Overthinking TV

Thinking about thinking on TV

Alan Jern Ph.D.

What the "Up" Series Reveals About Personality Change

An interview with Claire Lewis, producer of the celebrated 50-year documentary series, on what she thinks the series reveals about personality, class, and development.

Why You Should Stop Binge-Watching

Binge-watching TV episodes leads to worse memory retention and is less fun than watching episodes released weekly.

What It Was Like to Be a Doctor During the AIDS Crisis

Following the release of "It's a Sin" about the AIDS crisis, I talked to Dr. Martin Seltman, one of the only primary care doctors who treated AIDS in Pittsburgh in the 1980s.

Can Watching TV Reduce Prejudice?

Can watching shows and films featuring characters from different groups reduce prejudice toward those groups? Recent experiments suggest the answer could be yes, even if the effect is small.

NXIVM and Heaven's Gate Cults Used Common Persuasion Methods

Why would someone join a cult? Two recent docuseries about the NXIVM and Heaven's Gate cults suggest they used similar, effective persuasion principles we're all susceptible to.

Two of This Year's Best TV Shows Highlight the Value of Curiosity

This year gave us two TV shows, "Joe Pera Talks With You" and "How to With John Wilson," that prove there is plenty of joy to be found in the world if we're curious enough.

Guilty Pleasures Are Just Pleasures

Why do we feel guilty for liking "bad" TV? Many psychologists believe that guilt is adaptive, but that doesn't mean it's helping us make good entertainment choices.

Are We Tricking Ourselves Into Loving Bingeworthy TV Shows?

Some television shows can place big demands on our time and attention. Does this lead us to think these shows are better than they really are?