No Stupid Questions

How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them?

• SOURCES:
  • Max Bazerman, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
  • Deepak Malhotra, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
  • Elon Musk, owner and C.T.O. of X Corp (formerly Twitter), C.E.O. of Space X, and C.E.O. of Tesla.
  • John Krasinski, actor and filmmaker.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Try to Rehire Some of Its Laid-Off Staff, and That Some of the People He Fired 'Shouldn't Have Been' Cut," by Pete Syme (Business Insider, 2023).
  • "Read the Midnight Email Elon Musk Sent Twitter Staff Telling Them to Work 'Long Hours at High Intensity' – or Quit," by Jyoti Mann (Business Insider, 2022).
  • "When to Use Ultimatums & When to Avoid Them," by Deepak Malhotra (Negotiation Insights Video Series, 2020).
  • "'Take It or Leave It!' A Choice Mindset Leads to Greater Persistence and Better Outcomes in Negotiations," by Anyi Ma, Yu Yang, and Krishna Savani (Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2019).
  • "John Krasinski Was Ready To Quit Acting Before 'The Office'," by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2018).
  • "Models of the Evolution of Fairness in the Ultimatum Game: A Review and Classification," by Stéphane Debove, Nicolas Baumard, and Jean-Baptiste André (Evolution and Human Behavior, 2016).
  • "15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer," by Deepak Malhotra (Harvard Business Review, 2014).
  • Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond, by Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazerman (2007).
  • "Fairness Versus Reason in the Ultimatum Game," by Martin A. Nowak, Karen M. Page, and Karl Sigmund (Science, 2000).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Get Your Share of the Pie," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).
  • Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber (1996).

Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was Angela the most annoying person in her college classes?

• SOURCES:
  • Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto.
  • Ed Diener, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois.
  • Michael Easter, author.
  • Alex Hutchinson, journalist.
  • Shigehiro Oishi, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
  • Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter.

• RESOURCES:
  • "World Happiness Report," (Gallup, 2024).
  • "How Painful Should Your Workout Be?" by Alex Hutchinson (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "Taylor Swift’s NYU Commencement Speech: Read the Full Transcript," by Hannah Dailey (Billboard, 2022).
  • The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self, by Michael Easter (2021).
  • The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning, by Paul Bloom (2021).
  • "Residents of Poor Nations Have a Greater Sense of Meaning in Life Than Residents of Wealthy Nations," by Shigehiro Oishi and Ed Diener (Psychological Science, 2014).
  • "Confusion Can Be Beneficial for Learning," by Sidney D’Mello, Blair Lehman, Reinhard Pekrun, and Art Graesser (Learning and Instruction, 2014).
  • "Stranger Situations: Examining a Self-Regulatory Model of Socially Awkward Encounters," by Joshua Clegg (Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize about during ninth-grade English class?

• SOURCES:
  • Patrick Bet-David, YouTuber and founding C.E.O. of PHP Agency Inc.
  • Barbara Corcoran, "Shark" and executive producer on ABC’s Shark Tank and founder of The Corcoran Group.
  • Peter Gollwitzer, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Danny Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology at Princeton University.
  • Robert Nozick, philosopher.
  • Gabriele Oettingen, professor of psychology at New York University.
  • Kim Scott, co-founder of Radical Candor and prominent C.E.O. coach in Silicon Valley.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Dreamscrolling," by Empower (The Currency, 2024).
  • "Most Americans Can’t Afford a $1,000 Emergency: Survey," by Travis Schlepp (The Hill, 2024).
  • "Positive Fantasies and Negative Emotions in Soccer Fans," by A. Timur Sevincer, Greta Wagner, and Gabriele Oettingen (Cognition and Emotion, 2019).
  • Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, by Kim Scott (2017).
  • "Pleasure Now, Pain Later: Positive Fantasies About the Future Predict Symptoms of Depression," by Gabriele Oettingen, Doris Mayer, and Sam Portnow (Psychological Science, 2016).
  • "Positive Fantasies About Idealized Futures Sap Energy," by Heather Barry Kappes and Gabriele Oettingen (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "Self-Regulation of Goal Setting: Turning Free Fantasies About the Future Into Binding Goals," by Gabriele Oettingen, Hyeon-ju Pak, and Karoline Schnetter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001).
  • "Intuitive Prediction: Biases and Corrective Procedures," by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (DARPA Technical Report, 1977).
  • Anarchy, State, and Utopia, by Robert Nozick (1974).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Can You Really 'Manifest' Success Through Positive Visualization?" by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person? And why doesn’t Hallmark sell empathy cards?

