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Pre-Occupied

Pre-Occupied

By Pre-Occupied

Zenon and Maddy, two hopelessly lost psychology majors, take listeners on a tour of the many fields of psychology through landmark experiments, pop culture, and interviews with experts in their fields. Whether you're curious about psychology as a career or just want to learn something new about the study of the mind, Pre-Occupied investigates the many disciplines of psych in an accessible, laid-back, and thought-provoking way. And maybe somewhere along the way, Maddy and Zenon will figure out what to do with their degrees!
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019 - Research Review: Hurricane Humor and Babies' Morality

Pre-OccupiedJan 21, 2021

00:00
24:29
016 - Romantic Racism and Racial Identity with Sai Auelua-Toomey

016 - Romantic Racism and Racial Identity with Sai Auelua-Toomey

Maddy and Zenon talk to Sai Auelua-Toomey, a down-to-earth and deeply knowledgeable doctoral student at Stanford University. Sai gives us first-hand insight into his discoveries about romantic racism. We also discuss the role of identity in academia and research, Sai's cross-cultural research experiences, and the future of diversity on college campuses.
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Jul 13, 202301:23:06
021 - Entrepreneurship with Dr. Kizzy Parks

021 - Entrepreneurship with Dr. Kizzy Parks

Our intrepid hosts venture out of academia and into business to learn from Dr. Kizzy Parks, founder and CEO of several successful businesses and Ph.D. industrial organizational psychologist. Listeners will enjoy Dr. Parks's exciting life journey, inspiring perspective on life, and practical advice for anyone who wants to make a living by starting a business.

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Aug 25, 202101:00:51
020 - Primate Psychology with Dr. Francine Dolins

020 - Primate Psychology with Dr. Francine Dolins

In this episode, Maddy and Zenon interview Dr. Francine Dolins, a professor of comparative psychology at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Dr. Dolins shared experiences with us that ranged from pursuing an education in England to following lemurs through the jungles of Madagascar. We also discuss how Dr. Dolins's research on spatial cognition can relate to humans with spatial reasoning impairments. In our introduction, we discuss how cognition depends on our bodies, the various primate species that Dr. Dolins works with, and more! 

Embodied cognition article: https://bit.ly/3e1K3GS
Developmental topographical disorientation article: https://bit.ly/3nybJ9i

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May 05, 202101:08:42
000: Introduction
Mar 20, 202107:21
019 - Research Review: Hurricane Humor and Babies' Morality
Jan 21, 202124:29
018 - Acting White and Racial Justice with Dr. Myles Durkee

018 - Acting White and Racial Justice with Dr. Myles Durkee

In Episode 18, Zenon and Maddy interview Dr. Myles Durkee, a warm, insightful professor at the University of Michigan and expert on the psychology of racial identity. Dr. Durkee shares his findings from his studies about "acting White" – what it looks like, why it happens, and its consequences. We also talk about what a more equitable field of psychology would look like and the role of psychology in social justice. Qualitative methods, structures of the peer-review process, and historical cases addressing racial inequality are also discussed.

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Oct 03, 202001:05:53
017 - Industrial Organizational Psychology with Dr. Marie Waung

017 - Industrial Organizational Psychology with Dr. Marie Waung

Dr. Marie Waung, an engaging, funny, and deeply knowledgeable professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, returns to the show to share her experiences in I/O scholarship and academia. We discuss personality in the workplace, the science of resume building, balancing an academic career, and loving what you do. The Holland Code Assessment and a brief history of I/O psychology are also discussed.

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Sep 09, 202049:17
015 - The Coronavirus Special!
May 28, 202032:01
014: School Psychology with Mrs. Krista Siefert

014: School Psychology with Mrs. Krista Siefert

Zenon and Maddy talk to Mrs. Krista Siefert, a school psychologist with Farmington Public Schools. We discuss special education, the diagnosis of ADHD, and violence prevention on the individual and district-wide level. We also discuss how school psychologists advocate for evidence-based change in a wider context.
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May 22, 202001:02:43
013 - Child Psychology with Dr. Sarah Tannenbaum

013 - Child Psychology with Dr. Sarah Tannenbaum

Maddy and Zenon talk to Dr. Sarah Tannenbaum of Harvard Medical School-affiliated Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Tannenbaum gives us keen insight into the world of a child mental health expert. We talk about the doctoral journey, finding your drive, and what it means to be an advocate for mental health. We also discuss a few of the evidence-based practices used to treat children with mental illness at Judge Baker.

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May 06, 202044:24
12 - Aging & Cognitive Neuroscience with Dr. Thad Polk

12 - Aging & Cognitive Neuroscience with Dr. Thad Polk

Zenon and Maddy are back in Ann Arbor talking to Dr. Thad Polk, a cognitive neuroscientist and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan. His interdisciplinary research combines tactics from neuroimaging and computational modeling to better understand cognitive architecture. Dr. Polk and his team use innovative methods in cognitive neuroscience to create detailed, holistic mental maps to capture the complexity of one’s neural structures. We also discuss aging, technology, and the mysterious process of IRB approval. Dr. Polk’s stories (and North Carolinian twang) will leave you hanging on every word!

