Communication Junkie
Communication Junkie explores why misunderstandings and conflict are so common, and how people can communicate more effectively. Hosted by Professor Steven Fuller, the show uses research, humor, and personal storytelling to offer practical communication skills. Episodes cover topics like healthier marriages, handling conflict, and becoming a more powerful communicator. The goal is to help listeners improve their interpersonal relationships through better communication.
Episodes
Writing This Letter Might Save Your Relationship
A simple trick to increase empathy for others and resolve interpersonal conflict.
What Urinals Can Teach Us About Communication
Every communication episode takes place in a unique and specific context. And context matters. Just walk into a restroom and you'll see what I mean.
How To Tell If You’re a Narcissist
No one is thinking about you. But that’s a good thing.
Avoiding the C-Word In Conflict (Not That One)
There's a myth that compromise is always the best way to manage interpersonal conflict, but that's not true in long-term relationships.
How To Avoid Communication Misunderstandings
Communication misunderstandings cause conflict in our careers and relationships. I'll explain a simple way to create meaning and avoid those misunderstandings.
One Simple Question To Ask Yourself When You're Anxious
Manufactured worry is usually worse than the actual consequences.
Stop Being a Communication Narcissist
When you communicate, you are not the reason you're communicating.
How “The Dress” Foreshadowed the Future
It was definitely blue and black. Or white and gold. One of the two.
How To Be the Most Interesting Person in the Room
This one simple trick can help you always be the most interesting person in the room.
The Most In-Demand Skill in the Age of AI
Do you know the secret to a longer life, more happiness, better relationships, and more rewarding careers?
Four Things I Learned from Living without Power for Four Days
Air conditioning is humanity’s greatest accomplishment.
The Cure for What Ails You
The Bible got at least one thing right.
The Secret To Being Fully Present
Sometimes your brain needs to be jolted awake.
The Root of All Conflict
The number one cause of relationship fights and the number two cause of divorce.
Five Reasons Why People Are Obsessed with Harry Potter
Hint: It has nothing to do with the plot.
The Secret to Making Your Dreams Come True
Spoiler alert: It has nothing to do with Hawk Tuah Girl or Bored Apes.
These Song Lyrics Have Haunted Me Since 2012
Life teaches you how you should have lived it.
A Life of Meaning or a Life of Happiness
Can meaning and happiness coexist?
What John Cena Taught Me About Life
This simple perspective shift can lead to a happier, more fulfilling life.
What Golf Can Teach Us About Life
Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to move forward.
Five Simple Steps to Cultivate Creativity
Creativity's biggest enemy isn't what you think.
How We Keep Score Determines Whether or Not We Win the Game
If you’re unhappy, you might be using the wrong scoring system.
There's Only One Way to Eat an Elephant
The secret to accomplishing anything is complex. But also simple.
The One Thing Cincinnati and New York City Have in Common
A tale of two bridges.
There's One Thing All Successful People Do
I found an unexpected treasure on a California beach.
When Life Crushes Your Dreams, There's Only One Thing You Can Do
Isaiah Austin's story may change your life.
Public Speaking Tips: Delivery Performance
In this season, Steve shares practical tips for giving a speech. In episode eight, we discuss how your speech is a performance, and you're the star of the show.
Public Speaking Tips: Delivery Personality
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode seven, we discuss how your personality affects your speech delivery.
Public Speaking Tips: Delivery Confidence
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode six, we discuss how to exude confidence during your speech delivery.
Public Speaking Tips: Conclusion
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode five, we discuss the conclusion.
Public Speaking Tips: Reasoning Fallacies
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode four, we discuss how to avoid reasoning fallacies.
Public Speaking Tips: Using Evidence
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode three, we discuss the importance of using evidence.
Public Speaking Tips: Thesis Statement
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode two, we discuss the importance of a thesis statement.
Public Speaking Tips: Introduction
In this season, Steve will share practical tips for giving a speech. In episode one, we start at the beginning with the introduction.
Equity Theory: Creating Balance in Relationships and Life
Ever wonder why miserable people want to make everyone around them miserable too? Or why people get so much pleasure from trolling strangers on social media. In the Season 6 finale, Steve explains why misery loves company and how to break the downward spiral in our own lives.
Scarcity: Why People Want What They Can't Have
From Cabbage Patch Kids, to Tickle Me Elmo, Beanie Babies, and dozens of other products along the way, companies use scarcity to make cheap toys more valuable than diamonds. In this episode, Steve discusses why people always want what they can't have.
Persuasion, Influence, and Social Proof
In this episode, Steve explains every hideous fashion trend that has ever existed. Cargo shorts. Low-rise jeans. Belly chains. Big hair. What were we thinking? There's actually a very simple explanation.
