Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships. read less

Our Editor's Take

NPR's Hidden Brain is a fascinating deep dive into psychology, its proofs and practice, and how you can use its findings to understand human behavior, study the mind, and change yourself and the world around you. After all, knowledge is power, and Hidden Brain will show you how to translate an education in psychology into powerful habits and insights.

What you won’t hear: a dull, dry reading of doctorate-level research papers. Instead, Hidden Brain offers an accessible introduction to psych, with host Shankar Vedantam coupling science and storytelling to explain the psychological drivers behind biases and behaviors that affect our everyday choices and society at large. This science podcast is a must listen for its consequential insights into our species. If you are a curious thinker, a go-getter, or simply a student of life, Hidden Brain will offer up interesting observations alongside actionable advice. First time listener? Start with fan-favorite episodes like "In The Heat of the Moment," "When Did Marriage Become So Hard," and "Where Happiness Hides."

Vedantam gives discreet examples into the way people think using practices developed in social science and evolutionary psychology. Fascinating episodes like "GroupThink" break down how social ties impact our own lives and the course of our relationships. "Both Things Can Be True" highlights how the world is not as binary as it may seem; in fact, most things exist in a gray area. In "Work 2.0: The One-Room Commute," Vedantam unveils research into the significance of work and how the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly changed many of our perceptions around it. Other episodes explore topics such as memory and forgetting, the role of pressure and expectations, and regret and punishment.

Hidden Brain brings you weekly insights that might play a pivotal role in how you make choices and navigate life. With a host that excels at breaking down complex psychological studies and representing their findings in relatable, real-world examples, this is educational podcasting with pop-sci flair. Profoundly impactful and tangible, this podcast falls into the category of a "must try''—just listen for yourself.

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Introducing Hidden Brain+

Introducing Hidden Brain+

Do you love the ideas we explore on Hidden Brain and want more of them? Then please join Hidden Brain+, our new podcast subscription. You’ll find new episodes not available anywhere else, plus the chance to have your questions answered by the researchers we feature on the show. Find Hidden Brain+ exclusively on the Apple Podcasts app beginning May 25. Thanks, and see you there! -Shankar

Episodes

Parents: Keep Out!

Parents: Keep Out!

If you're a parent or a teacher, you've probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kids in your care. You don't want to put children in danger, but you also don't want to rob them of the joy of exploration. This week, we talk with psychologist Peter Gray about how this balance has changed — for parents and children alike — and what we can do about it.For more of our reporting on children and parents, check out these classic Hidden Brain episodes:Kinder-GardeningBringing Up Baby

The Curious Science of Cravings

The Curious Science of Cravings

We've all had those days when all we want is a little treat. Maybe it's a bag of chips, an ice cream sundae or a glass of wine. But sometimes, these desires become all-consuming. This week on the show, psychiatrist Judson Brewer helps us understand the science of cravings, and how we should respond to them. If you liked today's conversation, be sure to check out other Hidden Brain episodes about ways to regain a feeling of control over your life: Creatures of Habit and Taking Control of Your Time.

What Is Normal?

What Is Normal?

Anthropologist Tom Pearson was devastated after his daughter Michaela was diagnosed with Down syndrome. When he began to examine that emotional response, he found himself wrestling with questions that have roiled his field for decades. Early anthropologists would often compare people of different backgrounds and abilities, asking questions like: How is one group different from another? Which one is stronger or smarter? And how do we understand people who don’t fit our expectations? This week, we talk with Pearson about his family’s story, and the evolution of our thinking on disability and difference.If you liked today's show, be sure to check out these classic Hidden Brain episodes:"Emma, Carrie, Vivian""Why You're Smarter than You Think"

The Transformative Ideas of Daniel Kahneman

The Transformative Ideas of Daniel Kahneman

If you've ever taken an economics class, you were probably taught that people are rational. But about 50 years ago, the psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky began to chip away at this basic assumption. In doing so, they transformed our understanding of human behavior. This week, we remember Kahneman, who recently died at the age of 90, by revisiting our 2018 and 2021 conversations with him. If you enjoyed this look at the work of Daniel Kahneman, you might also enjoy our conversations about behavioral economics with Kahneman's friend and collaborator Richard Thaler: Misbehaving with Richard Thaler Follow the Anomalies

Are You Listening?

