The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast

Episode 11 - Religion and Spirituality pt. 2

Don't worry, we haven't quit yet! We are back with another riveting episode, this time a continuation of our discussion on Religion and Spirituality. We begin by discussing Roland Griffiths' research out of Johns Hopkins University regarding psychedelic chemicals and the mystical experiences they can produce. Then we shift to analyzing religion as a set of behavioral principles. In part 3 we will explore mortality, the afterlife, and religion's role in humanity's cultural evolution. Enjoy!
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 10 - Depression

In our 10th episode, Kristy and Mitchell discuss depression, its myriad causes, and different treatment techniques.  We approach depression from a pharmacological perspective, exploring the uses and effects of serotonin and SSRI medications on mood and personality.  We also flip our focus and examine depression from a cognitive and conceptual perspective, discussing how our narratives, thoughts, and verbal behaviors influence our proclivities for depressive episodes.  Lastly, we craft a metaphysical conception of depression and how it ties to the experiences of being human.
It wouldn't be a landmark episode for us without some technical difficulties.  Please forgive the audio quality on Mitchell's end.  We have had quite the number of lightning and thunderstorms come through the area in the last few days, and our electronics have been wonky.  We hope to have the issues resolved by our next episode.  We appreciate your patience and continued support!
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 9 - Psychology of Spirituality and Religion

Forward: I present incorrect information during this episode regarding jumping spiders and their vision.  I incorrectly state that jumping spiders move their brains to focus their vision, when in actuality they move telescopic-like tubes connected to their static lenses within what would be their brain cavity.  For an excellent video illustrating this incredible process, see: https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2015/08/13/see-a-jumping-spiders-eyes-move-in-its-head/  Other perspectives we cover in this episode are whether cults are still cults if they are actually correct in their teachings, we begin a discussion on what is truth, we explore consciousness, the brain as a heuristic device for consciousness, and whether physical organizational principles can have measurable effects on people's well-beings, among other things.  We get pretty deep, and I am excited to revisit this topic at some point in the future.  Hope you all enjoy!  
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 8 - Surfin’ the Socials Part 2

Welcome back to another episode of The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast!  In this episode, Kristy and I discuss social media and its relation to social incentives, impulse control, and exposure therapy.  We also venture into the realm of ADHD and how it is entangled with social media.  Finally, we talk self-diagnoses and also the pernicious effect that most studies suggest social media use can have on mental health.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 7 - Surfin’ the Socials Part 1

Welcome back to TCD Podcast! In this episode Kristy and I explore social media and its effect on the brain. We touch on imposter syndrome, evolutionary traits of sociability, and being the hero in our own stories. We wrap up talking about suicidality and predictive analyses of mental health using social media algorithms.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 6 - Behavior and Evolution

In this episode, Kristy and I discuss the neurotransmitter Dopamine and its related systems, how those regulate behavior and reward-seeking, we lay out a claim for the biological origin of culture, we discuss how inherited traditions serve as starting points for navigating life, and the fine line between compassion and tough love.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 5 - Behavior, Modification, and Morgana Part 1

In this episode, Kristy and Mitchell lay the groundwork and explore some foundational ideas in part 1 of a 2 part mini-series on behavior, behavior modification, and the evolution of behavior.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 4 - Free Will

In this episode of The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast, we discuss whether free will exists or not, the implications and consequences of either option, discussions of morality, agency, and even the nature of reality. We also discuss complex systems and Plato's theory of forms. It is a deep yet necessary dive into what it means to truly have a human experience. Enjoy.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 3 - Language and Behavior Modification

In this episode, Mitchell and Kristy discuss the evolution of language, dual patterning, the fundamental substructure of reality, and the phenomenon of emergence, among other things. If you have not read Mitchell's SubStack post exploring language, you should check it out as a good primer for this discussion: https://mitchellcroot.substack.com/p/boundaries-and-descriptions?r=hhe57&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.

Episode 2 - Social Circles

Welcome back! In this episode, Kristy and I discuss social circles, evolutionary psychology, heuristics, domestication of animals, and we even touch on consciousness. Internet connectivity was a bit sketchy during our recording, and I am still figuring out the mono rather than stereo of certain parts of our audio. I appreciate everyone's patience; it's been a steep learning curve, but keep pace with us and we'll all grow on this adventure together.
Kristy Bohan is a cofounder and contributor to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. Kristy received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry in 2018, and an MS in Psychology in 2020 and began working on her certification in Behavior Analysis. She hopes to be board certified in early 2022 where she will continue to service clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavior consultant in Oregon. Kristy takes a behavior analytic perspective to life and uses this philosophy to inform her work and her day to day life. Kristy believes in psychology as a hard, natural science.
Mitchell Croot is one of the founders and contributors to The Cognitive Dissonance Podcast. A father of four, a US Army veteran, and a high school educator, Mitchell holds a BA in History with a minor in Secondary Education from Catawba College and an MA in History from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His interests include colonial North America, the American Revolution, culture and cultural transmission, philosophy, psychology, and music.