Positive World, Positive People
PoWoPoPe episodes are designed for teenage audiences, specifically covering various unique topics that relate to early life and development. Episodes range from discussions on the impacts of social media to discovering one's true self.
Episodes
44 episodes
Innovator and Leader - Andini Makosinski
Welcome back to Change Starts Small, a series within Positive World, Positive People, where I speak with activists, innovators, and leaders who are creating meaningful change. We often hear stories about young people who accomplish som...
How to Battle Misinformation in Media With Dr. Stephan Lewandowsky
Think about how many pieces of information you've already seen today. Within just a few minutes, we've often absorbed more information than people once encountered in an entire day. Here's the challenge: not everything we see is true. Some info...
Civic Engagement Is for Everyone With Dr. Elizabeth Matto
As teenagers, it's easy to hear that we're "too young" to make a difference. Many of us can't vote yet, and sometimes it can feel like our opinions don't carry much weight; however, civic engagement doesn't begin on your eighteenth birthday. It...
Learning the Definition of Forgiveness and Apology with Dr. Everett Worthington
Nearly everyone has experienced a moment when a relationship changes because of something that was said, or something that wasn't. As adolescents and young adults, we're constantly building new relationships while also learning how to handle co...
Leader - Aimée Davis
In this series, we highlight activists, innovators, and leaders who work to create a more equitable and opportunity-filled future, often by recognizing a missing piece and acting against it. Additionally, at the heart of this series is the idea...
The Hidden Power of Impressions with Dr. Mark Leary
Whether we realize it or not, most of us spend time wondering what other people think of us. Did I say the wrong thing? Do people actually like me? What impression am I leaving? During adolescence, these questions can feel especially important....
Self-Control is a Skill with Dr. Kentaro Fujita
Think back to the last time you were waiting for something. How long did it take before you checked in with yourself again? We live in a world where almost everything is immediate. You send something, you get a response. You post something, you...
Adolescent Decision Making Uncovered with Dr. Berna Güroglu
I want to start with a moment most of us have had: you’re in a situation where you have to decide something quickly; maybe your friends are watching, maybe emotions are high, and in that moment, the choice feels obvious. Later, though, when eve...
Leader - Divya Bhatia
In this series, we spotlight activists, innovators, and leaders who are shaping their communities and the world, often starting with one courageous decision to speak up and take action. Sharing these stories inspires all of us to find our own v...
Overthinking Understood with Dr. Brandon Gibb
I want to start with something that might feel familiar: you replay a conversation in your head, you wonder if you said the wrong thing, or you think about something that happened hours ago, but you can’t seem to move on. That experience of get...
Authenticity vs. Social Expectations with Dr. Rebecca Shiner
When do you feel most like yourself? For a lot of us, the answer isn’t always clear. You might feel one way around friends, another in school, and a completely different version of yourself online. That means, over time, it can get harder to te...
Harmony with Nature: Something Everyone Should Prioritize with Dr. Terry Hartig
In this episode, we are talking about something that touches all of us, whether we notice it or not: our harmony and connection to nature. Currently, we hear a lot about mental health resources, coping strategies, and support networks, and whil...
Activist - Benton Schroeder
In this series, we highlight activists, innovators, and leaders who used their voices and actions to create real change, reminding us that you are never too young to make a difference. At its core, this series is about showing that change doesn...
How External Factors and Identity Shape Teen Motivation with Dr. Chris Hulleman
The teenage years are full of change. We’re asked to think more seriously about our futures, take on more responsibility, and define who we want to become. But somewhere in the middle of all that, motivation can start to feel unpredictable. You...
Revealing the Origin of Adolescent Depression with Dr. Michael Scheeringa
As we move through our teenage years, emotions can feel heavier, more complex, and sometimes harder to understand. For some teens, those feelings go beyond stress and become something deeper: something harder to explain, like a lingering sadnes...
The Surprising Role of Self-Compassion in Adolescence with Dr. Ronald Siegel
One thing that comes up again and again in life is how complicated self-esteem can feel. There are moments where you feel confident and secure, and others where your self-worth feels tied to things like grades, friendships, or how you think oth...
Activist - Sagarika Sriram
In this series, we highlight activists, innovators, and leaders who prove that meaningful change often begins with a single idea and the courage to act on it. These stories are meant to inspire you, because no matter how small your beginnings s...
Conceptualizing the Effects of Motivation with Dr. Kaplan
Something I notice constantly, in my friends and in myself, is how unpredictable motivation can feel during the teenage years. Unfortunately, motivation is not something adolescents can ignore as it shapes our academic performance, ambitions, f...
The Science Behind Prosocial Behavior with Dr. Daniel Fessler
As we grow into our teenage years, life becomes fuller and more complicated. School and hobbies get harder. Expectations rise. Social dynamics shift. And sometimes, the small, natural acts of kindness that once felt easy begin to feel harder to...
The True Outcomes of Nature Connectedness with Dr. Caroline Harvey
Today’s episode feels especially grounding, literally. When we think about teen well-being, we usually address topics such as friendships, school stress, social media, or family dynamics. But we don’t always think about something much quieter, ...
Leader - Juliet Zakaryan
In this series, I highlight young activists, innovators, and leaders who are already shaping a more just and equitable future through their voices, values, and actions. These interviews show that meaningful change doesn’t require waiting for th...
Motivation and What It Truly Means With Dr. Allan Wigfield
One question that comes up a LOT is: Why does motivation sometimes feel like a wave, strong one day and completely gone the next? Why does it feel easy to care about something at one moment and impossible the next, especially during school or g...
A New Perspective on Friendships with Dr. Bukowski
If you’ve ever looked at your phone and realized you don’t talk to someone the way you used to, or felt like a friendship quietly changed without a clear reason, you’re not alone. One of the strangest parts of growing up is watching relationshi...
Solitude & Belonging with Dr. Coplan
Today’s episode focuses on something many young people experience but don’t acknowledge: loneliness. Even though we’re constantly connected through social media, texting, and school, lots of teens still feel isolated, unseen, or emotionally alo...
Activist - Lily Niederhofer
Today’s episode is part of our “Change Starts Small” series, where young activists, innovators, and leaders who are proving that age is never a limitation to creating meaningful change join our podcast. This series is rooted in the belief that ...