Shows
Experimental History28 slightly rude notes on writingOR: catapulting myself into a pit of tarantulasOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/28-slightly-rude-notes-on-writingAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-04-2922 min
Clearer Thinking with Spencer GreenbergHow f***ed is psychology? (with Adam Mastroianni)Read the full transcript here. Is the bar for what counts as new knowledge higher in psychology than in other scientific fields? Why did the field of psychology formally start centuries later than other scientific fields? Why is it so hard to make progress in psychology? How useful are social science "mega-studies"? What actually helps people stick to habits? What do scientists often get wrong about the philosophy of science? What have social scientists learned so far from the replication crisis? And how does that compare to what they should perhaps have been learning from it? Why...2025-04-211h 43
Experimental HistoryThe Bluetooth Test and other keyholes to the soulitty bitty ways to be betterOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-bluetooth-test-and-other-keyholesAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-04-0122 min
The One You FeedWhy You Can’t Think Your Way Out of Overthinking with Adam MastroianniIn this episode, Adam Mastroianni explains why you can’t think your way out of overthinking. He unpacks why the thoughts that feel the most important are often the ones that keep us stuck. We also explore what it means to have a “skull full of poison,” how anxiety disguises itself as insight, and why real change isn’t about breakthroughs—it’s about repetition, action, and feeding the right wolf. Key Takeaways: [00:06:07] Anxiety and its misconceptions [00:08:21] Overcoming obsessive thinking patterns [00:16:25] State of psychology as science [00:25:04] Building blocks of psychology [00:27:06] Emotions as control system signals [00:30:43] Basic vs. construc...2025-04-0157 minThe One You FeedWhy You Can’t Think Your Way Out of Overthinking with Adam MastroianniIn this episode, Adam Mastroianni explains why you can’t think your way out of overthinking. He unpacks why the thoughts that feel the most important are often the ones that keep us stuck. We also explore what it means to have a “skull full of poison,” how anxiety disguises itself as insight, and why real change isn’t about breakthroughs—it’s about repetition, action, and feeding the right wolf. Key Takeaways: [00:06:07] Anxiety and its misconceptions [00:08:21] Overcoming obsessive thinking patterns [00:16:25] State of psychology as science [00:25:04] Building blocks of psychology [00:27:06] Emotions as control system signals [00:30:43] Basic vs. construc...2025-04-0157 min
Experimental HistoryBe myself? I'd rather dieOR: "Son of sheeple"Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/be-myself-id-rather-dieAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-03-1812 min
Experimental HistoryHey would you mind killing that patient for me thnxLinks 'n' updatesOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/hey-would-you-mind-killing-that-patientAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-03-0417 min
Experimental HistoryFunding science is actually a badass thing to doOR: the Three Sirens of EntropyOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/funding-science-is-actually-a-badassAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-02-1820 min
Godforsaken with Chris Turner'Please be Poorer than Me' with Adam MastroianniFreshly naturalized US Citizen Chris Turner sits down with Adam Mastroianni to discuss getting tied up in Hungary, shooting tommy guns, how to get your name on a road sign, the delights of fried butter, throwing your university research in the trash, how the world forgot about the invention of the toilet, and why snitching to the cops isn’t that bad.
