logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
53m 44s

Changing Our Mental Maps

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

As we move through the world, it's easy to imagine we're processing everything that happens around us and then deciding how to respond. But psychologist and neuroscientist Norman Farb says our brains actually navigate the world by coming up with mental maps. These maps act like an autopilot system, allowing us to navigate our lives more efficiently. But sometimes, they can lead us astray, leaving us stuck on a path of negativity and unhappiness. This week, we talk with Norman Farb about how we can update our internal maps and see the world more clearly. 

If you like this episode, be sure to check out part two of our chat with Norman Farb for Hidden Brain+. That episode is called "Making Sense." You can try Hidden Brain+ for free with a seven-day trial by going to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hiddenbrain

Up next
Oct 6
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2
When things go wrong in our relationships, we often try to change the way our partners behave. But usually, trying to fix a person only makes things worse. Last week, we talked to psychologist James Cordova about why this tendency can be so damaging, and what to do instead. This ... Show More
1h 44m
Sep 29
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1
Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new series on the challenges specific to long-term relationships. We'll talk with ps ... Show More
1h 41m
Sep 22
Passion vs. Paycheck
The idea of being driven by a calling goes back centuries. It was the language used to describe religious people who were called to the priesthood. Today, millions of people in secular professions yearn to be similarly galvanized by their work. This week, researcher Jennifer Tost ... Show More
53m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2021
20/30 Intrusive Thoughts and Overthinking: The Skill of Cognitive Defusion: How to Process Your Emotions
Ready to change your life? Buy the full, ad-free Emotion Processing course now for only $147: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/emotion-processing?utm_campaign=Jul%2002,%202021&utm_medium=Description&utm_source=podcast   We swim through our thoughts like a fish swims through ... Show More
18m 43s
May 2025
Episode 143, ‘The Philosophy of Mental Health’ with Rose Cartwright (Part I - The Maps We Carry)
We’re living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, an ... Show More
35m 55s
Nov 2014
Maps
Aleks Krotoski examines what digital mapping has meant for our understanding of the world. Are we always aware of the decisions that make them look the way they do? Traditionally of course maps are as "authored" as anything else. As Simon Garfield writer of On the Map: Why the wo ... Show More
28m 32s
Apr 2025
Why Going Offline Might Save Us
What happens when we replace sky-gazing with screen-scrolling? Discover how digital life impacts happiness and what Gen Z can teach us about reclaiming control over our well-being.Summary: Smartphones have become our constant companions, but at what cost? This episode of The Scie ... Show More
22m 22s
Mar 2025
1123: David Eagleman | Your Prehistoric Brain on Modern Problems
David Eagleman explains why counterfeiting works, how our empathy fails, why mind reading remains elusive, and if we'll ever upload our minds to computers. What We Discuss with David Eagleman: Dr. David Eagleman worked with the European Central Bank on anti-counterfeiting measure ... Show More
1h 9m
Jun 2025
Episode 143, ‘The Philosophy of Mental Health’ with Rose Cartwright (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)
We’re living through a mental health crisis. In Europe, use of antidepressant has more than doubled in the past twenty years, and one in five children are now living with a recognised mental health condition. These numbers are striking, and the suffering they reflect personal, an ... Show More
30m 33s
Aug 18
7 Screen Free Weeks to Improved Memory & Changed Brain with Carlos Whittaker
What if you unplugged from every screen in your life for seven straight weeks? No phone. No TV. No laptop. Just silence, stillness, and the raw, unfiltered experience of being human. That’s exactly what Carlos Whittaker did—living with monks and Amish farmers to see what happens ... Show More
19m 44s
Feb 2025
#334: The Memory Doc on The DISTURBING Truth About Why your Memories are a lie
Is your memory a reliable record of the past? Or a story your brain keeps rewriting?   Leading neuroscientist Dr Charan Ranganath, aka The Memory Doc, joins us on Unscripted With Spencer Lodge, to reveal how our brains store, distort, and reshape our memories.   From false memori ... Show More
1h 8m
Mar 2025
Ep 246: The Things We Do to Ourselves
This is about how we can come to a sense of comfort in our bodies and psyche, feel more aligned and at home in our life, versus at the mercy of it. It’s really easy to set up systems in our lives that betray our truest wishes for our souls. You might find that the life you have s ... Show More
39m 47s
Feb 2025
1119: Your Mind's Role in Anxiety: Recognizing and Changing Thought Patterns
In today's episode, Gina covers some powerful tips for changing thought patterns that contribute to our anxiety formation. Through understanding how our mind can so easily gravitate to negative thoughts, thoughts that we are so often absolutely certain are true, we can change the ... Show More
27m 31s