You’re not bad at reading people.You’re just ignoring the data.In this episode of Planting Thoughts, Mike breaks down the real psychology and neuroscience behind reading people—without the TikTok pseudoscience, mind-reader nonsense, or “alpha” cosplay.We dive deep into:1-What body language actually means (and why most advice is wrong)2-How tone of voice reveals more than words ever will3-The neuroscience of intuition, empathy, and prediction4-Why liars don’t look nervous—and how deception really leaks5-FBI-informed interrogation and behavioral analysis techniques6-Cultural and psychological factors that change how people express emotion7-A step-by-step framework to read people accurately without becoming paranoidThis isn’t about manipulation. It’s about clarity, awareness, and emotional intelligence with teeth.🌱 Plant that thought.If this episode sharpened your awareness, like, subscribe, and share with someone who still believes crossed arms mean “defensive.”Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast#PlantingThoughts #Psychology #ReadingPeople #BodyLanguage#HumanBehavior #EmotionalIntelligence #LieDetection #Neuroscience#BehavioralPsychology #SocialDynamics #CommunicationSkills #SelfAwareness #MentalFrameworks #PsychologyPodcast #CriticalThinking #MasculinePsychology
Why do New Year’s resolutions feel like a magical rebirth at midnight… and then die by January 12th? In this episode of Planting Thoughts, Mike breaks down the real psychology behind resolutions—the neuroscience, the behavioral traps, the motivation myths, the influencer nonsense, and the emotional chaos behind why you swear you’re becoming a 5 a.m. gym warrior… right after finishing that last slice of holiday fudge.We dive into: ✨ Why your brain LOVES the idea of “New Year, New Me” ✨ The most common American resolutions (and why they repeat every year) ✨ Why resolutions fail (hint: it’s not because you’re weak) ✨ What research generally suggests about dopamine, habit formation, and fresh-start effects ✨ Why waiting for the “perfect time” is a trap ✨ How productivity culture can wreck your sanity ✨ A step-by-step blueprint for building resolutions that actually survive the year ✨ How to create goals that align with your identity, not your guilt ✨ And why tiny, consistent wins beat motivational hype every timeThis episode is part humor, part science, part “stop buying vision boards you won’t fill out,” and 100% designed to make your resolutions work for you, not against you. If you’re ready to build goals that don’t collapse like wet cardboard—hit subscribe, join the Firestarters, and start shaping the year today instead of “someday.”Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast#NewYearsResolutions #Psychology #MotivationScience #SelfImprovement #HabitBuilding #PlantingThoughts #MindsetShift #BehaviorChange #IdentityBasedHabits #PositivePsychology #ResolutionTips #GoalSetting #Dopamine #PersonalGrowth
Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.Today's episode digs into the REAL truth about PTSD, trauma responses, survivor guilt, narcissistic relationship fallout, family chaos, hypervigilance, detachment mindset, and why “small” experiences like car crashes or sudden breakups can leave huge psychological footprints.This isn’t Instagram therapy.This is the blend of evidence-based psychology, storytelling, and comedic honesty that actually helps you understand your brain, heal your nervous system, and feel less alone.In this episode you’ll learn:
• What trauma actually is (and what it’s not) • Why subthreshold trauma still leaves scars • Survivor guilt and the brain’s false sense of control • Narcissistic abuse cycles and intermittent reinforcement • Hypervigilance, dissociation, and nervous system overload • Detachment mindset from Stoicism & Eastern philosophy • Science-backed strategies: vagus nerve resets, CBT reframes, grounding techniques, EMDR • Crisis resources if you're unsafe or overwhelmedIf you’re surviving trauma, healing from a toxic relationship, navigating family chaos, or trying to understand why your brain reacts the way it does — this episode is for you.If you’re in crisis: • Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/text 988 • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFEYou are not alone.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast#TraumaHealing #PTSDRecovery #CPTSD #MentalHealthPodcast #TraumaSurvivor #EmotionalHealing #NarcissisticAbuseRecovery #SurvivorGuilt #DetachmentMindset #AnxietyTools #VagusNerveReset #EMDRTherapy #MentalHealthMatters #ToxicRelationships #PsychologyPodcast #HealingJourney #BrainScience #Hypervigilance #TraumaEducation #RelationshipRecovery
Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.In this episode of PLANTING THOUGHTS, we dive deep into the psychology of personality disorders—Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and the rising archetype known as the DARK EMPATH. If you’ve ever wondered why some people can read you instantly, mirror your emotions perfectly, and then use everything they learned against you, this episode explains the psychology behind that weaponized empathy. We break down the neuroscience, the behavioral patterns, the emotional manipulation strategies, the trauma roots, and why these personality structures are so difficult to change. We also explore how movies and history portray these traits through characters like Amy Dunne, The Joker, Anton Chigurh, and figures like Napoleon and Caligula. This is a psychological deep dive designed to help you understand personality disorders in real life, spot the manipulation patterns early, and protect yourself from the people who wear their mask too well. Whether you're interested in dark psychology, dating psychology, human behavior, mental health, or emotional self-defense, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing.#DarkEmpath #Narcissist #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #DarkPsychology #PersonalityDisorders #EmotionalManipulation #PsychologyPodcast #PlantingThoughts #MentalHealthEducation🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast
The holidays aren’t just “festive”—they’re a psychological rollercoaster with nostalgia bombs, identity crises, dopamine traps, sensory overload, and long-lost emotional ghosts rising like uninvited dinner guests. In this Planting Thoughts episode, Mike dives into the neuroscience and psychology behind Christmas, New Year’s, family gatherings, nostalgia, memory, expectation, and emotional regression—and why your brain goes absolutely feral every December.We break down: ✨ Why nostalgia is a biological time machine ✨ How lights, scents, and music hijack your nervous system ✨ The dopamine roulette of gift-giving ✨ Family role regression (yes… the chaos is science) ✨ Emotional layering & context-dependent memory ✨ The dark side: loneliness, grief, identity friction ✨ The New Year’s “Fresh Start Effect” and why it stresses you out ✨ A science-backed survival guide for staying sane ✨ A gratitude exercise that rewires your brain todayIf you feel overwhelmed, sentimental, stressed, nostalgic, or chaotic during the holidays—you’re not broken. You’re human in a high-pressure psychological environment.Need support? Call or text 988—the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Feeling unsafe at home? 1-800-799-SAFE (National Domestic Violence Hotline) is available 24/7.Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast#PlantingThoughts #PsychologyPodcast #HolidayStress #ChristmasPsychology #NewYearsPsychology #HolidayNostalgia
Are your beliefs really yours… or were they planted in you by algorithms, politics, religion, and the invisible forces shaping your world?Today’s Plant the Spark episode dives into The Echo Chamber Effect — one of the most powerful psychological traps silently guiding your thoughts, emotions, and identity.In this eye-opening breakdown, we explore how social media algorithms shape your reality, why your brain is wired to seek validation through confirmation bias, and how political and religious identities create mental bubbles that feel safe… but keep you stuck. We also discuss the neuroscience of belief, the dopamine loop behind “being right,” and the step-by-step strategies to break out of your personalized echo chamber.If you’ve ever wondered why the internet feels more extreme, more divisive, and more manipulative than ever — this episode will change how you see your feed, your thoughts, and even yourself.If this episode gives you a mental reset, hit SUBSCRIBE and share it with someone you love — or someone you disagree with. The best conversations start with curiosity.Keep tending your mind. Your thoughts are your garden. 