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.
Self-compassion is crucial for personal growth and well-being. It involves treating ourselves with kindness and understanding, just as we would towards a friend. Self-compassion leads to greater responsibility, conscientiousness, and willingness to apologize for mistakes. Practicing self-compassion can foster closer co...
This podcast episode emphasizes the importance of savoring life's joys and appreciating the present moment, using the concept of savoring as its central theme. Fred Bryant's mother's ability to savor life's pleasures serves as an example, illustrating the significance of actively noticing and appreciating life's joys. ...
This podcast episode explores the art of finding balance between work, family, and personal fulfillment. It emphasizes the importance of being fully present and savoring life's positive moments to achieve happiness and well-being. Key concepts discussed include savoring, the hedonic treadmill, and mental time travel, h...
This podcast episode centers around the ways in which our present actions and decisions have an impact on our future selves. It dives into the psychological concepts of temporal discounting, where our brains tend to prioritize immediate rewards over long-term consequences, leading to poor decisions and delayed gratific...
This podcast episode delves into the challenges faced when pursuing goals, breaking through creative blocks, and overcoming perfectionism. It explores strategies for navigating the middle phase of projects, embracing imperfection, and persisting through plateaus. The discussions highlight the importance of action, prog...
This podcast episode emphasizes the significance of honesty and transparency in communication, especially in meetings and difficult conversations, highlighting the importance of balancing directness with kindness. The episode also delves into the impact of honesty on relationships, the value of constructive feedback, e...
This podcast episode delves into various aspects related to failure, feedback, and success. It explores the challenges individuals face in acknowledging and learning from failure, the tendency to underestimate its frequency, and strategies for overcoming these obstacles. Additionally, the episode discusses the contrast...
This podcast episode covers topics related to the relationship between pleasure and pain in the brain, addiction, and the impact of dopamine on mental health. Psychiatrist Anna Lembke explains the delicate balance between pleasure and pain in the brain and emphasizes the significance of understanding this balance for a...
This podcast episode explores the hidden story of addiction in everyday lives and challenges conventional beliefs about addiction. It highlights the experiences of individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, shedding light on the prevalence of addiction among the affluent and educated. The episode...
This podcast delves into the complexities of social illusions, exploring the gap between our perceptions of social interactions and reality, and discusses various factors contributing to these distortions, including social traps, the "liking gap," and self-consciousness.
This podcast delves into the science of aging and its impact on psychology and culture. Laura Carstensen's transformative experience post-accident led her to research aging, challenging the traditional view of its negative connotations. Her work highlights the paradoxical increase in happiness and well-being among olde...
This podcast episode delves into the concept of self-control, examining its influence on diverse aspects of life. Through experiments like the marshmallow test and stories of individuals such as Celeste Kidd, it highlights the interplay between self-control, expectations, and context, challenging traditional notions of...
This podcast explores the ethical challenges and consequences faced by individuals seeking upward mobility, highlighting the sacrifices they make in pursuit of their ambitions, and the impact it has on their relationships, communities, and sense of authenticity and belonging.
This podcast episode explores the fascinating world of neuroscience and meditation. It delves into the dynamics and transformative effects of meditation on brain activity, resilience, pain perception, and immune system. The discussion covers compelling scientific evidence showcasing how meditation can enhance awareness...
This podcast episode chronicles the journey of renowned neuroscientist Richie Davidson as he delves into exploring the mind, beginning with dreams, psychedelic experiences, and counterculture movements of the 1960s. It encompasses Davidson's pursuit of psychology and meditation, his transformative experiences during me...
This podcast episode explores various aspects of creativity, success, and the challenges faced by creators in achieving and sustaining their success in creative fields, including film and music. It examines the concept of power law distributions in creative industries, where a small number of creators achieve significa...
This podcast explores the imposter phenomenon, a feeling of fraudulence despite achievements. Discussions range from its prevalence, causes, and effects to strategies for overcoming self-doubt. The conversation delves into the role of self-doubt as a motivator and source of greatness, while also addressing the importan...
This enlightening podcast episode underscores the significance of identifying and reducing friction, or obstacles, that hinder desired actions or behaviors. Rather than solely focusing on motivation or "fuel," the speakers emphasize the need to address underlying challenges that prevent progress. Through compelling exa...
This podcast episode features Shankar Vedantam, host of the Hidden Brain podcast, discussing the launch of Hidden Brain Plus and reflecting on human behavior. Shankar emphasizes the complexity of human behavior and his own experiences with the mother-daughter relationship. Hidden Brain Plus is introduced as a podcast s...
This podcast episode explores the intricacies of incentives, showcasing their diverse implications on human behavior. The discussion examines real-world examples, such as government policies, charity fundraising strategies, and employee motivation techniques, to underscore the significance of carefully designing incent...
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