Hidden Brain

When Doing Right Feels Wrong

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been in a position where you had to choose between someone you care about and a value that you hold dear? Maybe you had to decide whethe...

A Conspiracy of Silence

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all self-censor at times. We keep quiet at dinner with our in-laws, or nod passively in a work meeting. But what happens when we take this deceptio...

How Rude!

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not your imagination: rudeness appears to be on the rise. Witnessing rude behavior — whether it's coming from angry customers berating a stor...

Healing Your Heart

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all heard about the five stages of grief. But what happens when your experience doesn’t follow that model at all? Resilience researcher Lucy...

You Don't Need a Crystal Ball

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When disaster strikes — from the explosion of a space shuttle to the spread of a deadly virus — we want to know whether we could have avoided cata...

How to Change the World

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does power truly flow from the barrel of a gun? Pop culture and conventional history often teach us that violence is the most effective way to produce...

You Can't Hit Unsend

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Social media sites offer quick and easy ways to share ideas, crack jokes, find old friends. They can make us feel part of something big and wonderful ...

The Benefits of Mixed Emotions

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've all been in situations where we experience mixed emotions. Maybe you've felt both joy and sadness during a big life decision, such as whether to...

Putting Our Assumptions to the Test

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever stop to wonder if the way you see the world is how the world really is?  Economist Abhijit Banerjee has spent a lifetime asking himself t...

Mind Reading 2.0: Why Conversations Go Wrong

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever struggle to communicate with your mom? Or feel like you and your spouse sometimes speak different languages? In the final episode of our "...

Mind Reading 2.0: Our Better Angels

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Turn on the news, and you'll be bombarded with stories of people who lie, cheat, and kill. Most of our public and economic policies take aim at these ...

Mind Reading 2.0: The Double Standard

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy to spot bias in other people, especially those with whom we disagree.  But it’s not so easy to recognize our own biases.  In the lates...

Mind Reading 2.0: How others see you

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's not easy to know how we come across to others, especially when we're meeting people for the first time. Psychologist Erica Boothby says many of u...

Mind Reading 2.0: Why did you do that?

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we go through life, we’re constantly trying to figure out what other people are thinking and feeling. Psychologist Liane Young says this ability ...

My Unsung Hero: Sanaa Kerroumi's Story

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sanaa is on her train ride home when an angry man begins threatening her. Before he gets too close, a stranger intervenes. Please share the story of ...

Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Joy

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Life is often filled with hardships and tragedies. For thousands of years, philosophers have come up with strategies to help us cope with such hardshi...

What Makes Relationships Thrive

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone wants to be loved and appreciated. But psychologist Harry Reis says there’s another ingredient to successful relationships that’s every b...

My Unsung Hero: Wendy McDowell's Story

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1979, and Wendy is eight years old, crying alone in an airport. Then she sees a woman in white walking towards her.In a few weeks we'll be runnin...

Changing Behavior, Not Beliefs

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The rift between police and Black Americans can feel impossible to bridge. But in his work with police departments across the U.S., Yale psychologist ...

Choose Carefully

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

All of us make choices all the time, and we may think we're making those choices freely. But psychologist Eric Johnson says there's an architecture be...

Creatures of Habit

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the beginning of the year, many of us make resolutions for the months to come. We resolve to work out more, to procrastinate less, or to save more ...

My Unsung Hero: Justin Horner's Story

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Justin is  sitting on the side of the freeway, hoping someone will help him fix his busted wheel. Right around the time he’s about to give up, a va...

Bringing Up Baby

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bababa, dadada, ahgaga. Got that? Babies are speaking to us all the time, but most of us have no clue what they're saying. To us non-babies, it all so...

The Psychology of Self-Doubt

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have times when we feel like a fraud. Psychologist Kevin Cokley studies the corrosive effects of self-doubt, and how we can turn that negative ...

My Unsung Hero: Leah Bartell's Story

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1994, and two men corner Leah on a dark street as she's walking home. Then she sees a car, and a glimmer of hope.To hear more stories like this, ...

Both Things Can Be True

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s psychologically simpler to see the world in black and white. But reality often comes in shades of gray. This week, how our minds grapple with c...

Work 2.0: The One-Room Commute

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re working from home, you might be reveling in your daily commute to the dining room table. Or you might be saying, “Get me out of here.”...

My Unsung Hero: Tony Ludlow's Story

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tony is angry at his English teacher, Mrs. Holman, for making him stay after class. But on the last day of school, she takes his hand, and tells him s...

Work 2.0: Rebel with a Cause

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Editor's note, December 6, 2024: Since we first published this episode with Francesca Gino in 2018, other researchers have raised concerns about the i...

Work 2.0: Life, Interrupted

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us spend our workdays responding to a never-ending stream of emails and texts. We feel stressed out and perpetually behind on our to-do list. ...

My Unsung Hero: Terri Powers' Story

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're sharing another episode of our new podcast, My Unsung Hero. To hear more stories like this, subscribe, and enjoy! It's a few days after he...

Work 2.0: Game On!