• SOURCES:
  • Daniel Batson, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kansas.
  • Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at University of Toronto.
  • Paul Polman, businessman, author, and former C.E.O. of Unilever.

• RESOURCES:
  • “Empathy, Sympathy, and Emotion Regulation: A Meta-Analytic Review,” by H. Melis Yavuz, Tyler Colasante, Emma Galarneau, and Tina Malti (Psychological Bulletin, 2024).
  • “Have Some Sympathy,” by Pamela Paul (The New York Times, 2023).
  • “What is Club 33? Inside Disney’s Most Exclusive Club,” by Evelyn Long (Walt Disney World Magazine, 2022).
  • “The Case Against Empathy,” by Sean Illing (Vox, 2019).
  • Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion, by Paul Bloom (2016).
  • “Beautiful friendship: Social sharing of emotions improves subjective feelings and activates the neural reward circuitry,” by Ullrich Wagner, Lisa Galli, Björn H. Schott, Andrew Wold, Job van der Schalk, Antony S. R. Manstead, Klaus Scherer, and Henrik Walter (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2015).
  • Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil, by Paul Bloom (2013).
  • The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery (2006).
  • “Immorality from Empathy-Induced Altruism: When Compassion and Justice Conflict,” by Daniel Batson, Tricia Klein, Lori Highberger, and Laura Shaw (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1995).
  • “The Four Horsemen: Contempt,” by Ellie Lisitsa (The Gottman Institute).

• EXTRAS:
  • “Is Empathy in Fact Immoral?” by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • Parasite, film (2019).
  • King James Bible, Job 2:1-13.
  • The Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18:9.

Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you?

• SOURCES:
  • Fredrik Backman, author.
  • David Chavis, senior fellow at Community Science.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Sebastian Junger, journalist and author.
  • David McMillan, clinical and community psychologist.
  • Priya Parker, strategic advisor and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do Conversations End When People Want Them to?" by Adam M. Mastroianni, Daniel Gilbert, Gus Cooney, and Timothy D. Wilson (PNAS, 2021).
  • "3 Steps to Turn Everyday Get-Togethers Into Transformative Gatherings," by Priya Parker (TED Talk, 2019).
  • The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker (2018).
  • Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger (2016).
  • Beartown, by Fredrik Backman (2016).
  • “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love,” by Daniel Jones (The New York Times, 2015).
  • A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (2012).
  • "Sense of Community: A Definition and Theory," by David McMillan and David Chavis (Journal of Community Psychology, 1986).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Can You Get Closer to the People You Care About?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • A Man Called Otto, film (2022).

What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common?

• SOURCES:
  • Annette Asp, project manager and research coordinator at the California Institute of Technology.
  • Lalin Anik, professor of marketing at Vrije University Amsterdam.
  • Marc Bain, journalist.
  • Judy Blume, young adult author.
  • Colin Camerer, professor of behavioral economics at the California Institute of Technology.
  • James Dean, 20th-century American actor.
  • Ryan Hauser, Ph.D. candidate at the Yale School of Management.
  • Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player.
  • Johnny Miles, senior value manager at Workday.
  • Steven Quartz, professor of philosophy at the California Institute of Technology.
  • David Skinner, editor of Humanities magazine.
  • Lindsey Vonn, Olympic alpine skier.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Do You Think You're Cool?" poll by YouGov (2024).
  • "What Cool Means Now," by Marc Bain (Quartz, 2020).
  • "The History of Michael Jordan's 'Banned' Sneakers," (Complex, 2020).
  • "Brand Coolness," by Caleb Warren, Rajeev Batra, Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, and Richard P. Bagozzi (Journal of Marketing, 2019).
  • "How to be Cool," by Johnny Miles (UVA Darden Ideas to Action, 2017).
  • Cool: How the Brain’s Hidden Quest for Cool Drives Our Economy and Shapes Our World, by Steven Quartz and Anette Asp (2015).
  • "How Capitalism Created 'Cool,'" by Bourree Lam (The Atlantic, 2015).
  • "How Did Cool Become Such a Big Deal?" by David Skinner (Humanities, 2014).