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Mar 04, 202051:16
011: Assessment & Attachment with Dr. Laura Richardson

011: Assessment & Attachment with Dr. Laura Richardson

Maddy and Zenon interview Dr. Laura Richardson of Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Richardson is an authentic, compassionate, and deeply insightful outpatient therapist. In this interview, we discuss the evolution of patient-therapist relationships, elaborate on the applications of attachment theory, and think critically about the importance of our connections with others.

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Nov 20, 201901:04:08
010: Earning a PhD with Scott Greenspan

010: Earning a PhD with Scott Greenspan

Maddy and Zenon talk to Scott Greenspan, a candidate in the University of Massachusetts-Amherst's PhD program in School Psychology and doctoral intern at Harvard Medical School-Affiliate Judge Baker Children's Center. Scott reveals what it's like to be a doctoral student balancing research, employment, self-care, and his personal life. We also discuss the intersection of physical exercise, LBTQ+ issues, and implementation of research in education.

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Oct 16, 201901:02:26
009: Projective Tests with Dr. Michelle Stein

009: Projective Tests with Dr. Michelle Stein

We got the opportunity to talk with Dr. Michelle Stein of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, a practicing psychologist and professor of psychiatry. The interview focused on what it's like to work as a psychologist in a hospital setting, her work on the SCORS-G, and the use of projective tests in clinical assessment. 

Here is the SCORS-G manual from which we read the TAT interpretations.

If you're curious, here's card 1 of the TAT, which we discuss in the episode.

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Oct 02, 201950:30
008: Psychological Defenses with Dr. John Porcerelli

008: Psychological Defenses with Dr. John Porcerelli

Maddy, Zenon, and Dr. John Porcerelli discuss defense mechanisms—what they look like, how we use them, and why we use them. Dr. Porcerelli is an engaging, sharp, and incredibly knowledgeable professor of psychology at The University of Detroit Mercy, where he directs the psychology clinic. He shares his winding path from apathetic high school student to pro boxer to accomplished researcher, professor, and therapist! He enlightens us about the integral role of defense mechanisms in clinical treatment and in our everyday lives.

In the interview, Dr. Porcerelli mentions this 1894 paper in which Freud introduces the idea of defenses, titled The Neuropsychoses of Defense. In our discussion, we talk about some of the many defense mechanisms that people employ to handle emotional stressors. This PDF, a 7-page excerpt from the DSM-IV, contains the Defense Mechanism Rating Scale and list of 33 defenses that Dr. Porcerelli mentions during the interview. You can find all of Dr. Porcerelli's research on defenses at his ResearchGate page.

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Aug 25, 201958:56
007: Social & Clinical Psychology with Dr. Jim Sexton

007: Social & Clinical Psychology with Dr. Jim Sexton

We got to interview Dr. Jim Sexton, who holds Ph.D.s in Clinical and Social Psychology. He's currently a professor at George Washington University's Psy.D. program and a practicing clinician. His answers lent insight into a wide range of topics within the fields of both his Ph.D.s, such as building rapport with clients, identifying subconscious biases in oneself as a clinician, and the hidden history of social psychology. 

In our intro, we talked about mirror neurons. Here's a video of Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti, one of the researchers who discovered the function of these neurons, talking about that discovery and how it came about. Here's an interesting TED Talk from Dr. Amy Cuddy about what body language we use to express feelings of power and how that can affect ourselves and those around us.

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Aug 25, 201949:18
006: Part 2 of Clinical Psychology with Ms. Andrea Broadwater

006: Part 2 of Clinical Psychology with Ms. Andrea Broadwater

This is the second half of our interview with Ms. Andrea Broadwater, a therapist from Ann Arbor, Michigan with experience in clinical research, crisis care, and independent practice. In this episode, Ms. Broadwater talks about setting boundaries in therapy, giving back, tele-mental health, and the future of therapy.

In the discussion, we talk about transference and countertransference, the subtle differences between "patient" and "client," and our own thoughts on teletherapy. After sifting through several YouTube videos, we determined that this one is the best explanation of transference and countertransference on the Internet. Enjoy the episode!

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Aug 25, 201950:43
005: Part 1 of Clinical Psychology with Ms. Andrea Broadwater

005: Part 1 of Clinical Psychology with Ms. Andrea Broadwater

This is the first half of our interview with Ms. Andrea Broadwater, a therapist from Ann Arbor, Michigan with experience in clinical research, crisis care, and independent practice. In this episode, Ms. Broadwater talks about her background, her current clinical work, self-care, and her theoretical orientation. 

