Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. On Hidden Brain, we help you understand your own mind — and the minds of the people around you. (We're routinely rated the #1 science podcast in the United States.) Hosted by veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam.
Why does one bad experience have the power to overshadow an otherwise good day? Psychologist Alison Ledgerwood (https://psychology.ucdavis.edu/people/alison-ledgerwood) explores the negativity bias, the deeply human tendency to hold on to what went wrong and overlook what went right. She explains why our minds are drawn to losses and threats, and what it takes to rebalance our attention. Then, on Your Questions Answered, psychologist David Pizarro (https://psychology.cornell.edu/david-pizarro) returns to respond to your comments about the surprising role of disgust in shaping our lives. In our companion conversation for Hidden Brain+, we explore how politicians and the media exploit the negativity bias. If you're a subscriber, that episode is titled “Going Negative.” If you're not yet a subscriber, you can get a free seven-day trial of Hidden Brain+ by going to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hidden brain (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?at=1010l3ab3&ct=hiddenbrain_podcasts&itsct=hiddenbrain_podcasts&itscg=30200S&ls=1). If you love listening to Hidden Brain, you'll love watching it as well! Check out our new YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@HiddenBrain) for Shankar's videos about how your memory works, tips for performing under pressure, and much more. Episode illustration by Getty Images for Unsplash+ (https://unsplash.com/illustrations/teenager-boy-in-depression-standing-alone-with-a-sad-reflection-isometric-vector-illustration-o2jCNT3GP-E)
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8 Jun 2026
Who Are You, Really?
Political scientist Eric Oliver and psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman discuss internal divisions and the science of intelligence in this interview episode.
1 Jun 2026
Unleashing Your Creativity
Host Shankar Vedantam interviews psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis about the hidden mental processes and subconscious work that fuel creative breakthroughs and inspiration.
Who has been a guest on Hidden Brain
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Eric Oliver
Scott Barry Kaufman
Joseph Henrich
Jamil Zaki
Leslie John
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