• EXTRA:
  • "Are We Getting Lonelier?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time?

• SOURCES:
  • Laura Wheatman Hill, journalist.
  • George Lin, Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Melinda Wenner Moyer, journalist and author.
  • Luciano Pavarotti, Italian operatic tenor.
  • Amy Stoeber, clinical psychologist.
  • Jacqueline Woolley, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Parenting by Lying," by Peipei Setoh, Petrina Hui Xian Low, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024).
  • "Should You Always Tell Your Kids the Truth? It Depends," by Laura Wheatman Hill (CNN, 2021).
  • "Parenting by Lying in Childhood Is Associated With Negative Developmental Outcomes in Adulthood," by Peipei Setoh, Siqi Zhao, Rachel Santos, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2020).
  • "The Santa Lie," by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • "When Is It OK to Tell a Lie?" by No Stupid Questions (2021).
  • How to Raise Kids Who Aren't A*******: Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting — from Tots to Teens, by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2021).
  • Life Is Beautiful, film (1997).
  • "Love at the Five and Dime," song by Nanci Griffith (1986).
  • The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom (1971).

WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to academic celebrity.

Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And why did Angela eat off of a stranger’s plate at a sushi bar?

• SOURCES:
  • Ludwig van Beethoven, 18th-19th century composer and pianist.
  • Jen Christensen, reporter and producer at CNN.
  • Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, professor of management & organizations at Northwestern University.
  • Sigmund Freud, neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis.
  • Shirley MacLaine, actor.
  • George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
  • Ali Wong, comedian.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Sad Clown: The Deep Emotions Behind Stand-Up Comedy," by Jen Christensen (CNN, 2018).
  • "Neuroticism," by Jennifer L. Tackett and Benjamin B. Lahey (The Oxford handbook of the Five Factor Model, 2017).
  • "Thinking Too Much: Self-Generated Thought as the Engine of Neuroticism," by Adam M. Perkins, Danilo Arnone, Jonathan Smallwood, and Dean Mobbs (Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2015).
  • "Survivor Mission: Do Those Who Survive Have a Drive to Thrive at Work?" by Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, Elizabeth Shulman, and Angela Duckworth (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2014).
  • "Age Differences in Personality Traits From 10 to 65: Big Five Domains and Facets in a Large Cross-Sectional Sample," by Christopher J. Soto, Oliver P. John, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jeff Potter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "Adaptive Mental Mechanisms: Their Role in a Positive Psychology," by George Vaillant (American Psychologist, 2000).
  • The Harvard Study of Adult Development.

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Terms of Endearment, film by James L. Brooks (1983).
  • "Invictus," poem by William Ernest Henley (1888).

Where is the line between a good guy and a doormat? Do people with sharp elbows make more money? And why did Angela’s mother give away her birthday present?

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Kristen Bell, actor.
  • Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon.
  • Harry Connick Jr., singer, pianist, and actor.
  • Juli Fraga, psychologist and writer.
  • Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Allison Sweet Grant, writer.
  • Timothy Judge, chair of the department of Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University.
  • Frank Jacobs, journalist and columnist at Big Think.
  • Beth Livingston, professor of industrial relations at the University of Iowa.
  • Topher Payne, playwright and screenwriter.
  • Dax Shepard, actor and podcast host.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Are You a Chronic People-Pleaser? Here’s How to Be Kinder to Yourself," by Juli Fraga (The Washington Post, 2023).
  • "Geopsychology: Your Personality Depends on Where You Live," by Frank Jacobs (Big Think, 2023).
  • "We Need to Talk About ‘The Giving Tree,'" by Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant (The New York Times, 2020).
  • The Tree Who Set Healthy Boundaries, by Topher Payne (2020).
  • "Do as You’re Told! Facets of Agreeableness and Early Adult Outcomes for Inner-City Boys," by Margaret Kern, Angela Duckworth, Sergio Urzúa, Rolf Loeber, Magda Stouthamer-Loeber, and Donald Lynam (Journal of Research in Personality, 2013).
  • Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant (2013).
  • "Do Nice Guys — and Gals — Really Finish Last? The Joint Effects of Sex and Agreeableness on Income," by Timothy Judge and Beth Livingston (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).