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The world of play and the world of work are often seen as opposites. But they may have more in common than we think. In the second installment of our ...

Work 2.0: The Obstacles You Don't See

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Introducing new ideas is hard. Most of us think the best way to win people over is to push harder. But organizational psychologist Loran Nordgren says...

We Broke the Planet. Now What?

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve grown accustomed to viewing climate change as an enemy we must urgently defeat. But is that the right metaphor for the greatest existential pr...

My Unsung Hero: Rick Mangnall's Story

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're sharing another episode of our new podcast, My Unsung Hero. Subscribe, and enjoy! In 2008, while driving to work, Rick Mangnall crashes in...

The Halo Effect

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1978, Judy, Lyn and Donna Ulrich were driving to a volleyball game when their Ford Pinto was hit from behind by a van. The Pinto caught fire, and t...

Being Kind to Yourself

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Self-criticism is often seen as a virtue. But psychologist Kristin Neff says there’s a better path to self-improvement — self-compassion. She says...

My Unsung Hero: Jackie Briggs' Story

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

My Unsung Hero is here! We're excited to share one of the first episodes of our new podcast. Episode one features listener Jackie Briggs from Portland...

When You Need It To Be True

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we want something very badly, it can be hard to see warning signs that might be obvious to other people. This week, we bring you two stories abou...

Passion Isn't Enough

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many Americans feel an obligation to keep up with political news. But maybe we should be focusing our energies elsewhere. In this episode from 2020, p...

Introducing My Unsung Hero

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Longtime Hidden Brain listeners know that for years, we've thanked an unsung hero at the end of every episode. Now, we're launching a new show inspire...

Group Think

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do the groups you identify with shape your sense of self? Do they influence the beer you buy? The way you vote? Psychologist Jay Van Bavel says ou...

Just Sex

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Casual sex typically isn't about love. But what if it's not even about lust? Sociologist Lisa Wade studies "hookup culture," and believes the rules an...

Where Happiness Hides

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all think we know what will make us happy: more money. A better job. Love. But psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky says happiness doesn't necessarily wo...

You 2.0: Regrets, I Have a Few...

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have regrets. By some estimates, regret is one of the most common emotions we experience in our daily lives. In the final episode of our You 2....

You 2.0: Did That Really Happen?

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our memories are easily contaminated. We can be made to believe we rode in a hot air balloon or kissed a magnifying glass — even if those things nev...

You 2.0: When Did Marriage Become So Hard?

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Marriage is hard — and there are signs it's becoming even harder. In the third episode of our You 2.0 summer series, we examine how long-term relati...

You 2.0: In the Heat of the Moment

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a fit of anger or in the grip of fear, many of us make decisions that we never would have anticipated. As part of our You 2.0 summer series, we loo...

You 2.0: Cultivating Your Purpose

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of life. Purpose can also boost our health and longevit...

Losing Alaska

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As floods, wildfires, and heatwaves hit many parts of the world, signs of climate change seem to be all around us. Scientists have been warning us for...

Stage Fright

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The pressure. The expectations. The anxiety. If there's one thing that connects the athletes gathering for the Olympic games with the rest of us, it's...

Playing the Gender Card

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is it like to be the only woman at the (poker) table? Or a rare man in a supposedly "feminine" career? In this favorite episode from 2019, we tel...

You, But Better

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Think about the resolutions you made this year: to quit smoking, eat better, or get more exercise. If you're like most people, you probably abandoned ...

The Influence You Have

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Think about the last time you asked someone for something. Maybe you were nervous or worried about what the person would think of you. Chances are tha...

What Twins Tell Us

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In December 1988, two sets of identical twins became test subjects in a study for which they had never volunteered. It was an experiment that could ne...

The Power of Apologies

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it so hard to say 'I'm sorry?' In part two of our series on forgiveness and apologies, we talk with psychologist Tyler Okimoto about the mental...

The Power of Mercy

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Granting forgiveness for the wrongs done to us can be one of the hardest things we face in life. But forgiveness can also be transformative. In the fi...

What are the Odds?

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Coincidences can feel like magic. When we realize that a co-worker shares our birthday or run into a college roommate while on vacation, it can give u...

This is Your Brain on Ads

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever opened your computer with the intention of sending one email — only to spend an hour scrolling through social media? Maybe two hours? ...

Why We Hold on to Things

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What do the things you own say about who you are? Psychologist Bruce Hood studies our relationship with our possessions – from beloved childhood obj...

Loss and Renewal

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No matter how hard we work, we won’t always achieve the goals we set for ourselves. When cognitive scientist Maya Shankar was a girl, she wanted to ...

Tribes and Traitors

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the past weeks, headlines around the world have focused on the violent conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. In this favorite episode from ou...

Our Noisy Minds

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman says there are invisible factors that distort our judgment. He calls these factors “noise.” The consequences can be f...

The Fake Bride

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt as if someone else was writing your personal narrative? Controlling what you do, shaping how you act? This week on Hidden Brain, we...

Josh Gitelson: My Unsung Hero

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of every episode, we take a moment to thank an Unsung Hero: someone who’s not on the staff of the show, but who went above and beyond in ...