🌱Welcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.#AlgorithmicBias #ThoughtControl #BreakTheEchoChamber #CognitiveBias #InformationDiet #MediaManipulation #ReclaimYourMind #SelfReflectionDaily #PsychologyOfBelief #IdentityPsychology #OnlineTribalism🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast
Follow us on:Instagram: @planting_thoughts_podcast YouTube: @PlantingThoughtsIn this essential episode of Planting Thoughts, we pull back the curtain on why modern politics feels less like a debate and more like a horror movie. Mike explores the deep-seated psychological and structural forces driving extreme division—a phenomenon known as affective polarization. We trace the line from ancient cognitive biases like motivated reasoning to modern accelerants like social media, which monetize outrage and amplify vile, tone-deaf rhetoric. You'll learn how your personality and moral wiring are exploited by political entrepreneurs and why presenting facts often makes people double down on their beliefs. Crucially, this isn't just a diagnosis. We lay out a practical, research-backed strategy for individuals and institutions to combat the hate, focusing on psychological inoculation, moral reframing, and the need to rebuild cross-cutting social ties to foster functional civility. If you're tired of treating opponents as enemies, this episode offers a way to strategically change the political conversation.#darkpolitics #PoliticalPsychology #AffectivePolarization #MotivatedReasoning #PoliticalDivision #Civility #Disinformation #Misinformation #SocialMediaEffects #PoliticalStrategy #MoralFoundationsTheory #CriticalThinking #MediaLiteracy #PsychologicalInoculation #PlantingThoughts #MikeSolo #NonPartisan #podcast
Follow us on:Instagram: @planting_thoughts_podcast Spotify: @plantingthoughtsIn this episode, Mike breaks down the science of dark psychology, manipulation tactics, and how to spot liars with research-backed precision. From gaslighting and guilt-loops to micro-expressions and cognitive load, this deep dive exposes the methods people use to control, confuse, and influence you. More importantly — you’ll learn how to ethically use psychological insight to protect yourself, communicate with clarity, and strengthen your emotional intelligence.If you’ve ever wondered why you miss red flags… this is your blueprint.#DarkPsychology #ManipulationTactics #SpottingLies #PsychologyPodcast #EmotionalIntelligence #HumanBehavior #GaslightingAwareness #PlantingThoughts #MindControlPsychology #CognitiveBiasesWelcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast#darkpsychology #manipulationtactics #manipulation #narcissist #psychologyfacts #plantingthoughts
Step into the brain’s ultimate time machine in this episode of Planting Thoughts: Nostalgia: The Brain's OBSESSION With The Past (And Why It Matters!). From the smell of coffee that instantly transports you to childhood mornings, to the songs that make you relive forgotten memories, we uncover why your brain is addicted to nostalgia — and how you can use it to improve your life.
We dive into the neuroscience behind nostalgic memories: the hippocampus encodes the vivid scenes, the amygdala tags them with emotion, and dopamine rewards your mind for revisiting them. Learn nostalgia’s hidden superpowers: counteracting loneliness, strengthening social bonds, and even motivating your future goals. But beware — dwelling too much can distort reality and hold you back.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to harness your brain’s obsession with the past, create “future nostalgia,” and even use memory reflection to figure out what you want to be — all while keeping a sense of humor and staying grounded in the present.
