone who thinks climate change is a made up plot? (spoiler: yes)
Joining Dave this week is author, podcast host and writer Ian Leslie. Ian's the author of the brilliant book Conflicted (amongst others) which digs into the psychology of conflict, and how to learn to do it wisely and productively. You can follow him on Twitter @mrianleslie.
No bonus owl noises in this one!
Your Brain on Climate is a podcast about human psychology vs the climate crisis: what we think, why we think it, and how it all adds up to a planet-sized emergency. Contact the show: @brainclimate on Twitter, or [email protected].
The show is hosted by Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Twitter. All music throughout the show and audio production is by Dave, because he's far too much of a control freak to let anyone else loose on it.
Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.

Recharge with David Ko
Recharge with David Ko is a 5-part limited podcast series premiering in May to...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Next Episode

Pluralistic Ignorance, with Deborah Prentice

An episode all about one of the weirdest but most important of all human brain-oddnesses: pluralistic ignorance. When you think something and lots of other people also think that thing but none of you think anyone else agrees with you, so nothing changes. Got that?
Dave is joined by Professor Deborah Prentice from Princeton University to get his noggin around this deeply human trait. On the menu: just how common is it that we think we’re alone in an idea when we’re not? Is pluralistic ignorance to blame for imposter syndrome? And should climate campaigners fear or embrace it?
Extra reading as highlighted by the owl noises:
-- 05.07: Deborah's 1993 study into drinking and pluralistic ignorance
-- 18.37: Racial attitudes and pluralistic ignorance (1976 study)
-- 22.01: Nudge theory explainer
Your Brain on Climate is a podcast about human psychology vs the climate crisis: what we think, why we think it, and how it all adds up to a planet-sized emergency. Contact the show: @brainclimate on Twitter, or [email protected].
The show is hosted by Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Twitter. All music throughout the show and audio production is by Dave, because he's far too much of a control freak to let anyone else loose on it.
Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.
YBOC will return in early 2022.