Professor Peterson’s Psychology Classroom

About Professor Peterson’s Psychology Classroom

Professor Peterson's Psychology Classroom is a place to keep learning long after class ends. Hosted by Dr. Curtis Peterson, this podcast brings together lectures, explanations, and conversations from psychology courses covering topics such as introductory psychology, lifespan development, social psychology, cross-cultural psychology, psychology of gender, group processes, substance use, and more. Originally developed to give students an accessible way to revisit course material, the classroom remains open after the semester is over. Current students can use episodes to review difficult concepts, reinforce readings, or catch up on ideas discussed in class. Former students are always welcome back, and anyone interested in understanding psychology is invited to listen. Episodes connect psychological theory and research to everyday experiences, relationships, identity, development, behavior, and the communities in which we live. The semester may end. Learning doesn't have to.

Publisher

Dr. Curtis Peterson

Category

health & fitness · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

33 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Mood vs. Moment: Why That Joke Hit Harder Today

   This episode uses a tree metaphor to explain affect, distinguishing moods from emotions and showing how visible expression (affect) can differ from internal feelings. It illustrates how a bad morning can color reactions and why the same event may feel different depending on mood.The lecture then explores three main influences on emotional experience—biology (temperament and nervous system), learning and personal history, and the immediate social and cultural context—highlighting how these factors interact to shape how we interpret and express emotions.

2. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Inside Your Emotions: Drives, Motivations, and Feelings Explained

   Professor Peterson explores how drives, motivations, emotions, feelings, and mood interact to shape human behavior. The lecture explains affect, contrasts the body’s physiological responses with conscious feelings, and shows how biology, past experience, and interpretation lead different people to react differently in the same situation.Using examples like surprise in a parking lot, test anxiety, hunger, and relationship patterns, the episode emphasizes practical reflection and how emotional labels can be mislearned and changed over time.

3. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Two Lives, One Lifespan: Rethinking Adulthood and Development

   This episode explains human development as the study of how people change over time, emphasizing that modern lifespans and scientific findings have reshaped our ideas about adulthood.It summarizes key points such as lifespan extension, the concept of emerging adulthood, brain maturation into the mid-to-late 20s, and the three interacting domains of development: biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional.

Contact Professor Peterson’s Psychology Classroom

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.