Podcast cover

Hidden Brain

Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.

Radical Kindness

04 August 2025
01:04:16

You 2.0: The Passion Pill

07 July 2025
00:49:25

Doing it the Hard Way

16 June 2025
00:50:33

Ouch! That Feels Great

09 June 2025
00:51:15

The Price of Revenge

02 June 2025
01:06:04

Forget About It!

12 May 2025
00:48:01

The Moments that Change Us

24 March 2025
00:51:01

Did I Really Do That?

17 March 2025
00:52:12

When To Pivot

10 March 2025
00:49:48

Dropping the Mask

03 March 2025
01:08:59

Marching To Your Own Drummer

24 February 2025
00:48:01

We Need to Talk

10 February 2025
00:51:15

No Hard Feelings

03 February 2025
01:05:37

Wellness 2.0: Be Yourself

30 December 2024
00:50:35

How to Be More Creative

23 December 2024
00:52:03

The Secret to Gift-Giving

09 December 2024
00:46:27

How Monsters are Made

02 December 2024
00:46:43

The Power of Family Stories

25 November 2024
00:56:44

The Logic of Rage

18 November 2024
00:47:22

How to Win People Over

14 October 2024
00:53:40

What's Hidden in Your Words

07 October 2024
00:54:07

Sitting With Uncertainty

30 September 2024
00:50:50

Rewrite Your Money Story

23 September 2024
00:50:42

You 2.0: Fighting Despair

16 September 2024
00:49:08

You 2.0: How To Say No

02 September 2024
00:50:08

You're Not the Boss of Me!

12 August 2024
00:53:44

The Cure for Self-Importance

05 August 2024
00:51:51

Where Truth Lies

29 July 2024
00:51:16

How To Be Alone

22 July 2024
00:50:33

Changing Our Mental Maps

15 July 2024
00:53:44

Out of the Rabbit Hole

08 July 2024
00:47:57

Our God-Shaped Brains

17 June 2024
00:50:18

Why You Feel Empty

10 June 2024
00:49:40

Innovation 2.0: Do Less

27 May 2024
00:46:11

Parents: Keep Out!

22 April 2024
00:53:40

What Is Normal?

08 April 2024
00:50:54

Are You Listening?

25 March 2024
00:49:41

The Ventilator

18 March 2024
00:49:34

Escaping the Matrix

11 March 2024
00:49:59

Fear Less

04 March 2024
00:51:51

US 2.0: Lincoln's Dilemma

26 February 2024
00:52:13

US 2.0: Not at the Dinner Table

19 February 2024
00:49:29

US 2.0: Win Hearts, Then Minds

05 February 2024
00:48:32

US 2.0: What We Have In Common

29 January 2024
00:50:35

Are Your Memories Real?

22 January 2024
00:49:50

Finding Focus

15 January 2024
00:48:29

Where Do Feelings Come From?

08 January 2024
00:50:17

What Would Socrates Do?

25 December 2023
00:50:27

How to Believe in Yourself

18 December 2023
00:49:43

The Ugly Side of Beauty

11 December 2023
00:50:54

The Mystery of Beauty

04 December 2023
00:49:04

Healing 2.0: Disrupting Death

20 November 2023
00:52:58

Healing 2.0: Life After Loss

13 November 2023
00:49:18

The Enemies of Gratitude

23 October 2023
00:49:32

Follow the Anomalies

16 October 2023
00:48:51

How to Spot a Scam

09 October 2023
00:51:42

Escaping Perfectionism

02 October 2023
00:52:50

The Secret to Great Teams

25 September 2023
00:50:02

Outsmarting Yourself

18 September 2023
00:46:18

How We Live With Contradictions

11 September 2023
00:53:53

Being Kind to Yourself

04 September 2023
00:51:18

You 2.0: Slow Down!