Are You Listening?

Have you ever sat across from your spouse, colleague or friend and realized that while they may be hearing what you're saying, they aren't actually listening? Poor listening can lead to arguments, hurt feelings, and fractured relationships. But the good news is that active, thoughtful listening can profoundly benefit both people in the conversation. This week on the show, psychologist Guy Itzchakov helps us understand where interactions go awry, and how to become a more attentive listener. For more of our work on how to better connect with the people in your life, check out these episodes: Why Conversations Go Wrong with Deborah TannenA Secret Source of Connection with Amit KumarRelationships 2.0: What Makes Relationships Thrive with Harry ReisRelationships 2.0: How to Keep Conflict from Spiraling with Julia Minson

Many of us believe we know how we’d choose to die. We have a sense of how we’d respond to a diagnosis of an incurable illness. This week, we revisit a 2019 episode featuring one family’s decades-long conversation about dying. What they found is that the people we are when death is far in the distance may not be the people we become when death is near.If you enjoyed today's episode, here are some more classic Hidden Brain episodes you might like:The Cowboy PhilosopherWhen You Need It To Be True Me, Myself, and Ikea Thanks for listening!

Escaping the Matrix

Escaping the Matrix

A little more than a decade ago, researchers began tracking an alarming trend: a dramatic uptick in anxiety and depression among young Americans. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt, like many other researchers, says the increase is related to our use of social media and devices. But he believes it’s also deeper than that — connected to our deepest moral beliefs and how they shape the way we view the world. He says there are simple steps we can take to improve the mental health of kids growing up in the smartphone era.For more of our work on how technology is shaping our lives, check out our two-part series "The Paradox of Pleasure" and "The Path to Enough." And don't miss our classic episode on social media, "Screaming into the Void."

Fear is a normal and healthy response to things that may harm us. But fear can also hold us back from doing the things we want to do. This week, we talk to psychiatrist and neuroscientist Arash Javanbakht about the psychology of fear — how it helps us, how it hurts us, and what we can do to harness it.For more on the science of fear and anxiety, including how you can overcome it, check out our episode A Better Way to Worry.

US 2.0: Lincoln's Dilemma

US 2.0: Lincoln's Dilemma

Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring the psychology of partisanship, and how to effectively handle disagreements with those around us. This week, we conclude our US 2.0 series by turning to the past. We talk with journalist Steve Inskeep about how one of the most important leaders in American history — Abraham Lincoln — grappled with the pressing moral question of his time. When, if ever, is it worth compromising your own principles for the sake of greater progress?If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our 2018 conversation about Thomas Jefferson with historian Annette Gordon-Reed. It's the episode called "A Founding Contradiction" in this podcast feed, or you can listen on our website.

US 2.0: Not at the Dinner Table

US 2.0: Not at the Dinner Table

We typically divide the country into two distinct groups: Democrats and Republicans. But what if the real political divide in our country isn’t between “left” and “right”? What if it’s between those who care intensely about politics, and those who don’t? This week, we bring you a favorite 2020 conversation with political scientist Yanna Krupnikov, who offers an alternative way to understand Americans’ political views.For more of our reporting on the intersection between politics and psychology, check out our episode about political hobbyism. You might also like this classic episode about how we come to our political values and beliefs. Thanks for listening!

US 2.0: Living With Our Differences

US 2.0: Living With Our Differences

Conflicts are inevitable — both at a global scale and in our personal lives. This week, in the latest in our US 2.0 series, psychologist Peter Coleman explains how minor disagreements turn into major rifts, and how we can defuse even the most salient of disputes in our lives.Interested in learning more?For additional ideas about how to keep conflict from spiraling, check out our conversation with researcher Julia Minson. And for a look at how violence shapes political outcomes on a global scale, be sure to listen to our interview with political scientist Erica Chenoweth.

US 2.0: Win Hearts, Then Minds

US 2.0: Win Hearts, Then Minds

There's a saying that's attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher. It's a nice idea, but in reality, when people don't share our values, it's hard for us to tolerate theirs. This week, we talk with sociologist Robb Willer about the common mistakes we make in trying to persuade others of our point of view — and how we can break out of our echo chambers.Did you catch last week's kick-off to our US 2.0 series? You can find it in this podcast feed, and here.

