“It's one of our deepest and most primitive emotions." — neuroscientist Arash Javanbakht
BRAIN WAVES
Lose yourself. In psychology, flow describes the state of being lost in deep, energized focus while performing an activity. It's a wonderful, creative feeling, but how do you access it? A new study analyzed the brain patterns of jazz musicians playing improvisational music. The study looked at both expert and non-expert musicians and found something interesting. Flow states correlated with increased activity in sensory areas, and decreased activity in executive control regions of the brain. What does this mean? A flow state seems to require both expertise and a creative release of control. In fact, the researchers called it the “expertise-plus-release” model. The idea is, experts can reach a state of flow by surrendering to the activity, which allows them to default to their expertise. “People who do not have extensive experience at a task or who have difficulty releasing control will be less likely to experience deep creative flow,” the researchers explained in a press release. Hey, maybe Eminem was on to something.
What a shame: Politics are intertwined with our deepest values and convictions. When someone doesn’t agree with us, it feels justified to shame them for their views -- what we deem to be moral failures. But what do we achieve by doing so? Not much, argues David Keen, a professor of conflict studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. For Psyche, Keen writes: “Drawing from experiences in Sierra Leone's civil war and the dynamics of political discourse in the United States, it's clear that shaming can entrench divisions and even be manipulated by its targets to reinforce their support base.” Shaming might also have a counterproductive effect: It can distract from important issues and come at "the expense of meaningful discourse,” Keen argues. Ultimately, it could impede progress, “perpetuating cycles of blame and division without fostering genuine improvement.” For more on how to manage our differences, listen to our US 2.0 series.
What's in a feeling? We often assume that our feelings are responses to the world around us. A friend gives you a fun gift, you feel joy. A driver cuts you off in traffic, you feel frustrated. But what if our emotions are actually predictions? Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Fear Less: Fear is a normal and healthy response to things that may harm us. But fear can also hold us back from doing the things we want to do. This week, we talk to psychiatrist and neuroscientist Arash Javanbakht about the psychology of fear — how it helps us, how it hurts us, and what we can do to harness it.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Nancy Pardo’s Story: Nancy was terrified after her husband, Tom, suffered a series of fainting spells. When she asked his doctor what they should do next, the doctor’s answer stunned her — and changed her life.
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
What is a liquid at room temperature in its original state but solidifies when heated?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
A man left home running. He ran away and then turned left, ran the same distance and turned left again, ran the same distance, and turned left again. When he got home, there were two masked men. Who were they?
Answer: They were at a baseball game – one man was the catcher and the other was the umpire.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Hidden Brain is a game! Do you struggle to recognize people after you've met them? Do you like games and puzzles? If so, you should try Hidden Brain Daily Challenge, our new app available on Apple iOS! It features our very first game, designed to help improve your facial recognition skills. Check it out 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.