Episodes
The Psychology of Perception
In this thought-provoking episode of The Psychology of Us , Professor RJ Starr unpacks a deceptively simple statement by spiritual teacher Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj: “In my world, nothing ever goes wrong.” Blending timeless ph...
Psychology of Rejection Sensitivity
Why do we fear being left out? What makes rejection feel so deeply personal? The Psychology of Us dives into the emotional terrain we all navigate—unpacking the unseen forces that shape how we think, feel, and connect. In thi...
The Psychology of Mockery: Why Some People Derive Pleasure from Other…
Why do some people take pleasure in mocking others when they’re in distress? Why is public ridicule so normalized in sports, politics, and online spaces? In this episode of The Psychology of Us , Professor RJ Starr explores t...
When All You Can Do Is Witness
When All You Can Do Is Bear Witness: The Quiet Power of Staying Present in a Hurting World In a world obsessed with action, results, and performance, what happens when all you can do is feel ? What if you’re not the one who r...
The Lie of Finding Yourself: Why Self-Authorship Is the Real Work
In this transformative episode of The Psychology of Us , Professor RJ Starr dismantles one of the most deeply ingrained myths in modern culture—the idea that you must "find yourself" to live authentically. Through the lens of...
Why We Hate to Wait: The Psychology of Patience
Why does waiting feel so unbearable? What’s happening in our minds when we’re stuck in traffic, refreshing an email inbox, or counting down the days to a big event? In this episode, Professor RJ Starr explores the psychology ...
Anywhere But Here: Longing, Escape, and the Myth of Arrival
Anywhere But Here: Longing, Escape, and the Myth of Arrival is a deeply reflective episode exploring the psychological and emotional complexity behind our desire to be somewhere else—somewhere quieter, freer, better aligned w...
The Psychology of Denial in a Crumbling America
This is a spoken narration of my essay titled You Can’t Light the Fire and Then Complain About the Heat: The Psychology of Regret, Denial, and Self-Inflicted Harm. If you’d like to read along: https://medium.com/@ProfRJStarr/...
The Psychology of Self-Preservation
The Psychology of Self-Preservation: Understanding Silence in Leadership and Everyday Life What makes a person look the other way when truth is being trampled? Why do institutions, especially those tasked with protecting the ...
Extinction Bursts – Why We Resist Change Before We Adapt
Have you ever tried to quit a habit only to find yourself indulging in it even more before finally letting go? Or ignored someone’s message, only to receive a flood of follow-ups? Welcome to the world of extinction bursts —th...
The Psychology of Emotional Unintelligence in Public Life
"The lack of emotional intelligence represented by the American populace in this thread was staggering." -------- What happens when a nation confuses outrage with strength, and cruelty with conviction? In this powerful, speci...
The Age of Shallow Learning: How Superficial Knowledge is Changing Us
We are drowning in information but starving for understanding. In today’s fast-paced digital world, we consume knowledge in bite-sized pieces—quick summaries, viral TikToks, catchy headlines—believing we’ve grasped the full p...
The Psychology of Values: How Your Beliefs Shape Your Life Choices
Why do you do what you do? Why do you think the way you think, speak the way you speak, or spend your time the way you do? In this episode of The Psychology of Us , Professor RJ Starr explores the deep psychological forces th...
Fragmented Focus: Why Our Attention Spans Are Shrinking and How to Re…
Why does it feel harder than ever to focus? Why do we skim articles, half-watch videos, and multitask endlessly without truly absorbing anything? In this episode of The Psychology of Us with Professor RJ Starr , we explore th...
The Psychology of Belief: Why We Believe What We Do
Why do people hold onto beliefs with absolute certainty, even without evidence? What makes us trust misinformation, conspiracy theories, or deeply ingrained ideas that defy logic? In this episode of The Psychology of Us , Pro...
Why People Bully: The Psychology Behind Power and Control
Bullying is more than just schoolyard cruelty—it’s a social and psychological phenomenon that follows us into adulthood, shaping self-perception, relationships, and even workplace dynamics. In this episode of The Psychology o...
The Psychology of Dishonesty: Why People Lie and How to Spot It
Why do we lie, even when the truth seems simpler? In this episode, we explore the psychology of dishonesty—what drives people to deceive, how the brain processes lying, and why some lies feel justified while others carry last...
FOMO Unpacked: The Psychology of Missing Out in a Social Media World
In this episode of The Psychology of Us, Professor RJ Starr explores one of the most pervasive feelings in modern life: the fear of missing out, or FOMO. While FOMO may feel like a recent phenomenon driven by social media, it...
The Worry Trap: Why We Overthink and How to Break Free
Overthinking—it’s something we’ve all experienced, but why does it happen? And more importantly, how can we break free from it? In this episode of The Psychology of Us with Professor RJ Starr , we take a deep dive into the ps...
The Psychology of Censorship and Control
Welcome to The Psychology of Us with Professor RJ Starr , the podcast that explores the hidden forces shaping human thought, behavior, and society. In this episode, The Psychology of Censorship and Control, we uncover how cen...
Eremitism: The Psychology of Solitude and the Desire to Be Alone
In a world that never stops talking, what happens when we choose to step away? In this episode of The Psychology of Us with Professor RJ Starr , we explore eremitism —the act of withdrawing from society for solitude, self-ref...
The Roots of Anger: Why We Lose Our Cool
Why do we lose our cool? What’s really happening beneath the surface when anger takes hold? In this episode of The Psychology of Us with Professor RJ Starr, we dive deep into the psychology of anger—where it comes from, what ...
Why People Annoy Us: The Psychology of Irritation
Why do certain people and behaviors get under our skin? In this episode of The Psychology of Us , Professor RJ Starr unpacks the fascinating psychology behind irritation. From the biological roots of annoyance to the cognitiv...
Midterm Mayhem: How to Manage Academic Stress and Study Smarter
This podcast episode is a gift to my psych students, and to all students around the world. Enjoy! Midterm exams can feel overwhelming, but understanding the psychology behind stress can help you stay focused, motivated, and p...