21 August 2023
00:50:29

You 2.0: Your Future Is Now

14 August 2023
00:51:25

The Truth About Honesty

31 July 2023
00:55:02

The Path to Enough

17 July 2023
00:50:28

The Paradox of Pleasure

10 July 2023
00:49:47

How Others See You

03 July 2023
00:50:57

Between Two Worlds

12 June 2023
00:46:52

Seeking Serenity: Part 2

08 June 2023
00:49:59

Seeking Serenity: Part 1

05 June 2023
00:49:09

Remember More, Forget Less

17 April 2023
00:49:51

Crying Wolf

10 April 2023
00:50:23

The Snowball Effect

06 April 2023
00:48:58

Less is More

03 April 2023
00:48:06

How To Make Amends

27 March 2023
00:51:49

Made of Honor

20 March 2023
00:47:30

Happiness 2.0: The Reset Button

27 February 2023
00:55:27

When You Need It To Be True

30 January 2023
00:49:07

Persuasion: Part 2

23 January 2023
00:50:21

Persuasion: Part 1

16 January 2023
00:48:30

Who's In Your Inner Circle?

09 January 2023
00:53:29

Who Do You Want To Be?

02 January 2023
00:51:58

You, But Better

26 December 2022
00:49:25

How to Complain Productively

19 December 2022
00:52:03

The Secret to Gift Giving

05 December 2022
00:48:54

A Better Way to Worry

24 October 2022
00:52:33

Did I Really Do That?

10 October 2022
00:52:04

Watch Your Mouth

03 October 2022
00:49:45

Taking Control of Your Time

26 September 2022
00:48:58

How to Really Know Another Person

19 September 2022
00:55:05

Decoding Emotions

12 September 2022
00:52:22

Making the World a Safer Place

05 September 2022
00:49:04

You 2.0: The Mind's Eye

15 August 2022
00:49:54

What We Gain from Pain

04 July 2022
00:50:21

A Founding Contradiction

27 June 2022
00:49:32

The Premonition

20 June 2022
00:49:10

Do Less

06 June 2022
00:53:12

The Logic of Rage

25 April 2022
00:49:22

A Conspiracy of Silence

14 April 2022
00:56:07

How Rude!

11 April 2022
00:49:58

Healing Your Heart

04 April 2022
00:49:35

How to Change the World

21 March 2022
00:49:46

You Can't Hit Unsend

17 March 2022
00:49:46

Changing Behavior, Not Beliefs

10 January 2022
00:48:54

Choose Carefully

03 January 2022
00:48:41

Creatures of Habit

27 December 2021
00:48:54

Bringing Up Baby

20 December 2021
00:50:25

The Psychology of Self-Doubt

13 December 2021
00:49:09

Both Things Can Be True

06 December 2021
00:47:58

Work 2.0: The One-Room Commute

29 November 2021
00:48:42

Work 2.0: Rebel with a Cause

22 November 2021
00:48:45

Work 2.0: Life, Interrupted

15 November 2021
00:50:16

Work 2.0: Game On!

08 November 2021
00:53:17

We Broke the Planet. Now What?

25 October 2021
00:48:34

The Halo Effect

18 October 2021
00:53:10

Being Kind to Yourself

11 October 2021
00:51:52

When You Need It To Be True

04 October 2021
00:54:17

Passion Isn't Enough

27 September 2021
00:47:53

Introducing My Unsung Hero

24 September 2021
00:02:49

Group Think

20 September 2021
00:50:02

Just Sex

13 September 2021
00:23:58

Where Happiness Hides

06 September 2021
00:49:56

Losing Alaska

26 July 2021
00:24:23

Stage Fright

19 July 2021
00:52:15

Playing the Gender Card

12 July 2021
00:49:47

You, But Better

05 July 2021
00:50:23

The Influence You Have

28 June 2021
00:50:33

What Twins Tell Us

24 June 2021
00:28:22

The Power of Apologies

21 June 2021
00:49:38

The Power of Mercy

14 June 2021
00:48:55

What are the Odds?

11 June 2021
00:29:26

This is Your Brain on Ads

07 June 2021
00:48:46

Why We Hold on to Things

31 May 2021
00:45:45

Loss and Renewal

24 May 2021
00:26:06

Tribes and Traitors

21 May 2021
00:31:06

Our Noisy Minds

17 May 2021
00:48:39

The Fake Bride

10 May 2021
00:53:35

One Head, Two Brains

03 May 2021
00:49:30

Deb Pierce: My Unsung Hero

30 April 2021
00:04:33

Why Conversations Go Wrong

26 April 2021
00:52:06

Humor Us

19 April 2021
00:52:03

An Unfinished Lesson

12 April 2021
00:49:26

Useful Delusions

05 April 2021
00:49:36

Made of Honor

29 March 2021
00:48:45

The Story of Your Life

22 March 2021
00:51:14

The Story of Stories

15 March 2021
00:51:15

Radically Normal

09 March 2021
00:50:05

The Snowball Effect

01 March 2021
00:54:35

The Match

26 February 2021
00:19:34

Creating God

22 February 2021
00:51:56

Is It Better to Know?

16 February 2021
00:52:28

Love is Blind

13 February 2021
00:06:15

How They See Us

08 February 2021
00:50:26

The Easiest Person to Fool

01 February 2021
00:53:51

Afraid of the Wrong Things

25 January 2021
00:50:14

Our Brands, Our Selves

18 January 2021
00:34:18

The Secret Life of Secrets

11 January 2021
00:47:59

The Double Standard

04 January 2021
00:48:08

A Creature of Habit

28 December 2020
00:49:47

Waiting Games

22 December 2020
00:51:12

Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Joy

14 December 2020
00:52:24

Screaming into a Void

07 December 2020
00:40:29

A Conspiracy of Silence

30 November 2020
00:59:02

Where Gratitude Gets You

23 November 2020
00:51:45

Between Two Worlds

09 November 2020
00:46:42

From Pedestals to Guillotines

02 November 2020
00:22:13

Not at the Dinner Table

26 October 2020
00:50:06

Moral Combat

19 October 2020
00:51:44

Beyond Doomscrolling

12 October 2020
00:52:14

The Logic of Rage

05 October 2020
00:50:13

An Update from Shankar

02 October 2020
00:04:11

Laughter: The Best Medicine

28 September 2020
00:46:19

The Halo Effect

21 September 2020
00:53:05

Why Nobody Feels Rich

14 September 2020
00:31:51

The Fee-for-Service Monster

07 September 2020
00:50:23

You 2.0: Empathy Gym

31 August 2020
00:51:25

You 2.0: WOOP, WOOP!

24 August 2020
00:18:55

You 2.0: Loss And Renewal

17 August 2020
00:24:15

You 2.0: The Mind's Eye

10 August 2020
00:45:29

Edge Effect

27 July 2020
00:36:15

Romeo & Juliet In Rwanda

13 July 2020
00:48:54

The Founding Contradiction

29 June 2020
00:45:33

Buy, Borrow, Steal

22 June 2020
00:48:34

A Rap on Trial

15 June 2020
00:54:26

The Air We Breathe

12 June 2020
00:36:26

Playing Favorites

08 June 2020
00:52:37

Justifying The Means

01 June 2020
00:53:30

The Time Machine

30 May 2020
00:05:28

The People Like Us

25 May 2020
00:35:03

Our Better Angels

18 May 2020
00:39:50

The Dramatic Cure

11 May 2020
00:50:22

The Choices Before Us

04 May 2020
00:48:41

Starving The Watchdogs

27 April 2020
00:29:53

A Social Prescription

20 April 2020
00:48:43

Sex Machines

13 April 2020
00:27:07

Playing Tight And Loose

06 April 2020
00:49:39

An Unfinished Lesson

23 March 2020
00:48:08

Panic In The Street

16 March 2020
00:24:42

The Influence You Have

24 February 2020
00:49:02

Liar, Liar, Liar

17 February 2020
00:28:23

Passion Isn't Enough

10 February 2020
00:50:54

When Things Click

04 February 2020
00:49:29

Secret Friends

27 January 2020
00:50:06

Warnings, Warnings Everywhere

20 January 2020
00:33:25

Emotional Currency

13 January 2020
00:35:28

On The Knife's Edge

06 January 2020
00:26:49

Creatures Of Habit

30 December 2019
00:49:40

Why We Love Surprises

23 December 2019
00:28:24

Did That Really Happen?