What’s the difference between being introverted and being shy? What are extroverts so cheerful about? And does Angela’s social battery ever run out?

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Susan Cain, author.
  • Will Fleeson, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.
  • Sigmund Freud, neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis.
  • Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Carl Jung, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.
  • Donald Kamentz, founder and C.E.O. of Contigo Ed.
  • Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.
  • Seth Margolis, professor of biological chemistry at Johns Hopkins University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "A Crucial Character Trait for Happiness," by Arthur C. Brooks (The Atlantic, 2023).
  • "Experimental Manipulation of Extraverted and Introverted Behavior and Its Effects on Well-Being," by Seth Margolis and Sonja Lyubomirsky (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2020).
  • "Challenges to Capture the Big Five Personality Traits in Non-WEIRD Populations," by Rachid Laajaj, Karen Macours, Daniel Alejandro Pinzon Hernandez, Omar Arias, Samuel D. Gosling, Jeff Potter, Marta Rubio-Codina, and Renos Vakis (Science Advances, 2019).
  • "Rethinking the Extraverted Sales Ideal: The Ambivert Advantage," by Adam Grant (Psychological Science, 2013).
  • "The Power of Introverts," by Susan Cain (TED Talk, 2012).
  • Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (2012).
  • "Personality Trait Change in Adulthood," by Brent W. Roberts Daniel Mroczek (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008).
  • "Toward a Structure- and Process-Integrated View of Personality: Traits as Density Distributions of States," by William Fleeson (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • “Personality: The Big Five,” series by No Stupid Questions (2024).

Is it really that important to make your bed? What’s the benefit of hiring a lazy person? And how many cups of spinach can Mike fit in a red Solo cup?

Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • David Barack, philosopher and neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Randall Bell, socio-economist and C.E.O. of Landmark Research Group.
  • Julia Cameron, author, poet, songwriter, filmmaker, and playwright.
  • Charles Duhigg, journalist and author.
  • Guy Kawasaki, author and Silicon Valley venture capitalist.
  • William McRaven, professor of national security at the University of Texas at Austin and retired Admiral in the United States Navy.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Large Studies Reveal How Reference Bias Limits Policy Applications of Self-Report Measures," by Benjamin Lira, Joseph M. O’Brien, Pablo A. Peña, Brian M. Galla, Sidney D’Mello, David S. Yeager, Amy Defnet, Tim Kautz, Kate Munkacsy, and Angela Duckworth (Nature: Scientific Reports, 2022).
  • "Too Much of a Good Thing? Exploring the Inverted-U Relationship Between Self-Control and Happiness," by Christopher Wiese, Louis Tay, Angela Duckworth, Sidney D'Mello, Lauren Kuykendall, Wilhelm Hofmann, Roy Baumeister, and Kathleen Vohs (Journal of Personality, 2018).
  • "7 ‘Rich Habits’ of Highly Successful People, From a Man Who Studied Them for 25 Years," by Kathleen Elkins (CNBC, 2017).
  • Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World, by William McRaven (2017).
  • The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg (2012).
  • "Who Does Well in Life? Conscientious Adults Excel in Both Objective and Subjective Success," by Angela Duckworth, David Weir, Eli Tsukayama, and David Kwok (Frontiers in Psychology, 2012).
  • The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron (1992).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Personality: The Big Five," series by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Angela Duckworth: The Gritty Road to Growth," by Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People (2024).
  • "How to Have Great Conversations," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).

What do the most creative people have in common? How open-minded are you, really? And what’s wrong with ordering eggs Benedict?