One Head, Two Brains

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Your brain is divided in two: a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere. In this 2019 episode of Hidden Brain, we dive into Iain McGilchrist's research...

Deb Pierce: My Unsung Hero

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In every episode of Hidden Brain, we thank an Unsung Hero — a colleague, a friend or a family member who has helped make our work possible from behi...

Why Conversations Go Wrong

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever struggle to communicate with your mom? Or feel like you and your spouse sometimes speak different languages? We talk with linguist Deborah...

Unsung Hero: A Cold Nevada Night

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In every episode of Hidden Brain, we thank an Unsung Hero. Many listeners have written to say they love this segment, even sharing their own Unsung He...

Humor Us

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hahaha! The average four-year-old child laughs 300 times a day. By contrast, it takes more than two months for the average 40-year-old adult to laugh ...

An Unfinished Lesson

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More than a century ago, millions of people around the world died in a massive influenza pandemic. The so-called "Spanish flu" outbreak of 1918 reveal...

Useful Delusions

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Podcast hosts are used to being the ones asking the questions. This week, though, we’re going to flip that script, and put Shankar in the guest seat...

Made of Honor

29 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stories help us make sense of the world, and can even help us to heal from trauma. They also shape our cultural narratives, for better and for worse. ...

The Story of Your Life

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We can’t go back and change the past. We can’t erase trauma and hardship. But what if there was a way to regain control of our personal narratives...

The Story of Stories

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is my friend late? How does nuclear fission work? What occurs when I sneeze? We all need to understand why certain things happen. Some researchers...

Radically Normal

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For generations, it was difficult, even dangerous, to express a sexual orientation other than heterosexuality in the United States. But in recent year...

The Snowball Effect

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some companies become household names, while others flame out? How do certain memes go viral? And why do some social movements take off and spr...

The Match

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We get messages all the time from listeners who say Hidden Brain has helped them to think differently about the world, and about themselves. As produc...

Creating God

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you've taken part in a religious service, have you ever stopped to think about how people become believers? Where do the rituals come from? And wha...

Is It Better to Know?

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Being able to see what’s happening around us can help us make smart decisions. But knowledge — especially knowledge of how others perceive us — ...

Love is Blind

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some relationships last, while others falter? In this bonus episode, Shankar looks at one thing successful couples do well.

How They See Us

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stereotypes are all around us, shaping how we see the world – and how the world sees us. On the surface, the stereotypes that other people hold shou...

The Easiest Person to Fool

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Physicist Richard Feynman once said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” One way we ...

Afraid of the Wrong Things

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Around the world, people are grappling with the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. How do our minds process that risk, and why do some of us proces...

Our Brands, Our Selves

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

All of us are surrounded by brands. Designer brands. Bargain-shopper brands. Brands for seemingly every demographic slice among us. But have you ever ...

The Secret Life of Secrets

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s human nature to hide parts of ourselves that produce shame or anxiety. We tend to skip over details that could change how others perceive us. B...

The Double Standard

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to spot bias in other people, especially those with whom we disagree. But it’s not so easy to recognize our own biases. Psychologist Emi...

A Creature of Habit

28 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

At the beginning of the year, many of us make resolutions for the months to come. We resolve to work out more, to procrastinate less, or to save more ...

Waiting Games

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For so many people across the globe, 2020 has been a year of waiting and uncertainty. Waiting to see friends and family in far-flung locales. Waiting ...

Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Joy

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Life is filled with hardships and tragedies — a fact that 2020 has made all too clear for people across the globe. For thousands of years, philosoph...

Screaming into a Void

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Turn on the news or look at Twitter, and it's likely you'll be bombarded by outrage. Many people have come to believe that the only way to spark chang...

A Conspiracy of Silence

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all self-censor at times. We keep quiet at dinner with our in-laws, or nod passively in a work meeting. But what happens when we take this deceptio...

Where Gratitude Gets You

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us struggle with self-control. And we assume willpower is the key to achieving our goals. But there's a simple and often overlooked mental ha...

When You Start to Miss Tony from Accounting

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you're one of the 40 percent of Americans now working from home, you might be reveling in your daily commute to the dining room table. Or you might...

Between Two Worlds

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Determination, hard work and sacrifice are core ingredients in the story of the American dream. But philosopher Jennifer Morton argues there is anothe...

From Pedestals to Guillotines

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As election season comes to a close, we explore our contradictory relationship with winners and losers. We tend to idolize the powerful, but we also e...

Not at the Dinner Table

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We typically divide the country into two distinct groups: Democrats and Republicans. But what if the real political divide in our country isn't betwee...

Moral Combat

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us have a clear sense of right and wrong. But what happens when we view politics through a moral lens? This week, we talk with psychologist Li...

Beyond Doomscrolling

12 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no question that 2020 has been a tough year. We're grappling with a global pandemic. A deep recession. Fresh reminders of racial injustice. ...

The Logic of Rage

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientist Doug Fields was on a trip to Europe when a pickpocket stole his wallet. Doug, normally mild-mannered, became enraged — and his fury t...