Ep. 183: The Psychology of Home: How Our Spaces Shape Us (w/ Dr. Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges)

What if your home isn’t just where you live—but something that actively shapes who you become?

In this episode of Psychology and Stuff, host Alison Jane Martingano sits down with UW–Green Bay psychology professor and environmental psychologist Dr. Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges to explore the powerful relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Drawing on her background in social ecology, Georjeanna explains how our homes function as dynamic systems—shaped by routines, relationships, and the broader environments around them.

From childhood development and household “chaos” to pandemic-era living and aging in place, they unpack how design, flexibility, and social connection influence well-being. The conversation reveals why a home is never just a physical space—and how small changes can transform how we live in it.