Take the Big Five inventory:

freakonomics.com/bigfive

• SOURCES:
  • Max Bennett, co-founder and C.E.O. of Alby.
  • David Epstein, author and journalist.
  • Ayelet Fishbach, professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
  • Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Steve Jobs, co-founder and former C.E.O. of Apple.
  • Oliver John, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Claude Shannon, 20th century mathematician and computer scientist.
  • Jannik Sinner, professional tennis player.
  • Christopher Soto, professor of psychology at Colby College.
  • Dashun Wang, professor of management and organizations at Northwestern University.
  • Kaitlin Woolley, professor of marketing at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

• RESOURCES:
  • A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains, by Max Bennett (2023).
  • "Exploration vs. Exploitation: Adults Are Learning (Once Again) From Children," by Alison Gopnik (Observer, 2023).
  • "Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort," by Kaitlin Woolley and Ayelet Fishbach (Psychological Science, 2022).
  • "Understanding the Onset of Hot Streaks Across Artistic, Cultural, and Scientific Careers," by Lu Liu, Nima Dehmamy, Jillian Chown, C. Lee Giles, and Dashun Wang (Nature Communications, 2021).
  • "Improv Experience Promotes Divergent Thinking, Uncertainty Tolerance, and Affective Well-Being," by Peter Felsman, Sanuri Gunawardena, and Colleen M. Seifert (Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2020).
  • Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David Epstein (2019).
  • "Openness to Experience," by Robert R. McCrae and David M. Greenberg (The Wiley Handbook of Genius, 2014).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).

Are you the same person you were a decade ago? Do we get better as we age? And is your sixth-grade class clown still funny?

• SOURCES:
  • Aaron (Tim) Beck, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic.
  • Brian Little, professor of psychology at the University of Cambridge.
  • Jordi Quoidbach, professor of people management and organisation at ESADE, University Ramon Llull.
  • Carl Rogers, 20th-century psychologist.
  • Martin Short, actor and comedian.
  • Richard Wiseman, professor of the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire.
  • Timothy Wilson, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.

• RESOURCES:
  • "I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality," by Olga Khazan (The Atlantic, 2022).
  • "You Can Be a Different Person After the Pandemic," by Olga Khazan (The New York Times, 2021).
  • "The Theory of Modes: Applications to Schizophrenia and Other Psychological Conditions," by Aaron T. Beck, Molly R. Finkel, and Judith S. Beck (Cognitive Therapy and Research, 2020).
  • “Brian Little: Are Human Personalities Hardwired?" by Guy Raz (TED Radio Hour, 2017).
  • I Must Say: My Life As a Humble Comedy Legend, by Martin Short (2014).
  • "The End of History Illusion," by Jordi Quoidbach, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson (Science, 2013).
  • "Age Differences in Personality Traits From 10 to 65: Big Five Domains and Facets in a Large Cross-Sectional Sample," by Christopher J. Soto, Oliver P. John, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jeff Potter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • "The Rank-Order Consistency of Personality Traits From Childhood to Old Age: A Guantitative Review of Longitudinal Studies," by Brent W. Roberts and Wendy F. DelVecchio (Psychological Bulletin, 2000).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, TV series (2012-present).

Is it dangerous to live in the past? Why is Disney remaking all of its classic movies? And why does Angela get sentimental over a cup of soup and a free roll?

• SOURCES:
  • Julie Beck, senior editor at The Atlantic.
  • Danielle Campoamor, freelance writer and reporter.
  • Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker.
  • Amelia Dennis, research associate in psychology at the University of Bath.
  • Erica Hepper, lecturer in personality/social psychology at the University of Surrey.
  • Lucy Hone, director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience.
  • Imran Rahman-Jones, freelance journalist.
  • Florence Saint-Jean, executive director of Global Trauma Research.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Pancultural Nostalgia in Action: Prevalence, Triggers, and Psychological Functions of Nostalgia Across Cultures," by Erica Hepper, Constantine Sedikides, Bettina Zengel, et al. (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2024).
  • "From Rosy Past to Happy and Flourishing Present: Nostalgia as a Resource for Hedonic and Eudaimonic Wellbeing," by Erica Hepper and Amelia Dennis (Current Opinion in Psychology, 2023).
  • "Locating Nostalgia Among the Emotions: A Bridge From Loss to Love," by Wijnand A.P. van Tilburg (Current Opinion in Psychology, 2023).
  • "Hindsight is 2022: The Psychology Behind Our Cultural Nostalgia," by Kyle Chayka (Town & Country, 2022).
  • "Why We Reach for Nostalgia in Times of Crisis," by Danielle Campoamor (The New York Times, 2020).
  • "Mulan: Disney Remakes and the Power of Nostalgia During Coronavirus," by Imran Rahman-Jones (BBC, 2020).
  • "The Three Secrets of Resilient People," by Lucy Hone (TEDxChristchurch, 2019).
  • "When Nostalgia Was a Disease," by Julie Beck (The Atlantic, 2013).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • Zoom, by Istvan Banyai (1995).
  • Peter and Wendy, by J. M. Barrie (1911).

