Pop-Culture Couch
Welcome to "Pop-Culture Couch"! I'm Maegan, your host and fellow pop-culture enthusiast with a unique blend of expertise in behavioral psychology, data science, and UX research within the world of video games. With a deep passion for the brain, behavior, and breaking down big psychological concepts into bite-sized pieces, I’m here to help you unravel the psychological themes woven into our favorite movies, TV shows, and video games.
"Pop-Culture Couch" is all about breaking down complex psychological concepts into digestible, relatable insights using the lens of popular culture. Whether it’s analyzing the cognitive bias in your favorite superhero film, exploring theories of choice and consequence in narrative video games, or learning about attachment theory through hit TV series, this podcast is your go-to place for thoughtful and entertaining discussions.
Join me on the couch as we dive deep into the world of neuropsychology, one pop-culture reference at a time. Together, we’ll discover the amazing ways our brains interact with the stories and characters we love, making the complex world of psychology both fun and accessible.
Intro and Outro music was created for me by Joel Hardin.
Pop-Culture Couch
Damn, That Was Hard...Let's Do It Again!: The Neuroscience of Why We Love Souslike Games
Why do millions of players willingly suffer through Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and other punishing Soulslike games? In this episode, we dive into the psychology and neuroscience of difficulty—and why it feels so good to finally triumph after countless defeats.
We’ll cover how your brain’s reward systems fire when you finally beat a brutal boss, why struggle makes success feel sweeter, and how failure itself becomes part of the fun. From dopamine spikes to flow states to the deep satisfaction of earned competence, we’ll uncover why these games turn pain into pride—and why so many of us keep coming back for more.
Whether you’re a Souls veteran or just curious why gamers put themselves through so much digital pain, this episode reveals how challenge, failure, and triumph tap into something deeply human.