You've been told depression is a chemical imbalance in your brain. That the way you think is distorted. That's the story we've heard for decades. What if I tell you a Cornell psychologist has spent 30 years arguing depression isn't a defect at all, but a signal your body is sending to keep you from harm?. 🧵

“A lot of these assumptions we have about human potential are really outdated and just wrong.” Measures like IQ tests tend to categorize our abilities. But as @sbkaufman explains, these tests only tell us so much. open.spotify.com/episode/…

"My marriage is broken because I'm doing something wrong." That's what most of us assume when we're struggling. What if I tell you the expectations of modern marriage are higher than they've ever been in human history?🧵

Attention spans have dropped dramatically over the past 20 years. How dramatically? 2004: Researchers find that workers can focus for 2.5 minutes before distractions break through. 2012: Undistracted work time shrinks to 75 seconds. Today: We spend 47 seconds, on average, on a task before we're distracted by something else. It's not because your brain is broken. And there are ways to claw back your ability to focus. 🧵

Modern marriage is like trying to climb the tallest mountain in the world without an oxygen tank. Psychologist Eli Finkel says many of us have committed ourselves to what he calls the "All-Or-Nothing Marriage." The good news is that there are ways to scale this seemingly impossible peak. 🧵

Ever noticed how people instinctively defend themselves when receiving feedback? Maybe you’ve caught yourself doing it, too. This week, we continue our conversation with neuroscientist Emily Falk to explore why we tend to push back against suggestions—and how we can become better listeners. Plus, how to offer feedback in a way that truly resonates. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/i…

If you struggle with math, this finding from cognitive scientist Sian Beilock might feel relatable. She had people come into the lab for a brain scan. While they were in the MRI machine, the volunteers watched a screen. 🧵

It’s almost time for our next Hidden Brain live show! Join Shankar at the Orpheum in Los Angeles on November 22. He’ll be sharing seven key insights from Hidden Brain’s first decade. More info and tickets at hiddenbrain.org/tour/

In January 2009, John Roberts was swearing in Barack Obama as president of the United States. Both men had spent decades in the public eye. Roberts was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Obama had campaigned coast to coast. But there was a simple sentence that kept tripping them up.🧵

Steph Curry can thread passes to teammates he isn't even looking at. Watch him do it and it looks like magic. It isn't. There's a specific reason his brain can do this, and it's not a simple matter of talent.

Why do we often add, but rarely subtract? A new slide. A footnote. A chart. Researchers have a name for it. And they know why we do it. 🧵

You want to get up earlier. You really do. It would make your morning so much smoother. But that alarm goes off and, against all reason, you do it — you hit the snooze button. In this week’s episode, why our minds often conspire against our best interests, and how we can regain some control. apple.co/3IaGL62

How dangerous do you think the world is? Most of us would say…pretty dangerous. Seemingly everywhere you look, someone is being attacked, kidnapped, or betrayed. But here's what the numbers actually reveal. 🧵

Just a few days left until our next Hidden Brain live show! Join Shankar at the Orpheum in Los Angeles on November 22. He’ll be sharing seven key insights from Hidden Brain’s first decade. More info and tickets at hiddenbrain.org/tour/

Would you donate a kidney to save your child's life? Almost every parent would say yes. Would you donate one to a stranger? Far fewer people say yes. This drop-off has a name. 🧵