Timestamps:
0:00 — Hook: The Unexpected Power of Memory
2:00 — Hippocampus: Memory Filmmaker
4:00 — Amygdala: Emotional Tagger
6:00 — Dopamine: Nostalgia’s Reward
8:00 — Nostalgia’s Superpowers: Connection & Motivation
14:00 — The Dark Side of Nostalgia
19:30 — Harnessing Nostalgia: Mindful Activation & Future Memories
24:00 — Practical Step: Discover What You Want To Be
Welcome to Planting Thoughts — The Thanksgiving Psychology Episode.Today we’re diving deep into why Thanksgiving hits your brain harder than any other holiday: nostalgia, dopamine, family chaos, football bonding, emotional regression, identity reactivation, and why you feel everything all at once the second you walk through that door.We break down the neuroscience behind that strange Thanksgiving “warmth” — how smells activate your amygdala and hippocampus, how nostalgia boosts mood and regulates loneliness, and why this holiday turns into an emotional time machine. We explore the psychology of football, from dopamine anticipation to oxytocin bonding to the phenomenon of collective effervescence. And yes… we get into the family chaos, the contradictions, the drama, the cognitive dissonance soup that makes this holiday unforgettable (and unhinged).Finally, we end with something real — a gratitude exercise you should do today: call one person you love and tell them something meaningful. It will change your psychology more than any habit or meditation app.If this episode hits, don’t forget to subscribe, like, drop a comment, and share with your fellow succulents.Happy Thanksgiving ❤️🦃
#ThanksgivingPsychology #HolidayNostalgia #BrainScience #GratitudePractice #FamilyDynamics #PsychologyPodcast #PlantingThoughts #HolidayStress #EmotionalHealth #NostalgiaScience #FootballTraditions #Mindfulness #SelfAwareness #NeuroscienceExplained #HolidayMagic #CollectiveEffervescence #GratitudeChallenge #PsychologyFacts #SeasonalEmotions #HolidayWellbeing
Follow us on:Instagram: @planting_thoughts_podcast Spotify: @plantingthoughtsYour identity isn’t a life sentence — it’s a living system. In this episode, we break down the psychology of identity, brain plasticity, and why you’re far more adaptable than you’ve ever been told. If you’ve ever felt “stuck,” boxed in, or trapped by old versions of yourself, this one is for you. Learn how beliefs, habits, and environment work together to shape who you are… and how to rewrite your story with intention.Hashtags#identity #personaldevelopment #psychology #selfimprovement #brainplasticity #change #growthmindset #reinvention #mentalhealth #plantthesparkWelcome to Planting Thoughts, the psychology podcast that digs into the weird, funny, and fascinating sides of human behavior. From cults and moral dilemmas to personality, decision-making, and why our brains do the dumb stuff they do — we blend science, humor, and storytelling to make psychology real and relatable.🎙️ Hosted by Mike 🧠 Topics: psychology, neuroscience, social behavior, moral psychology, mental health, personality science, pop culture, dark psychology, and the psychology of everyday life.Subscribe for weekly deep dives, mind-bending insights, and some laughs along the way.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast
Follow us on:Instagram: @planting_thoughts_podcast YouTube: @plantingthoughtsAre you secretly waiting for someone to expose you as a fraud? You’re not alone. This video cuts through the noise and dives into the decades of peer-reviewed research on the Imposter Phenomenon (it's much more than just low confidence!). We’ll expose the psychological mechanisms that keep you stuck and, most importantly, give you three concrete, science-backed practices you can start tonight to rewire your response.🔍 Keywords: psychology podcast | human behavior | moral psychology | cognitive biases | social psychology | mental health science | Planting Thoughts podcast | psychology explained | funny psychology podcast🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:The Origins and Reality: The Impostor Phenomenon was first studied by researchers in 1978 in accomplished women, and modern meta-analyses show that an estimated 20-50% of high-achievers across all fields (tech, medicine, academia) experience these feelings. We discuss why this isn't a "me" problem, but a well-studied pattern, and why the label "syndrome" can sometimes distract from systemic issues.The Three Engine Blocks of Imposter Syndrome: We break down the three research-backed mechanisms that keep the feeling alive: Perfectionism (and setting maladaptive standards), Attributional Styles (crediting success to luck, not effort), and Social Comparison (misinterpreting sparse feedback). We show you the research that links high personal standards to feelings of being an imposter.Three Evidence-Backed Interventions: Discover the powerful moves that actually work. First, Self-Compassion Practice (studies on Mindful Self-Compassion show significant well-being boosts). Second, Attribution Retraining (using CBT techniques to challenge "luck" and build an "Evidence File"). Third, Social Calibration & Mentorship (how external, accurate feedback reduces isolation).Your Action Plan: Get our easy, three-line rebuttal script for when the imposter thought hits: Name it, Evidence Check, and a Self-Compassion Line ("I’m allowed to learn. Mistakes don’t erase competence."). Plus, we reveal two bonus micro-habits (Micro-failure logging and the Affirmation-plus-evidence ritual) to cement your new competence identity.Ready to stop feeling like a fraud and start owning your accomplishments? Hit play!#impostersyndrome #selfcompassion #psychology #personaldevelopment #mindfulness #successtips #mentalhealth
Welcome back to Planting Thoughts, the podcast where we dig into the big questions, explore today’s trends, and plant a seed that keeps growing long after you’ve hit pause. 🌱
This episode cuts through the haze—literally. Behind the mango clouds and slick marketing lies one of the most psychologically engineered addictions of our time.
