Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein

Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein

Author: Pushkin Industries March 23, 2026 Duration: 32:50

Why is social media so hard to quit? We waste hours scrolling, feel worse when we log off, and still find ourselves going back for more.

Dr. Laurie sits down with Dr. Cass Sunstein, co-author of (00:00:57) Nudge, to explore a new concept from the 2026 World Happiness Report: the “product trap.” Together, they unpack why we keep returning to platforms that make us unhappy — and what it might take to finally break free.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

World Happiness Report 2026

The Problem of Social Cost

Valuing Facebook

The Welfare Effects of Social Media

When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media

Libertarian Paternalism Is Not an Oxymoron

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


We often chase after things we believe will bring us joy-the next promotion, a perfect vacation photo, a bigger house-only to find the feeling is fleeting. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos digs into the surprising psychology behind why our instincts about happiness are so frequently wrong. Dr. Santos, a Yale professor, doesn't just offer vague self-help advice; she translates the rigorous research from her record-breaking university course into practical, actionable science. Each episode feels like a personal conversation, where she breaks down complex studies and shares stories from people who've applied these lessons, revealing how counterintuitive changes in our daily routines and mindset can have a profound impact. This Pushkin Industries podcast moves beyond the surface of wellness trends, offering a grounded look at what genuinely improves our well-being across our social lives, personal health, and cultural expectations. Tuning in, you'll hear not just theory, but the tangible steps you can take to rewire your habits, backed by evidence that often contradicts our modern chase for more. It’s a refreshing take that makes the science of a better life accessible and genuinely useful, episode by episode.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Podcast Episodes
How to Make a Difference (Happily) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:11
We often assume that we can’t fix the big problems we see in the world around us. And that trying is for suckers - who’ll just end up sad, exhausted and defeated. Dr Laurie Santos and Dr Jamil Zaki meet people who have t…
How to Disagree Better [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:03
It feels like our world is deeply polarized. We seem to fundamentally disagree with so many people - and with those disputes comes anger and hatred. Can anything bridge these yawning divides? It turns out that we aren’t…
Survival of the Fittest... or the Kindest? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:13
Some people think they need to be ruthless and selfish to thrive and survive in life. The theories of Charles Darwin are often wrongly interpreted to support this view that being competitive is the key to happiness and s…
How to Find Hope in a Cynical World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:06
It’s hard to stay hopeful these days. Stanford professor Jamil Zaki has been studying the incredible depth of human kindness for decades, but even he gives in to cynicism when he doubts our ability to be civil and cooper…
Find Hope and Banish Cynicism... Coming Sept 9 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:03
It's hard to stay hopeful sometimes. Things can look pretty bleak and divided, especially around election time. But if you're losing hope in your fellow humans, stop and listen to the science. Other people are kinder, fr…
"Happiness Is Like A Leaky Tire" from Immigrantly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:30
We're bringing you an episode of Immigrantly, where Laurie joined host Saadia Khan to discuss the psychology of happiness education and the expansive realm of happiness. Is happiness a fleeting moment or a sustained stat…
The Happiness Lessons Helping Win Olympic Medals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:29
America's top athletes need coaches. And those coaches themselves need guidance. It's a hard and stressful job - and one where coaches can easily become burned out and unhappy. And stressed coaches can't help their athle…
The Happiness of the Long Distance Runner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:53
Georgia Bell was a great runner as a child - but in college she fell out of love with the sport. She hung up her running shoes - and they gathered dust until Covid hit and she began to run again for fun. Turns out that a…
A Matter of Life and Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:37
Dr Laurie HATES thinking about her own death. It's scary, creepy and morbid, right? Wrong. Thinking about our finite lives can makes us better, happier people. The shadow of death makes us behave more kindly towards othe…