Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain
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  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
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Hidden Brain

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Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. On Hidden Brain, we help you understand your own mind — and the minds of the people around you. (We're routinely rated the #1 science podcast in the United States.) Hosted by veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam.

  1. The Power of Family Stories

    1 DAY AGO

    The Power of Family Stories

    There's a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that's as consistent as stuffing and pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make us roll our eyes. No matter how we feel about these tales, we rarely pause to consider how they shape who we are and how we view the world. This week, we talk to psychologist Robyn Fivush about the profound impact that family stories can have on our lives.

    57 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO • HIDDEN BRAIN+ ONLY

    How to Bind Your Family Together

    As we heard in part one of our conversation with psychologist Robyn Fivush, the stories that we tell around the dinner table or at family get-togethers can have surprising psychological benefits. In this episode, exclusively for subscribers to Hidden Brain+, we talk with Robyn about the gender dynamics of family narratives, and techniques to elicit stories from parents and children.

    24 min
  3. Emotions 2.0: The Logic of Rage

    18 NOV

    Emotions 2.0: The Logic of Rage

    Neuroscientist Doug Fields was on a trip to Europe when a pickpocket stole his wallet. Doug, normally mild-mannered, became enraged — and his fury turned him into a stranger to himself. This week, we revisit a favorite 2020 episode about the secret logic of irrational anger.

    47 min

  4. 15 NOV • HIDDEN BRAIN+ ONLY

    Your Questions Answered: Nick Epley on Connecting with Others

    Many of us often wrongly assume that other people don't want to engage in conversation with us. And on the rare occasions we do talk with strangers, we're surprised at how good it feels. We talked about this recently with psychologist Nick Epley. This week, Nick returns to respond to your follow-up questions about your own experiences engaging with others. If you haven't yet listened to our initial interview with Nick Epley, you can find it on the Hidden Brain podcast, or on our website. It's the episode called "You 2.0: The Gift of Other People."

    32 min
  5. Emotions 2.0: What's Better than Being Happy?

    11 NOV

    Emotions 2.0: What's Better than Being Happy?

    Many of us go to great lengths to be happy. But is our singular focus on feeling good actually making us miserable? This week, psychologist Jordi Quoidbach explores what happens when we try to live in an emotional monoculture, and makes a case for letting it all in — the ups ... and the downs.

    52 min
  6. Emotions 2.0: The Benefits of Mixed Emotions

    4 NOV

    Emotions 2.0: The Benefits of Mixed Emotions

    Sometimes we feel just one single feeling with overwhelming force. We're joyously happy. We're crushingly sad. But sometimes it's more complicated than that: We feel happy and sad at the same time. This week, we revisit a favorite 2022 episode with psychologist Naomi Rothman, who shares her research on the mixed emotion of ambivalence. She explores how being of two minds changes the way we think, and how it changes the way others see us.

    52 min
  7. Emotions 2.0: The Feeling that Moves Us Forward

    28 OCT

    Emotions 2.0: The Feeling that Moves Us Forward

    For centuries, philosophers and theologians have warned about the dangers of hubris. It’s an emotion that can make us arrogant, egotistical, and reckless. But psychologist Jessica Tracy suggests this caution is too broad. She argues that when we see pride only as a negative emotion, we miss out on all the powerful ways it can also be a driver of creativity, altruism, and accomplishment.

    50 min

  8. 25 OCT • HIDDEN BRAIN+ ONLY

    Your Questions Answered: Ben Rosenberg on Reactance

    You've probably had moments where you felt like someone was trying to restrict your freedom. And you may have also experienced what it's like to ask someone else to do something you knew they would resist. We recently talked about these kinds of interactions and how to handle them with psychologist Benjamin Rosenberg. This week, Ben comes back to the show to answer your questions about the phenomenon of "psychological reactance." If you missed our first episode with Ben, be sure to check it out! It's called "You're Not the Boss of Me!" You can find it anywhere you get your podcasts, or at our website: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/youre-not-the-boss-of-me/

    25 min
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Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. On Hidden Brain, we help you understand your own mind — and the minds of the people around you. (We're routinely rated the #1 science podcast in the United States.) Hosted by veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam.

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