17 December 2019
00:48:02

Zipcode Destiny

09 December 2019
00:49:59

In The Heat Of The Moment

03 December 2019
00:53:57

The Ventilator

19 November 2019
00:52:14

Hungry, Hungry Hippocampus

11 November 2019
00:26:15

The Talk Market

04 November 2019
00:34:54

BS Jobs

28 October 2019
00:42:54

The Monkey Marketplace

21 October 2019
00:45:59

The Lonely American Man

14 October 2019
00:46:10

Screaming Into The Void

07 October 2019
00:39:54

Baby Talk

30 September 2019
00:29:16

We're All Gonna Live Forever!

23 September 2019
00:37:27

We're All Gonna Die!

16 September 2019
00:30:43

You Can't Hit Unsend

10 September 2019
00:51:06

You 2.0: Decide Already!

02 September 2019
00:23:28

You 2.0: Deep Work

27 August 2019
00:32:17

You 2.0: Rebel With A Cause

19 August 2019
00:45:09

You 2.0: Our Better Nature

12 August 2019
00:25:00

You 2.0: Tunnel Vision

05 August 2019
00:35:08

You 2.0: The Empathy Gym

29 July 2019
00:53:11

Facts Aren't Enough

22 July 2019
00:48:58

Finding Your Voice

15 July 2019
00:33:15

The Fox And The Hedgehog

08 July 2019
00:36:22

I Buy, Therefore I Am

01 July 2019
00:32:25

The Lazarus Drug

24 June 2019
00:46:58

Our Animal Instincts

17 June 2019
00:48:52

Me, Myself, and IKEA

10 June 2019
00:23:24

People Like Us

03 June 2019
00:33:37

More Divided Than Ever?

27 May 2019
00:50:21

Losing Face

20 May 2019
00:22:34

What's Not On The Test

13 May 2019
00:48:47

Creating God

06 May 2019
00:51:14

A Dramatic Cure

29 April 2019
00:49:26

Why No One Feels Rich

22 April 2019
00:32:06

The Sorting Hat

15 April 2019
00:48:26

Radically Normal

08 April 2019
00:51:24

Don't Panic!

01 April 2019
00:49:31

What Twins Tell Us

25 March 2019
00:29:10

Never Go To Vegas

18 March 2019
00:48:13

Unreal Sex

11 March 2019
00:27:06

For Sale, By Owner

04 March 2019
00:31:20

Better Than Cash

25 February 2019
00:26:55

Emma, Carrie, Vivian

18 February 2019
00:39:54

Close Enough

11 February 2019
00:48:36

One Head, Two Brains

04 February 2019
00:48:55

Rewinding & Rewriting

28 January 2019
00:29:27

The Vegetable Lamb

21 January 2019
00:35:55

The Best Medicine

14 January 2019
00:46:09

The Cowboy Philosopher

07 January 2019
00:48:50

Loss and Renewal

31 December 2018
00:24:53

Compassion

24 December 2018
00:16:24

Radio Replay: Yum and Yuck

21 December 2018
00:48:52

Starving the Watchdog

10 December 2018
00:28:47

Spoiler Alert!

03 December 2018
00:28:24

A Founding Contradiction

26 November 2018
00:48:53

Radio Replay: Bringing Up Baby

23 November 2018
00:48:54

The Edge of Gender

19 November 2018
00:50:13

Zipcode Destiny

12 November 2018
00:49:56

Sounds Like a Winner

05 November 2018
00:24:16

The Lazarus Drug

29 October 2018
00:46:52

Be The Change

22 October 2018
00:49:36

Voting With Your Middle Finger

15 October 2018
00:46:50

Red Brain, Blue Brain

08 October 2018
00:24:41

"Man Up"

01 October 2018
00:40:12

Why Now?

