Can an aversion to eating insects build connections with others? In this talk, Cindy D. Kam discusses our relationship with the emotion of disgust in decision-making. She discusses the hidden power of disgust to protect us and connect us with others, but also warns about its kryptonite: its reliance on imagination. Cindy D. Kam received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and currently holds the William R. Kenan, Jr. Chair in Political Science at Vanderbilt University. As a political psychologist, Professor Kam uses a psychological lens to understand how people develop political opinions and why they engage in political action. She is the author of two books (Us Against Them: Ethnocentric Foundations of American Public Opinion and Modeling and Interpreting Interactive Hypotheses in Regression Analysis) and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles. Kam’s published research examines the impacts of a wide range of psychological phenomena - including intergroup attitudes, cognitive engagement, risk propensity, implicit associations, and disgust sensitivity - on public opinion, vote choice, turnout, political participation, and political consumerism. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Her research is focused on emotions in self-organized settings. This builds the foundation of her work on how self-organized teams and communities can be places for personal growth and seeds to transform our socioeconomic system. Since 2014, she has been a catalyst for several social innovation organizations, from social start-ups, NGOs, to a women's network, to social movements. Alícia is a designer and facilitator of distributed leadership and ecosystem building. In addition to practicing these in her own communities and collectives, she has co-authored research on these topics and is currently undertaking a PhD with the Tallinn University of Technology under the Cosmolocalism project led by the P2P lab.Her research is focused on emotions in self-organised settings. This builds the foundation of her work on how self-organised teams and communities can be places for personal growth and seeds to transform our socioeconomic system.Her approach to the topic Balancing Polarity is about how being and working in power-with settings (instead of power-over), we can build new organisations that are based on incentives (principles) like togetherness and healthy systems. Her motivation comes from having spent the past ten years diving into the world of collaborative networks and communities, which for her, have been incredible spaces for personal growth and healing. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

We all seek for a happy and satisfied life. Living in a world full of contradictory expectations, especially for women, makes it hard to stay true to yourself and free yourself from the bad effects of social comparison. It feels as if judgement, misunderstanding, rejection are waiting for you anyways. I experience this as a Content Creator myself every day on social media and with my clients as a psychologist and coach. My talk outlines the psychological mechanisms behind judgment and rejection and shows how to learn to think open-minded. For more happiness - for those who judge and those who are judged. Linda-Marlen Leinweber is a psychologist, systemic coach, and hypnotherapist. As a self-employed psychologist, she is dedicated to raising awareness and destigmatizing mental health issues. She is also a content creator and podcaster, sharing tips for enhancing mental well-being. As the founder of Poise, a network of psychologists and psychotherapists, she offers online mental coaching and psychological counseling for individuals and corporate employees.Her TEDx Talk, titled How to Learn Open-Mindedness (and Say Goodbye to the Bad Effects of Social Comparison), explores the challenges of living in a world filled with contradictory expectations, particularly for women. She examines the psychological mechanisms behind judgment and rejection, which she encounters daily as a content creator and psychologist.This TEDx Talk outlines how to develop open-minded thinking, leading to more happiness—both for those who judge and those who are judged. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Conflicts raging globally are usually framed as necessary, inevitable, and with justified glory for ‘our side.’ With this polarization, it becomes unpatriotic - if not illegal - to question the very basis of war or its devastation for our shared humanity and planet. But sustainable peace requires intersectional approaches. By interweaving stories from contemporary war witnesses, this TEDx Talk creates an interactive conflict model – and explores how each of us can reduce collateral damage by impacting the narratives of war. Heather Wokusch is a global educator and public speaker, psychotherapist and multimedia storyteller. She ist a human rights advocate, community-building strategist and the founder of MESPERO: Impact for Resilience (building mental-health capacity) and SDG2030.me (scaling innovations for the Sustainable Development Goals).The theme "Balancing Polarity" resonates in every aspect of Heather’s work. On a personal level, she is especially focused on exploring the hidden polarities and intersectionalities of war – with the aim of identifying shared paths to peace. This pursuit has led her to conduct dozens of interviews with war survivors ranging from atomic bomb witnesses to refugees from contemporary conflicts, along with military members and political decision-makers across the world.In her TEDx Talk, Heather shares an interactive matrix of her findings about wars’ unspoken areas of ‘collateral damage’ – and ideas for how each of us can impact the narrative for positive change. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Being African American gives him the opportunity to share parts of his cultural heritage. Because of this, his identity feels heightened or contrasted when living in a place like Innsbruck, where African American culture is not as prominent or well-understood. His identity polarizes, and because of this there is often a curiosity, stereotyping, or even isolation. Clint Leahr is a Senior Lecturer at the Management Center Innsbruck with a rich academic career spanning across renowned institutions such as Lauder Business School in Vienna and the International School of Management in Germany.In his TEDx talk, Clint brings a unique perspective as an African American living in Innsbruck, a city with a relatively homogeneous population. He speaks about how his cultural heritage often contrasts with the local environment, leading to curiosity, stereotyping, and sometimes isolation.Clint’s mission is to inspire others by sharing his life’s journey, guided by his daily motto, “Make this your best day.” His belief in the power of dialogue shines through, as he hopes to offer his audience a fresh perspective on cultural differences, personal identity, and the role of open communication. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx