BRAIN WAVES
Shout outs. We like to pretend not to care what other people think, but our desire for status influences us in ways we might not even realize. In a new study, researchers found that “status insecurity” makes people less likely to give outsiders credit for doing good things. They tested this idea across 17 different experiments (including one that analyzed the final speeches from contestants on the reality TV show Survivor), and found that the more insecure people felt about their own status, the less likely they were to praise other people for their ideas, hard work, or other contributions. The kicker, though, is that this behavior would actually increase a person’s status. “Ultimately, status insecurity paradoxically lowers one’s status because it reduces the propensity to elevate and celebrate others,” the study concluded.
Rest in luxury. We’ve talked on Hidden Brain about how a fear of death shapes our behavior. For example, it can dictate how much money we spend on funerals. In a recent study, researchers surveyed people about how scared they were of death. They found that the more afraid people were, the more likely they were to spend on lavish funeral products and services. The researchers hypothesize that this kind of luxury spending is a coping mechanism: if death is the ultimate uncertainty, perhaps spending offers a comforting sense of control. The researchers explain, “These results support the conclusion that death-related status consumption may play a critical role as an avoidance mechanism in coping with the fear of death.”
Work it out. Many of us spend our workdays responding to a never-ending stream of emails and texts. We feel stressed out and perpetually behind on our to-do list. But what if there was a better way to work? Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
No Hard Feelings: Holding a grudge can feel like a form of justice, a way of punishing those who have wronged us. But psychologist Fred Luskin says that more often than not, grudges don’t hurt the targets of our anger. Instead, they only hurt us. This week, we explore the lingering effects of long-standing animosities, and how to let them go.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Melissa Barbanell’s Story: When Melissa’s seven-year-old son was hit by a pickup truck, a stranger ran across the street to help.
Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
MIND GAMES
Ask this question all day long, but always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
Answer: An echo.
A MOMENT OF JOY
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