Mike unpacks:
💸 The multi-billion-dollar psychology behind vape marketing
🧠 How “less harmful” became a sales pitch instead of a truth
💀 The mental and physical cost of nicotine addiction in 2025
🔬 The rise of synthetic THC vapes (THCP, THCH) and the real risks no one’s talking about
🧯 And why “flavored freedom” might be the biggest scam of the decade
If you’ve ever wondered whether vaping is really safer—or just marketed that way—this episode brings the facts, the science, and the uncomfortable truths.
Moral takeaway: When billion-dollar industries sell “wellness” in cotton-candy flavor, it’s time to check who’s profiting from your breath.
🎙️ Planting Thoughts with Mike — new episodes every week.
#PlantingThoughtsPodcast #VapingUnfiltered #PsychologyOfAddiction #HealthAndMind #VapeAwareness #NicotineAddiction #THCP #THCH #SocialPsychology #MindfulMedia #PodcastCommunity #MentalHealthAwareness #ScienceOverHype
In this solo deep-dive, Mike breaks down one of psychology’s most viral topics — Attachment Theory — and how it quietly shapes every relationship you’ve ever had.
From the calm confidence of the securely attached to the chaos of the disorganized, this episode unpacks the science behind why we chase, why we run, and why love feels so familiar… even when it hurts.
You’ll learn:
The four core attachment styles and how they form
The real difference between love and dependency
How to move toward earned security — the rarest (and healthiest) bond
Why anxious, avoidant, and disorganized people attract each other in modern dating
Backed by decades of peer-reviewed research and brought to life through real-world insight, this isn’t pop-psych fluff — it’s your roadmap to finally understanding your patterns.
🧠 If you’ve ever wondered why you fall for the same kind of person again and again… this episode connects the dots.
#AttachmentTheory #PsychologyOfLove #PlantingThoughtsPodcast
Host: Mike
Episode Length: ~15 minutes
Category: Science • Psychology • Society
In this episode of Planting Thoughts, Mike dives deep into the neuroscience and psychology of gender identity—separating scientific fact from political fiction.
We unpack what peer-reviewed research says about the brains of transgender people, explore how hormones and neural connectivity adapt during transition, and discuss the psychological concept of minority stress—how discrimination, not identity, drives distress.
This episode goes beyond talking points to show how empathy, data, and humanity align.
Neuroimaging Studies: Brain regions involved in self-perception and gender identity
Hormone Therapy & the Brain: Structural and functional neural changes
Psychology of Gender Identity: What the APA and global research actually define
Minority Stress Theory: Why discrimination—not identity—causes higher anxiety and depression
Real-World Impacts: From affirming care to dehumanizing policy rhetoric
What Science Recommends: Evidence-based support for mental health and inclusion
Guillamon et al., NeuroImage: Clinical (2021) – Brain structure in transgender individuals
Smith et al., JAMA Network Open (2023) – Adolescent brain imaging and gender diversity
Hendricks & Testa (2012), American Journal of Public Health – Minority Stress Model in transgender populations
Colizzi et al. (2016), Psychoneuroendocrinology – Effects of hormone therapy on brain structure
Reisner et al. (2016), The Lancet – Global mental health outcomes and access to affirming care
“Reducing gender to chromosomes is like saying Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is just air vibrations.”