Adam's blog Experimental History: https://www.experimental-history.com
#godforsaken #podcast #comedypodcast #christurner #adammastroianni2025-02-171h 23
Experimental HistoryHow to feel bad and be wrongOR: Rickets, please!Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/how-to-feel-bad-and-be-wrongAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-01-2724 min
Experimental HistoryTwo stupid facts that rule the worldOR: The devil is here and he's making some good pointsOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/two-stupid-facts-that-rule-the-worldAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2025-01-0716 min
Experimental HistoryThe end is nigh and here's whyOR: Good Cup, Bad CupOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-end-is-nigh-and-heres-whyAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-12-2921 min
The Podcast BrowserMegapod: Why Is There So Much BS in Psychology? Podcast: Plain English with Derek Thompson (LS 61 · TOP 0.1% what is this?)Episode: Megapod: Why Is There So Much BS in Psychology?Pub date: 2024-11-27Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationIn the last decade, several major findings in social psychology have turned out to be hogwash—or, worse, even fraud. This has become widely known as psychology's "replication crisis." Perhaps you have heard of power poses—based on a study finding that subjects reported stronger “feelings of power” after they posed, say, with their hands on th...2024-12-141h 50
Experimental HistoryThe Anarchist and the Hockey StickOR: the Inquisition was rightOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-anarchist-and-the-hockey-stickAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-12-0324 min
Plain English with Derek ThompsonMegapod: Why Is There So Much BS in Psychology?In the last decade, several major findings in social psychology have turned out to be hogwash—or, worse, even fraud. This has become widely known as psychology's "replication crisis." Perhaps you have heard of power poses—based on a study finding that subjects reported stronger “feelings of power” after they posed, say, with their hands on their hips for several minutes. But that finding did not replicate. Or perhaps you have heard of ego depletion—the more famous assertion that, when people make a bunch of decisions, it exhausts their ability to make future decisions. Again: did not replicate.2024-11-271h 50
Experimental HistoryUnderrated ways of changing the worldOR: how to get a good heart unstuckOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/underrated-ways-to-change-the-worldAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-11-2522 min
Ethics TV with Jonathan MacDonald#12 Adam Mastroianni on Social PsychologyAdam Mastroianni studies how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the whole country buzzing around them. He also writes a blog called Experimental History: https://www.experimental-history.com/ and his personal website is here: https://www.adammastroianni.com/In his words:"One stream of my work focuses on the misperceptions that arise when people talk face-to-face. For instance, every conversation has to end sometime––do people know when it should? Not really, it seems. Most conversations end when nobody wants them to, both because people want to talk...2024-11-1346 min
Experimental HistoryBoth Democrats and Republicans can pass the Ideological Turing TestTake the test here! https://ituringtest.com/Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/ideological-turing-testAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-10-2224 min
Two Psychologists Four BeersThe Road to Cincinnati (with Adam Mastroianni)Researcher and writer Adam Mastroianni joins the podcast to talk about why he left academia, what conventional scientific research might be missing, and how he ended up writing a succesful science blog instead of more journal articles. Plus: what is a Science House? How do we know that psychology is making progress? And should scientific fraud be a crime?Special Guest: Adam Mastroianni.Links:Experimental History | Adam Mastroianni | SubstackPsyArXiv Preprints | Things could be betterThe first transmissions from Science HouseGood ideas don't need bayonets - by Adam MastroianniIs psychology going to Cincinnati? - by Adam...2024-10-211h 09
Experimental HistoryIs psychology going to Cincinnati?OR: the mystery of the televised saladOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/is-psychology-going-to-cincinnatiAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-10-0925 min
Experimental HistoryBlog Extravaganza: The WinnersWeird anatomy, criminal confessions, and a literal basket case Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/blog-extravaganza-the-winnersAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-09-1018 min
Experimental HistoryThere's a place for everyoneOR: fantastic niches and where to find themOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/theres-a-place-for-everyoneAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-08-2718 min
The You Project#1624 What Is Social Awareness - Dr. Adam MastroianniHi Everyone. I’m having a TYP breather today, so we’re re-visiting this chat I had a while back with Dr. Adam Mastroianni. He is a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School who studies how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the broader community buzzing around them. He writes a great blog called Experimental History, is a stand-up comic, a Harvard Graduate and I think even he'd admit that he's kind of a quirky academic-comedian-philosopher hybrid. This conversation was about as loose, freestyle and entertaining as you can get...2024-08-2458 min
