About
Cognitive & brain science episodes from Jim Davies & Kim Hellemans
Minding the Brain
English, Sciences, 1 season, 73 episodes, 1 day, 16 hours, 4 minutes
Minding the Brain
English, Sciences, 1 season, 73 episodes, 1 day, 16 hours, 4 minutes
#70 Aloneliness and the Value of Solitude
Kim interviews Dr. Robert Coplan about aloneliness and the value of solitude. What are the benefits of solitude? How should we balance solitude and social [...]
2/1/2024 • 53 minutes, 25 seconds
#69 AI & Existential Risk
Jim interviews Darren McKee, author of Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World. What are the long-term dangers of [...]
1/1/2024 • 35 minutes, 12 seconds
#68 Eating Disorders
Jim interviews Kim about the topic of eating disorders. They discuss clinical and behavioral symptoms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and the [...]
12/1/2023 • 1 hour, 18 seconds
#67 The Psychology of Soundtracks with Joe Kraemer
Jim interviews Hollywood composer Joe Kraemer about the psychology of soundtracks. Joe is responsible for the music in films such as The Way of the [...]
11/1/2023 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 42 seconds
#66 Money and Spending
Jim interviews Johanna Peetz about money and spending. Why does money cause so many problems in relationships? What does the research say about how best [...]
10/1/2023 • 34 minutes, 6 seconds
#65 Distinguishing Fantasy From Reality
How are false memories created? Do children believe their imaginary friends really exist? Why aren’t we always mistaking our imaginings for reality? Join Jim and [...]
9/1/2023 • 36 minutes, 59 seconds
#64 Animal Consciousness
Are other animals conscious? Why is animal consciousness important to understand? What function does consciousness serve? Take a deep dive into the fascinating world of [...]
8/1/2023 • 41 minutes, 11 seconds
Multitasking
Kim and Jim discuss the scientific evidence surrounding multitasking. Does multitasking make you more or less efficient? When should you multitask? Is it safe to [...]
7/1/2023 • 32 minutes, 58 seconds
#63 Schizophrenia
What does it feel like to have schizophrenia? What is the history of the schizophrenia diagnosis and are there effective treatments for the condition? Find [...]
6/1/2023 • 44 minutes, 19 seconds
#62 Theories of Consciousness
In this episode of Minding the Brain, Jim and Kim explore various theories of consciousness. What are the most popular theories of consciousness? What is [...]
5/1/2023 • 38 minutes, 53 seconds
#61 Handedness
Some people are left handed and some people are right handed, why? Join Kim and Jim as they explore the science behind the phenomenon of [...]
4/1/2023 • 30 minutes, 53 seconds
#60 20 More Questions with Kim & Jim
Do brain training apps work? Is reading fiction a waste of time? How dangerous is artificial intelligence? Join Kim and Jim for a special Q&A [...]
3/1/2023 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
#59 Time
Why does time seem to pass slowly when you’re a child and more quickly when you’re an adult? How does the brain measure time? What [...]
2/1/2023 • 34 minutes, 46 seconds
#58 Goals
Why are goals important? Why are we successful in the pursuit of certain goals, but not others? Jim Davies interviews Marina Milyavskaya about how science [...]
1/1/2023 • 34 minutes, 9 seconds
#57 Video Game Addiction
Can someone get addicted to video games? Join Kim and Jim as they talk about the science of addiction as applied to video games. Featuring [...]
12/1/2022 • 39 minutes, 14 seconds
#56 Video Games
Do video games increase aggression? Are they addictive? Can video games make you smarter? Jim and Kim discuss the research on video games in this [...]
11/1/2022 • 0
#55 Caffeine
Why did plants evolve to be caffeinated? When did humans start using caffeine? What are the benefits of caffeine? Can caffeine be dangerous and is [...]
10/1/2022 • 0
#54 Where Are All the Aliens?
If the universe is teeming with life, and even a fraction of that life is intelligent, where are all the aliens? Join Jim and Kim [...]
