“Languishing is that unsettling feeling, that void that we feel." — sociologist Corey Keyes
BRAIN WAVES
So happy together. Why are concerts so magical? A new study found that listening to music with others can make the experience more pleasurable, even when those people aren’t in the same room. In one experiment, U.S. participants listened to excerpts from pop-rock songs—either their favorite songs or a song selected by the researchers. Researchers then put listeners in one of three conditions: non-social, where they listened to music alone; low social, where they listened with a small group virtually; and a high-social condition. In the high social condition, people were shown a map with pins that represented other people who were supposedly listening at the same time. The results? People in both social conditions reported more pleasure from their listening experience, especially in the high social condition. “One thing that surprised us was that merely the idea of being connected with someone, without any direct interaction, was enough to modulate the pleasure felt,” the researchers told PsyPost. What’s more, the study found that shared listening led to greater prosocial behavior and improved memory performance. So go ahead: share that Spotify playlist.
How I met your mother. The meet-cute is changing. In a study, sociologist Michael Rosenfeld was curious about how couples meet and how it's changed over time. He said that since the 1940s, traditional ways of meeting partners (through family, church, and in the neighborhood) have been declining. In his research, he’s found that straight couples are now more likely to meet their romantic partners online rather than through any social connections. And this doesn’t seem to have any effect on the relationship itself. “In our study we found that the success of a relationship did not depend on whether the people met online or not,” Rosenfeld said. “Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how you met your significant other, the relationship takes a life of its own after the initial meeting.” The research on LGBTQ+ couples is lacking, but some of Rosenfeld’s research suggests that same-sex couples are significantly more likely to meet online than opposite-sex couples.
Don’t try. Some goals require grit. But does it ever seem like the harder you try to work toward something, the further you get from it? We take a look at the under-appreciated skill of letting go. Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Why You Feel Empty: Have you ever had an unexplainable feeling of emptiness? Life seems perfect - and yet - something is missing. This week, sociologist Corey Keyes helps us understand where feelings of emptiness come from, how to navigate them and why they're more common than we might assume.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Shalom Auslander’s Story: Shalom grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home. When he was seven, his grandmother offered him something small that made him rethink his entire relationship to religion.
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.
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MIND GAMES
Is it correct to say "The yolk of eggs is white" or "The yolk of eggs are white"?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
What can go through glass without breaking it?
Answer: Light
A MOMENT OF JOY
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