Experimental HistoryBloodletting, leeches, and other FDA-approved treatmentsLinks and updates for Summer 2024Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/bloodletting-leeches-and-other-fdaAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-08-1322 min
Experimental HistoryGood ideas don't need bayonetsOR: Keep stomping necks until utopia arrivesOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/good-ideas-dont-need-bayonetsAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/good-ideas-dont-need-bayonetsMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-07-3013 min
Experimental HistoryWho's got the guts to go to the moon?OR: "Look, ma! I'm pretending to cure cancer!"Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/whos-got-the-guts-to-go-to-the-moonAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-07-1622 min
Experimental HistoryThe first transmissions from Science HouseOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-first-transmissions-from-scienceAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Ruth's post about pasta: https://ruthdaniel.substack.com/p/long-ago-and-farfalle?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=webViolet's post about sleep: https://counterfeitbees.substack.com/p/dont-let-the-man-tell-you-how-to?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=webMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-07-0311 min
Locked On Braves - Daily Podcast On The Atlanta BravesWith Adam Duvall’s Struggles, What Other Options Are There?The Atlanta Braves managed to lose the most winnable game of the year despite another brilliant outing from Chris Sale. Adam Duvall has gone from bad to worse, but what other options do the Atlanta Braves have right now? The Braves come back home to face Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates, another chance for them to get back on track. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Tax Network USAReduce your tax debt and get help from a team of licensed tax profes...2024-06-2832 minLocked On Braves - Daily Podcast On The Atlanta BravesWith Adam Duvall’s Struggles, What Other Options Are There?The Atlanta Braves managed to lose the most winnable game of the year despite another brilliant outing from Chris Sale. Adam Duvall has gone from bad to worse, but what other options do the Atlanta Braves have right now? The Braves come back home to face Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates, another chance for them to get back on track. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Tax Network USAReduce your tax debt and get help from a team of licensed tax profes...2024-06-2832 min
Experimental HistorySurely you can be seriousOR: "You can do whatever you want, just work for a dictator first"Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/surely-you-can-be-seriousAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.Submissions for the Experimental History Summer 2024 Blog Post Competition, Extravaganza, and Jamboree are due July 1. Submit here: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-summer-2024-blog-post-competition2024-06-1714 min
Experimental HistoryThe Summer 2024 Blog Post Competition, Extravaganza, and JamboreeyeehawSubmit your post here.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-summer-2024-blog-post-competitionAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/2024-05-2807 min
Experimental HistoryHow to get 7th graders to smokeOR: "fuzzy, wet, and unfalsifiable"Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/how-to-get-7th-graders-to-smokeAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-05-1422 min
Experimental HistoryStartling differences between humans and jukeboxesOR: the secret geniuses of WisconsinOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/startling-differences-between-humansAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my dad2024-05-0723 min
Experimental HistoryScience will only end once we've licked all the objects in the universeOR: the return of Gary the MessiahOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/science-will-only-end-once-weve-lickedAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-04-3025 min
Experimental HistoryYou can't be too happy, literallyOR: There's an air conditioner in your head.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/you-cant-be-too-happy-literallyAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-04-2322 min
Experimental HistoryDeclining trust in Zeus is a technologyOR: Leaving the land of tiny muffinsOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/declining-trust-in-zeus-is-a-technologyAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-04-1713 min
Experimental HistoryHow to drive a stake through your own good heartOR: the demise of the Optimize GuysOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/how-to-drive-a-stake-through-yourAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-04-0224 min
EconTalkA User's Guide to Our Emotional Thermostat (with Adam Mastroianni)Can you be too happy? Psychologist Adam Mastroianni talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about our emotional control systems, which seem to work at bringing both sadness and happiness back to a steady baseline. Too much happiness is--perhaps surprisingly--not necessarily a good thing. They also explore whether our general level of happiness is really related to events in our lives or connected to something much larger than ourselves.