9/1/2022 • 0
#53 Alcohol
Alcohol is, by far, the most commonly used addictive drug, but how much do you really know about it? How does alcohol interact with the [...]
8/1/2022 • 0
#52 Hacking Your Reward System
Kim and Jim tell you how to hack your reward system! What is the brain’s reward system and why did it evolve? Is it possible [...]
7/1/2022 • 0
#51 The Future of Depression Treatment with Dr. Benicio Frey
Kim interviews Dr. Benicio Frey about the future of depression treatment. What is depression and what are the symptoms? How is depression treated? How important [...]
6/1/2022 • 0
#50 Happiness
Jim Davies and Darren McKee talk about happiness. What is happiness? What does science say about how people can be happier? Find out the answers [...]
5/1/2022 • 0
#49 Eastern and Western Thinking
Jim interviews Dr. Richard E. Nisbett about Eastern and Western thinking. What are the differences between Eastern and Western thinking? How do economic differences impact [...]
4/1/2022 • 0
#48 Pain
Kim interviews Michael Hildebrand about the topic of pain. Does everyone experience pain the same way? Why do we experience pain? Is there such a [...]
3/1/2022 • 0
#47 Where Are All the Geniuses?
Kim interviews Jim about the phenomenon of geniuses. Are there as many geniuses born today as there were previously? Are groundbreaking scientific discoveries still being [...]
2/1/2022 • 0
#46 Testosterone
Jim interviews Carole Hooven, Harvard evolutionary biologist and author of the new book T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us. [...]
1/1/2022 • 0
#45 Seasonal Affective Disorder
Jim interviews Kim about the phenomenon known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Why do searches for “depression” peak in November and February? What kinds of [...]
12/1/2021 • 0
#44 Free Will
What is free will? Can humans make conscious decisions? What does the scientific evidence tell us about the existence of free will? Find out on [...]
11/1/2021 • 22 minutes, 21 seconds
#43 Right Brain / Left Brain
The idea of brain lateralization has attained a high degree of popularity in culture. People will often refer to themselves as being “right brained” or [...]
10/1/2021 • 0
#42 Conspiracy Theories
Kim interviews Jim about conspiracy theories. What makes conspiracy theories so appealing? What is the relationship between scientific literacy and the likelihood that someone will [...]
9/1/2021 • 35 minutes, 35 seconds
Alien Abduction
Is there a scientific explanation for the alien abduction phenomenon? Is there a link between nocturnal alien visitations and the many similar stories that have [...]
8/1/2021 • 23 minutes, 23 seconds
Concussions
Dr. Jim Davies and Dr. Kim Hellemans interview two experts on the topic of concussions, Andree-Anne Ledoux, a Research Associate at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario [...]
7/1/2021 • 45 minutes, 13 seconds
#41 Talking
Dr, Jim Davies interviews Dr. Iva Ivanova about the psychology of talking. Do different languages change the way we formulate meaning? What is syntax and how [...]
6/1/2021 • 52 minutes, 25 seconds
#40 Neurodiversity
Dr. Kim Hellemans discuses neurodiversity with Tara Connolly, Patricia Berube and Kait Bowser. What is neurodiversity? Why is it important to recognize neurodiversity in higher education? How [...]
5/1/2021 • 38 minutes, 35 seconds
#39 Control: Why You Do What You Do
Kim and Jim discuss the science of why we do what we do. How long does it take to form a habit? How is it [...]
4/1/2021 • 42 minutes, 37 seconds
#38 Synesthesia
Some people perceive colors when they see certain words, letters or numbers, and some people experience geometric shapes as associated with certain tastes. These are [...]
3/1/2021 • 33 minutes, 54 seconds
#37 Behavioral Addiction
Kim and Jim take a deep dive into the topic of behavioral addiction. What is behavioral addiction? Can you be addicted to food? What about [...]
