Hidden Brain

Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human b

Episodes

Total: 555

Forgetting something — whether it's a colleague's name or where we put our keys — can be deeply frus

Do you feel like you control your emotions, or do your emotions control you? What scientists call "e

There's no magic potion that can make someone adore you. But there are things you can do to promote

As we go through life, we’re constantly trying to figure out what other people are thinking and feel

As you go about your day, you likely interact with family, friends and coworkers. These relationship

When we head into a negotiation — whether we're asking for a raise or trying to get our spouse to do

All of us want to "seen" by the people around us. We want to be recognized as unique individuals. Ye

Often in life, we find ourselves wrestling with a decision. But in running these mental calculations

When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This week, w

Have you ever downplayed some aspect of your identity? Maybe you don’t hide it, but you don’t bring

What would you have done? It's one of the most enduring questions in psychology. We all like to thin

Last week on the show, we looked at the science of conversation, and how even ordinary chats can inv

Just because we’ve been doing something for a long time doesn’t mean we’re doing it right. One part

Holding a grudge can feel like a form of justice, a way of punishing those who have wronged us. But

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." It's been 45 years since John Le

It’s no exaggeration to say that the world in 2025 can be ... a lot. Sometimes it may seem that tuni

We all have to make certain choices in life, such as where to live and how to earn a living. Parents

From time to time, all of us are called upon to do hard or even seemingly impossible things. Do we r

We’re often drawn to people who appear to be true to themselves. Yet showing our authentic selves to

It's happened to all of us: We're in the shower, or on a walk, and boom — a big idea or a brilliant