Under the Cortex

• Young Minds, Smart Strategies: How Children Decide When to Use External Memory Aids

  Do young children prefer to rely on their memory, or do they take the easier route and use external aids like lists and reminders? How do they decide when to put in the mental effort and when to lean on available tools?  In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum teams up with Zsuzsa Kaldy from the University of Massachusetts Boston. They discuss Kaldy’s study published in APS’s journal Psychological Science addressing how children balance memory with external help. The conversation evolves into what these findings reveal about cognitive development, and cultural differences in learning.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  [email protected] 

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• Understanding Addiction: A General Liability or Unique Disorders?

  Is there a single explanation that accounts for all addictive behaviors, or is the reality more complex? How can quantitative classification methods help uncover the nuances of substance dependence?  In this episode, APS's Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Ashley Watts from Vanderbilt University about her recent research article in Clinical Psychological Science. They discuss how simple explanations to addictive behavior – like the General Addiction Liability theory – may be appealing for a unified treatment approach, but a deeper, more quantitively rich dive into the data draws a more heterogenous picture. The paper argues that addiction follows a more diverse pattern, and the conversation highlights what this approach to addiction means for future research and for treatment strategies.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  [email protected] 

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• Addressing Selection Bias in Disparities Research

  Psychological research often focuses on disparities, but how do the populations studied impact the reliability of findings?  In this episode of Under the Cortex, Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum hosts Wen Wei Loh and Dongning Ren who recently published an article on this topic in APS’s journal Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. They discuss how non-representative samples can influence study conclusions and highlight solutions for strengthening study validity.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  [email protected] 

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• Beyond Focus: How Attention Shapes Learning Differently for Children and Adults

  Children often surprise us with the details they remember—sometimes even better than adults! But what if their ability to learn comes not from focus, but from a broader, less selective attention? This episode unpacks research showing that while adults learn best when paying attention, children (ages 7-9) absorb information just as well, even when it’s irrelevant to their task. Could this be the secret behind their incredible learning abilities?   In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum speaks with Marlie Tandoc from the University of Pennsylvania who recently published an article on learning and attention in APS’s journal Psychological Science. Together they discuss whether children’s weaker selective attention is a hidden strength by addressing findings on attention, memory, and childhood learning.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at [email protected] 

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• Dosage Dilemma: Unpacking Meditation App Science

  Although meditation apps are gaining popularity, a clear link between usage dosage and intervention outcomes has yet to be established.  In this episode of Under the Cortex, host Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum teams up with Simon Goldberg from the University of Wisconsin to explore a critical question: “How does the “dosage” of meditation app use impact mental health outcomes? Drawing from a randomized controlled trial with 662 participants published in APS’s journal Clinical Psychological Science, the conversation examines various ways to measure dosage and how these metrics relate to changes in psychological distress.  If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.  Send us your thoughts and questions at  [email protected].

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