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We often think of our minds and bodies as being separate from each other. But researchers are questioning that basic premise. They’re discovering that mindsets and beliefs can shape our physical health in astonishing ways. This week on Hidden Brain+, we bring you a conversation with psychologist Ellen Langer, who studies the complex relationship between mind and body.

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After we make a decision, we often tell ourselves a story about why our choice was the right one to make. It's a mental process that psychologist Elliot Aronson calls self-justification. These rationalizations can sometimes lead us to excuse bad behavior or talk ourselves out of a poor choice. But are there also times when self-justification can be used for good?

Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, Elliot Aronson explains the mental processes behind this type of self-justification, and shares how he helped develop one of the most widely-known concepts in psychology: cognitive dissonance.


Humans are full of contradictions. We want to stay healthy, yet we smoke and loathe to exercise. We want to be honest, but we cheat and tell lies. In other words, we want to think of ourselves as good people, yet sometimes we don't act like it. Why is that? This week, psychologist Elliot Aronson shares his research on how we figure out those contradictions.

How often do you say something negative to yourself that you'd never utter to someone else? Self-criticism can often feel like a way to hold ourselves accountable. But psychologist Kristin Neff says there’s a better path to personal growth: self-compassion. In a favorite conversation from 2021, Kristin remembers the painful moment when she learned to show herself self-compassion, and shares how being kind to ourselves can improve our wellbeing and relationships with others.

Are older people happier than their middle-aged or younger counterparts? Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen, who studies aging, says research suggests the answer is yes. Laura joined us recently to talk about this surprising finding in an episode called "The Best Years of Your Life." Today, she returns to the show to answer listeners' questions and share more of her research on what it means to live well as we age.

Did you miss our earlier conversation with Laura Carstensen? You can find it, along with links to research on this topic, here: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-best-years-of-your-life/

Sorrows have a way of finding us, no matter how hard we try to avoid them. Joys, on the other hand, are often hard to notice and appreciate. This week, we continue our conversation with psychologist Fred Bryant about the science of savoring, and how to make the most of the good things in our lives.