2/1/2021 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 21 seconds
#36 Dreams
Kim interviews Jim about dreams. What are dreams and why did we evolve to have them? Are dreams symbolic representations of events in our lives? [...]
1/1/2021 • 33 minutes, 30 seconds
#35 Depression
Jim interviews Kim about Depression. What exactly is Depression, and how many people have it? What’s the difference between being depressed, and being diagnosed with [...]
12/1/2020 • 50 minutes, 9 seconds
#34 Personality Disorders
Dr. Kim Hellemans interviews Dr. O. Pete Kelly about personality disorders. What are personality disorders and what are some common symptoms? What does therapy look like [...]
11/1/2020 • 1 hour, 58 seconds
#33 Don’t Choke! Why we sometimes fail under pressure
Why does stress sometimes make us choke at the most critical moment? Jim interviews cognitive scientist Sian Beilock about this phenomenon and they discuss psychological tools [...]
10/1/2020 • 31 minutes, 14 seconds
#32 Sleep
Kim and Jim discuss how sleep relates to the mind and the brain. Why did sleep evolve? What is the function of dreaming? How do [...]
9/1/2020 • 37 minutes, 35 seconds
#31 How Imagination Can Make You Happy or Miserable
Kim interviews Jim about imagination and imagines a future podcast all about star nosed moles. Can imagination make us miserable? Does fantasizing about future events [...]
8/1/2020 • 36 minutes, 49 seconds
#30 Student Mental Health
Jim interviews Kim about the important topic of student mental health. What is the impact of substances of like alcohol and marijuana, on mental health? [...]
7/1/2020 • 45 minutes, 30 seconds
#29 Climate Change Psychology
Jim, Kim and special guest, Florence Daviet, CPAWS’ National Forest Program Director, discuss the important topic of climate change. What is the best way to [...]
5/31/2020 • 31 minutes, 56 seconds
#28 Wrapping Your Brain Around the Coronavirus
Kim and Jim help are here to help you wrap your brain around the Coronavirus. Why are people drawn to Coronavirus conspiracy theories? What is [...]
5/1/2020 • 41 minutes, 8 seconds
#27 Emotional Expression
Dr. Davies interviews Gerald Cupchik about emotions. What do people misunderstand about emotions? How does emotional expression differ between cultures? Do childhood events have ramifications [...]
4/1/2020 • 35 minutes, 44 seconds
#26: Imaginary People
Kim interviews Jim about imaginary people. Why do people we meet in our dreams seem to have a mind of their own? Why do authors [...]
3/1/2020 • 40 minutes, 31 seconds
#24: ADHD
Dr. Davies interviews Dr. Hellemans about ADHD. What is the difference between ADHD and ADD? How is ADHD diagnosed? Are there risks associated with the [...]
1/1/2020 • 46 minutes, 35 seconds
#23: Hallucinations
Dr. Hellemans interviews Dr. Davies about hallucinations. What are the neural correlates of hallucinations? How many types of hallucinations are there? What is the difference [...]
12/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 54 seconds
#22: Relationships
Dr. Davies interviews Cheryl Harasymchuk about relationships. What types of people tend to start relationships with each-other? What makes people physically attracted to each-other? Find out [...]
11/1/2019 • 46 minutes, 28 seconds
#21: Trauma
Dr. Hellemans interviews psychologist Matthew Rippeyoung about trauma. What is trauma and how does it impact us? Where does trauma come from and what is [...]
10/1/2019 • 35 minutes, 21 seconds
#20: Morning People & Night People
Kim and Jim discuss the apparent phenomenon of morning people and night people. Is there a biological difference between “morning people” and “night people”? Why [...]
9/1/2019 • 23 minutes, 50 seconds
#19: Pet Therapy
Kim and Jim interview Dr. Colleen Dell and Shannon Noonan about their work with therapy dogs. Why do dogs make such good therapy animals? Can [...]
8/1/2019 • 46 minutes, 30 seconds
#18: Voices in the Head
Dr. Davies interviews Gregory Shankland about his experiences with hearing voices in his head. Gregory tells the fascinating story of how he began to hear voices, how [...]
