The Psychology of Us

January is often treated as a reset button. A fresh start. A moment where motivation is supposed to appear and everything finally feels different.For many people, that’s not what happens.Instead, January feels quieter. Flatter. Sometimes unsettling. And that reaction is often misunderstood as failure, lack of gratitude, or a personal shortcoming.In this episode, Professor RJ Starr explores the psychology of the New Year without motivational framing or resolution culture. We look at why emotional intensity drops after the holidays, how identity pressure sneaks into the language of reinvention, why phrases like “this is the year” often function as emotional defenses, and what a more honest psychological posture toward January can look like.This is not an episode about becoming someone else.It’s about understanding what becomes visible when the noise fades, and why attention, rather than declaration, is often the healthiest place to begin.#thepsychologyofus #profrjstarr #psychology #humanbehavior #selfawareness #emotionalhealth #newyear

On Christmas Eve, the world moves quickly: last-minute errands, family preparations, a quiet pressure to feel a certain way. In this short episode, we pause long enough to remember the one thing that shapes every meaningful holiday moment: attention. Not grand gestures, not perfect gatherings, but the simple act of being present with the people in front of us and with ourselves. This is a gentle reflection for a busy day, offering a steady place to land before tomorrow arrives.

In this episode, we examine the psychology behind the rise of public, filmed acts of charity. Why does generosity look different when a camera is present? What happens to the recipient’s dignity, and how do platforms shape the performance of kindness? This is a clear-eyed look at the emotional, cultural, and identity-building forces behind visible compassion, and what gets lost when helping becomes content.

Unfinished tasks don’t just live on our to-do lists—they live in our heads. In this episode of The Psychology of Us, RJ Starr unpacks the Zeigarnik Effect: why the brain clings to incomplete work and how those open loops create background stress, self-doubt, and emotional fatigue. Through cognitive and existential psychology, we explore how closure—whether through completion, release, or redefinition—can restore self-trust and quiet the restless mind.#thepsychologyofus #profrjstarr #psychology #mentalhealth #selfawareness #emotionalintelligence #focus #productivity #peaceofmind #anxiety #motivation #selfdiscipline #cognitivescience #existentialpsychology #psychologicalgrowth #theunfinishedmind #zeigarnikeffect #closure #mindfulness #humanbehavior #integrity #values #psychpodcast #psychologyofeverydaylife #wellbeing

We rarely hear the word honor anymore. It sounds outdated—like something from another era. But behind that old-fashioned sound lies a living psychological structure: the alignment between who we believe ourselves to be and how we actually live.In this episode of The Psychology of Us, Professor RJ Starr explores the modern meaning of honor—not as moral perfection, but as integrity under pressure. He looks at what happens when we replace inner coherence with image management, why social media has turned reputation into performance, and how shame, self-respect, and accountability still serve as the mind’s internal compass.You’ll hear how honor connects dignity with discipline, how character strength theory and self-determination theory describe its modern form, and how small, unseen acts of honesty and restraint rebuild psychological trust—within ourselves and our culture.Honor, in the end, is not a relic. It’s a form of emotional maturity that lives quietly beneath our daily choices. And as Starr reminds us, reclaiming it doesn’t require perfection—it requires persistence in the direction of integrity.#thepsychologyofus #psychology #integrity #character #emotionalmaturity #selfawareness #profrjstarr #thepsychologyofbeinghuman