BRAIN WAVES
Liar, Liar. People lie more when they're lying to a crowd. In a series of experiments, researchers found that people were more dishonest toward groups than individuals — a phenomenon they call the plurality effect. This tendency showed up in a handful of different contexts, from giving people biased advice to fudging facts in job interviews and negotiations. People seemed to feel less moral concern when deceiving a group versus a single person. The effect was amplified when the liar was speaking to people they considered to be outside of their social circle. Turns out, the more faces in the room, the fuzzier our ethics get. People “judge groups as less deserving of moral consideration,” the study concluded.
STEMtastic. Can kids learn science from online games? An experimental study looked at whether digital games and videos could boost STEM learning in four and five-year-old kids. Specifically, researchers looked at the PBS resource, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! and found that preschoolers who engaged with clips and games from the show had significant gains in understanding scientific concepts. By the end of the study, twice as many children could accurately depict what scientists and engineers do than at the start of the study, and 86% of girls drew female scientists at the end of the study compared to 49% at the beginning, according to a report. “These results provide causal evidence that digital media can support young children’s science learning,” the study concluded.
Love will keep us together. There’s no magic potion that can make someone adore you. But there are things you can do to promote a deep and enduring connection — and even feelings of passion — between yourself and your partner. Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Forget About It! Forgetting something — whether it’s a colleague’s name or where we put our keys — can be deeply frustrating. This week, psychologist Ciara Greene helps us explore the science of forgetting. We look at why our minds hold on to some memories for a lifetime, but discard others within seconds. And we grapple with a question many people ask themselves: Is my forgetfulness a sign that something is wrong with me?
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Jon Hegwood’s Story: Jon told his high school principal, Mr. Barnett, that he planned to drop out of school. But Mr. Barnett implored him to earn his diploma — which set Jon on a path to success.
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.
Revisionist History Returns
Since you love Hidden Brain, we wanted to let you know about another podcast that’s back for another season: Revisionist History.Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell ventures into the overlooked and misunderstood on his podcast, Revisionist History. Dive into the labyrinthine minds of Malcolm and his team as they launch an investigation into the nooks and crannies of Thomas’s English Muffins, explore how facial recognition colors our perception, examine what America gets wrong about emergency sirens, and so much more. Listen to Revisionist History now.
MIND GAMES
Three men are lined up behind each other. The tallest is in the back – he can see the heads of the two men in front of him. The middle man can see the one man in front of him. The man in front can’t see anyone. All men are blindfolded and hats are placed on their heads, picked from three black hats and two white hats. The extra two hats are hidden and the blindfolds are removed. The tallest man is asked if he knows what color hat he’s wearing; he doesn’t. The middle man is asked if he knows; he doesn’t. But the man in front, who can’t see anyone, says he knows. How does he know, and what color hat is he wearing?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
If a shirt costs $20 more than a hat, and the combined cost of both the shirt and the hat is $50, how much does the hat cost?
The answer: $15
A MOMENT OF JOY
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