2024-04-011h 03
Experimental HistoryLet's build a fleet and change the worldAbandon Big Ship, get on a Little ShipOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/lets-build-a-fleet-and-change-theAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/To express interest in Science House: https://www.adammastroianni.com/science-houseMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-03-2723 min
Experimental HistoryI'm so sorry for psychology's loss, whatever it isThe plane crashed and nobody checked the bodies.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/im-so-sorry-for-psychologys-lossAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar (www.heavybootleg.com), photographs by my dad2024-03-1924 min
Experimental HistorySorry pal, this woo is irreducibleOR: Crush me under the weight of 1,000 CBT manualsOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/sorry-pal-this-woo-is-irreducibleAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar (www.heavybootleg.com), photographs by my dad.2024-03-1216 min
Experimental HistoryAn invitation to a secret societyOR: why you should be a lizardOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/an-invitation-to-a-secret-societyAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-03-0519 min
Experimental HistoryThe illusion of moral declineThe short version of a paper I published.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-illusion-of-moral-declineAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my dad.2024-02-2732 min
Experimental HistoryI wanted to be a teacher but they made me a copThe conundrum in every classroom.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/i-wanted-to-be-a-teacher-but-theyEvery post: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-02-0725 min
Experimental HistoryScience is a strong link problemOR: how to eat fewer asparagus beetles.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/science-is-a-strong-link-problemAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-01-3017 minExperimental HistoryBrain training begins in the hipsA response to a reader's question.Original posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/brain-training-begins-in-the-hipsAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2024-01-2516 minExperimental HistoryYou can't reach the brain through the earsWhy do we have to learn everything the hard way?Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/you-cant-reach-the-brain-throughAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-01-1617 min
Experimental HistoryIt's very weird to have a skull full of poisonA tale of ten strangenesses.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/its-very-weird-to-have-a-skull-fullAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2024-01-0920 min
Experimental HistoryThe radical idea that people aren't stupidThe toilet spoke and I understood the truth.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-radical-idea-that-people-arentAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2023-12-2617 min
Experimental HistoryThe dance of the naked emperorsA followup to "The rise and fall of peer review"Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-dance-of-the-naked-emperorsAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2023-12-1417 min
Experimental HistoryThe rise and fall of peer reviewWhy the greatest scientific experiment in history failed, and why that's a good thingOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-peer-reviewAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad2023-12-0722 min
UndertoneAdam MastroianniAdam and I talk about humor, peer review, and the future of science.
Timestamps
(0:00:00) Intro
(0:00:45) Is bias overrated?
(0:01:46) Researcher ambition
(0:05:52) Illusion of moral decline
(0:08:10) Morality over time
(0:11:33) Humor and teaching
(0:13:48) Misconceptions about humor
(0:16:48) Lost in translation
(0:21:07) Good research ideas
(0:27:37) Peer review
(0:29:51) Science House
(0:35:29) Identifying talent
(0:40:11) Adam's acting career
(0:49:59) Art blemishes
(0:52:10) What makes a good piece of writing?
(0:54:21) Adam's information diet
(0:55:10...2023-12-071h 11
Behavioral Grooves PodcastRethinking Behavioral Science | Adam MastroianniWhile Tim finds himself confined to a plane, Kurt engages in a captivating one-on-one session with researcher Adam Mastroianni. Together, they delve into the intriguing world of behavioral science, aiming to unveil the concealed truths behind the notorious Big Dentist conspiracy urging everyone to floss.
