Psychology Life Lessons is a podcast where we listen in on conversations with psychology experts and try to extract life lessons, and maybe a little wisdom.
In this 11th episode, Dr. Dan Lannin has a conversation with Drs. Laura Finan and Julie Campbell–both professors of Developmental Psychology at Illinois State University. Both are brilliant professors that study interesting areas related to development.
The conversation starts with a discussion about Julie’s research on the development of “handedness,” and how people develop preferences for being right-handed or left-handed. Laura talks about her research into adolescent development and drug use, and we reflect on how COVID has influenced mental health and drug use.
The life lessons start with a discussion on losing, and how losing can provide opportunities to reflect and reconsider one’s approach to their work, relationships, and other aspects of life. The conversation turns to the idea of “fit” and how many rejections and difficulties are due to poor fits between a person and their environment, and not because someone is inadequate or “not good enough.” Dan recounts a poem by Shel Silverstein about “fitting with others” — here’s a link to a video version of that poem. Julie emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity, and Laura reflects on the importance of the physical places where we spend our time.
Importantly, in this episode we learn that Julie’s “road rage” has culminated in the neologism– jerk-a-lot, and that Laura could envision herself having a beer with Obama.
Dr. Laura Finan
Dr. Laura Finan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Illinois State University. Her background is in Psychology, Human Development and Family Science, and Prevention Science. Dr. Finan’s research interests include how social-ecological factors contribute to adolescents’ and young adults’ health and health risk behaviors.
Dr. Julie Campbell
Dr. Julie Campbell is a developmental psychologist at Illinois State University. She teaches courses in infant, child, and adolescent development, as well as statistics and research methods courses. Dr. Campbell is the director of the REACH lab, where she and her students examine the neurodevelopment of infant motor behaviors and lateralized functions, such as hand preference. She also researches the dynamic of the parent and child relationship by focusing on play interactions between parents and their youth and how using objects can change the interaction. You can read about her work in more detail at: https://about.illinoisstate.edu/jmcamp9/
Disclaimer: The content on this site is for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Additionally, the opinions and viewpoints expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the entities that employ the host or guests.
Enjoy!
Psychology Life Lessons 