When It’s Okay to Lie
Should you tell a harsh truth if it will only cause pain? Or is it sometimes kinder to keep someone in the dark?
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Hidden Brain
Group Think
How do the groups you identify with shape your sense of self? Do they influence the beer you buy? The way you vote? In this favorite episode from 2021, psychologist Jay Van Bavel explains how our group loyalties affect us more than we realize, and can even shape our basic senses of sight, taste and smell. Then,
Rethinking Depression
We tend to see depression as an illness to eliminate, evidence that something has gone wrong in the brain. But what if low mood serves a purpose?
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Yuck! The Science of Disgust
What’s the point of disgust? We talk with psychologist David Pizarro about the evolutionary role of this emotion, and how it’s used to persuade and divide us.
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The Secret of Charisma
Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable.
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Do You Feel Invisible?
What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a sense of meaning in ourselves and others. Then, in the second half
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Why You’re Smarter Than You Think
From the time we’re schoolchildren, we’re ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman proposes a more expansive notion of what it means to be “smart.”
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Coming Clean
Last week, we talked with Leslie John about the costs of keeping secrets. Today, she returns with a look at the power of self-disclosure.
Keeping Secrets
We all carry secrets. But doing so can be costly: hiding takes mental work and can harm our health and relationships.
You 2.0: Trusting Your Doubt
This week we look at the hidden power of doubt — not as weakness or indecision, but as a tool that helps us make better choices and navigate an uncertain world.
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