Specimen the Sociologist

The Civic Responsibility of Forgiveness

After a lovely summer off-- Specimen the Sociologist is back! This episode is actually a pre-recorded speech that I gave for an event called “Book It Like Booker,” hoste

How To Navigate Social Naïveté

Let's be honest. We've all been the new kid, the intern, or the youngest person in the room. We've all looked back on a conversation and thought, "I should've seen that c

How to Scientifically Steward Your Relationships

Are relationships casual or is there a deeper social science at work? In this episode of Specimen the Sociologist, we're going to unpack the Social Exchange Theory and th

Love is [more simple than you may think.]

My budding specimens! Recently, I stepped away from the podcast mic to hop onto the Love is [ ] project. This is a digital archive about whatever "love is" to you-- broug

Why Forgiveness Is a Social Act

Let's unpack how forgiveness is not an emotional response, rather it's a social act! Against a backdrop of cultural polarization and personal disconnection, I explore how

Why Confidence Is Not a Feeling, but a Behavior.

Let's debunk what it means to be confident! While folks may limit it to a feeling, I'd argue that confidence is the alignment between your core values and your behavior.

How To Become A Secure Individual

In this episode, I break down what it means to become a secure individual! We explore attachment theory, people-pleasing, and how identity, honesty, and sensitivity shape

The Sociology of People-Pleasing

Let’s talk about the science behind people-pleasing. While it’s often dismissed as a personality trait, people-pleasing is actually a learned behavior shaped by social st

Book Review: The Anxious Generation

We’re closing out our anxiety mini-series with a review of The Anxious Generation. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explores how childhood has shifted from play-based t

The Science Behind Trust

If you’ve been on this planet for more than two seconds, you’ve probably had your trust betrayed—or betrayed someone else’s. Fear not—your favorite specimen is here to un

The Sociology of SNAP

In this episode, I dive into the Sociology of SNAP—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—and explore how it reflects America’s values, inequalities, and systems o

Voice Memo: The Lost Art of Writing Letters

I’m back with a cheeky voice memo! This time, I’m exploring the lost art of writing a handwritten letter. In an age of digital messages and quick texts, a letter is a val

The Sociology of Anxiety

Let's talk about Anxiety! Nope-- I'm not talking about Doechii's song called "Anxiety," I'm talking about an experience that we all share. In this episode, we'll be exp

Book Review: Project UnLonely by Dr. Jeremy Nobel

Hey there, hi there! What better way to wrap-up our loneliness series then by with a book review. In Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection, Author Dr. Je

The Function of Identity in Society

In this episode of Specimen the Sociologist, we explore the principle of identity — how it’s formed, what it reveals about us, and why it matters for the health of our re

Voice Memo: How to Overcome Disappointment

What happens when life gives you lemons — or, more accurately, disappointment? In this episode, Jessamyn shares practical tools for navigating seasons of setbacks and mak

The Sociology Behind Loneliness

In this episode of Specimen the Sociologist, your host Jessamyn Reichmann (that’s “Specimen” with a J!) explores the quiet epidemic of loneliness—not just as an emotion,

Principle in a Pod: Love

What’s love got to do with it? Absolutely everything. In this episode, Jessamyn Reichmann explores how love is not just an emotional or personal experience, but a powerfu

Voice Memo: Do As I Say, Not As I Did.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade! In Jessamyn Reichmann's case, when life gave her lessons, she recorded a podcast. In today's cheeky voice memo, Reichmann d

The Sociology Behind Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show

The podcast that you didn't ask for but got! Today we're diving into the sociology behind Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. A performance that referenced th