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Every episode
Hidden Brain
30 episodes
How Feelings Make Us Smarter
Aug 10, 2026 · 48 min
Some people are remarkably good at reading the emotional temperature of a situation. They can pick up on what others are feeling, manage their own emotions, and respond skillfully. What's their secret? This week, we explore the science of emotional intelligence with psychologist Peter Salovey. Emotional intelligence is one of the most popular ideas in psychology. It's also a term that's widely misused and misunderstood. We explore these misconceptions in a bonus conversation with Peter Salovey f…
Making the Most of Your Mistakes
Aug 3, 2026 · 1 hr 26 min
When you're learning, or trying new things, you're going to make mistakes. The trick is to try to fail in a way that gives you useful information. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with researcher Amy Edmondson. She explains the difference between constructive failures and those we should try to avoid. Then, John Dinsmore answers listener questions about the psychology of debt, in our latest installment of Your Questions Answered. Ever wondered how your parents' and grandparents' att…
You Are Not Ordinary
Jul 27, 2026 · 1 hr 35 min
Stories about unlikely heroes have captivated people for thousands of years. This week, social scientist Ben Rogers explores why the "hero's journey" resonates so deeply, and how the stories we tell about our own lives can shape our sense of purpose. He explains why seeing ourselves as the protagonists of our own stories may help us face challenges with greater confidence. Then, on Your Questions Answered, psychologist Jay Van Bavel returns to respond to listeners' comments and questions about g…
How to Combat Pain
Jul 20, 2026 · 50 min
Pain feels like a simple message from the body. If your elbow hurts, there must be something wrong with your elbow. If your back is painfully stiff, you need some work done on your back. But psychologist Rachel Zoffness says our minds play a much larger role in our experience of pain than many of us realize. This week, we look at what's really happening when we experience pain, and how a better understanding of this process can open up new possibilities for treatment and healing. In our companio…
Changing Our Mental Maps
Jul 13, 2026 · 1 hr 34 min
As we move through the world, it's easy to imagine we're processing everything that happens around us and then deciding how to respond. But psychologist and neuroscientist Norman Farb says our brains actually navigate the world by coming up with mental maps. These maps act like an autopilot system, allowing us to navigate our lives more efficiently. But sometimes, they can lead us astray, leaving us stuck on a path of negativity and unhappiness. This week, in a favorite episode from 2024, we tal…
Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 2
Jul 6, 2026 · 1 hr 33 min
Last week, we talked with psychologist Lisa Miller about the science of spirituality. Today, we explore what those ideas can look like in everyday life. Miller explains why moments of connection, spiritual practices, and even periods of suffering can sometimes open the door to deeper meaning and growth. And on Your Questions Answered, behavioral scientist Dave Evans returns to respond to your comments on designing a meaningful life. Hidden Brain is now on YouTube! Be sure to subscribe so you don…
Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 1
Jun 29, 2026 · 50 min
Food, safety, and strong relationships are essential to our survival. Psychologist Lisa Miller says our brains also crave something else: transcendence. She suggests that spirituality is a universal human capacity, and that feeling connected to something larger than ourselves may be essential to a fulfilling life. If you enjoy listening to Hidden Brain, we think you'll enjoy watching it, too! Check out our new YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any of our videos. Hosted…
Stepping Out of the Shadows
Jun 22, 2026 · 1 hr 29 min
Why does one bad experience have the power to overshadow an otherwise good day? Psychologist Alison Ledgerwood explores the negativity bias, the deeply human tendency to hold on to what went wrong and overlook what went right. She explains why our minds are drawn to losses and threats, and what it takes to rebalance our attention. Then, on Your Questions Answered, psychologist David Pizarro returns to respond to your comments about the surprising role of disgust in shaping our lives. In our comp…
A Secret Source of Connection
Jun 15, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min
We all have moments in our lives when we see someone who could use a helping hand. It could be a friend who recently went through a breakup, or an older person trying to load groceries into their car. We tell ourselves we should help, but then something stops us. This week, psychologist Amit Kumar helps us understand what keeps us from taking a moment to be kind, and how to overcome these barriers to create stronger, happier connections. Then, on Your Questions Answered, psychologist Gordon Flet…
Who Are You, Really?
