In this episode of the Psychology Life Lessons podcast, Dan interviews journalist Gabe Bullard about his book "Against Convenience." They discuss the hidden costs of technologies that claim to make life easier and the difference between true and false conveniences. The conversation highlights how reliance on convenience can lead to isolation and boredom, while also offering insights on reintroducing meaningful friction in life.

The Art and Science of Helping: Developing Fundamental Skills in a Multicultural Age introduces the fundamentals of practicing helping-skills to undergraduates, graduates, and those preparing for entr...

In this episode of Psychology Life Lessons, Dan talks with distinguished professor and Brewer Award winner Eric Landrum about teaching, career development, and what sustains a life in academia. Eric shares how his approach to teaching evolved over more than 3 decades—including why he stopped giving tests—and reflects on the challenges psychology majors face when planning for life after graduation. They also discuss his podcast Psych Sessions, the role of improv in the classroom, and what Eric has learned about balancing professional ambition with personal well-being.

Advances in artificial intelligence offer an enticing solution to a global problem: perhaps interacting with large language models (LLMs) can help all…

Search Illinois State job listings and apply for open positions that match your skills and career goals.

Is the RADLab a good fit for my career goals? Our lab is very research oriented. Our primary goal is to train doctoral students to make outstanding, substantive, and meaningful contributions to the sc...

In this episode of Psychology Life Lessons, Dan talks with existential therapist and author Emmy van Deurzen about what it means to live authentically in the face of life’s challenges. Emmy reflects on her journey from the Netherlands to France and eventually the UK, where she became a leading voice in existential therapy and education. She shares how philosophy and psychology can work together to help us navigate freedom, responsibility, and the anxieties that come with uncertainty. Together, they explore why anxiety can be seen as a sign of possibility and what it takes to embrace life’s paradoxes with passion. Emmy’s insights blend decades of clinical work, philosophical reflection, and cultural critique, offering a fresh perspective on human resilience and authenticity.

In this episode of Psychology Life Lessons, Dr. Dan Lannin talks with author Elizabeth Weingarten about how to navigate life’s most uncertain moments. Drawing from her new book How to Fall in Love with Questions, Weingarten explores how big, unanswerable questions about purpose, relationships, and identity can be sources of growth rather than anxiety. She discusses how binary questions and societal “charlatans of certainty” can trap us into seeking fast answers instead of meaningful clarity. Through science, storytelling, and personal reflection, she shares tools for developing a “questions practice” to live more intentionally and patiently. Together, they unpack the cultural roots of impatience, the influence of identity and power on question-asking, and how cultivating courage can help us thrive in the unknown. It’s a powerful reminder that the right questions—not quick answers—can often be a the liberating force we need.

In this episode of Psychology Life Lessons, Dr. Steven Heine joins Dr. Dan Lannin to explore the psychology of meaning in an increasingly fragmented world. Drawing on decades of work in cultural an…

An interactive exploration of the US national debt, scaled down to comprehensible numbers to help understand the true scale of government finances.

Background The validity of unmonitored online exams has raised concerns about academic integrity and grade inflation, especially given the rise of artificial in...

In this episode of "Psychology Life Lessons," Dr. Yi Du takes over hosting duties to interview Dr. Dan Lannin about their co-authored book, "The Art and Science of Helping." After introducing Dr. Lannin's background in psychology, research, and helping behavior, they discuss how effective helping requires both artistic creativity and scientific evidence. Dr. Lannin shares the powerful "help maze" metaphor from his camp counselor days, where blindfolded children walking in circles could only exit by raising their hand for help—illustrating how seeking assistance is often the crucial first step toward healing. They explore how self-stigma creates additional suffering and prevents help-seeking, while previous negative experiences with vulnerability can further discourage people from reaching out. Both psychologists note a societal "empathy shortage," attributing it partly to our culture of convenience and immediate gratification. Throughout their conversation, they emphasize that becoming an effective helper requires self-knowledge and intentional practice, while highlighting human resilience symbolized by their book's cover image of a flower growing through concrete.

Athletes who excel under pressure rely on both robust psychological traits and specific cognitive-behavioral techniques.

Chatbots posing as therapists may encourage users to commit harmful acts, the nation’s largest psychological organization warned federal regulators.