“Science is complex; rhetoric is loud. And loud doesn’t mean right.”
“When society supports its most vulnerable, everyone flourishes.”
If this episode resonated, share it, rate it, and help plant more seeds of empathy and evidence.
Next week: The Psychology of Teen Vaping — How Industries Hack the Adolescent Brain.
#TransgenderScience #GenderIdentity #Neuroscience #PsychologyPodcast #TransRightsAreHumanRights #ScienceOverRhetoric #LGBTQEducation #TransAwareness #BrainBlossomsPodcast #TransgenderFacts #NeuroDiversity #InclusiveScience #MindAndIdentity #TransResearch #EmpathyAndEvidence #SocialPsychology #TransSupport #PrideAndScience #UnderstandingGender #MikeTalksScience
📘 Episode Description (Show Notes):
Why do we become emotionally attached to our favorite snacks? Why does one person call Goldfish an S-tier comfort food while another swears that Takis should be banned from planet Earth? In today’s episode, we taste-test our all-time favorite snacks live while diving into the psychological science of preferences, cravings, nostalgia, and reward systems in the brain.
We rank everything in a full tier list while breaking down:
Why familiarity shapes what we call “our favorite”
The dopamine loop behind snacking
How childhood memories affect taste perception
Why you get irrationally angry when someone hates your favorite snack
This is part science, part chaos, and 100% S-tier entertainment.
🎧 Stick around to see which snacks made God Tier… and which got canceled.
00:00 – Intro: Why snacks reveal your psychology
02:30 – The Brain Science of Preferences (Dopamine & Memory)
07:15 – Snack #1 Taste Test (Immediate debate erupts)
12:45 – Tier List Begins (Comfort vs. Craving Psychology)
19:00 – Why We Hate Change: The Familiarity Effect
24:30 – The Great Chocolate Controversy
32:00 – Final Rankings & What Your Favorite Snack Says About You
38:20 – Listener Challenge: Submit your S-tier snack!
Mere Exposure Effect (why repeated foods become favorites)
Dopamine Reward Pathway
Nostalgia & Emotional Memory
Sensory-Specific Satiety
Identity Signaling Through Taste
Comment your rankings to get featured in the next episode!
Comment your favorite snack and why you think you love it. Is it flavor? A childhood memory? Emotional support?
We’ll read the best ones in the next episode!
psychology of taste, why we have favorite foods, snack tier list, best snack ranking, food cravings explained, dopamine and food, psychology podcast, tier list debate, snack taste test, why we love snacks
#TierList #SnackRanking #FoodPsychology #FavoriteFoods #TasteTest #PsychologyPodcast #Dopamine #Nostalgia #BrainScience #SatisfyingSnacks
🌱 Grow Your Brain: Neuroplasticity 101 | Planting Thoughts
Your brain is not fixed — it’s flexible, rewiring itself every day based on what you focus on. In this episode, you’ll learn how neuroplasticity works, how to train it, and how to rewire your brain in 30 days using proven neuroscience.
Neuroplasticity explained: how your brain physically changes when you learn
Why repetition, emotion, and sleep drive brain rewiring
The basketball effect: how athletes train their brains, not just bodies
2 learning hacks backed by science: spaced repetition & microlearning
Emerging brain tech: tDCS, sleep learning, psychedelics & critical-period reopening
30-Day Brain Rewire Plan you can start today
0:00 – Intro: You can grow your brain
1:15 – Neuroplasticity science (taxi driver study)
3:00 – Fire together, wire together (basketball example)
4:20 – Learning hacks that work
6:00 – Emotional neuroplasticity & mindfulness
7:30 – Weird frontier: future brain growth tech
9:00 – 30-day rewire plan & challenge
Pick ONE skill, habit, or mindset.
Practice it daily for 15 minutes using spaced repetition + visualization + sleep.
