logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
49m 47s

Playing the Gender Card

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

What is it like to be the only woman at the (poker) table? Or a rare man in a supposedly "feminine" career? In this favorite episode from 2019, we tell the stories of two people who grappled with gender stereotypes on the job, and consider how such biases can shape our career choices.

If you like our work, please consider supporting it! See how you can help at support.hiddenbrain.org. And to learn more about human behavior and ideas that can improve your life, subscribe to our newsletter at news.hiddenbrain.org.

Up next
Aug 25
The Trauma Script
When tragedy strikes, it’s natural to be devastated. But psychologist George Bonanno finds that many of us recover from life’s blows more quickly than we might expect. This week, we talk with Bonanno about his research and why it has changed how many scientists think about trauma ... Show More
50m 13s
Aug 18
How Our Brains Learn
Have you ever fallen asleep in school or during a work meeting? Maybe you felt your eyes glaze over as your boss or a teacher droned on and on about a topic that had no relevance to you. What's missing from these classrooms and conference rooms is engagement: A state of being abs ... Show More
1h 22m
Aug 11
The Best Years of Your Life
Aging isn’t just a biological process. Our outlooks and emotions also change as we age, often in ways that boost our well-being. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with psychologist Laura Carstensen, who helps us unpack the science behind this surprising finding, and s ... Show More
1h 19m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
BrainStuff Classics: Who Does the Real Magic: Magicians, or Assistants?
The gender roles of traditional stage magicians and 'lovely assistants' can seem outdated, but behind the scenes, the work has always been pretty equal. Learn how being a magician's assistant works in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainmen ... Show More
5m 58s
May 2018
31. What About Sexism?
On this episode, I talk about how your reaction to other people’s gender-based discrimination may be impacting your emotional state and creating unnecessary suffering and drama in your mind. I explain how judging, resisting or resenting others for their thoughts actually keeps yo ... Show More
28m 6s
Jun 2024
Frauen in der Arbeitswelt - Wo Deutschland unterentwickelt ist
Deutschland ist in vielem fortschrittlich – aber nicht bei der Gleichstellung: Frauen verdienen im Beruf schlechter, kümmern sich noch immer mehr um den Haushalt als Männer und bekommen für ihre Arbeit – auch für die zu Hause – weniger Anerkennung. Der Sozialwissenschaftler Andre ... Show More
29m 32s
Oct 2023
'This doesn't just fall on women': computer scientists reflect on gender biases in STEM
In this Podcast Extra, two computer scientists, Shobhana Narasimhan and Sana Odeh, join Nature's Anne Pichon to discuss the barriers that women and gender-diverse people still face when working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.They share their experiences and p ... Show More
14m 57s
Jul 2021
Gender in Sports with Joanna Harper and Heather Berlin, PhD (Re-release)
How does gender impact performance? Neil deGrasse Tyson dives into the archives w/ Gary O’Reilly & Chuck Nice to look at gender in sports with neuroscientist Heather Berlin PhD, and Joanna Harper, medical physicist and transgender athlete researcher. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can w ... Show More
51m 25s
Jun 2023
96. Rock and Role: How Assigning Gender to Inanimate Objects Influences Us
Why is a boat a “she?” Why give names like Alexa or Siri to inanimate pieces of software? According to assistant professor of organizational behavior Ashley Martin, ascribing gender to everyday objects helps us to connect with them more deeply.“Gender is this humanizing force tha ... Show More
26m 46s
Jan 2018
A Better Way to Make Your Choices in Life & How to Be Irresistible to the Opposite Sex
I am sure you have had to perform under pressure. And so you know that it is difficult to do and often your performance suffers. But why? Well a couple of interesting things happen in that situation and when you understand them you can make the experience of performing under pres ... Show More
46m 24s
Dec 2023
Episode 251: What It’s Like To Be A Sex Worker
What is it like to be a sex worker? It depends who you ask, with different studies pointing to drastically different conclusions. The truth is that you can’t paint sex workers in overly broad strokes. "Sex work" can mean a lot of different things, and working conditions and local ... Show More
35m 38s
Mar 2024
Be my mentor #5 - Breaking barriers for women in the workplace
“Gender equality not only liberates women but also men from prescribed gender stereotypes.” - Emma Watson In this compelling episode, join hosts Jacqueline and Christina as they welcome Julie Allison, COO at Bloomflow and an esteemed HEC Paris EMBA Alumni. Together, they delve in ... Show More
36m 4s
Mar 2018
How to Keep a Corporate Career Fulfilling - Maysoun Ramadan
During our conversation, we discussed Maysoun's attitude towards diversity, which includes looking well beyond gender, to age, expertise, ethnicity and also ability. I was keen to learn how she went about hiring a lady with a disability onto her team and what the impact on the or ... Show More
41m 38s