Shifting Personalities and People-Pleasing
Ever say something and wonder why the heck you said it? Ever found yourself acting like someone you aren’t? In this episode, Steve uses Communication Accommodation Theory to explain why.
Perfectionism and the Healing Power of Creativity
In this episode, Steve discusses how perfectionism can be paralyzing, but for creative people, the cure can make us happier and healthier human beings.
No More Melting Pots: Recognizing Cultural Differences
Old metaphors like "melting pot" never accurately represented the United States. Instead of melting down many cultures to form one new culture, Steve discusses why recognizing cultural differences actually improves communication and relationships.
Turning Down the Interpersonal Noise
The world keeps getting louder. More than ever, distractions interfere with interpersonal communication and relationships. In this episode, Steve discusses how to turn down the noise and focus on what's right in front of us.
Why Relationships End
Hopefully all of our romantic relationships last forever and we all live happily ever after, but statistically speaking, the majority of our relationships will fail. In this episode, Steve discusses why that happens and how to avoid heartbreak.
Why We Love Our Groups and Hate Everyone Else
In this episode, Steve discusses Social Identity Theory. Why is our identity so influenced by our group affiliations? Why do sports teams, bands, and political parties define who we are as people? And why do we spend our lives criticizing all of the opposing groups?
The Communication River Keeps On Flowing
Ever wish you could travel back in time and relive memories? Ever try to replicate special moments, but it never quite feels the same? In the Season 6 premiere, Steve discusses one of the basic principles of Communication.
Powerful People Take Responsibility for their Words and Actions
Ever known someone who is constantly making excuses? They're usually weak, ineffective communicators and relationship partners. Ever known someone who steps up and takes responsibility when things go wrong? They're usually powerful, effective communicators and relationship partners. In the Season 5 finale, Steve discusses the importance of taking responsibility for your words and actions.
Go to Your Happy Place
Steve discusses how unchecked emotions can damage interpersonal relationships, then gives some practical suggestions for managing debilitating emotions in healthier ways.
Your Words Matter
Words, language, spelling, grammar, and punctuation aren't just for English class. In this week's episode, Steve discusses why choosing the right words, spelling those words correctly, using proper grammar, and knowing when to insert commas also affects our communication skills.
Nonverbal Packaging and Personal Branding
From the clothes we wear to the coffee we drink, we all make decisions about how to present ourselves to the world. In this episode, Steve discusses what those nonverbal choices communicate to other people.
Five Reasons Why You're a Bad Listener
With so many distractions in the world, it's becoming more difficult to focus while listening to others, but effective listening can improve your relationships overnight. Steve discusses five reasons why you might struggle listening to friends, family, romantic partners, and strangers.
The Power of Nexting
Steve discusses why the next thing you say or do is always the most important thing you say or do.
White Privilege and Systemic Racism
If you don't think white privilege and systemic racism are real, give Steve six minutes to share one example of how systemic racism puts black children in danger every summer.
The Many Faces of Love
In honor of Valentine's Day, Steve discusses the many varieties of love. While most people have their hearts set on the love we see in romantic comedies, what happens to those couples after the movie ends? What happens if you never get married? Perhaps there isn't one version of love that's right for everyone. Maybe every type has a place in our lives.
Reciprocity: Demystifying the Golden Rule
The Golden Rule has many forms throughout nearly all religious and secular worldviews, but all of them can be explained through basic human nature. In this episode, Steve explains why reciprocity is such a powerful persuasive strategy.
Why It's So Hard to Admit You're Wrong
No one likes to admit they're wrong, but the reason goes much deeper than just stubborn pride. In this week's episode, Steve discusses what we can learn from cults and why people have so much trouble admitting they made a mistake.
Powerful People Envision the End
Powerful communicators set goals, then make decisions to reach those goals. Weak communicators just do stuff, then complain when life doesn't work out the way they want. In the Season 4 finale, Steve discusses how to be a powerful communicator.
Family is Forever
Other relationships may come and go, but family bonds are much more difficult to break. In this episode, Steve discusses what characteristics and qualities make family communication unique.
Media Bias, Media Framing, and Fake News
In this special election week episode, Steve discusses the origins of fake news and how Donald Trump hijacked the term, then explains the difference between media bias and fake news. Finally, he shares how to become more aware of how media framing affects personal worldveiws.
Relationship Development: The Honeymoon Phase
In this episode, Steve discusses the first few months of a romantic relationship. From first meeting someone, to the tests we give each other, to the infatuation that overtakes our senses, this necessary phase can lead to some questionable decisions.