24 September 2018
00:49:13

Radio Replay: Eyes Wide Open

21 September 2018
00:48:50

The Cassandra Curse

17 September 2018
00:33:26

Our Better Nature

11 September 2018
00:25:00

Bullshit Jobs

04 September 2018
00:42:54

You 2.0: Check Yourself

28 August 2018
00:49:43

You 2.0: Originals

21 August 2018
00:20:32

You 2.0: The Ostrich Effect

07 August 2018
00:25:27

You 2.0: Dream Jobs

31 July 2018
00:20:49

Creating God

17 July 2018
00:51:14

Snooki and the Handbag

10 July 2018
00:23:42

The Edge Effect

03 July 2018
00:36:15

Fake News: An Origin Story

26 June 2018
00:25:40

Radio Replay: Looking Back

22 June 2018
00:49:16

Summer Melt

19 June 2018
00:24:30

Hungry, Hungry Hippocampus

12 June 2018
00:26:15

When Everything Clicks

05 June 2018
00:49:29

Kinder-Gardening

29 May 2018
00:27:33

Rewinding & Rewriting

22 May 2018
00:28:44

Baby Talk

15 May 2018
00:29:16

Rap on Trial

08 May 2018
00:54:12

The Fox and the Hedgehog

01 May 2018
00:36:22

Emma, Carrie, Vivian

24 April 2018
00:39:54

Romeo and Juliet in Kigali

17 April 2018
00:48:58

Liar, Liar

10 April 2018
00:28:39

Tunnel Vision

03 April 2018
00:34:29

Crickets and Cannibals

27 March 2018
00:31:48

The Lonely American Man

20 March 2018
00:46:10

Men: 45, Women: 0

06 March 2018
00:20:38

Filthy Rich

20 February 2018
00:20:38

Why Now?

06 February 2018
00:49:13

Lost in Translation

30 January 2018
00:33:40

Radio Replay: The Power Hour

26 January 2018
00:49:26

Give Me Your Tired...

16 January 2018
00:20:06

Radio Replay: I, Robot

12 January 2018
00:48:56

E Pluribus Unum?

09 January 2018
00:35:44

Buying Attention

02 January 2018
00:36:37

Radio Replay: Fresh Starts

30 December 2017
00:48:49

I'm Right, You're Wrong

26 December 2017
00:22:32

Radio Replay: Don't Panic!

22 December 2017
00:49:31

Never Go To Vegas

19 December 2017
00:48:13

Kinder-Gardening

12 December 2017
00:27:33

Radio Replay: Loving the Lie

08 December 2017
00:48:53

The Sorting Hat

05 December 2017
00:48:37

Radio Replay: Life, Interrupted

01 December 2017
00:48:48

Money Talks

28 November 2017
00:24:19

An American Secret

21 November 2017
00:21:29

Radio Replay: Crime As A Disease

17 November 2017
00:48:04

Eyes Wide Open: Part 2

14 November 2017
00:34:34

Eyes Wide Open: Part 1

07 November 2017
00:23:08

Check Yourself

31 October 2017
00:49:26

The Good Old Days

17 October 2017
00:26:12

The Edge of Gender

10 October 2017
00:49:50

Be The Change

03 October 2017
00:49:25

Just Sex

26 September 2017
00:22:42

The Ostrich Effect

19 September 2017
00:25:05

Regrets, I Have A Few...

12 September 2017
00:28:59

Hiding Behind Free Speech

05 September 2017
00:27:45

You 2.0: Getting Unstuck

29 August 2017
00:27:35

You 2.0: Decide Already!

22 August 2017
00:23:28

You 2.0: WOOP, There It Is

15 August 2017
00:19:01

You 2.0: Embrace the Chaos

08 August 2017
00:26:40

You 2.0: Dream Jobs

01 August 2017
00:20:49

You 2.0: Deep Work

25 July 2017
00:32:17

Summer Melt

18 July 2017
00:24:22

Could You Kill A Robot?

11 July 2017
00:32:32

Losing Face

04 July 2017
00:22:34

Guessing Games

27 June 2017
00:27:00

"Is he Muslim?"

20 June 2017
00:25:53

Rap on Trial

13 June 2017
00:52:53

In The Air We Breathe

06 June 2017
00:36:37

Broken Windows

30 May 2017
00:28:37

Me, Myself, and IKEA

23 May 2017
00:23:24

Episode 69: Money Talks

25 April 2017
00:23:21

Ep. 68: Schadenfacebook

18 April 2017
00:25:12

Ep. 67: The Hole

04 April 2017
00:23:37

Ep. 66: Liar, Liar

28 March 2017
00:27:28

Episode 65: Tunnel Vision

21 March 2017
00:34:21

Ep. 63: "I'm Not A Terrorist..."

28 February 2017
00:22:29

Episode 62: On The Knife's Edge

21 February 2017
00:26:20

Episode 61: Just Sex

14 February 2017
00:22:42

Episode 60: Fortress America

31 January 2017
00:21:17

Episode 59: The Deep Story

24 January 2017
00:21:03

Episode 57: Slanguage

10 January 2017
00:24:18

Episode 56: Getting Unstuck

03 January 2017
00:27:01

Episode 54: Panic in the Streets

06 December 2016
00:23:54

Episode 53: Embrace the Chaos

29 November 2016
00:26:08

Episode 52: Losing Face

22 November 2016
00:22:34

Episode 51: What Happened?

15 November 2016
00:26:43

Episode 50: Broken Windows

01 November 2016
00:28:12

Episode 49: Filthy Rich

25 October 2016
00:20:45

Episode 48: Men: 44, Women: 0

18 October 2016
00:19:53

Episode 45: What Are The Odds?

27 September 2016
00:27:37

Trailer: Hidden Brain 2.0

22 September 2016
00:02:17

Update: #AirbnbWhileBlack

20 September 2016
00:23:14

Episode 43: The Perils of Power

06 September 2016
00:26:20

Episode 42: Decide Already!

23 August 2016
00:22:11

Encore of Episode 11: Forgery

16 August 2016
00:23:23

Episode 41: Defeated

09 August 2016
00:20:46

Episode 40: Silver and Gold

02 August 2016
00:22:23

Episode 39: Vacations

19 July 2016
00:16:43

Episode 38: Me, Me, Me

12 July 2016
00:22:23

Episode 34: Google at Work

07 June 2016
00:26:35

Episode 29: Traffic

03 May 2016
00:15:45

Episode 27: Losing Alaska

19 April 2016
00:23:02

Episode 26: Grit

05 April 2016
00:27:49

Episode 25: Dream Jobs

29 March 2016
00:20:18

Episode 23: Boredom

15 March 2016
00:19:39

Episode 22: Originals

01 March 2016
00:19:42

Episode 21: Stroke of Genius

23 February 2016
00:24:43

Episode 20: Remembering Anarcha

16 February 2016
00:24:39

Episode 19: Dating and Mating

09 February 2016
00:21:37

Episode 17: Resolutions

19 January 2016
00:21:18

Episode 16: Misbehaving

12 January 2016
00:22:37

Episode 15: Loss and Renewal

29 December 2015
00:24:45

Episode 14: Christmas

22 December 2015
00:21:01

Episode 13: Terrorism

15 December 2015
00:25:58

Episode 12: Humor

08 December 2015
00:19:33

Episode 11: Forgery

01 December 2015
00:23:23

Episode 10: Thanksgiving

24 November 2015
00:18:45

Episode 8: Back Up Plans

10 November 2015
00:24:23

Episode 7: Lonely Hearts

03 November 2015
00:33:06

Episode 6: The Science of Fear

27 October 2015
00:20:27

Episode 5: Compassion

20 October 2015
00:18:14

Episode 3: Stereotype Threat

06 October 2015
00:21:56

Brain Bonus: Magic Brain

02 October 2015
00:04:46

Episode 2: Near Victories

29 September 2015
00:22:05

Episode 1: Switchtracking

22 September 2015
00:27:51

Hidden Brain: A Sneak Peek

04 September 2015
00:05:33