What's going on up there?

What does it really take to be a good astronaut?In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Louise Weston to explore the psychology of space work, from the personality traits linked to astronaut success to the team dynamics that shape performance in isolated, high-pressure environments.Drawing on research from space missions and Mars simulation studies, they discuss how communication, conflict, stress and motivation influence team effectiveness, and why diverse crews perform better under pressure.From astronaut selection to the future of Mars exploration, this episode looks at what space can teach us about resilience, teamwork, and human performance when the stakes are highest.References:Pena I, Chen H (2025) Exploring team dynamics and performance in extended space missions using agent-based modeling. PLoS One 20(10): e0332496. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332496

One player. One ball. One kick. Millions watching. With the World Cup in the knockout stages, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Stuart Duff to explore the psychology of penalty taking — one of the most intense moments in sport. Because standing on the penalty spot is about far more than football. It’s about what happens when the pressure is overwhelming, the stakes are high, and there is nowhere to hide. Drawing on the research of Professor Geir Jordet and his book Pressure, they unpack why penalty shootouts are not a lottery, but a powerful test of human psychology. Why do some players stay composed while others unravel? What does pressure do to the body and mind in those few decisive seconds? From rushed run-ups and wandering focus to the routines that help players hold their nerve, this episode reveals the hidden psychology behind success and failure from twelve yards. A fascinating listen for football fans and anyone interested in how we perform when everything is on the line. References:Jordet, G. and Hartman, E. (2008) Avoidance Motivation and Choking under Pressure in Soccer Penalty Shootouts. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 30(4):450-7Jordet, G. (2024). Pressure: Lessons from the Psychology of the Penalty Shootout. London: New River Books. ISBN: 9781915780218.

If you’re reading this in the middle of a heatwave, you’ve probably already noticed your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders. The good news is, it’s not just you.In this episode, Grace is joined by Professor Binna Kandola OBE to explore the growing body of research showing that as temperatures rise, our ability to do demanding mental work can start to decline.Together, they unpack why complex cognitive tasks are especially vulnerable, what this means for organisations and education, and how heat is likely to become an increasingly important issue in the years ahead.They also discuss what workplaces, schools and universities can do differently — from improving airflow to rethinking when demanding work, meetings and exams are scheduled.References:Ebi, K.L., Capon, A., Berry, P., Broderick, C., de Dear, R., Havenith, G., Honda, Y., Kovats, R.S., Ma, W., Malik, A. and Morris, N.B. (2021) ‘Hot weather and heat extremes: health risks’, The Lancet, 398(10301), pp. 698–708.PLOS Climate (no date) ‘Cumulative exposure to urban heat can affect the learning capacity of students and penalize the vulnerable and low-income young population: A systematic review’, PLOS Climate. Available at: https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000618 (Accessed: 26 June 2026).Thompson, R., Hornigold, R., Page, L. and Waite, T. (2018) ‘Associations between high ambient temperatures and heat waves with mental health outcomes: a systematic review’, Public Health, 161, pp. 171–191.Zeng, P., Sui, Y., Liu, Y., Xu, H., Cheng, D., Che, Y. and Helbich, M. (2025) ‘Heat risk during hot weather is associated with poorer self-reported mental health: A cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China’, Cities, 164, p. 106078.

