Parents: Keep Out!
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a parent or a teacher, you've probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kid...
The Curious Science of Cravings
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We've all had those days when all we want is a little treat. Maybe it's a bag of chips, an ice cream...
What Is Normal?
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Anthropologist Tom Pearson was devastated after his daughter Michaela was diagnosed with Down syndro...
The Transformative Ideas of Daniel Kahneman
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever taken an economics class, you were probably taught that people are rational. But abou...
Are You Listening?
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever sat across from your spouse, colleague or friend and realized that while they may be h...
The Ventilator
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us believe we know how we’d choose to die. We have a sense of how we’d respond to a diag...
Escaping the Matrix
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A little more than a decade ago, researchers began tracking an alarming trend: a dramatic uptick in ...
Fear Less
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fear is a normal and healthy response to things that may harm us. But fear can also hold us back fro...
US 2.0: Lincoln's Dilemma
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring the psychology of partisanship, and how to effectively...
US 2.0: Not at the Dinner Table
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We typically divide the country into two distinct groups: Democrats and Republicans. But what if the...
US 2.0: Living With Our Differences
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Conflicts are inevitable — both at a global scale and in our personal lives. This week, in the lat...
US 2.0: Win Hearts, Then Minds
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's a saying that's attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is t...
US 2.0: What We Have In Common
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The United States, we’re told, is increasingly a house divided. Conservatives and progressives are...
Are Your Memories Real?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren't true? This week, we t...
Finding Focus
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We spend more and more of our lives staring at screens. Our cellphones, smartwatches and laptops all...
Where Do Feelings Come From?
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us feel that our emotions are reactions to those outside of us. Someone cuts us off in traff...
Making the Most of Your Mistakes
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When we're learning, or trying new things, mistakes are inevitable. Some of these mistakes provide u...
What Would Socrates Do?
25 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have wrestled with questions about identity and purpose for millennia. So it’s no surprise ...
How to Believe in Yourself
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When was the last time you set a goal and struggled to reach it? Perhaps you're trying to write a no...
The Ugly Side of Beauty
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We like to tell kids, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But from a very early age, we humans ...
The Mystery of Beauty
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think about the last time you were struck by a gorgeous painting in a museum, or heard a song that b...
Healing 2.0: The Power of Apologies
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why is it so hard to say 'I'm sorry?' In the final episode of our Healing 2.0 series, we talk with p...
Healing 2.0: Disrupting Death
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2019, Justin Harrison's mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But by the time she died, he had ...
Healing 2.0: Life After Loss
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You've probably heard that people who lose a loved one may go through what are known as the "five st...
Healing 2.0: What We Gain from Pain
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But is there any tru...
Healing 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all tell stories about ourselves, often without realizing we’re doing so. How we frame those st...
The Enemies of Gratitude
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the mysteries of human behavior is that it’s often easier for us to focus on what’s going...
Follow the Anomalies
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we move through our lives, we have to make decisions both big and small. Some are banal: What wil...
How to Spot a Scam
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We like to think that con artists only prey upon the weak, or gullible. But psychologist Dan Simons ...
Escaping Perfectionism
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism is everyone’s favorite flaw. It’s easy to assume that our push to be perfect is wh...
The Secret to Great Teams
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to think that the best teams are collections of highly accomplished or talented individual...
Outsmarting Yourself
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After we make a decision, we often tell ourselves a story about why our choice was the right one to ...
How We Live With Contradictions
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to ...
Being Kind to Yourself
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How often do you say something negative to yourself that you'd never utter to someone else? Self-cri...
You 2.0: Make the Good Times Last
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sorrows have a way of finding us, no matter how hard we try to avoid them. Joys, on the other hand, ...
You 2.0: Slow Down!
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s understandable that we sometimes dwell on things that upset us. But our negative emotions can...
You 2.0: Your Future Is Now
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever set a goal and had a really difficult time sticking to it? Maybe you decide you want t...
You 2.0: How to Break Out of a Rut
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are times in life when the challenges we face feel insurmountable. Authors succumb to writer's...
The Truth About Honesty
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think about how often you hold back honest opinions of someone else because you don’t want to hurt...
Learning From Your Mistakes
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
No matter who you are, it's guaranteed that at some point in life you'll make a mistake. Many of us ...
The Path to Enough
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we bring you the second part of our conversation on the perils of too much pleasure. Psyc...
The Paradox of Pleasure
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All of us think we know what addiction looks like: it’s the compulsive consumption of drugs, alcoh...
How Others See You
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's not easy to know how we come across to others, especially when we're meeting people for the fir...
The Best Years of Your Life
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Aging isn’t just a biological process. Our outlook and emotions also change as we age, often in wa...
When to Eat the Marshmallow
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think about the last time you resisted watching yet another episode of your favorite TV show, or dec...
Between Two Worlds
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Determination, hard work and sacrifice are core ingredients in the story of the American dream. But ...
Seeking Serenity: Part 2
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of our series on the science of meditation, Richard Davidson continues his endeav...
Seeking Serenity: Part 1
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In graduate school, neuroscientist Richard Davidson learned to use scientific tools as a way to exam...
Success 2.0: Getting to the Top and Staying There
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are plenty of talented people in the world. So why do only a tiny percentage of us reach the h...
Success 2.0: The Psychology of Self-Doubt
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have times when we feel like a fraud. In the latest installment of our Success 2.0 series, we...
Success 2.0: The Obstacles You Don't See
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think about the last time you tried to bring up an idea at work, and it was shot down. What did you ...