In our discussion, we talk about what therapy is, how change occurs in therapy, different theoretical models, and the research of two psychologists that Ms. Broadwater mentions during the interview. The definition of therapy we use comes from this book by Dr. Jerome Frank. Our discussion of behavioral change in therapy is based on this article by Dr. James Prochaska and Dr. Carlo DiClemente, with some added insight from a certain professor and some other online resources. If you want to learn more about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or other theoretical orientations, check out this module from the Noba Project.

If you want to learn more about the research of Kristen Neff and Brené Brown, check out these resources:
Kristen Neff's research
Self-compassion exercises from Kristen Neff's website
An infographic summarizing Kristen Neff's research on self-compassion
Brené Brown's website
Brené Brown's TED Talk: The Power of Vulnerability

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Aug 25, 201952:07
004: Neuromarketing with Dr. Caleb Siefert

004: Neuromarketing with Dr. Caleb Siefert

We talked with Dr. Caleb Siefert, a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, personality researcher, practicing clinician, and former neuromarketing consultant. We got to ask him about the life of a consulting psychologist, how psychology informs marketing, and how his current roles as a professor, researcher, and clinician inform and benefit each other. 

In our discussion, we gave a basic overview of persuasion theory and discussed some cool research. This article explains the studies on credit card logos as subliminal cues. The original articles can be found here and here. Here's the article about the halo effect. If you want to learn more about persuasion, check out this module from the Noba Project.

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Jul 09, 201901:01:19
003: Attention & Cognitive Psychology with Dr. Daniel Weissman

003: Attention & Cognitive Psychology with Dr. Daniel Weissman

We got to talk to Dr. Daniel Weissman of the University of Michigan about a wide variety of topics, including choosing a career path, research with dolphins, computational modeling, and much more. We also got to hear about Dr. Weissman's own research on attention and the methods he uses to measure attention. 

If you want to learn more about attention, check out this module from the Noba Project. It does a great job of explaining the theory that attention research is based on, and most of the research we discussed in this episode can be found there. 

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Jul 05, 201953:01
Live at the University of Michigan-Dearborn!

Live at the University of Michigan-Dearborn!

As students at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, we got to talk to four different professors about what they do and how their fields relate to each other. Here's who all we talked to:

Dr. Marie Waung is an industrial-organizational psychologist. Her current research involves developing the capability of autonomous shuttles to interpret human behavior and the psychological effects of the employer-employee relationship in business.

Dr. Robert Hymes is a social personality psychologist. He studies the cognitive processes behind stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination on the individual level. 

Dr. Caleb Siefert is a clinical psychologist. His research focuses on personality traits and how they influence emotion, cognition, & functioning.

Dr. Paul Draus is a sociologist! He conducts his research in communities in and around Detroit to study power imbalances between social groups and seek social justice.

Also, Dr. Draus mentioned a fascinating study of racial discrimination in hiring practices. You can find the full article here.

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Jun 02, 201955:13
002: Personality and Social Psychology with Dr. Robin Edelstein

002: Personality and Social Psychology with Dr. Robin Edelstein

We talked to Dr. Robin Edelstein of the University of Michigan. She researches how personality influences peoples' interpersonal relationships. She's also a member of division 8 of the APA, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. We also talked about personality tests, attachment styles, and other related topics. 

If you want to learn more about personality psychology, this YouTube playlist covers the basics of personality theory.

The silly personality tests we took and many others can be found here, on BuzzFeed.

Here is a link to the Big Five, the most highly regarded personality inventory available today. Here's the real MBTI, which costs $50. We used 16 Personalities, but the Open Extended Jungian Type Scales is 100% free and even more accurate. 

Open Psychometrics has lots of other fun, free, and well-researched personality inventories, like the Dark Triad and the Fisher Temperament Inventory. Check them out with a friend! It's loads of fun.

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May 23, 201901:00:07
001: General Psychology with Dr. Marie Waung

001: General Psychology with Dr. Marie Waung

We spoke with Dr. Marie Waung, an industrial-organizational psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, about the field of psychology in general and the skills one can acquire by studying psychology. Maddy & Zenon also talked about the history of psychology, research on career anxiety, and some basic terms & concepts to prepare listeners for the interview.

Some of the skills Dr. Waung discussed include:

  • Critical thinking & analytical skills
  • Evaluation of information
  • Writing & speaking skills
  • Research methods and statistics
  • Computer skills, especially with statistical software
  • Interpersonal skills; working with others, integrating diverse perspectives

Dr. Waung mentioned the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a resource published by the federal government that looks at outcomes and predictions for many different careers.

We'd also like to recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about different careers in which knowledge of psychology can be useful!

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Credits
Music: Aaron Mealey
Graphics: Colin Mealey

Apr 25, 201945:14