Jun 8, 2026 · 1 hr 37 min
You’re not the same person with your friends as you are with your co-workers or your kids. So who are you, really? This week, political scientist Eric Oliver explores why we often feel divided within ourselves, and how we can learn to live more peacefully with those contradictions. Then, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman answers your questions on the science of intelligence. Should you worry about your memory? For many of us, forgetting a name or losing your keys feels like a small failure. But w…
Unleashing Your Creativity
Jun 1, 2026 · 53 min
For centuries, people have described creativity as something mysterious: a flash of insight, a whisper from the muse, a sudden idea that seems to arrive out of nowhere. Psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis explores the hidden mental processes that lead to these moments of inspiration, and why breakthroughs often emerge when the mind is at rest. Should you worry about your memory? For many of us, forgetting a name or losing your keys feels like a small failure. But what if forgetting is actually one of t…
The Past is Never Dead
May 25, 2026 · 52 min
How does the culture in which you live shape the life that you lead? We all know that culture affects the languages we speak and the foods we eat. But anthropologist Joseph Henrich says the impact of culture goes even further, reaching into our bodies and our minds. He takes us on a journey through time to show how human cultures create a "collective brain," and how that shared knowledge profoundly shapes who we are and how we live. Hidden Brain is headed back on the road this summer, for the la…
The Empathy Gym
May 18, 2026 · 1 hr 29 min
Some people are good at putting themselves in another person's shoes. Others may struggle to relate. But psychologist Jamil Zaki argues that empathy isn't a fixed trait. This week, we revisit a favorite episode about how to exercise our empathy muscles. Then, Leslie John answers listener questions about the benefits of opening up to others, in our latest installment of Your Questions Answered. Hidden Brain is now on YouTube! Check out our channel and subscribe so you don't miss any of our videos…
The Cowboy Philosopher
May 11, 2026 · 1 hr 29 min
In 2009, an old man died in a California nursing home. His obituary included not just his given name, but a long list of the pseudonyms he’d been known to use. In this classic 2019 episode, we trace the life of Riley Shepard, a hillbilly musician, writer, small-time con man and, perhaps, a genius. Then, on Your Questions Answered, psychologist Leslie John returns to answer your questions about when to share a secret, and when to keep it to yourself. You can find an online version of Riley Shepar…
Radical Acceptance
May 4, 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
Last week, we looked at the hidden beliefs that can leave us feeling stuck in life. This week, in the second part of our conversation with behavioral scientist Dave Evans, we talk about radical acceptance. Dave shares why accepting reality as it is can be so difficult — and why it's an essential first step in building a meaningful life. Then, in the latest installment of Your Questions Answered, psychologist Sarah Schnitker returns to answer listeners' questions about patience. When something te…
Designing a Life that Matters
Apr 27, 2026 · 51 min
We tell ourselves that meaning comes from impact, passion, or finding the “one right path.” But these beliefs can leave us feeling stuck — even when our lives look perfectly fine on paper. Behavioral scientist Dave Evans describes a new approach, borrowed from design thinking, to help us build lives that feel more alive, flexible, and real. What makes brave people different from the rest of us? It isn't a lack of fear — instead, it's a trait that might surprise you. Learn more in this video on o…
Do You Feel Loved?
Apr 20, 2026 · 1 hr 33 min
What’s the difference between being loved and feeling loved? Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky joins us to discuss the distinction, and how we can create a stronger feeling of closeness in our relationships. Then, in our latest installment of Your Questions Answered, psychologist Greg Walton returns to answer listeners’ questions about negative thought spirals. As individuals and as a society, we often overlook a strategy that can help us to improve our lives. We discuss this tool in a new video on…
How to Change the World
Apr 13, 2026 · 1 hr 31 min
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 change. But is that common assumption actually true? Political scientist Erica Chenoweth, who has studied more than 100 years of revolutions and insurrections, says the answer is counterintuitive. Then, Ranjay Gulati answers listener questions on how to cultivate courage. Hidden Brain is now on YouTube! Check out our first three videos, which expl…
The Debt Trap
Apr 6, 2026 · 1 hr 40 min
We like to think that good financial decisions come down to discipline and basic math. But the psychology of money turns out to be deeply complicated. Researcher John Dinsmore explains the hidden mental biases that shape how we think about spending, borrowing, and the future. We explore how these forces can steer us toward costly mistakes — and how to guard against them. Then, on Your Questions Answered, researcher Bobby Parmar returns to consider the upsides of embracing uncertainty. We're exci…
When It's Okay to Lie
Mar 30, 2026 · 52 min
