BRAIN WAVES
FOMO. We’ve all had FOMO. (And if you haven’t, well, you’re not missing out). We think of FOMO as the “fear of missing out” on a fun event or experience, but a new study suggests it’s not the experience itself we’re afraid of missing— it’s the people connected with it. A research team (led by former Hidden Brain guest Jacqueline Rifkin) conducted a series of experiments to explore the psychological drivers of FOMO. They found that FOMO was stronger when it involved close friends or important social groups, and it was especially strong when the experience fostered social bonding. More surprising, this held true even if the event itself was not necessarily a pleasant one, such as a funeral. “For me, this really hammered home the point that FOMO is really not about the fun that we’re missing,” Rifkin told PsyPost. “It’s those intangible connections people build when they spend time together.”
Baby steps. Parenting is hard, and there’s such a thing as “overparenting,” which one study describes as “taking over and completing developmentally appropriate tasks for children.” This type of parenting can hurt children's motivation, the study explains. Researchers wanted to know if they could discourage parents from overparenting by reframing certain tasks. Specifically, when they told parents that activities like getting dressed were “learning opportunities” for their four and five-year-old children, those parents were less likely to intervene and more likely to let their kids do the task themselves. “These findings suggest that highlighting learning opportunities helps parents give children more autonomy,” the study concluded.
Proud to be...proud. For centuries, philosophers and theologians have warned about the dangers of hubris. But when we see pride only as a negative emotion, we miss out on all the powerful ways it can also be a driver of creativity, altruism, and accomplishment. Listen to learn more.
Note: Last week’s newsletter contained a typo. The headline read: “Why do we trusty wealthy people more?” It should have read: “Why do we trust wealthy people more?” Please forgive us for the error and trusty that we’ll do better.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
The Secret to Gift Giving: With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are hunting for that special something for the special someones in our lives. So why is it so hard to find the right gift? This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with researcher Jeff Galak. We’ll discuss why the presents we give for holidays and birthdays often miss their mark, and how to become a better gift-giver.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Caroline Davis’ Story: Caroline was about to make a mistake that could have severely damaged her car. Then her unsung hero stepped in and went above and beyond to help her.
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!
GIVE THE GIFT OF HB+
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MIND GAMES
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?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
There are three light switches in a room. Only one switch controls a light bulb in an adjoining room, and you can only enter the adjacent room once to check if the bulb is on or off. How can you figure out which switch controls the light bulb if you can only enter the adjoining room once?
Answer: Turn on the first switch and wait a few minutes. Then turn it off and turn on the second switch. Go into the room and check: if the bulb is warm but off, it's the first switch; if it's on, it's the second switch; if it's cold and off, it's the third switch. [source]
A MOMENT OF JOY
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