Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain examines the surprising research showing nonviolent resistance movements are twice as effective as violent ones in achieving political change. Harvard researcher Erica Chenoweth's data analysis of over 100 years of conflicts reveals that movements mobilizing just 3.5% of the population almost never fail when using nonviolent tactics.

This Hidden Brain episode explores the psychological traps that lead people into debt, featuring stories of the wealthy couple from Queen of Versailles who lost their fortune during the 2008 financial crisis, and examining how optimism bias, compound interest confusion, and marketing tactics exploit our mental weaknesses around money.

Hidden Brain explores the psychology of lying through researcher Emma Levine's work, examining when deception is considered morally acceptable. The episode reveals that while we teach absolute honesty, people actually follow unwritten rules about when lying is justified - particularly when it spares vulnerable people from unnecessary harm.

Host Shankar Vedantam explores the psychological science of group identity with researcher Jay Van Bavel, examining how group membership shapes our perceptions, behaviors, and loyalties. The conversation covers both the unifying and divisive power of groups, from Nelson Mandela's use of rugby to unite South Africa to how social media amplifies tribal divisions.

Psychologist Jonathan Rottenberg challenges the prevailing view of depression as a brain defect or chemical imbalance, arguing instead that it evolved as an adaptive mechanism to help humans stop and reassess when facing life challenges. Drawing from his own severe depression experience, he proposes that while depression can be debilitating, it may serve important evolutionary functions similar to fever or anxiety.