BRAIN WAVES
Hey, good lookin’. Physical traits aren’t the only things that make people attractive. Other attributes, like humor or intelligence, can make us see people as more beautiful. But there's one trait that surpasses all others when it comes to this kind of perceived attractiveness: kindness. In a study, researchers found that people rated strangers as significantly more attractive when those strangers engaged in consistently kind behavior. The effect held true for both men and women. Researcher Natalia Kononov told PsyPost, "This gender-universal appeal highlights just how broadly kindness can shape perceptions of beauty.”
Friends forever. We think of “significant others” as romantic partners, but journalist (and former Hidden Brain producer) Rhaina Cohen makes the case for making our friendships just as significant. “In ancient Rome, friends would talk about each other as ‘half of my soul,’ or ‘the greater part of my soul.’ The kind of language we now use in romantic relationships,” Cohen explains. “What I took from this history is that if we don't limit friendship, it can be central to our lives.”
A way with words I. Me. My. You. He. She. They. It. To. Of. For. These are all words we use without a second thought. But if we pay close attention to the patterns in speech, we can understand profound things about others, and even ourselves. Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
What Your Online Self Reveals About You: Every day, we leave small traces of ourselves online. This week, computational social scientist Sandra Matz explores how understanding what we actually do online – not just what we think we do – can help us improve our lives.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Mark Metersky’s story: When Mark Metersky was a medical student, he struggled to care for a difficult patient. Then one day, he saw the man do something that surprised him.
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.
HIDDEN BRAIN LIVE
We’re excited to share that we’re bringing Hidden Brain to the stage in February 2025. Join Shankar in San Francisco or Seattle as he shares seven key psychological insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain. For tickets, go to hiddenbrain.org/tour. Bonus: all attendees receive one year's complimentary membership to the meditation and sleep app Calm. Hope to see you there!
MIND GAMES
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
There is a group of people in a room. Each person is wearing a birthday hat that is either orange or indigo. Each person can see everyone else’s hat but their own. One person shouts, "If you can see at least 6 orange hats and at least 6 indigo hats, raise your glass" Exactly 12 people raise their glasses. How many people are in the room?
The answer: 18. Explanation here.
A MOMENT OF JOY
Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.