However, the episode takes an unexpected turn as Kurt and Adam embark on a thought-provoking exploration of the past, present, and future of behavioral science. From a history tainted with fraudulent studies to a present that seems tepid in terms of groundbreaking discoveries, the duo contemplates what lies ahead. Do we dare...2023-12-041h 12
Experimental HistoryHow to keep cakes moist and cause the greatest tragedies of the 20th centuryLessons from psychology's original bad dudeOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/how-to-keep-cakes-moist-and-causeAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photography by my dad2023-11-2834 min
Experimental HistoryThings could be betterEight studies reveal a (possibly universal) bias in human imaginationOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/things-could-be-betterAll posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2023-11-1423 min
Experimental HistoryYou'll forget most of what you learn. What should you do about that?Are we crazy, or are we missing a big secret?Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/youll-forget-most-of-what-you-learnAll posts: www.experimental-history.comMusic by Brandon Rosiar, pictures by my dad2023-11-0824 min
Big BrainsAre We Worse People Than We Used To Be? With Adam MastroianniHow many times have you heard this phrase: “Back in the day, people were nicer” or “People aren’t as kind as they used to be?” Most of us have experienced the feeling that people are becoming meaner over time, year after year. But is it true? Are people really less kind than they used to be?That’s the question that has bothered psychologist Adam Mastroianni most of his life. He set out to find an answer—a search that recently culminated in a paper published in the journal Nature titled, “The Illusion of Moral Decline.” While the title ma...2023-11-0231 min
Experimental HistoryPsychology might be a big stinkin' load of hogwash and that's just fineHello I would like to reach into your head and tear out the myths that you believe about my beloved fieldOriginal post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/psychology-might-be-a-big-stinkinGet all the posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, pictures by my dad2023-11-0124 min
Experimental HistoryExcuse me but why are you eating so many frogsWe've got the wrong theory about how minds work and it's driving us insane.Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/excuse-me-but-why-are-you-eatingSupport the blog at https://www.experimental-history.com/Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.2023-10-2518 min
Blue SkyDr. Adam Mastroianni Explains How Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking That Everything Is WorseAdam Mastroianni says he likes to “study how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the whole country buzzing around them.” In this Blue Sky conversation, Dr. Mastroianni describes research he and a colleague conducted that demonstrates that human beings falsely assume that the world used to be better, and that we continue to decline in terms of moral standards and civil behavior. This cognitive “bug” he has detected can lead us to develop a more pessimistic view of the world and also leaves us more susceptible to believe in the message of...2023-10-1848 min
Experimental HistoryWhy Aren't Smart People Happier?A new way to think about brainpower.Original post here. Get every post, including the MYSTERY POSTS, at Experimental History.Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my dad.2023-10-1620 min
Experimental HistoryYou Should Not Open a Door and See Someone PoopingWhy doesn't good design win?Original post here. Get every post, including the MYSTERY POSTS, at Experimental History.Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my dad.2023-10-1611 min
Experimental HistoryGood Conversations Have Lots of DoorknobsOR: Spiderman is my boyfriend.Original post here. Get more posts at Experimental History. To support the show/blog and get the MYSTERY POSTS, sign up for a subscription.Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my dad.2023-10-1614 min
BJKS Podcast76. Adam Mastroianni: Paradigms in psychology, science as a strong-link problem, and The Psychology HouseAdam Mastroianni is a scientist who writes the Substack 'Experimental History'. This is our second conversation. We discuss science as a strong-link problem, why everyone is allowed to do science, and some of Adam's suggestions for how science can be done differently.Support the show: https://geni.us/bjks-patreonTimestamps0:00:00: Adam's Substack is now his main thing0:05:32: Paradigms in psychology0:16:40: Who's allowed to do science? Science as a strong-link problem0:36:41: A fleet of ships, The Psychology House, and Dan Gilbert's supervsion1:06:53: How to cultivate good feedback1:13:20: A book, paper...2023-10-131h 21EconTalkAdam Mastroianni on Learning and Mostly ForgettingHow much do we remember of what we learn in school or from conversation? Psychologist Adam Mastroianni says: from little to nothing much. What do our brains retain? Mastroianni argues that often it's a mix of emotions, meanings, and values that end up shaping who we are, what Mastroianni calls "vibes." Listen as he and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss the role of vibes in knowledge acquisition and the implications for how we teach, learn, and speak to those around us.
