Cit.ED

Discussion · Episode

Why Conversations Go Wrong

Do you ever struggle to communicate with your mom? Or feel like you and your spouse sometimes speak different languages? This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with linguist Deborah Tannen. She shows how our conversational styles can cause unintended conflicts, and what we can do to communicate more effectively with the people in our lives. Then, in an all-new installment of "Your Questions Answered," Emma Levine responds to your questions and stories about the psychology of lying. What should you do when you achieve a big goal, but it doesn't bring the satisfaction or happiness you thought it would? Check out our latest YouTube video for ideas about getting out of this sort of rut. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss any of Shankar's upcoming videos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discussion

No comments yet.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Cite, share or tag

Cite the author

A reference to Dr Naledi Mokoena (@naledimokoena) for this discussion, as each style cites an online post. A paper in the evidence has its own “Cite this paper”.

Show the reference (APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver)

APA 7th

In-text

Reference list

Mokoena, N. [@naledimokoena]. (2026, September 14). Why Conversations Go Wrong [Audio podcast episode]. In Hidden Brain. CIT.ED. https://cit.education/p/cded9949-c20b-4344-82ff-c6f0da5d2ca4

Harvard

In-text

Reference list

Mokoena, N. [@naledimokoena] (2026) ‘Why Conversations Go Wrong’, Hidden Brain [Podcast]. CIT.ED, 14 September. Available at: https://cit.education/p/cded9949-c20b-4344-82ff-c6f0da5d2ca4 (Accessed: 3 November 2026).

MLA 9th

In-text

Add the page number inside the brackets if you quote, e.g. (Smith 12).

Reference list

Mokoena, Naledi [@naledimokoena]. “Why Conversations Go Wrong.” Hidden Brain, CIT.ED, 14 Sept. 2026, cit.education/p/cded9949-c20b-4344-82ff-c6f0da5d2ca4.

Chicago (author-date)

In-text

Reference list

Mokoena, Naledi (@naledimokoena). 2026. “Why Conversations Go Wrong.” Hidden Brain. CIT.ED podcast episode, September 14, 2026. https://cit.education/p/cded9949-c20b-4344-82ff-c6f0da5d2ca4.

Vancouver

In-text

Vancouver numbers sources in the order you first cite them. Replace 1 with this source’s number.

Reference list

Mokoena N. Why Conversations Go Wrong [podcast episode on the Internet]. Hidden Brain. CIT.ED; 2026 Sep 14 [cited 2026 Nov 3]. Available from: https://cit.education/p/cded9949-c20b-4344-82ff-c6f0da5d2ca4

“Copy” gives plain text. “Copy with formatting” keeps the italics when you paste into a document.

Share the post

Tag people

No one is tagged yet. Only the author tags people. To bring someone in, share the post with them.

More from Dr Naledi Mokoena

View profile →
👩‍🏫 Practice

Practice · Early childhood

Three ways to turn TV time into talk time

Co-viewing with a child is associated with better language outcomes than children watching alone.

Dr Naledi Mokoena 1 source
💬 Discussion

Discussion · Episode

How to Make a Difference: Part 1

Why do some people act on the possibilities before them, while others come to believe that nothing they do will make a difference? Psychologist Martin Seligman describes his groundbreaking research on learned helplessness, and explains how the stories we tell ourselves about setbacks can shape what we do next. We also explore how optimism can help us rediscover our ability to change things for the better. If you have a question or comment about the science of optimism and pessimism that you'd be willing to share with the Hidden Brain audience after listening to this episode, please find a quiet room and record a voice memo on your phone. Email the file to us at feedback@hiddenbrain.org. Use the subject line: “How to Make a Difference.” If you love Hidden Brain in audio, check out our video series on YouTube. You'll find episodes there about memory, focus, getting unstuck, and much more at youtube.com/@hiddenbrain. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr Naledi Mokoena
🔬 Research

Research · Screens

Why “screen time” is the wrong number to worry about

Background television is associated with fewer adult words directed at toddlers.

Dr Naledi Mokoena 3 sources