Relationship Development: Choosing the One
In this episode, Steve explains why we're attracted to some people and not others. And, by using simple math, he explains why choosing "the one" might be harder than you think.
The Ethics of Personal Decision-Making
Ever wonder why you make the choices you do? Why did you eat cereal for breakfast instead of eggs? Why that brand of cereal? How do you choose who to vote for? What religion to follow? In this episode, Steve discusses the factors that influence our decisions, and then shares how understanding those factors can help you better understand people.
Self-Awareness and the Johari Window
The first step to becoming a better communicator and relationship partner is being aware of who you truly are and how your personality affects others. In this episode, Steve discusses the importance of self-awareness and how to discover your blind self.
Know Thyself: Introverts vs. Extroverts
In this week's episode, Steve discusses the key difference between introverts and extroverts, then shares how embracing your unique personality improves your interpersonal relationships and overall happiness.
Be Kind to Yourself
The way we talk about ourselves, to ourselves, matters. In this week's episode, Steve discusses the importance of positive self-talk to our overall health and happiness.
Surround Yourself with Happy People
Being happy isn't always easy, but one factor that affects our personal happiness is within our control. The people we surround ourselves with affect our personality, mood, and overall happiness. Who are the people that you've givien permission to tell you who you are? Check out Good vs Gooder: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goodvsgooder/good-vs-gooder
Perseverance: The Secret to Success
The most successful people in the world fail over and over again. The reason they finally succeed is because successful people keep getting back up after they fall down. In the Season 3 finale, Steve discusses why perseverance is the real secret to success.
Community, Loneliness, and Dunbar's Number
Technology has made the world a much bigger place. Instead of playing to an audience of a few hundred neighbors, classmates, and coworkers, social media allows us to play to an audience of billions. In this week's episode, Steve explains why larger communities lead to more loneliness.
Friends with Benefits
As we get older, being a spouse, parent, and employee seems to take all of our time and energy. In this week's episode, Steve explains why we should spend an equal amount of time and energy being a good friend. Also, he sings The Golden Girls theme song.
Friendship, Social Isolation, and the Quarter-Life Crisis
Ever notice how difficult it is to make friends after high school and college? In the first of three episodes about friendship, Steve discusses why it's so hard to make new friends and how loneliness contributes to the Quarter-Life Crisis.
Money is the Root of All Conflict
In this week's episode, Steve discusses the number one cause of relationship conflict and the number two cause of divorce: Money. Whether you have very little or very much, a healthy association with money leads to healthy interpersonal relationships.
The Five Love Languages: Filling Your Love Bucket
Sometimes two people love each other very much, but neither person feels loved by the other. Gary Chapman solved this mystery with his book, "The Five Love Languages." In this episode, Steve explains how understanding the love languages can save relationships.
Bogus Thoughts Produce Unhealthy Emotions
Our thoughts affect our emotions. In this episode, Steve discusses how the lies we tell ourselves can sabotage our mental health and interpersonal relationships.
First Impressions and the Self-Serving Bias
Ever notice that you judge others for the same things you do? Or that you hold other people to standards that you don't meet yourself? Ever found yourself unable to break free from someone's first impression of you. In this week's episode, Steve discusses the power of first impressions and the self-serving bias.
Communicating with People Who Don't Look, Think, or Act Like You
Intercultural Communication takes place every day when we interact with people who don't look, think, or act the way we do. Improving our intercultural communication skills makes it easier to interact with others, and developing diverse relationships makes the world a better place.
Obsessing Over Fault and Blame Ruins Relationships
Of course people should be held responsible for their actions, but Steve shares why obsessing over fault and blame (instead of solving actual problems) can ruin our interpersonal relationships.
Powerful People Risk More
In the Season 2 finale, Steve discusses how to become a more powerful person and communicator by sharing two words that changed his life.
Coronavirus and Health Anxiety
The coronavirus is on everyone's mind. In this week's episode, Steve discusses health anxiety and how the coronavirus global pandemic has affected our mental health as much as our physical health.
Elephant Trunks and Perception
What we pay attention to, what we ignore, and the lenses we use to view the world all shape our beliefs. In this week's episode, Steve explains how perception affects everything we do, including how we respond to global pandemics.
Three Steps to Healthier Interpersonal Conflict
Conflict creates problems. How we handle conflict can create even bigger problems. In this week's episode, Steve gives three simple steps for managing healthier interpersonal conflict.
The Problem with Compromise
Older couples often say the secret to a happy marriage is compromise. In this week's episode, Steve explains why that isn't necessarily true.
Losing Battles Means Winning the War
People are so focused on "winning" and "being right," that fighting those short-term battles often causes long-term problems. In this episode, Steve talks about the importance of thinking about the long-term health of our relationships.
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