US 2.0: What We Have In Common

US 2.0: What We Have In Common

The United States, we’re told, is increasingly a house divided. Conservatives and progressives are so alienated from each other that conversation is virtually impossible. But are we really as divided as we’re led to believe? As we begin what promises to be a pivotal election season, we're kicking off a new series about how we form our political beliefs. We're calling it "US 2.0." We begin with psychologist Kurt Gray, who studies how we think about our political allies and opponents — and how these insights can help us to chart a new path forward. Have you tried to talk with someone who disagrees with you about politics? Have you found effective ways to get through? If you’d be willing to share your stories with the Hidden Brain audience, along with any questions you have for Kurt Gray, please record a voice memo and email it to us at ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Use the subject line “politics.” And thanks!

Are Your Memories Real?

Are Your Memories Real?

We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren't true? This week, we talk to psychologist Elizabeth Loftus about the malleability of memory — what we remember, and what we think we remember.For more on the science of memory, including how you can strengthen your own ability to recall information, check out our episodes Remember More, Forget Less and Did That Really Happen?

We spend more and more of our lives staring at screens. Our cellphones, smartwatches and laptops allow us to communicate instantly with people across the globe, and quickly look up obscure facts. But our digital devices are also altering our brains in profound ways. This week, psychologist Gloria Mark explores how our ability to focus is shrinking, and offers ways to protect our minds in a world filled with endless distractions.Want more suggestions on how to stay focused in a distracting world? Here are a few additional episodes to check out:You 2.0: Deep WorkTaking Control of Your TimeAnd if you love Hidden Brain, please consider joining Hidden Brain+, our podcast subscription! You can find it on Apple Podcasts, or by clicking here.

Where Do Feelings Come From?

Where Do Feelings Come From?

Most of us feel that our emotions are reactions to those outside of us. Someone cuts us off in traffic, and we say that the other driver made us upset. A friend brings over food when we're sick, and we say the friend offered us comfort. But psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett argues that our feelings are not, in fact, responses to the world — they're really predictions about the world. And she says we can exercise more control over those predictions than we realize.Did you know that Hidden Brain now has an app? You can download it and try out our first game — designed to help you sharpen your facial recognition skills — here.

Making the Most of Your Mistakes

Making the Most of Your Mistakes

When we're learning, or trying new things, mistakes are inevitable. Some of these mistakes provide us with valuable information, while others are just harmful. This week, we kick off the new year with researcher Amy Edmondson, who explains the difference between constructive failures and those we should try to avoid. If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, please share it with them. And thanks for listening! We look forward to bringing you many new Hidden Brain episodes in 2024.

What Would Socrates Do?

What Would Socrates Do?

Humans have wrestled with questions about identity and purpose for millennia. So it’s no surprise that the insights of people who lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago have stood the test of time. This week, philosopher Tamar Gendler explores how three great thinkers from ancient Greece understood the human psyche, and what we can still learn from their wisdom today.If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, please share it with them. And thanks for listening! We look forward to bringing you many new Hidden Brain episodes in 2024.

How to Believe in Yourself

How to Believe in Yourself

When was the last time you set a goal and struggled to reach it? Perhaps you're trying to write a novel but can't seem to get started. Or maybe you want to master a sport, but you keep making the same mistakes over and over again. This week, organizational psychologist Adam Grant guides us through the science of human potential, and teaches us how to uncover our own abilities.If you love Hidden Brain, please consider joining Hidden Brain+, our podcast subscription! You can find it on Apple Podcasts, or by clicking here.

The Ugly Side of Beauty

The Ugly Side of Beauty

We like to tell kids, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But from a very early age, we humans are doing just that — judging others based on how they look. This week, we bring you the second part of our look at the science of beauty and talk with psychologists Vivian Zayas and Stefanie Johnson about how appearances can often lead us astray.If you haven't yet heard the first episode in this series, be sure to check it out! It's called "The Mystery of Beauty," and you can find it in this podcast feed, or on our website.