Why we’re okay with CEO pay gaps
Plus, how to handle communication lags
BRAIN WAVES
Who’s the boss? In the era of the world’s first trillionaire, wealthy heads of companies often make the news for earning significantly more than their employees. But surprisingly, people don’t always recoil from giant CEO pay gaps — sometimes they actually embrace them. Researchers wanted to understand why some employees are more accepting than others of extreme CEO–employee pay inequality. Across four experiments, they measured how a worker’s perceived similarity to a CEO — in terms of social status, general similarities, and also alma mater— shaped that worker’s attitudes toward their pay and toward policies that would reduce inequality. The study found that when employees felt they shared similarities with a CEO, they were more accepting of high CEO pay. This was largely because that similarity boosted feelings of motivation, the study said.
Can you hear me okay? Ever had trouble communicating with a colleague? Try being out of this world. Researchers wanted to understand how communication delays — like the ones between Earth and space — affect teamwork in big, high‑pressure organizations. To study this, they ran simulated NASA missions using volunteers inside the HERA capsule while “Mission Control” teams at Michigan State University handled tasks with varying communication delays. The researchers found that “collective attention” (everyone focusing on the same thing at the same time) is the crucial link between delayed communication and team performance. When messages lag, our shared focus falls apart fast—unless teams are trained to communicate clearly, trust each other, and know when to step up as leaders. “It’s just more difficult for us to focus on the same thing at the same time when we can’t communicate with one another in real time,” said study author Dorothy Carter. “Teams should be prepared to think clearly, communicate in simple ways and build strong connections with each other. These steps help everyone stay focused on the same goals, even when communication is broken up or delayed.”
The real you. You’re not the same person with your friends as you are with your co-workers or your kids. So who are you, really? Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Waking Up Your Spiritual Brain: Part 1: Food, safety, and strong relationships are essential to our survival. Psychologist Lisa Miller says our brains also crave something else: transcendence. She suggests that spirituality is a universal human capacity, and that feeling connected to something larger than ourselves may be essential to a fulfilling life.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Jennifer Novak’s Story: During her freshman year of college, Jennifer felt like the world was collapsing around her. One particularly bad day, a stranger stepped in and gave her hope.
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.
THE AMERICAN STORY YOU WERE NEVER TAUGHT
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a new podcast asks a surprising question: What if the story we tell about the founding of the country is missing a crucial point? Hosted by Indigenous author Rebecca Nagle, First America explores how Indigenous nations shaped the founding of the United States—and how Native resistance influenced everything from the Revolution itself to the creation of the federal government. Drawing on leading Native historians, the series uncovers a forgotten history that challenges familiar assumptions about America’s origins and reveals how our current political moment was 250 years in the making.
MIND GAMES
I am a number, but when you add ‘G’ to me, I go away. What number am I?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
A group of people collects $529. If each person contributes an amount in dollars equal to the total number of people in the group, how many people are in the group?
The answer: 23 people (23 x 23 = 529)
IS HIDDEN BRAIN YOUR DREAM JOB?
Are you a writer, editor, or fact-checker with deep experience covering the social sciences? Do you read academic journals for fun? Do you enjoy explaining complex or arcane topics to a general-interest audience? If so, we’d be interested in hearing from you. Please send your resume and three writing and/or editing samples to Executive Producer Tara Boyle via email to jobs@hiddenbrain.org.
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.