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

It's easy to think that the best teams are collections of highly accomplished or talented individuals, working under a skilled leader. But that's no guarantee of success. Psychologist <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/faculty-and-research/faculty-by-area/profiles/williams-woolley-anita.html">Anita Woolley</a> says the best teams are far more than the sum of their parts, and they share certain basic characteristics. Do you know someone who would enjoy Hidden Brain? Please tell them about this episode. And thanks for listening!

Hidden Brain

The Secret to Great Teams

After we make a decision, we often tell ourselves a story about why our choice was the right one to make. It's a mental process that psychologist <a href="https://psychology.ucsc.edu/about/people/faculty.php?uid=elliot">Elliot Aronson</a> calls self-justification. These rationalizations can sometimes lead us to excuse bad behavior or talk ourselves out of a poor choice. But are there also times when self-justification can be used for good? This is the second part of our series on cognitive dissonance. Listen to the first episode: <a href="https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/how-we-live-with-contradictions/">How We Live with Contradictions</a>.

Outsmarting Yourself

Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, <a href="https://psychology.ucsc.edu/about/people/faculty.php?uid=elliot">Elliot Aronson</a> explains the mental processes behind this type of self-justification, and shares how he helped develop one of the most widely-known concepts in psychology: cognitive dissonance.If you're interested in learning more about the origins of cognitive dissonance, listen to our episode <a href="https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/when-you-need-it-to-be-true/">When You Need It To Be True</a>. Do you like the ideas and insights we feature on Hidden Brain? Then please consider supporting our work by joining our new podcast subscription, Hidden Brain+. You can find it in the Apple Podcasts app, or by going to <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?ign-itscg=30200S&ign-itsct=hiddenbrain_podcasts">apple.co/hiddenbrain</a>. Thanks!

How We Live With Contradictions

How often do you say something negative to yourself that you'd never utter to someone else? Self-criticism can often feel like a way to hold ourselves accountable. But psychologist <a href="https://eureka.utexas.edu/faculty/neffk">Kristin Neff</a> says there’s a better path to personal growth: self-compassion. In a favorite conversation from 2021, Kristin remembers the painful moment when she learned to show herself self-compassion, and shares how being kind to ourselves can improve our wellbeing and relationships with others. Do you know someone who needs a reminder to be kind to themselves? Please share this episode with them! And if you have follow-up questions for Kristin Neff, please record a voice memo and send it to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Use the subject line "self-compassion" in your email. Thanks!

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

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