logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2016
58m 37s

The New Norm

NPR
About this episode
You probably don't even notice them, but social norms determine so much of your behavior - how you dress, talk, eat and even what you allow yourself to feel. These norms are so entrenched we never imagine they can shift. But Alix Spiegel and new co-host, Hanna Rosin, examine two grand social experiments that attempt to do just that: teach McDonald's employees in Russia to smile, and workers on an oil rig how to cry.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Jul 18
New NPR Series: "We Keep Us Safe" from the Embedded podcast
In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to join the racial justice movement of his generation in the wake of George Floyd's killing. Antonio arrived in Seattle during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, known as CHOP. Less than a week lat ... Show More
2m 47s
Jul 2025
"The Network" from NPR's Embedded
New from NPR's Embedded: Hosts Victoria Estrada and Marta Martinez travel across Latin America and within the U.S. to understand how women in Brazil discovered one of the medications that's used for self-managed abortions, the spread of this method across the world, and how this ... Show More
42m 6s
Feb 2025
Alternate Realities from NPR's Embedded
New from NPR's Embedded: Reporter Zach Mack thinks his dad has gone all in on conspiracy theories, while his father thinks that Zach is the one being brainwashed. In 2024, after the latest round of circular arguments, they decided to try something new, an attempt to pull each oth ... Show More
25m 53s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
#248 — Order & Freedom
Sam Harris speaks with Michele Gelfand about the difference between tight and loose cultures. They discuss the primacy of cultural norms in governing human behavior, the trade-offs between order and freedom, conservatism vs liberalism, sensitivity to threat, scarcity, the COVID p ... Show More
38m 39s
Aug 2024
Social Norms & Deviance
Social norms and deviance as covered in the MCAT is a fascinating topic, and in this episode, we'll break down the intersection of social norms—folkways, mores, taboos, and laws—how they play a crucial role in shaping societal values, and what happens when these norms break down, ... Show More
31m 6s
Dec 2017
Never Go To Vegas
<p>All social classes have unspoken rules. From A-list celebrities to teachers, doctors, lawyers, and journalists — there are social norms that govern our decisions, whether we realize it or not. This week on Hidden Brain, the invisible qualities that all celebrities have in comm ... Show More
48m 13s
Sep 2022
67. What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles
<p>Why do we drive on only one side of the road? Why don’t we sing in libraries? Why wear a swimsuit?</p><p>For Professor <a href="https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/michele-gelfand/">Michele Gelfand</a>, it all comes down to culture. As a cross-cultural psychologist, Gelfand is ... Show More
19m 2s
Mar 2018
#119 — Hidden Motives
Sam Harris speaks with Robin Hanson about our hidden motives in everyday life. They discuss selfishness, hypocrisy, norms and meta-norms, cheating, deception, self-deception, education, the evolutionary logic of conversation, social status, signaling and counter-signaling, common ... Show More
59m 23s
Mar 2023
Ladies, Make Your Man a Sandwich...(Gender Norms)
Everyone has personal opinions on social norms, although often not agreed upon by all. In episode 9 of The Salice Rose Show, Salice and her guest discuss the most common and highly-triggering social expectations. From outdated generational norms to the social norms of today, tune ... Show More
1h 20m
Sep 2022
Rules and Order
Rules & Order: Laurie Taylor talks to Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the LSE, about the social history of ‘orderly Britain’ – the way in which we’ve resolved everyday problems, from dog fouling to smoking and queuing. They’re joined by Lorraine Daston, ... Show More
29m 28s
Oct 2025
Social Influence Psychology Experiments Explained | Intro to Psychology Insights
Explore classic social influence psychology experiments that reveal why we conform, obey authority, and how the bystander effect works in everyday life. 
5m 46s