Rephonic
Artwork for Hidden Brain
Creativity
Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Coping With Challenges
Failures In Business
Human Behavior
Psychology
Down Syndrome
Business Strategy
Goal Setting
Listening
Titanic
Cultural Anthropology
Workplace Interactions
Beauty Bias
Communication
Beauty
Human Potential
Margaret Mead
Disability Rights

Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. On Hidden Brain, we help you understand your own mind — and the minds of the people around you. (We're routinely rated the #1 science podcast in the United States.) Hosted by veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes597Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Social SciencesPerforming ArtsArtsScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Hidden Brain

Latest Episodes

Often in life, we find ourselves wrestling with a decision. But in running these mental calculations, there's something we rarely consider about the future: we might not be the same person when we get there. This week, philosopher L.A. Paul explores ... more

Have you ever been falsely accused of something? Many of us think there’s only one way we’d act in such a situation: we’d defend ourselves. We’d do whatever it takes to clear our name — and above all else, we’d never, ever confess to something we did... more

When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This week, we bring you case studies from the world of business to explore the science of inflection points — changes that dramatically transform the course of ev... more

Have you ever downplayed some aspect of your identity? Maybe you don’t hide it, but you don’t bring it up with certain people, either.  It turns out that these subtle disguises can have powerful effects on how we view ourselves. This week, we talk wi... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Radiolab
RadiolabWNYC Studios
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Recent Guests

Saul Kassin
Psychologist and author of Duped, Why Innocent People Confess and Why We Believe Their Confessions
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Episode: Did I Really Do That?
Rita McGrath
Professor at Columbia Business School and author of Seeing Around Corners
Columbia Business School
Episode: When To Pivot
Kenji Yoshino
Legal scholar at New York University
New York University
Episode: Dropping the Mask
Sunita Sah
Psychologist at Cornell University and author of 'Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes'
Episode: Marching To Your Own Drummer
Alison Wood Brooks
A behavioral scientist at Harvard Business School studying the art and science of conversation
Harvard Business School
Episode: The Conversations that Bring Us Closer
Fred Luskin
Psychologist and director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project
Stanford University
Episode: No Hard Feelings
Brian Klaas
Political scientist and author
University College London
Episode: Wellness 2.0: The Art of the Unknown
Sarah Jaquette Ray
Professor of environmental studies, focusing on emotional responses to climate change
Cal Poly Humboldt
Episode: Wellness 2.0: When It's All Too Much
Ken Sheldon
Psychologist studying how people select goals for themselves
University of Missouri
Episode: Wellness 2.0: Who Do You Want To Be?

Host

Shankar Vedantam
Host of Hidden Brain, a veteran science journalist.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 58.1k ratings
  • All episodes

    Love this content. Every show brings me knowledge that informs how I can improve myself and better understand others.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    blanca-ville doc
    United States10 days ago
  • Liberal jargon

    Listened to many episodes, but the 3/3 episode about “hiding your true self” was so tiresome. Covering is a good thing when it comes to your sexual orientation. Keep it to yourself…

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ozzie price
    United States11 days ago
  • Wish it was more science, less self-improvement

    I've listened to Hidden Brain ever since it was just a brief segment on NPR -

    I loved the fact that it made science accessible to everyone

    Unfortunately in the years since then it has increasingly veered towards soft-focus self-improvement with the host just asking softball Qs of guests as prompts, not actually engaging in any kind of intellectual discussion

    Aldo, please stop this practice of addressing the guest by their name EVERY SINGLE TIME you speak to them!! It's not necessary mak... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Qwertiop8
    United States12 days ago
  • One of the best pods out there

    For anyone interested in better understanding humans. Good for work, personal relationships, yourself, society as whole, doesn’t matter. I have gained tons of insight and information that I have put to use in my own life. I’ve listened to many pods over the years but this is one I consistently return to. The episodes are thoughtfully put together and always give the listener so much to think about. I highly recommend this podcast for anyone curious about why we do the things we do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Courtneylo88
    United States12 days ago
  • Pro Life

    Hi Shankar! While I am a Christian, and draw different conclusions from much of your podcasts than you are probably expecting me to, I love your podcast and have been listening since 2019! Your dedication, time, energy, and heart shine through and it keeps me coming back!!

    I would love to challenge you to interview a pro lifer (preferably Christian). Abortion is the greatest human rights issue facing us today and I would love for more people to hear it from a pro life perspective. Thanks for yo... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    k.platter
    United States13 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the podcast for its insightful and thought-provoking content.
The engaging style of the host, Shankar Vedantam, is a highlight, resonating well with the audience.
There are criticisms of interruptions from ads, which some find distracting to the flow of episodes.
Many express gratitude for the helpful perspectives shared, often transforming their viewpoints on complex topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Did I Really Do That?
Q: What are your solutions to the problems of false confession, Saul?
Saul recommends that interrogation sessions should be fully recorded and that investigators should ask open-ended questions, avoiding communication about the crime to prevent coercion and inaccuracies.
Dropping the Mask
Q: What advice did you receive about being a gay professional?
A colleague advised Kenji that he would have a smoother path to tenure by being a homosexual professional rather than a professional homosexual, emphasizing the need for identity management in his career.
Dropping the Mask
Q: What was the pivotal conversation with your psychiatrist about?
The psychiatrist helped Kenji shift his perspective on his desires, leading to a transformative understanding of his identity as not being something perverted, but rather thwarted.
Dropping the Mask
Q: What did you feel you needed to hide?
Kenji realized he needed to hide his identity as a gay man during his time in boarding school and later engaged in behaviors to downplay this aspect of himself as a coping mechanism.
The Conversations that Bring Us Closer
Q: Why do people tend to avoid apologies in conversations?
Apologizing can feel vulnerable and humbling, making people hesitant to admit wrongdoing despite its power to positively transform conversations.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Hidden Brain

What is Hidden Brain about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Exploring the intricacies of human behavior, relationships, and the mind, episodes cover a wide range of topics including creativity, self-awareness, emotional diversity, and societal influences on behavior. The content is grounded in psychological research, often featuring prominent experts from various fields. Each installment emphasizes practical applications of psychological theories, making complex ideas accessible and engaging for listeners. Listeners can expect to gain insights into their own behaviors and mental processes, and find thought-provoking stories that connect personal experiences with broader social issues.

Where can I find podcast stats for Hidden Brain?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Hidden Brain. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Hidden Brain and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Hidden Brain get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Hidden Brain, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Hidden Brain?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Hidden Brain, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Hidden Brain have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Hidden Brain has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Hidden Brain?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Hidden Brain:

1. Radiolab
2. TED Radio Hour
3. This American Life
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. Throughline

How many episodes of Hidden Brain are there?

Hidden Brain launched 10 years ago and published 597 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Hidden Brain?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Hidden Brain?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Hidden Brain from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Hidden Brain?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Hidden Brain. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Hidden Brain?

Recent guests on Hidden Brain include:

1. Saul Kassin
2. Rita McGrath
3. Kenji Yoshino
4. Sunita Sah
5. Alison Wood Brooks
6. Fred Luskin
7. Brian Klaas
8. Sarah Jaquette Ray

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days