We’ve all had that awkward moment where we recognise someone instantly, but their name has completely vanished.Why does that happen? And are we really worse with names than faces, or does it just feel that way?In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola explore one of the most relatable mysteries of human memory. From everyday social slip-ups to the psychology of recognition and recall, they unpack why names can be so difficult to remember and what that reveals about how memory actually works.Along the way, they delve into research on metamemory and the brilliantly named “Butcher on the Bus” phenomenon, revealing why our intuitions about memory are not always as reliable as they seem.If you’ve ever smiled confidently at someone while silently panicking over what they’re called, hopefully this episode will make you feel a little less embarrassed.ReferencesJenkins, R., Murray, A., & Dowsett, A. J. (2021). "I recognise your name but I can't remember your face": Name recognition outperforms face recognition. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74(12), 2157–2165.Jenkins, R., Dowsett, A. J., & Burton, A. M. (2018). How many faces do people know?Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1888), 20181319.Bruce, V., & Young, A. (1986). Understanding face recognition. British Journal of Psychology, 77(3), 305–327.Burke, D. M., MacKay, D. G., Worthley, J. S., & Wade, E. (1991). On the tip of the tongue: What causes word finding failures in young and older adults? Journal of Memory and Language, 30(5), 542–579.Mandler, G. (1980). Recognizing: The judgment of previous occurrence. Psychological Review, 87(3), 252–271.

The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest in history — but beyond the viewing figures and commercial spectacle, what does it do to us psychologically? In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Professor Binna Kandola OBE to explore the psychology behind the world's biggest sporting, and emotional, event. Drawing on research from the 2018 FIFA World Cup, they examine how expectation gaps shape supporter wellbeing, why moderate hope tends to produce healthier emotional outcomes than either blind optimism or low expectations, and how football can influence our mood without fundamentally changing overall life satisfaction. A conversation that reveals more about human psychology than you might expect from a football tournament. References:Robinson, M. A., Davis, M. C., & Unsworth, K. L. (2023). Expectation-achievement gaps and satisfaction in World Cup football supporters: a quasi-experiment. European Sport Management Quarterly, 23(5), 1304–1327. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2021.2007278

Over the past decade, words like 'triggered' have become part of everyday speech, and the psychology behind that shift is more significant than it might seem.In this episode, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist James Meachin to explore why the language we use to describe our emotions can profoundly shape how we experience them and, in turn, undermine our resilience.Drawing on insights from ancient Greek philosophy through to modern psychology, they examine how our internal dialogue often has more influence over our emotional responses than the situations themselves. Along the way, they identify the thinking patterns that can keep us stuck and explain why recognising them is the crucial first step towards building genuine, lasting resilience.ReferencesEllis, A. The revised ABC's of rational-emotive therapy (RET). J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther 9, 139–172 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061227

Do you really know when you're being lied to? Most of us believe we do, but research suggests we're far worse at detecting deception than we'd like to think. This week, Grace is joined by Chartered Psychologist Stuart Duff to explore the fascinating psychology of lying. Together they examine what we mean by lying, the line between a white lie and calculated manipulation, and what personality can reveal about how, and why, people deceive. Drawing on the latest behavioural science, they also challenge the biggest myths around lie detection and uncover what research actually says about spotting a liar. ReferencesCantarero, K., Van Tilburg, W., Szarota, P. (2018) Differentiating everyday lies: A typology of lies based on beneficiary and motivation. Journal of Personality and Individual Differences Volume 134, November 2018Dr Julia Shaw How to actually catch a liar, according to the new science of lie detection. BBC Science Focus. December, 2025Luke, T. et al. (2025) What have we learned about cues to deception? A survey of expert opinions. Psychology, Crime and Law. Vol. 31, 2025

We've never had more ways to entertain ourselves. So why are so many of us more bored than ever? This week, Grace sits down with Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola to explore the paradox of modern boredom: how the very devices designed to keep us entertained are rewiring our brains to crave constant stimulation and are ultimately making the problem worse. From the way social media is fuelling a boredom epidemic, to the point at which scrolling stops being a distraction and starts becoming an addiction, to the impact of boredom on our mental health and wellbeing, this conversation might just change the way you think about reaching for your phone. References:Dora, J., van Hooff, M., Geurts, S., Kompier, M., & Bijleveld, E. (2020). Fatigue, boredom, and objectively-measured smartphone use at work (preprint). Radboud University. Date taken from manuscript (May 1, 2020).Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). People are increasingly bored in our digital age. Communications Psychology, 2, 106.Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). Fast-forward to boredom: How switching behavior on digital media makes people more bored. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.