Track wins for 30 days = new neural pathway installed.
Key Concpets:
London taxi drivers: hippocampal growth (Maguire et al., PNAS, 2000)
Spaced repetition: 30–50% retention improvement (Cepeda et al., Psych. Science, 2006)
Sleep reactivation: memory consolidation (Northwestern, 2019)
Motor imagery activates same circuits as movement (Journal of Neurophysiology)
#Neuroplasticity #GrowYourBrain #BrainHacks #LearnFaster #30DayChallenge #MentalTraining #MemoryScience
neuroplasticity, how to rewire your brain, brain growth, spaced repetition, learn faster, brain plasticity, 30 day brain challenge, memory science, brain rewiring
Description:
What happens when psychedelics move from the underground to the therapist’s office? In this episode, Mike unpacks the real research behind psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine — the so-called “breakthrough” treatments for depression, PTSD, and trauma.
Forget the festival folklore — we’re talking Nature Medicine, JAMA Psychiatry, and NEJM studies that are changing how scientists think about healing the brain. From rewiring rigid thought loops to boosting neuroplasticity, these substances might just teach the mind to loosen up — safely, and under medical supervision.
Along the way:
The MDMA + therapy trials that helped PTSD patients reclaim their lives
Psilocybin’s rapid antidepressant effects and what makes guided sessions so powerful
Ketamine and esketamine — how anesthetics became one of psychiatry’s fastest-acting treatments
Why microdosing hype doesn’t match placebo-controlled data
And why science, not rhetoric, should guide the psychedelic renaissance
Because the brain deserves more than buzzwords — it deserves evidence (and maybe a sense of humor).
Key Studies Mentioned:
Mitchell et al., Nature Medicine (2021) — MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
Davis et al., JAMA Psychiatry (2020) — Psilocybin therapy for major depression
Carhart-Harris et al., PNAS (2014) — Brain network changes under psilocybin
Ly et al., Cell Reports (2018) — Psychedelics and neuroplasticity
Biological Psychiatry (2022) — Ketamine and esketamine for treatment-resistant depression
eLife (2021) — Microdosing and the placebo problem
Episode length: ~9 minutes
Host: Mike — Planting Thoughts / Brain Blossoms
🎧 Listen, learn, and keep your skepticism stylish.
Ever wondered why smart, ordinary people end up in destructive cults? In this episode, Mike and Manon dig into the psychology of cults—why people join, why they stay, and how modern groups like NXIVM use timeless brain hacks to recruit and retain members.
We cover:
Milgram’s obedience studies, Asch’s conformity experiments, and the classic “foot-in-the-door” effect.
Why prophecy failures often make believers double down instead of walk away.
Scientology’s controversial status: cult or religion? What the research and courts say.
NXIVM’s corporate cult tactics and the psychology of branding, collateral, and coercion.
Heaven’s Gate and Aum Shinrikyo as chilling case studies of apocalyptic control.
Rick Alan Ross’s Nine Characteristics of Cults (Cults Inside Out)—a handy checklist for spotting red flags.
The deep psychology of why people stay: belongingness, sunk costs, trauma bonding, bounded choice, and intermittent reinforcement.
Feeling anxious? In this quick 5-minute Brain Blossom, Mike guides you through a simple but powerful breathing technique that can calm your nervous system in under a minute. Backed by neuroscience and rooted in ancient wisdom, this “Mindful Minute: Breath to Reset” shows how the breath acts like a remote control for your brain — flipping you from stress mode into calm focus.
You’ll learn:
Why controlled breathing lowers anxiety and boosts focus
How to do the 4–4–6–4 breathing exercise in real time
The science of vagus nerve activation and heart rate variability
How breath connects ancient yoga traditions with modern psychology
Three powerful practices (mindfulness, CBT, VR therapy) to pair with breathing
✨ A small habit with a big payoff: use this anytime anxiety spikes.
🎧 Listen now and take a calm reset — right where you are.