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Have you ever seen a post on Facebook or Twitter that seems blatantly false, and yet thousands of people have liked and shared it? Or perhaps you have a relative who forwards you emails with news articles that are factually inaccurate. This week on the show, psychologist Clara Pretus takes us inside the brains of people who share fake news, and explores ways to decrease the spread of misinformation.

We typically divide the country into two distinct groups: Democrats and Republicans. But what if the real political divide in our country isn’t between “left” and “right”? What if it’s between those who care intensely about politics, and those who don’t? This week, we bring you a favorite 2020 conversation with political scientist Yanna Krupnikov, who offers an alternative way to understand Americans’ political views.

Conflicts are inevitable — both at a global scale and in our personal lives. This week, in the latest in our US 2.0 series, psychologist Peter Coleman explains how minor disagreements turn into major rifts, and how we can defuse even the most salient of disputes in our lives.

When was the last time you set a goal and struggled to reach it? Whether it be professionally, creatively or personally, we all experience moments in our lives when success feels just out of reach. This week, organizational psychologist Adam Grant returns to the show to answer listener questions about how to uncover your hidden potential. If you missed that original episode, you can find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-believe-in-yourself/id1028908750?i=1000638984858

There's a saying that's attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher. It's a nice idea, but in reality, when people don't share our values, it's hard for us to tolerate theirs. This week, we talk with sociologist Robb Willer about the common mistakes we make in trying to persuade others of our point of view — and how we can break out of our echo chambers.

The United States, we’re told, is increasingly a house divided. Conservatives and progressives are so alienated from each other that conversation is virtually impossible. But are we really as divided as we’re led to believe? As we begin what promises to be a pivotal election season, we're kicking off a new series about how we form our political beliefs. We're calling it "US 2.0." We begin with psychologist Kurt Gray, who studies how we think about our political allies and opponents — and how these insights can help us to chart a new path forward.

Saying ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t easy. But a sincere apology can be a crucial first step to repairing a relationship and regaining trust. This week, psychologist Tyler Okimoto returns to Hidden Brain to answer listener questions about how to apologize — and when to accept someone else’s expressions of remorse. If you missed our original conversation with Tyler Okimoto, it’s the episode in this feed called “Healing 2.0: The Power of Apologies.” You can also find it here: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-power-of-apologies/ Also, be sure to check out our episode on the topic of forgiveness: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-paradox-of-forgiveness/

We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren't true? This week, we talk to psychologist Elizabeth Loftus about the malleability of memory — what we remember, and what we think we remember.

We spend more and more of our lives staring at screens. Our cellphones, smartwatches and laptops allow us to communicate instantly with people across the globe, and quickly look up obscure facts. But our digital devices are also altering our brains in profound ways. This week, psychologist Gloria Mark explores how our ability to focus is shrinking, and offers ways to protect our minds in a world filled with endless distractions.

We live in a world where waiting can be almost entirely avoided. If we have a question, we can find the answer in seconds. Hungry? Order a meal on a food delivery app and you’ll get it within the hour. But have you ever wondered what we lose from saving so much time? On this week’s show, economist Rick Hanushek explains the consequences of living in a time-optimized culture, and how those consequences are affecting young people all over the world.

Most of us feel that our emotions are reactions to those outside of us. Someone cuts us off in traffic, and we say that the other driver made us upset. A friend brings over food when we're sick, and we say the friend offered us comfort. But psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett argues that our feelings are not, in fact, responses to the world — they're really predictions about the world. And she says we can exercise more control over those predictions than we realize.

When we're learning, or trying new things, mistakes are inevitable. Some of these mistakes provide us with valuable information, while others are just harmful. This week, we kick off the new year with researcher Amy Edmondson, who explains the difference between constructive failures and those we should try to avoid.