Two Guys on Your Head

Figuring something out intellectually can be a struggle, but when you finally get there, you feel a sense of accomplishment, maybe even joy. That joy is a big part of learning, and it comes from challenges that are hard but still within reach; it’s similar to working out and bodybuilding. In this episode of Two […]

We deal with annoyances every day, but why do some things annoy us a lot more than others? In part two of this two-part Two Guys on Your Head series on the psychology of annoyance, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy explore the role that pain, expectations, and stories play in how […]

Why is it that some things really annoy us while others we couldn’t care less about? It turns out it has a lot to do with predictability and attention: we get annoyed when something we didn’t choose or anticipate intrudes on our attention, or when we are stuck paying attention to something we would rather […]

In the moment, threatening punishment might seem like a good idea, but does it work? It turns out it depends on your goal. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the psychology of punishment and reveal why scolding, threats, and consequences might […]

There are times when we feel out of sync with what we want in the world and how we act in the world. Say you’re longing for close, lasting relationships, but you are acting in a way that says you don’t believe you’re worthy of love, pulling back or pushing people away without quite knowing […]