Are you dreaming about your next vacation? If so, you're not alone. For many Americans,

travel is increasingly viewed not as a luxury, but as a necessity. According to Investipedia's

2025 American Dream Study, 75% of millennials consider annual vacations a key part of their version of

the American dream, even more than

traditional milestones like home ownership. For many of us, travel is a chance to escape our routines,

explore new places, and maybe even find ourselves. But does travel really change us? And if so,

how? How does encountering unfamiliar environments affect the way we think? Does travel really change us? And if so, how? How does encountering unfamiliar environments

affect the way we think? Does travel make us happier or improve our well-being? How are

technology and social media changing the experience of travel? And if you want to travel but don't

have the budget or time, is it possible to gain some of the benefits of travel

by approaching the place where you live with a travel mindset?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology,

the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life.

I'm Kim Mills.

My guest today is Dr. Andrew Stevenson,

a senior lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK.

He's a cultural psychologist who is interested in the way that space and places

affect the way that we feel,

think and act.

He is author of the 2023 book, The Psychology of Travel, and has been quoted widely on the

psychology of travel by media outlets including The Washington Post, the BBC, USA Today, and others.

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