Hidden BrainHidden Brain

A conversation about life's unseen patterns

Angels came in different flavors. Most were young and all were eager to please — dream women for a certain kind of man — dreamed up, of course, by another man. Emily Bogle/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Bogle/NPR

Lonely Hearts

When the perfect woman started writing Jesse letters, it seemed too good to be true. Because it was. This week, a story about a con, and why sometimes we prefer a lie to the truth.

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Candy For Your Vote, Kid? A Test Of Political Bribery

NPR's Shankar Vedantam tells Steve Inskeep about a Halloween experiment to see whether children can be swayed to change their political preferences with candy.

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Things That Go Bump In The Lab: Halloween And The Science Of Fear

This week, the Hidden Brain podcast explores the science of fear — traveling to a haunted house curated by a scientist to investigate what scares us, and why some people enjoy feeling fear.

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"Compassion is contagious," Professor Scott Plous says. "We talk about paying it forward; the idea that if you do something good for another person [...] it sets off a kind of chain reaction." Hanna Barczyk for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Hanna Barczyk for NPR

The Science of Compassion

On this week's episode of Hidden Brain, we'll explore how being kind to others can make a real difference in your own life.

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Researcher Hunter Gehlbach found that helping students and teachers find things in common improved academic outcomes. iStockphoto hide caption

itoggle caption iStockphoto

In The Classroom, Common Ground Can Transform GPAs

The Hidden Brain podcast explores the connections between students and teachers. It turns out finding things in common between pupils and instructors could be a tool for closing the achievement gap.

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Are Big Cities Still A Primary Engine For Scientific Innovation?

For scientists, there have long been advantages to working in big cities — in close proximity to other scientists and inventors. A new analysis delves into whether this is still the case.

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Stereotype Threat: How Often Are Students Assigned Works By Female Authors?

Analysis finds that four in five course readings in the field of international relations are written by men. Female professors are 36 percent more likely to offer readings that have female authors.

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The World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas in 2014. When Annie competed in this event, just 3 percent of the entrants were women. AP hide caption

itoggle caption AP

An Ace Up The Poker Star's Sleeve: The Surprising Upside Of Stereotypes

Annie Duke was often the only woman at the poker table, which influenced the way people saw her, and the way she saw herself. Feeling like an outsider can come at a cost, but also can be an advantage.

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Near Wins, And Not Quites: How Almost Winning Can Be Motivating

Shankar Vedantam explores "almosts" and "not quites" on this episode of the Hidden Brain podcast, with the help of Monica Wadhwa, Dan Pink and country music singer Kacey Musgraves.

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How Poker Player Annie Duke Used Gender Stereotypes To Win Matches

Annie Duke was often the only woman at the poker table, which influenced the way people saw her - and the way she saw herself. Feeling like an outsider can come at a cost, but also be an advantage.

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Hidden Brain: What's The Source Of Success In Sports?

When the same athletes succeed over and over at a sport, is it because they are simply more talented than everyone else, or is it because "nothing succeeds like success"?

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The Cost Of Interruptions: They Waste More Time Than You Think

Interruptions are annoying. Studies indicate that getting interrupted is also costly — it can take a long time to settle back into tasks after a distraction. New research explores a cure.

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Switchtracking, as defined by author Sheila Heen, is when "someone gives you feedback, and your reaction to that feedback changes the subject." Hanna Barczyk for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Hanna Barczyk for NPR

Trying To Change, Or Changing The Subject? How Feedback Gets Derailed

The first episode of Hidden Brain explores switchtracking: a common pattern in conversations you'll be accusing your partner of in no time! Plus speedy science, a cup of tea and a song from Adam Cole.

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Can Grocery Carts Steer Consumers To Healthier Purchases?

New research finds that putting in partitions in grocery carts can increase the likelihood shoppers buy healthy fruits and veggies. (This piece initially aired on May 26, 2015 on Morning Edition.)

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Why Are Women Less Likely To Become Entrepreneurs Than Men?

Analysis finds women are less likely to be arrogant about mistakes and more likely to be humble about their achievements. Men are more likely to disregard market signals that their ideas are flawed.

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NPR

The Hidden Brain Podcast: A Behind the Scenes Preview

Listen to a preview of the Hidden Brain podcast from NPR's Shankar Vedantam! The show will use science and storytelling to reveal life's unseen patterns, and what's inside your hidden brain.

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Hard Evidence: Teachers' Unconscious Biases Contribute To Gender Disparity

Girls often outperform boys in science and math at an early age but are less likely to choose tough courses in high school. An Israeli experiment demonstrates how biases of teachers affect students.

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Scientific Findings Often Fail To Be Replicated, Researchers Say

A massive effort to test the validity of 100 psychology experiments finds that more than 50 percent of the studies fail to replicate. This is based on a new study published in the journal "Science."

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