Should you tell a harsh truth if it will only cause pain? Or is it sometimes kinder to keep someone in the dark? Psychologist Emma Levine explores the unwritten rules that guide when people feel it’s acceptable to lie — and what those choices reveal about trust, harm, and our deepest moral values. In our companion Hidden Brain+ episode, we explore ways to bridge the gap between the many lies we condone in practice, and the lying we claim to hate. If you're a subscriber, that episode is called “T…
Group Think
Mar 23, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min
How do the groups you identify with shape your sense of self? Do they influence the beer you buy? The way you vote? In this favorite episode from 2021, psychologist Jay Van Bavel explains how our group loyalties affect us more than we realize, and can even shape our basic senses of sight, taste and smell. Then, look out! There's a g-g-g-ghost! Psychologist Coltan Scrivner answers listener questions about the surprising benefits of scary entertainment. We're excited to share that Hidden Brain is…
Rethinking Depression
Mar 16, 2026 · 53 min
We tend to see depression as an illness to eliminate, evidence that something has gone wrong in the brain. But what if low mood serves a purpose? Psychologist Jonathan Rottenberg examines the evolutionary roots of depression and reflects on his own painful experience with suicidal despair. He explores how depression can narrow our focus, and sometimes open the door to change. A note that this story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicid…
Yuck! The Science of Disgust
Mar 9, 2026 · 1 hr 37 min
Disgust is a strong emotion, one designed by evolution to protect us from danger and diseases. But disgust also spills into other areas of our lives, influencing our morals, our intuitions about right and wrong, even our politics. We talk with psychologist David Pizarro about how disgust is used to persuade and divide us, and why it remains such a potent force in public life today. Then, in our latest installment of “Your Questions Answered,” Huggy Rao returns to respond to listeners’ thoughts a…
The Secret of Charisma
Mar 2, 2026 · 1 hr 34 min
Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. This week, we explore how figures across history have gained followers by offering clarity in moments of uncertainty — and why that clarity can come at a cost. Historian Molly Worthen explains how to recognize the spell of charisma, and why questioning it is essential to a healthy society. Then, on Your Questions Answered, Antonio Pascual-Leone returns to respond to listeners'…
Do You Feel Invisible?
Feb 23, 2026 · 1 hr 28 min
What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a sense of meaning in ourselves and others. Then, in the second half of the show, listeners share their thoughts on finding healing in nature. Psychologist Marc Berman returns for the latest installment of our series "Your…
Why You're Smarter Than You Think
Feb 16, 2026 · 1 hr 34 min
From the time we're schoolchildren, we're ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, we revisit a favorite 2022 conversation with cognitive scientist Scott Barry Kaufman, who proposes a more expansive notion of what it means to be "smart." Then, in the latest installment of Your Questions Answered, psychologist James Cordova answers listener questions on accepting our romantic partners as they are. Our next stops on…
Coming Clean
Feb 9, 2026 · 1 hr 37 min
Last week, we talked with psychologist Leslie John about the costs of keeping secrets. Today, Leslie returns with a look at the psychological power of self-disclosure. She says the moments of oversharing that we often consider "TMI" can actually strengthen our relationships. Then, in the second half of the show, listeners share their thoughts and questions about the expectations we put on modern marriages. Psychologist Eli Finkel returns for the latest installment of our series "Your Questions A…
Keeping Secrets
Feb 2, 2026 · 50 min
We all carry secrets, from harmless omissions to life-changing truths. But secrecy isn’t neutral: hiding takes mental work and can harm our health and relationships. In this week’s show, and in our episode next week, psychologist Leslie John explores the costs of concealment — and how opening up can give us more mental space and deepen our connections. After you listen to today's episode, check out our Hidden Brain+ conversation called "When to Hide the Truth." In that episode, we talk with Lesl…
You 2.0: Trusting Your Doubt
Jan 26, 2026 · 1 hr 37 min
We conclude our month-long You 2.0 series with a look at the hidden power of doubt — not as weakness or indecision, but as a tool that helps us make better choices and navigate an uncertain world. Researcher Bobby Parmar explores how doubt can sharpen judgment, and makes a case for why the ability to sit with uncertainty may be one of the most important skills of all. Then, in our latest installment of "Your Questions Answered," Emily Falk answers listeners' questions about defensiveness, and of…
You 2.0: The Practice of Patience
Jan 19, 2026 · 1 hr 41 min
Patience can sometimes feel like a lost art, particularly in a culture that prizes competition and the idea of "failing fast." But psychologist Sarah Schnitker says patience is a vital skill for success in both our personal and professional lives. We talk with Sarah about the difference between patience and passivity, and how to train ourselves to be more patient. Then, in our latest installment of "Your Questions Answered," Jennifer Tosti-Kharas responds to listeners' questions about how to fin…
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