2023-10-091h 15
Princeton Alumni Weekly PodcastsPAWcast: Adam Mastroianni ’14 on the Illusion of Moral DeclineToday I am very pleased to tell you: I have good news. Morality is not actually declining in our country or anywhere else. The widespread belief that morality is declining is an illusion. That’s the conclusion Adam Mastroianni ’14 reached in a study recently published in the journal Nature. With Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert *85, Mastroianni found it just isn’t true that people overall are less kind, honest, and respectful than they used to be. So why do we believe it? On the PAWcast, Mastroianni explained the psychological effects behind this phenomenon, and the danger we flirt with when we all...2023-10-0226 min
Wild with Sarah WilsonADAM MASTROIANNI: Do we need to make the world great (and kinder) again?Adam Mastroianni (experimental psychologist, Substacker) recently published a study in Nature that hit headlines. The paper, co-published with happiness expert Daniel Gilbert, demonstrated that everyone (literally) thinks the world is in moral decline, that we are less honest, and less kind, and that we need to return to the golden days of yore. The controversial bit? Everyone has ALWAYS thought this. And ALL of us are wrong.Adam and I talk through the mad cognitive biases that steer us to this error and cover a bunch more that explain why being smart doesn’t make you happy...2023-09-2650 min
Story in the Public SquareExperimental Psychology: Exploring Public Perception of Morality and More with Adam MastroianniEvery generation seems to lament the decline in public virtues, morality, and decency. But Adam Mastroianni argues that those perceptions are generally not rooted in reality. Mastroianni is an experimental psychologist and author of the science blog, “Experimental History.” He earned his doctorate in psychology from Harvard in 2021, and his work has been covered everywhere from The New York Times to “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” He is originally from Monroeville, Ohio (pop. 1,400). Outside of science, he’s also a stand-up and improv comedian, he has done over 140 escape rooms, and he once came in second on a British reality show a...2023-09-2028 min
The DemystifySci PodcastScience is a Strong Link Problem - Dr. Adam Mastroianni, Experimental History - DS 182Dr. Adam Mastroianni is a Harvard and Oxford educated psychologist who loves the idea of science, but not so much it's modern practice. After being told one too many times that his academic writing was "too fun" for academic journals, he decided to devote his time to what science should actually look like - which is passionate people being free to explore the ideas that keep them up at night. He writes prolifically about this at his Experimental History Substack, and on the podcast we talk about how peer review made everything fall apart, how all the bad papers...2023-08-311h 58
Clear+Vivid with Alan AldaAdam Mastroianni: Why You So Often Get It WrongDo you believe people are worse now than they use to be? That smarter people are happier people? That you know when to quit a conversation? Wrong on all counts, according to Adam Mastroianni, a social psychologist. He’s also a professional improv performer and uses those skills teaching business school students.
2023-08-2942 min
Oops All Segments43: Resume Builders (with Adam Mastroianni)New groom Adam Mastrioni brings his big brain to battle the boys over Invader Zim, how to write the best resume, and where the worst city in the world is.
Experimental History with Adam Mastroianni
https://www.experimental-history.com/
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Drunk Shakespeare United:
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Check out our DnD show: 'What We Do in the Basement’: https://podcasts.apple.co...2023-08-281h 11
The Last TheoryPeer review is suffocating scienceYou know peer review, right?It’s the way academics check each other’s research papers.It ensures that only the good ones are published and prevents the bad ones from getting through.Right?Wrong.Peer review does precisely the opposite of what you think it does.It prevents the good papers from being published, and ensures that only the bad ones get through.Peer review is suffocating science.If we want to reverse the stagnation of science over the last 50 years, then we’v...2023-08-2414 minEconTalkAdam Mastroianni on the Brain, the Ears, and How We LearnPsychologist and writer Adam Mastroianni says our minds are like the keep of a castle protecting our deepest held values and beliefs from even the most skilled attacks. The only problem with this design for self-preservation is that it also can keep out wisdom that might be both useful and true. Mastroianni's summary of the problem is "you can't reach the brain through the ears." Listen as Mastroianni talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the implication of this view of mind for teaching, learning, and our daily interactions with the people around us.