Introducing Hidden Brain+
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you love the ideas we explore on Hidden Brain and want more of them? Then please join Hidden Brai...
Success 2.0: Getting What You Want
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all rely on incentives to get people to do things they might otherwise avoid. Parents reward kids...
Success 2.0: Taking the Leap
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
American culture celebrates those who persevere in the face of adversity. So how do we know when to ...
A Secret Source of Connection
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have moments in our lives when we see someone who could use a helping hand. It could be a fri...
Remember More, Forget Less
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It happens to the best of us — we blank on someone's name, or forget an important meeting, or bomb...
Crying Wolf
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It used to be that we tried our best to conceal disadvantages, hardships, and humiliations. But new ...
The Snowball Effect
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some companies become household names, while others flame out? How do certain memes go viral?...
Less is More
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At every stage of life, there are moments when we need buy-in from other people. Yet most of us make...
How To Make Amends
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When James and Donovan first met, they knew little about each other, except that Donovan had stolen ...
Made of Honor
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stories help us make sense of the world, and can even help us heal from trauma. They also shape our ...
Revealing Your Unconscious: Part 2
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of our series on implicit bias, we explore the relationship between beliefs and b...
Revealing Your Unconscious: Part 1
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would you consider yourself to be prejudiced against people who are different from you? Most of us w...
How Your Beliefs Shape Reality
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As you move through the world, it's inevitable that your way of seeing things won't always align wit...
Happiness 2.0: The Reset Button
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us rush through our lives, chasing goals and just trying to get everything done. But that ca...
Happiness 2.0: Surprising Sources of Joy
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, life can feel like being stuck on a treadmill. No matter how hard you try to feel happier...
Happiness 2.0: Cultivating Your Purpose
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of li...
Happiness 2.0: The Only Way Out Is Through
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's natural to want to run away from difficult emotions such as grief, anger and fear. But what hap...
Happiness 2.0: The Path to Contentment
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us believe that hard work and persistence are the key to achieving our goals. But is that tr...
When You Need It To Be True
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we want something very badly, it can be hard to see warning signs that might be obvious to othe...
Persuasion: Part 2
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Think back to the last time someone convinced you to do something you didn't want to do, or to spend...
Persuasion: Part 1
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all exert pressure on each other in ways small and profound. We recommend movies or books to a fr...
Who's In Your Inner Circle?
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you think about the people in your life, it's likely that they share a lot in common with you. Ma...
Who Do You Want To Be?
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have to make certain choices in life, such as where to live and how to earn a living. Paren...
You, But Better
26 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's the time of year when many of us make resolutions for the year ahead. We pledge to quit smoking...
How to Complain Productively
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We often look down on people who complain a lot. Yet when something goes wrong in our own lives, man...
An Ancient Solution to Modern Problems
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People in every country and culture mark important milestones, such as births, marriages and deaths,...
The Secret to Gift Giving
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the holidays upon us, many of us are hunting for that special something for the special someone...
Relationships 2.0: What Makes Relationships Thrive
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone wants to be loved and appreciated. In the final episode of our Relationships 2.0 series, we...
Relationships 2.0: When Did Marriage Become So Hard?
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No one will deny that marriage is hard. In fact, there's evidence it's getting even harder. This wee...
Relationships 2.0: An Antidote to Loneliness
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you go to a medical appointment, your doctor may ask you several questions. Do you smoke? Have ...
Relationships 2.0: The Power of Tiny Interactions
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As you're going about your day, you likely interact with family, friends and coworkers. These relati...
Relationships 2.0: How To Keep Conflict From Spiraling
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to conflict, most of us just want to shut it down. But psychological research is incre...
A Better Way to Worry
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anxiety is an uncomfortable emotion, which is why most of us try to avoid it. But psychologist Tra...
Thriving in the Face of Contradiction
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all face tough decisions in life, whether we're juggling the demands of work and family or decidi...
Did I Really Do That?
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been falsely accused of something? Many of us think there’s only one way we’d act ...
Watch Your Mouth
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're bilingual or multilingual, you may have noticed that different languages make you stretch ...
Taking Control of Your Time
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. We struggle to make time for all the comp...
How to Really Know Another Person
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
So often, we think we know what other people are thinking. But researchers have found that our attem...
Decoding Emotions
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We like to think that all humans are born with the same core emotions: anger, fear, joy, sadness and...
Making the World a Safer Place
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
All of us want to feel safe in our daily lives. Yet when we think about crime, our first response is...
You 2.0: How to Open Your Mind
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the United States, we often praise people with strong convictions, and look down on those who exp...
You 2.0: Overcoming Stage Fright
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pressure. The expectations. The anxiety. If there’s one thing that many of us have in common, ...
You 2.0: The Mind's Eye
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some challenges can feel insurmountable. But psychologist Emily Balcetis says the solutions are ofte...
You 2.0: How To See Yourself Clearly
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How well do we know ourselves? Maybe the better question to ask is how well can we truly know oursel...
You 2.0: Befriending Your Inner Voice
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You know that negative voice that goes round and round in your head, keeping you up at night? When...
Reframing Your Reality: Part 2
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We often assume that we see ourselves and the world around us accurately. But psychologist Alia Crum...
Reframing Your Reality: Part 1
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We often assume that we see ourselves and the world around us accurately. But psychologist Alia Crum...
Separating Yourself from the Pack
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever gotten into a heated argument about politics? Maybe you’ve said something you're not...
What We Gain from Pain
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've all heard the saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." But is there any truth to th...