Hidden Brain
MurmurCast publishes AI-generated summaries of Hidden Brain’s Podcast episodes — 23 summarized so far, covering psychology of deception, moral judgment, benevolent lies, cultural differences in truth-telling, vulnerable populations and lying, trust and honesty. Each summary distills the key insights, topics, and takeaways so you can decide what’s worth your time before pressing play.
When It's Okay to Lie
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.
Group Think
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.
Rethinking Depression
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.