November 2021 Summaries

In this week's episode, the hosts discuss various aspects of love, including its connection with chocolate and prairie voles, as well as the role of oxytocin in fostering love. Special guest Melina Kanakaredes shares insights into how Greek language and culture express different types of love. Dr. Dacher Keltner explains how love drives us towards selflessness and caring for others, while shutting down our self-protection instincts. The hosts also delve into the medical uses of psychedelics in strengthening love and happiness. Lastly, Dr. Alan Cowen explores why we can't always choose who we love, attributing it to human evolutionary biology.

In this week's episode of The Feelings Lab, the hosts discuss the emotion of doubt and its various forms such as self-doubt, intellectual questioning, curiosity, imposter syndrome, etc. They explore how doubt can be both beneficial and detrimental, driving personal growth or crippling progress. Dr. Alan Cowen explains that doubt's purpose is to encourage us to seek new explanations, bordering confusion, interest, and contempt. He also highlights the significant role of doubt in major historical advancements like the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution. Danielle Krettek-Cobb questions if doubt is just the "dark side" of curiosity, while Dr. Dacher Keltner discusses how doubt complements awe, especially in mystical experiences that defy explanation. The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding this emotion to better navigate its impact on our lives and society.

In this week's episode of The Feelings Lab, the hosts discuss the emotion of mirth and its various flavors with humorist John Hodgman. They explore the history of the word "mirth" and how it relates to aging gracefully with laughter. Dr. Alan Cowen explains different types of amusement and their connection to other emotions. The episode also delves into the role of jokes in forming social cohesion, creating a sense of history, and providing relief from life's challenges.

In the latest episode of The Feelings Lab, Dr. Alan Cowen, Danielle Krettek-Cobb, and Matt Forte discuss anxiety with special guest Professor George Bonanno from Columbia University's Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Lab. They explore how to combat anxiety by being flexible in coping strategies and delve into the evolutionary advantages of anxiety. Dr. Bonanno emphasizes that building strategies for dealing with anxiety is best done during calm periods.