logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2021
47m 59s

The Secret Life of Secrets

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode
It’s human nature to hide parts of ourselves that produce shame or anxiety. We tend to skip over details that could change how others perceive us. But no matter how big or small our secret, it will often weigh on our minds, and not for the reasons you might expect. This week on Hidden Brain, we talk with psychologist Michael Slepian about the costs of secret ... Show More
Up next
Mar 2
The Secret of Charisma
Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. This week, we explore how figures across history have gained followers by offering clarity in moments of uncertainty — and why that clarity can come at a cost. ... Show More
1h 34m
Feb 23
Do You Feel Invisible?
What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a ... Show More
1h 27m
Feb 16
Why You're Smarter Than You Think
From the time we're schoolchildren, we're ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, we revisit a favorite 2022 conversation with cognitive scientist Scott Barry Kaufman, who proposes a more expansiv ... Show More
1h 34m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2022
How living with secrets can harm you, with Michael Slepian, PhD
We all keep secrets – on average, people have about 13 secrets at any one time, five of which they have never told another person. Psychologist Michael Slepian, PhD, of Columbia Business School, talks about what types of secrets people keep, why keeping a secret bottled up inside ... Show More
25m 24s
Oct 2023
The Psychology of Secrets || Michael Slepian
Today we welcome Michael Slepian to the podcast. Michael is the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia University. A recipient of the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science, he is the leading expert on the psy ... Show More
50m 23s
Jun 2022
The secret life of secrets
Michael Slepian researches the psychology of secrets. But what he didn't know — until about a decade ago — was that his family had a major secret they were keeping from him. One they planned never to reveal. Until … 
29m 2s
Jan 2023
The Secret
<p>Rhonda Byrne&apos;s &quot;The Secret&quot; sold millions of copies based on a simple premise: All of science is fake and the only reason anything ever happens is because people manifest it by communicating with the universe.</p><p><a href='https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod'>< ... Show More
42m 58s
Jun 2022
The Psychology of Secrets, with Dr. Michael Slepian
#386: We all have our secrets. We keep some secrets from bosses, colleagues and clients, like the fact that we hope to retire early, change careers, or start a business. We keep other secrets from friends and family, like our income, net worth, spending habits and investing mista ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2023
New Research: The Surprising Psychology Behind the Secrets Everyone Keeps & What Your Secrets Say About You
<p>In today’s episode, you and I are discussing the fascinating science of secrets: why you keep them and how keeping secrets directly impacts your relationships, your self-esteem, your health, and holds you back from living the life you deserve.</p><p> </p><p>Dr. Michael Slepian ... Show More
1h 3m
Oct 2023
Episode 250
Amber Lynn Coplin was a 30-year-old mother of four getting her life back on track and living happily. But on November 13 of 2014, her teenage son came home to find her dead. It was obvious right away who had done this to Amber, but the full extent of how she had been murdered and ... Show More
1h 3m
Jul 2016
The secrets that we keep - Feeling overexposed and hollow inside - Lonely when you are not alone
Where do you go when you have a secret that you believe someone else needs to know? Are you loyal to the secret teller? Do you tell the person who should know the secret? It's a question to ponder, where do your loyalties lies and what should you do with a secret you are committe ... Show More
1h 2m
Jan 2018
Secrets 1 – Discover a Secret
Secrets is a show about the secrets we all carry inside of us. When Mohamed El Abed found out that he had a secret sister, it was 25 years before he could start putting the pieces together. Across six episodes of Secrets, you’ll hear Mohamed’s story, and meet both people who live ... Show More
33m 11s