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A conversation about life's unseen patterns

The Myth Of Coincidences And Why We Search For Their Meaning

NPR's Hidden Brain podcast looks at the math — and the myth — of coincidences. They are not as unlikely as they seem, and the psychological reasons behind why we can't help but search for meaning in them anyway.

The Myth Of Coincidences And Why We Search For Their Meaning

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Magic, or Math? The Appeal of Coincidences, and The Reality

A woman wins the lottery not once, not twice, but four times. What are the odds? According to mathematician Joseph Mazur, it depends on how you ask the question. Amy Sancetta/AP hide caption

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Amy Sancetta/AP

Magic, or Math? The Appeal of Coincidences, and The Reality

This week on Hidden Brain: coincidences. Why they're not quite as magical as they seem, and the psychological reasons we can't help but search for meaning in them anyway.

Magic, or Math? The Appeal of Coincidences, and The Reality

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Can An Airline Affect The Direction Of Science?

Research collaborations often involve scientists from all over the world. A new study looks at plane ticket prices, and how they relate to the direction of science.

Can An Airline Affect The Direction Of Science?

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How Risk Affects The Way People Think About Their Health

Researchers found by telling people the risk of HIV is lower than they thought, they get people to act in safer ways. But when people think the risk is very high, they sometimes act less responsibly.

How Risk Affects The Way People Think About Their Health

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When It Comes To Our Politics, Family Matters

Democrats and Republicans often have trouble seeing one another's perspectives. Researchers think this might be driven in part by their earliest experience of power — the family. Mark Airs/Getty Images/Ikon Images hide caption

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Mark Airs/Getty Images/Ikon Images

When It Comes To Our Politics, Family Matters

This week on Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam explores how unconscious ideas about the family shape the way we think about politics.

When It Comes To Our Politics, Family Matters

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Social Science Researchers Explore 'Unethical Amnesia'

Researchers find that one reason some people cheat over and over again is because we all tend to suffer from "unethical amnesia" — our minds are prone to forgetting the bad stuff we've done.

Social Science Researchers Explore 'Unethical Amnesia'

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Want To Make Better Predictions? Researchers Explore How

Analyzing an event by breaking it down into details might seem like a good way to predict the outcome, but social science research suggests that when most of us do it, we make worse predictions.

Want To Make Better Predictions? Researchers Explore How

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Researchers Test The Effects Of Background Music On People

Despite being aware that the background music on a documentary about sharks was manipulating them, viewers found they were unable to keep the music from producing a sense of upliftment or of menace.

Researchers Test The Effects Of Background Music On People

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Do You Read Terms Of Service Contracts? Not Many Do, Research Shows

During an experiment, people consented to sharing their private information with the NSA, and to surrendering their first-born as payment for access to a fictitious social networking site.

Do You Read Terms Of Service Contracts? Not Many Do, Research Shows

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You vs. Future You; Or Why We're Bad At Predicting Our Own Happiness

Dan Gilbert says we're not great at predicting how much we will enjoy an experience in part because we fail to consider all of the details. We think a visit to the dentist will be terrible — but we're forgetting about the free toothbrush, the nice chat with the dental hygienist, and the magazines in the waiting room. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images hide caption

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Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

You vs. Future You; Or Why We're Bad At Predicting Our Own Happiness

Researcher Dan Gilbert says that human beings are the only animals that think about the future. But we don't always do the best job at predicting what will make us happy — or even who we will be.

You vs. Future You; Or Why We're Bad At Predicting Our Own Happiness

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Research Examines If Surgery Delays Affect Patients' Health Outcome

Researchers find that long waiting times for surgery are not associated with worse health outcomes for patients. The study involved patients waiting for surgery in England.

Research Examines If Surgery Delays Affect Patients' Health Outcome

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Why High-Income Households Benefit More From Product Innovations

A Stanford University researcher finds that products purchased mainly by poor people were increasing in price much more quickly than those purchased by the wealthy.

Why High-Income Households Benefit More From Product Innovations

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Researchers Study Effects Of Social Media On Young Minds

Teens showed an image that was deemed to have lots of "likes" tended to also like the image. Seeing popular pictures also produced greater activation in the reward centers of the brain.

Researchers Study Effects Of Social Media On Young Minds

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Losing Hurts (In Surprising Ways)

Hidden Brain explores the effects of losing on athletes, fans and anyone who casts a vote for President. Daniel Fishel for NPR hide caption

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Daniel Fishel for NPR

Losing Hurts (In Surprising Ways)

With the Olympics in full swing, we look at the myriad ways losing a competition can wreak havoc on our physical and mental health.

Losing Hurts (In Surprising Ways)

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How A Child's Gender May Affect Parents' Willingness To Bend The Truth

An experiment found that parents cheated at a game less when their kids were present, but gender made a big difference: The parents modeled honest behavior more with daughters than with sons.

How A Child's Gender May Affect Parents' Willingness To Bend The Truth

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Olympic Victory And Defeat, Frame By Frame

The triumph of victory at the Olympics Scott Pakulski/Flickr hide caption

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Scott Pakulski/Flickr

Olympic Victory And Defeat, Frame By Frame

The rush of victory or crush of defeat in the Olympics can flash by very quickly. But if you slow those moments down, there's a lot to learn about human behavior.

Olympic Victory And Defeat, Frame By Frame

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Why The First Name On The Ballot Often Wins

Presidential elections draw lots of attention, but voters also have to make lots of less familiar choices. The order in which their names are listed on the ballot can help candidates, a study shows.

Why The First Name On The Ballot Often Wins

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'Ban The Box' Laws,' Do They Help Job Applicants With Criminal Histories?

To help ex-felons land jobs, many states have enacted a law that prevents employers from asking applicants to check a box to reveal criminal history. But these laws may not have the intended effect.

'Ban The Box' Laws,' Do They Help Job Applicants With Criminal Histories?

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What Science Says About Taking A Great Vacation

Summer vacation Jocelyn/Flickr hide caption

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What Science Says About Taking A Great Vacation

Summer vacations often take time, energy and money to plan. Expectations can run unreasonably high. This week, we dive into what social science research says about how to have a better getaway.

What Science Says About Taking A Great Vacation

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Research: Black Judges Are Reversed On Appeal More Than White Judges

President Obama has tried to diversify the federal judiciary by appointing more black judges. Data show black federal district judges are overturned on appeal 10 percent more often than white judges.

Research: Black Judges Are Reversed On Appeal More Than White Judges

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Researchers Examine Why Tylenol Affects Empathy

Nearly one quarter of all Americans reach for a bottle of Tylenol every week to take the edge off a headache, fever or toothache. Experiments suggest it might also have another effect on you.

Researchers Examine Why Tylenol Affects Empathy

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