Do you ever stop to wonder if the way you see the world is how the world really is? Economist Abhijit Banerjee has spent a lifetime asking himself this question. His answer: Our world views often don’t reflect reality. The only way to get more accurate is to think like a scientist — even when you’re not looking through a microscope.
Putting Our Assumptions to the Test Read More »
Do you ever struggle to communicate with your mom? Or feel like you and your spouse sometimes speak different languages? In the final episode of our “Mind Reading 2.0” series, we bring back one of our favorite conversations, with linguist Deborah Tannen. She shows how our conversational styles can cause unintended conflicts, and what we can do to communicate more effectively with the people in our lives.
Mind Reading 2.0: Why Conversations Go Wrong Read More »
Most of our public and economic policies take aim at these sorts of people — the wrongdoers and the profiteers. But is there a hidden cost to the rest of us when we put bad actors at the center of our thinking?
Mind Reading 2.0: Our Better Angels Read More »
It’s easy to spot bias in other people, especially those with whom we disagree. But it’s not so easy to recognize our own biases. In the latest in our “Mind Reading 2.0” series, we revisit a favorite conversation with psychologist Emily Pronin. We’ll look at one of the most bewildering aspects of how we read minds — in this case, our own.
Mind Reading 2.0: The Double Standard Read More »
Life is often filled with hardships and tragedies. For thousands of years, stoic philosophers have come up with strategies to help us cope with such hardship. This week, we revisit a 2020 conversation with philosopher William Irvine about ancient ideas — backed by modern psychology — that can help us manage disappointment and misfortune.
Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Joy Read More »
For so many people across the globe, these past two years have been full of waiting and uncertainty. Waiting to see friends and family in far-flung locales. Waiting to hear about unemployment aid, or job opportunities. Waiting to hear about loved ones in the hospital. This week on Hidden Brain, we look at the psychology of relief and waiting, and how we can make periods of limbo less painful.
The rift between police and Black Americans can feel impossible to bridge. But in his work with police departments across the U.S., Yale psychologist Phillip Atiba Goff has found novel ways to address the problem.
Changing Behavior, Not Beliefs Read More »
All of us make choices all the time, and we may think we’re making those choices freely. But psychologist Eric Johnson says there’s an architecture behind the way choices are presented to us, and this invisible architecture can influence decisions both large and small.
It’s psychologically simpler to see the world in black and white. But reality often comes in shades of gray. This week, how our minds grapple with contradictions, especially those we see in other people. Additional Resources Research: Acculturation Strategies and Integrative Complexity: The Cognitive Implications of Biculturalism. Carmit T. Tadmor, Philip E. Tetlock, Kaiping Peng.
Both Things Can Be True Read More »
If you’re working from home, you might be reveling in your daily commute to the dining room table. Or you might be saying, “Get me out of here.” In the final episode of our Work 2.0 series, economist Nicholas Bloom joins us from his spare bedroom to ponder whether working from home is actually working. Podcast: Subscribe
Work 2.0: The One-Room Commute Read More »
