This week Scott is joined by best-selling author and former dating coach Mark Manson about what women really want in a man. In addition to writing multiple bestselling books such as “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” and “Everything is Fucked”, Mark put a lot of his insights into dating and seduction in his 2011 book “Models: Attract Women through Honesty”. In this episode Scott and Mark discuss whether nice guys really finish last and the importance of authenticity in attracting a mate. From dating to seduction and more, Scott and Mark cover it all.

For this special 10th anniversary episode of The Psychology Podcast, Scott draws on science to answer the age-old question: Do nice guys really finish last? First, Scott pinpoints exactly what women mean when they use terms such as “bad boy” and “nice guy.” Then he discusses the psychology of individuals who are primarily driven by selfish desires, and how they go about obtaining their mating goals. Then, Scott looks at what women actually want, including what some women want, and what some women want some of the time. Finally, Scott presents what he thinks are the most reasonable conclusions based on all of the current evidence and he offers advice for nice guys, women, and bad boys.

This week Scott is joined by author and professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Kurt Gray. Scott and Dr. Gray discuss why Americans seem so divided at this point in time, the psychology of self-righteous indignation, how we all share harm-based moral minds, and what we can do to find common ground.

This week Scott is joined by Jodi Wellman. Jodi is an author, executive coach, and expert on resiliency. Scott and Jodi discuss living well with no regrets, and learning to embrace the bright side of your limited time on Earth. 

This week Scott is joined by author, speaker and therapist, Israa Nasir. Scott and Israa discuss toxic productivity, the connection between productivity and self-worth, and how to transform shame into curiosity.

This week Scott is joined by author and professor of leadership at the Columbia Business School, Dr. Michael Morris. Scott and Dr. Morris discuss the upsides of tribalism— from uniting different tribes to practical implications for workplace inclusion to how tribal psychology may be our best hope for social change. 

In this solo episode of The Human Potential Lab, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman shines a light in the intersection of personality, well-being, and creativity. After describing each of the major personality traits on offer among humans, he then discusses how personality is related to creative achievement and which traits are related to which forms of well-being. He concludes with a hopeful message about the important of accepting your traits.

This week Scott is joined by “The World’s Greatest Mind Reader”, Banachek. Scott and Banachek discuss criticisms of self-described psychics, the link between psychology and magic, and Banachek’s successful attempts to fool professional paranormal psychologists. 

This week Scott is joined by activist, podcaster and author, Wallo 267. Scott and Wallo discuss Wallo’s early life of crime and incarceration, what he did after his release to change his path in life for the better, his impact on the youth and hip hop community, and his mission to show the world that there are no straight lines to healing. 

This week Scott has a chat with clinical psychologist Michael Alcee, where they have a humanistic discussion about obsessive compulsive disorder. Michael is critical of the standard medical model of OCD and points out the upsides of OCD. He argues that people with OCD have a unique temperament, which includes heightened existential sensitivity and a richer imagination. While people with OCD certainly have their struggles, and tend to be obsessed about causing harm or receiving harm, Michael also points us to all the ways that OCD have historically been channeled into some of the greatest works of art and literature, and how everyone with OCD can have a healthier relationship with their OCD.

This week, Scott is joined by The Cosmic Romantics— the husband and wife magic team consisting of Eric Thirsting and Elizabeth Messick! Scott talks to the couple about balancing a romantic and professional relationship, Elizabeth’s own struggles with mental health, and the different kind of magic archetypes. They even do magic for each other!

This week Scott is joined by author and professor of psychology at Stanford University, Dr. Jamil Zaki. Scott and Dr. Zaki discuss tribal cynicism, how hopeful skepticism is different from naive optimism, and the importance of countering “social shark attacks”.