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.

Hidden Brain

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 companion conversation for Hidden Brain+ subscribers, Rachel Zoffness goes deeper into techniques that can help to reduce our brains' sensitivity to pain. You can hear that episode, which is called "Plastic Brain, Changeable Brain," with a free seven-day trial to Hidden Brain+. Go to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hiddenbrain to access your trial subscription.
For more Hidden Brain ideas and insights, be sure to check out our new YouTube channel! And don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos.   
 
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How to Combat Pain

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 talk with Norman Farb about how we can update our internal maps and see the world more clearly. Then, Dave Evans answers your questions about radical acceptance.
If you love listening to Hidden Brain, you can now watch it as well! Check out our new YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos.
 
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Changing Our Mental Maps

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't miss any of our upcoming videos. 
 
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Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 2

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. 
 
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Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 1

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 companion conversation for Hidden Brain+, we explore how politicians and the media exploit the negativity bias. If you're a subscriber, that episode is titled “Going Negative.” If you're not yet a subscriber, you can get a free seven-day trial of Hidden Brain+ by going to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hidden brain. 
If you love listening to Hidden Brain, you'll love watching it as well! Check out our new YouTube channel for Shankar's videos about how your memory works, tips for performing under pressure, and much more. 
 
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Stepping Out of the Shadows

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 Flett returns to respond to listener comments about the importance of feeling that we matter. 
Have you ever heard someone describe themselves as "left-brained" or "right-brained?" Don't miss Shankar's video breaking down one of the most pervasive — and incorrect — ideas from pop psychology. 
Hidden Brain is back on the road this summer! Go to hiddenbrain.org/tour to find out where we're headed next. 
 
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A Secret Source of Connection

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 what if forgetting is actually one of the most important things your brain does? Check out our new video on the surprising (and reassuring!) science of forgetting to learn more.
 
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Who Are You, Really?

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 the most important things your brain does? Check out our new video on the surprising (and reassuring!) science of forgetting to learn more.
 
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Unleashing Your Creativity

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 latest leg of our Perceptions tour! Join Shankar as he shares key psychological insights from the first decade of the show. More information on tour stops and tickets can be found at our tour page. 
 
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The Past is Never Dead

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: https://www.youtube.com/@HiddenBrain
 
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