2023-08-141h 05
Opinion ScienceSciComm Summer #15: Adam Mastroainni on Substack (etc.)Adam Mastroianni is a social psychologist and the author of Experimental History, available on Substack. But what is Substack? And is it a good vehicle for science communication? Adam shares his experiences writing for a non-academic audience and also reflects on the role of "science communication" in the world. Should there be a division between the scientists and the science communicators? What is a scientist's responsibility in keeping in touch with the public?We also discuss his new article in The Atlantic: "I Ruined Two Birthday Parties and Learned the Limits of Psychology."2023-07-0355 min
NeoAcademia12. Deprofessionalizing science with Adam Mastroianni Welcome back to NeoAcademia! Today, I’m joined by Adam Mastioanni. Adam is a post-doc at Columbia business school, but most people know Adam from his blog Experimental History. He’s an incredible writer, comedian, and psychologist who just happens also to be a Rhodes Scholar.For more on Adam and this episode's Big Nerve question check out the full show notes!2023-06-081h 08
The Report Card with Nat MalkusAdam Mastroianni on Strong- and Weak-Link ProblemsThis episode is a little different than normal: it’s not directly about education. Instead, it’s about peer review, strong- and weak-link problems, and our biases in how we remember the past and look forward to the future. Nonetheless, even though these topics don’t concern education directly, they shed light on important issues in education practice, research, and policy. In particular, the conceptual framework of strong- and weak-link problems provides a helpful apparatus for thinking about the tradeoffs we make in tackling many of the biggest issues in education: school choice, university admissions, accountability, tracking by ability, teache...2023-05-1851 min
Razib Khan's Unsupervised LearningAdam Mastroianni: a history of experiments in social psychologyOn this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Adam Mastroianni, who runs the Experimental History Substack. Mastroianni was the inaugural guest on the Intrinsic Perspective podcast, hosted by Erik Hoel, where they discussed his post, The rise and fall of peer review - Why the greatest scientific experiment in history failed, and why that's a great thing (see also his follow-up, The dance of the naked emperors). Mastroianni opened a can of worms; the post has more than 800 likes and more than 330 comments. Razib asks Mastroianni about the fiercely positive and negative reactions to his contention that modern peer revi...2023-05-1057 min
The Bayesian Conspiracy185 – The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam MastroianniWe discuss The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam Mastroianni from Experimental History We also touch on The dance of the naked emperors and Ideas aren’t getting harder to find and anyone who tells you otherwise is a … Continue reading →2023-04-191h 23The Bayesian Conspiracy185 – The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam MastroianniWe discuss The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam Mastroianni from Experimental History
We also touch on The dance of the naked emperors and Ideas aren’t getting harder to find and anyone who tells you otherwise is a coward and I will fight them
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0:00:01 – The Rise and Fall of Peer Review with Adam Mastroianni
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The Bayesian Conspiracy185 – The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam MastroianniWe discuss The Rise and Fall of Peer Review, with Adam Mastroianni from Experimental History We also touch on The dance of the naked emperors and Ideas aren’t getting harder to find and anyone who tells you otherwise is a … Continue reading →2023-04-191h 23The You Project#1139 Social Awareness - Dr. Adam MastroianniDr. Adam Mastroianni is a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School who studies how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the broader community buzzing around them. He writes a great blog (I checked it out) called Experimental History, is a stand-up comic, a Harvard Graduate and I think even he’d admit that he’s kind of a quirky academic-comedian-philosopher hybrid. This conversation was about as loose, freestyle and entertaining as you can get with a post-doctoral researcher. Enjoy. Twitter: a_m_mastroianniexperimental-history.comSee...2023-04-131h 00
A Bit More ComplicatedEpisode 20 - Experimental History with Dr. Adam MastroianniIn this episode, we interview Dr. Adam Mastroianni. We discuss misperceptions about social progress and political hatred. We also have an extended discussion about the problems with the scientific system of peer review and what we can do to fix those problems.
