Sports fans experience incredible highs and lows, and spend loads of money on a product over which they have no control. But for a long time, no one bothered to study the minds or impulses of fans. Michael Lewis finds out how that's changing as writers and academics learn more about the powerful psychology of fandom. Just in time for technology to exploit fandom more than ever.

For further reading:

Eric Simons’ book The Secret Lives of Sports Fans

Research by Murray State University psychology professor Daniel Wann on fandom: https://murraystate.academia.edu/DanielWann

The Henry Tajfel Experiments

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having a good data strategy can streamline the way a company does business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Ronald Young Jr., host of Solvable, and guest Nicholas Renotte, Data Science and AI Technical Specialist at IBM. They discuss how data literacy can help make a business more efficient, the fundamentals of data management, and why data is step one to AI solutions.

A study quoted by Nicholas and referenced in this episode can be found here. Some of Nicholas’ guidance on machine learning can be found here.

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 cooperative.

That’s a shame - because shedding cynicism and grasping hope will make you happier and healthier. Jamil and Dr Laurie Santos look at the scientific evidence showing that we should be more trusting of other people and optimistic about our facility to work together.

Jamil's book Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness is out now.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Solvable host Ronald Young Jr has a new podcast! “Weight For It unpacks the nuanced thoughts of fat folks, and of all folks who think about their weight all the time. Through narrative storytelling and some memoir, host Ronald Young Jr. hopes to have the conversations that we tend to avoid when it comes to our bodies.” Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts: https://apple.co/45kiRLG

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Rosolie is an Amazon Rainforest conservationist, author, and filmmaker. He is the co-founder of Tamandua Expeditions and Junglekeepers.

Here are links to those organizations he mentions in this episode:

Www.Junglekeepers.org 

Www.Tamanduajungle.com 

Www.PaulRosolie.com

Save the Sunlight, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Solvable is produced by Jocelyn Frank, research by David Zha, booking by Lisa Dunn, editorial support for Keishel Williams. The Managing Producer is Sachar Mathias and the Executive Producer is Mia Lobel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sterlin Harjo strives to tell the stories of Native and Indigenous people by positioning beauty and triumphs alongside honest frailty and shortcomings. Harjo is an award-winning film maker and he’s the creator and show runner of the TV show Reservations Dogs. 

Here are some links to organizations and works he recommends in this episode:

https://illuminatives.org/

Reservation Dogs

Four Sheets to the Wind

Barking Water

Mekko

This May Be the Last Time 

Love and Fury

Solvable is produced by Jocelyn Frank, research by David Zha, booking by Lisa Dunn, editorial support for Keishel Williams. The Managing Producer is Sachar Mathias and the Executive Producer is Mia Lobel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laila Shabir is the co-founder and CEO of Girls Make Games. Here are some links to learn more about her game design studio, summer camp and quest to welcome more girls and women into the world of game design.

Girls Make Games

https://www.girlsmakegames.com/

What They Don’t Sea (2019) - Explore the underwater seas to collect special algae for an alternative energy project

Shredded Secrets (2022) - A game about bullying, that follows the bullied kid and the struggling bully as well. Nintendo Switch

Find Me (2021) - A beautiful and surreal 2D puzzle platformer about a lost shadow seeking to be reunited with her human girl, while searching for memories and avoiding the dangerous city lights. Steam, Playstation

Blubblub (2016) - Jennifer is out on a hunt to extract cuteness from anything and everything in sight to create the world's finest line of make up. It just so happens, BlubBlub is the cutest blub there ever was... Rescue your friends and thwart Jennifer's scheme for building a cosmetics empire. Down with the syringes! Steam, X-box

Interfectorem (2015) - A young sheriff-in-training who lives alone with her sister Sali in a small town next to the woods decides to go on a hike one day, but comes home to find her younger sister brutally murdered! Steam, Playstation

The Hole Story (2014) - When an unsuspecting young girl finds herself transported to a mystical world, she must rely on her trusty shovel and quick wits to find her way home. Steam

Solvable is produced by Jocelyn Frank, research by David Zha, booking by Lisa Dunn, and editing support from Keishel Williams. The Managing Producer is Sachar Mathias and Executive Producer is Mia Lobel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.