7/1/2019 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 14 seconds
#17: Religious Experiences
Jim and Kim explore the science of having religious experiences, with the help of special guest Dr. Ann Taves. Why do people have religious experiences? [...]
6/1/2019 • 43 minutes, 7 seconds
#16: Social Media & Addiction
Kim and Jim dive into the topic of social media and addiction. Can you be addicted to social media? Does using social media too much affect [...]
5/1/2019 • 36 minutes, 31 seconds
#15: Multitasking
Kim and Jim discuss the scientific evidence surrounding multitasking. Does multitasking make you more or less efficient? When should you multitask? Is it safe to [...]
4/1/2019 • 32 minutes, 58 seconds
#14: Alcohol and the Developing Brain
Jim and Kim are joined by special guest Audrey McFarlane to discuss the impact of alcohol on the developing brain. What are the effects of [...]
3/1/2019 • 39 minutes, 31 seconds
#13: Beauty and Neuroaesthetics
Many people think beauty is something ephemeral, subject to the arbitrary whims of individual taste and cultural trends. But philosophers have been studying beauty and [...]
2/1/2019 • 32 minutes, 11 seconds
#12: Why We Like Sports
People love to watch sports. The Superbowl, for example, is incredibly popular. About 111 million people, a third of everyone in the united states, watched [...]
1/1/2019 • 29 minutes, 36 seconds
#11: Nutrition and the Brain
According to the world health organization, obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight, and at least 300 million of [...]
12/1/2018 • 40 minutes, 27 seconds
#10: Alien Abduction
Is there a scientific explanation for the alien abduction phenomenon? Is there a link between nocturnal alien visitations and the many similar stories that have [...]
11/1/2018 • 24 minutes, 15 seconds
#9: 20 Questions with Kim & Jim
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at an event sponsored by Carleton University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The audience [...]
10/1/2018 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 34 seconds
#8: Exercise
Jim interviews Kim on the topic of exercise. What is the impact of exercise on the brain? Can exercise be used to treat depression? The [...]
9/1/2018 • 40 minutes, 10 seconds
#7: Estrogen and the Brain
What role does estrogen play in the brain? Why do people experience PMS? Is PMS a real phenomenon? For this episode we’ve partnered with the [...]
8/1/2018 • 27 minutes, 22 seconds
Brain: The Inside Story Walkthrough – Bonus Episode
Welcome to a special bonus episode of Minding the Brain! Follow Dr. Hellemans and Dr. Davies to the Canadian Museum of Nature as they explore [...]
7/15/2018 • 31 minutes, 14 seconds
#6: Old Drugs, New Uses
Can cannabis products be used to treat epilepsy? Can ketamine be used to treat depression? For this episode we’ve partnered with the Canadian Museum of [...]
7/1/2018 • 32 minutes, 34 seconds
#5: Concussions
For this episode we’ve partnered with the Canadian Museum of Nature in conjuncture with their special exhibition, Brain: The Inside Story, for an in depth discussions [...]
6/1/2018 • 48 minutes, 18 seconds
#4: Social Networks
Kim interviews Jim on the topic of social networks. Does social media make us happy? How does it compare with face-to-face interaction or a phone [...]
5/1/2018 • 28 minutes, 35 seconds
#3: Cannabis
Jim interviews Kim on the topic of cannabis. Is cannabis addictive? Is it an effective method for reducing anxiety? What does the legalization of cannabis [...]
4/1/2018 • 23 minutes, 26 seconds
#2: Imagining the Future
Kim interviews Jim about imagining the future. How does the way we imagine the future impact our lives? What is temporal discounting and how can [...]
3/1/2018 • 38 minutes, 33 seconds
#1: Stress
Jim interviews Kim about the phenomenon of stress. What are the neural correlates of stress? Are there gender differences in levels of stress? What steps [...]
1/30/2018 • 35 minutes, 53 seconds