Adam's Blog: https://experimentalhistory.substack.com/
Adam's article on misperceptions about society: https://experimentalhistory.substack.com/p/youre-probably-wrong-about-how-things
Adamn's article on political hatred: https://experimentalhistory.substack.com/p/the-great-myths-of-political-hatred
Adam's article on peer review: https://experimentalhistory.substack.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-peer-review
People are not as divided as we think...2023-03-121h 21EconTalkAdam Mastroianni on Peer Review and the Academic KitchenPsychologist Adam Mastroianni says peer review has failed. Papers with major errors make it through the process. The ones without errors often fail to replicate. One approach to improve the process is better incentives. But Mastroianni argues that peer review isn't fixable. It's a failed experiment. Listen as he makes the case to EconTalk host Russ Roberts for a new approach to science and academic research.
2023-02-131h 06
Chris WilliamsonAre Smart People Actually Happier? - Adam MastroianniAdam Mastroianni is a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School and a writer whose research focuses on how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds.
Does being smart make you happy? Does being dumb make you miserable? Why did the guy who created eugenics also get published in Nature for a revolutionary way to cut a cake? Adam is one of my favourite writers so today I get to ask him all these things.
Expect to learn why super smart people can be so stupid, Adam's issue with the productivity approach of eating frogs, whether you can learn arithmetic...2023-02-041h 11
Modern Wisdom#585 - Adam Mastroianni - Are Smart People Actually Happier?Adam Mastroianni is a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School and a writer whose research focuses on how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds.Does being smart make you happy? Does being dumb make you miserable? Why did the guy who created eugenics also get published in Nature for a revolutionary way to cut a cake? Adam is one of my favourite writers so today I get to ask him all these things.Expect to learn why super smart people can be so stupid, Adam's issue with the productivity approach of eating frogs...2023-02-041h 11BJKS Podcast65. Adam Mastroianni: Conversational doorknobs, improv comedy, and a very dumb academic revolutionAdam Mastroianni is a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School. In this conversation, we talk about his work on conversations, his Substack/blog, his article Things Could Be Better and why he chose to publish it this way, improv comedy, and much more.BJKS Podcast is a podcast about neuroscience, psychology, and anything vaguely related, hosted by Benjamin James Kuper-Smith. In 2022, episodes will appear irregularly, roughly twice per month. You can find the podcast on all podcasting platforms (e.g., Spotify, Apple/Google Podcasts, etc.). Timestamps0:01:20: Did Adam fake having a girlfriend when h...2022-12-101h 34
Talk of AgesAdam MastroianniExperimental psychologist Adam Mastroianni returns to discuss a recent post of his entitled "Why aren't smart people happier?" plus other entries from his (highly recommended) blog ExperimentalHistory.substack.com2022-09-2657 min
Your Undivided AttentionFighting With Mirages of Each Other — with Adam MastroianniHave you ever lost a friend to misperception? Have you lost a friend or a family member to the idea that your views got so different, that it was time to end the relationship — perhaps by unfriending each other on Facebook?As it turns out, we often think our ideological differences are far greater than they actually are. Which means: we’re losing relationships and getting mired in polarization based on warped visions of each other. This week on Your Undivided Attention, we're talking with Adam Mastroianni, a postdoctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School who s...2022-09-2239 min
Altered GeekA Conversation with Adam Mastroianni!In Episode 406 of Altered Geek, we present you with the next interview here on The GCRN! It's time to talk about stuff! From Pop Culture being an Oligopoly, to just who Adam Mastroianni is, and what he's all about as a person, and as a Social Psychologist! Plus sooooooo much more! Right here only on Altered Geek!2022-08-121h 41Talk of AgesAdam Mastroianni / Experimental HistoryAdam Mastroianni on the oligopoly of pop culture and much more. Read more of Adam's work at ExperimentalHistory.substack.com2022-07-0153 minOpinion Science#58: How Minds Change with David McRaney (ft. Adam Mastroianni)David McRaney is an author and host of the podcast You Are Not So Smart. In June, he’s releasing a new book—How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion (you can pre-order it now). In the book, David goes on a wild journey to understand the mechanics of persuasion. He combines research in psychology with stories of persuasion on the ground to arrive at an understanding of when and why people end up changing their opinions. In our conversation, David shares how he got wrapped up in reporting on social science research, why...2022-03-1455 min