“He said, ‘I feel like I spend all of my time just lost in the woods and angry, but I don't really know what to do.” —psychologist Peter Coleman
BRAIN WAVES
The waiting game. We can all be a little impatient. Nobody likes to wait, and it seems that waiting only gets harder the longer you do it. In a series of studies, researchers looked at data from real-world events that involved waiting for something: the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the first COVID-19 vaccine, and the arrival of a bus. They measured people’s impatience during each of these events and found that, the closer people got to the finish line, the more their discomfort with waiting intensified. According to the study, “ a desire for closure underlies this effect.” The longer we wait, the more intense that desire becomes. The next time you feel impatient, it might be a good time to remind yourself that “ the distress of waiting escalates when the wait is almost over.”
Uncommon sense. Common sense is knowledge that’s universally understood. But is it? Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania asked more than 2,000 volunteers to analyze various phrases that had been evaluated as being “commonsensical” claims. These were ideas like "numbers don't lie, we should always trust the math," "all human beings are created equal,” and "avoid close contact with people who are ill." The findings? People’s opinions varied widely over whether or not the statement was an example of common sense. “They also found that such opinions tended to differ less when they regarded facts, such as the number of sides in a triangle,” Phys.org reported. “This, the researchers suggest, indicates that a universal meaning of things described by the term does not exist.”
Agree to disagree? There’s a saying that’s often attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher. It’s a nice idea, but in reality, when people don’t share our values, it’s hard for us to tolerate theirs. So how can we break out of our echo chambers? Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
US 2.0: Living with Our Differences: Conflicts are inevitable — both at a global scale and in our personal lives. This week, in the latest in our US 2.0 series, psychologist Peter Coleman explains how minor disagreements turn into major rifts, and how we can defuse even the most salient of disputes in our lives.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Julie Silverman’s Story: After Julie developed a persistent cough, no one seemed to be able to identify the cause. Then, her unsung hero stepped in and saved 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
If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
Only four words in Standard English begin with the letters "dw". They are all common. Name two of them.
Answer: "Dwarf", "dwell", "dwindle", and "dweeb"
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
Goodbye, Super Bowl. Hello, Baby Olympics.
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.