Does instinct trump expertise? Can playing poker improve your intuition? And why did Angela jump off of a moving trolley car?

• SOURCES:
  • Tom Brady, former quarterback for the New England Patriots.
  • Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
  • Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making.
  • Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
  • Josh Waitzkin, former chess player, martial arts competitor, and author.

• RESOURCES:
  • "When and How To Sleep Train Your Baby," by Cleveland Clinic (2021).
  • "The ShadowBox Approach to Cognitive Skills Training: An Empirical Evaluation," by Gary Klein and Joseph Borders (Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 2016).
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).
  • "Conditions for Intuitive Expertise: A Failure to Disagree," by Daniel Kahneman and Gary Klein (American Psychologist, 2009).
  • "Dumb Ways to Die," by Metro Trains Melbourne (2009).
  • The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance, by Josh Waitzkin (2007).
  • Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, by Gary Klein (1998).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Is It So Hard to Make Decisions?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Daniel Kahneman on Why Our Judgment is Flawed — and What to Do About It," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • "How to Make a Bad Decision," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”?

• SOURCES:
  • Scott Hugo, housing justice attorney at Oakland City Attorney’s Office.
  • Bob Ladouceur, former head football coach at De La Salle High School.
  • Jon Marcus, writer at The Hechinger Report.
  • Amelia Nierenberg, Connecticut correspondent for The New York Times.
  • James Pennebaker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Stuart Rojstaczer, writer and former professor of geophysics at Duke University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Making the (Letter) Grade: The Incentive Effects of Mandatory Pass/Fail Courses," by Kristin Butcher, Patrick J. McEwan, and Akila Weerapana (Education Finance and Policy, 2023).
  • "To Help New Students Adapt, Some Colleges Are Eliminating Grades," by Jon Marcus (NPR from Hechinger Report, 2023).
  • "Grade Inflation Continues to Grow in the Past Decade," by Edgar I. Sanchez and Raeal Moore (ACT Research, 2022).
  • "Why Good Teaching Evaluations May Reward Bad Teaching: On Grade Inflation and Other Unintended Consequences of Student Evaluations," by Wolfgang Stroebe (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2016).
  • "Grade Inflation at American Colleges and Universities," by Stuart Rojstaczer (GradeInflation.com, 2016).
  • Chasing Perfection: The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way, by Bob Ladouceur and Neil Hayes (2015).
  • "Daily Online Testing in Large Classes: Boosting College Performance while Reducing Achievement Gaps," by James W. Pennebaker, Samuel D. Gosling, and Jason D. Ferrell (PLOS One, 2013).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).
  • "Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School," series by Freakonomics Radio (2022).

How can you summon courage when you’re terrified? Is hiking more dangerous than skiing? And what is the stupidest thing that Mike has ever done?

• SOURCES:
  • Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.
  • Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine.
  • Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist and senior advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University.
  • Christopher Peterson, professor of psychology and organizational studies at the University of Michigan.
  • Stanley Rachman, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
  • Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic alpine skier.
  • Lindsey Vonn, Olympic alpine skier.
  • Shaun White, Olympic snowboarder.
  • Joseph Wolpe, 20th-century South African psychiatrist.

