logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
52m 22s

Decoding Emotions

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

We like to think that all humans are born with the same core emotions: anger, fear, joy, sadness and disgust.  But what if that's not true? This week, psychologist Batja Mesquita offers a different model of emotions — one that can help us to better understand our own feelings and those of the people around us. 

If you like this show, be sure to check out our other work, including our recent episode on how technology and psychology can be used to radically transform our approach to crime. And if you'd like to support our work, you can do so at support.hiddenbrain.org. 

Up next
Jul 7
You 2.0: The Passion Pill
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” The idea is that pursuing your passion will feel invigorating — almost magical. But passions can easily wane over time. This week, behavioral scientist Jon Jachimowicz looks at how to ... Show More
49m 25s
Jun 30
You 2.0: What Is Your Life For?
What should you do with your life? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. But there are scientifically-tested methods that can help you to feel more in harmony with yourself and the world. This week, and in a companion conversation for Hidden Brain+, researcher Vic ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 23
Win Hearts, Then Minds + Your Questions Answered on Identity and "Covering"
There’s a saying that’s attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher. It’s a nice idea. But when people don’t share our values, it’s hard for us to tolerate theirs. This week, we bring you a favorite episode with sociologist Robb Wil ... Show More
1h 25m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2017
Emotions
A thief knocks down your door and you are flooded with fear. Your baby smiles up at you and you are filled with love. It feels like this is how emotions work: something happens, and we instinctively respond. How could it be any other way? Well, the latest research in psychology a ... Show More
54m 18s
Dec 2018
You aren't at the mercy of your emotions -- your brain creates them | Lisa Feldman Barrett
Can you look at someone's face and know what they're feeling? Does everyone experience happiness, sadness and anxiety the same way? What are emotions anyway? For the past 25 years, psychology professor Lisa Feldman Barrett has mapped facial expressions, scanned brains and analyze ... Show More
18m 37s
May 2023
Emotional Reality
In this week’s episode, Gareth and Kim talk about the important role our emotions play within our spiritual journeys. They look at why people often have a difficult relationship with their emotions or try to avoid feeling certain ways. They discuss better ways to think about our ... Show More
40m 27s
Jul 2023
Inner Work 160: Feeling and tending to your emotions
Do you allow yourself to feel the full range of human emotions - including anger, sadness, grief, loneliness, resentment and also love, excitement, joy, freedom? This episode of INNER WORK is all about taking an honest look at how you're relating to your own emotions. I'll guide ... Show More
39m 10s
Dec 2023
Simple Keys To Reading Anyone’s Hidden Emotions with Psychology Legend Dr. Paul Ekman
In this episode we explore emotions and facial expression in depth with one of the world’s top experts - the psychologist who pioneered much of the work in this field - Dr. Paul Ekman. We discuss the 6-7 major universal emotions, how emotional reactions are unchanged across cultu ... Show More
42m 22s
Nov 2023
Best of Series: Surprising Truths about the Human Brain with Lisa Feldman Barrett
In this episode, I talk to renowned neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett about emotions and the brain. She reveals what the true function of the brain is⎯and it’s not for thinking. We also discuss the impact of past experiences on our cognition and what we can do to overcome o ... Show More
1h 29m
May 2022
Understanding Our Emotions
In this week’s episode, Gareth and Kim talk about the role of emotions in our day to day lives. What are emotions, and why do we try to avoid ‘negative’ emotions so much? What happens when we control or avoid our emotions? And how can we have a more understanding emotional relati ... Show More
48m 35s
May 2023
068: Don't Blame The Brain For Your Thoughts & Feelings
For way too long we were told that the reason why we have negative emotions is because our brain is at fault. In other words, we were told that there are "errors" in our thinking and that the brain sends us false signals and creates problems when there are none. And so when we be ... Show More
30m 41s
Jun 2018
How to Fix Emotional Detachment
Do you ever feel out of touch with your emotions? Or have you ever felt like you had to hide your real emotions? When people do that—emotionally detach—they develop what therapists call “incongruence.” Most therapy is actually centered around getting patients back in touch with t ... Show More
1h 1m