• RESOURCES:
  • The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, by Lisa Damour (2023).
  • "What Scares the World’s Most Daring Olympians," by John Branch, Mark Boyer, Larry Buchanan, Emily Rhyne, Bedel Saget, Joe Ward, and Jeremy White (The New York Times, 2022).
  • "The Upside of Anxiety," by Christina Caron (The New York Times, 2022).
  • Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive, by Marc Brackett (2019).
  • "World With No Fear," by Invisibilia (2015).
  • Abū Zayd Al-Balkhī''s Sustenance of the Soul: The Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century Physician, by Malik Badri (2013).
  • "Searching for the Source of a Fountain of Courage," by Natalie Angier (The New York Times, 2011).
  • Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman (2004).
  • Fear and Courage, by Stanley Rachman (1978).
  • "Relative Efficacy of Desensitization and Modeling Approaches for Inducing Behavioral, Affective, and Attitudinal Changes," by Albert Bandura, E. B. Blahard, and B. Ritter (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1969).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Fear No Mort," S7.E10 of Rick and Morty (2023).
  • "Can Fear Be Good Medicine?" by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).
  • How We Feel, smartphone app.

Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth? And what would Mike’s perfect brother Peter do?

• SOURCES:
  • David Brooks, opinion columnist for The New York Times.
  • Colin Camerer, professor of economics at the California Institute of Technology.
  • James Clear, writer.
  • Mason Currey, author.
  • David Goggins, ultra-endurance athlete and retired U.S. Navy SEAL.
  • Jesse Itzler, entrepreneur and author.
  • Katy Milkman, professor of operations, information and decisions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and host of the Choiceology podcast.
  • Aneesh Rai, professor of management and organization at the University of Maryland.
  • Tony Robbins, author, motivational speaker, and life coach.
  • Sydney Scott, professor of marketing at Washington University in St. Louis.
  • Cass Sunstein, professor and founding director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School.
  • Elanor Williams, professor of marketing at Washington University in St. Louis.

• RESOURCES:
  • "A Field Experiment on Subgoal Framing to Boost Volunteering: The Trade-Off Between Goal Granularity and Flexibility," by Aneesh Rai, Marissa A. Sharif, Edward H. Chang, Katherine L. Milkman, and Angela L. Duckworth (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2023).
  • "What’s Next? Advances and Challenges in Understanding How Environmental Predictability Shapes the Development of Cognitive Control," by Yuko Munakata, Diego Placido, and Winnie Zhuang (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2023).
  • "A Neural Autopilot Theory of Habit: Evidence From Consumer Purchases and Social Media Use," by Colin Camerer, Yi Xin, and Clarice Zhao (Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2023).
  • "In Goal Pursuit, I Think Flexibility Is the Best Choice for Me but Not for You," by Sydney E. Scott and Elanor F. Williams (Journal of Marketing Research, 2022).
  • Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear (2018).
  • Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond (2016).
  • Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet, by Jesse Itzler (2015).
  • "The Good Order," by David Brooks (The New York Times, 2014).
  • Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, by Mason Currey (2013).

What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish exit”? And why is Mike secretly buying lottery tickets?

• SOURCES:
  • Roy Baumeister, social psychologist and visiting scholar at Harvard University.
  • Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
  • John Gottman, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Washington.
  • Kurt Lewin, 20th-century German-American psychologist.
  • E. J. Masicampo, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.
  • Timothy Wilson, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.
  • Bluma Zeigarnik, 20th-century Soviet psychologist.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Life and Work of the Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik," by M. Marco (Neurosciences and History, 2018).
  • "Why We Need Answers," by Maria Konnikova (The New Yorker, 2013).
  • "Consider It Done! Plan Making Can Eliminate the Cognitive Effects of Unfulfilled Goals," by E. J. Masicampo and Roy Baumeister (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011).
  • The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples, by John Gottman (2011).
  • "'Let Me Dream On!' Anticipatory Emotions and Preference for Timing in Lotteries," by Martin Kocher, Michal Krawczyk, and Frans van Winden (Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper, 2009).
  • "Explaining Away: A Model of Affective Adaptation," by Timothy Wilson and Daniel Gilbert (Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2008).
  • "On Finished and Unfinished Tasks," by Bluma Zeigarnik (A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology, 1938).

• EXTRAS:
  • Big Five Personality Inventory, by No Stupid Questions (2024).
  • "Can We Disagree Better?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "Would You Be Happier if You Were More Creative?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "How Can You Be Kinder to Yourself?" by No Stupid Questions (2023).
  • "What’s Wrong With Holding a Grudge?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).
  • Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, by Eileen Spinelli (1991).