You 2.0: The Path to Contentment + Your Questions Answered on Conversations
Hidden Brain14 Jul 2025

You 2.0: The Path to Contentment + Your Questions Answered on Conversations

Many of us believe that hard work and persistence are the key to achieving our goals. But is that true when it comes to the pursuit of happiness? This week, we revisit a conversation with psychologist Iris Mauss, who explains why happiness can seem more elusive the harder we chase it, and what we can do instead to build a lasting sense of contentment. Then, we bring you the latest edition of our segment "Your Questions Answered." Behavioral scientist Alison Wood Brooks answers listener questions on how to be a better conversationalist — from what to do when the other person isn't contributing, to how to stop others from interrupting.

Miss our original episodes with Alison Wood Brooks? They're called "We Need to Talk" and "The Conversations that Bring Us Closer."

Do you have follow-up questions, thoughts, or ideas about the pursuit of happiness after listening to our conversation with Iris Mauss? If you'd be comfortable sharing your thoughts with the Hidden Brain audience, please record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Use the subject line "happiness." Thanks!


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(605)

Do You Feel Loved?

Do You Feel Loved?

What’s the difference between being loved and feeling loved? Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky joins us to discuss the distinction, and how we can create a stronger feeling of closeness in our relationsh...

20 Apr 1h 33min

How to Change the World

How to Change the World

Does power truly flow from the barrel of a gun? Pop culture and conventional history often teach us that violence is the most effective way to produce change. But is that common assumption actually tr...

13 Apr 1h 30min

The Debt Trap

The Debt Trap

We like to think that good financial decisions come down to discipline and basic math. But the psychology of money turns out to be deeply complicated. Researcher John Dinsmore explains the hidden ment...

6 Apr 1h 40min

When It's Okay to Lie

When It's Okay to Lie

Should you tell a harsh truth if it will only cause pain? Or is it sometimes kinder to keep someone in the dark? Psychologist Emma Levine explores the unwritten rules that guide when people feel it’s ...

30 Mar 51min

Group Think

Group Think

How do the groups you identify with shape your sense of self? Do they influence the beer you buy? The way you vote? In this favorite episode from 2021, psychologist Jay Van Bavel explains how our grou...

23 Mar 1h 27min

Rethinking Depression

Rethinking Depression

We tend to see depression as an illness to eliminate, evidence that something has gone wrong in the brain. But what if low mood serves a purpose? Psychologist Jonathan Rottenberg examines the evolutio...

16 Mar 53min

Yuck! The Science of Disgust

Yuck! The Science of Disgust

Disgust is a strong emotion, one designed by evolution to protect us from danger and diseases. But disgust also spills into other areas of our lives, influencing our morals, our intuitions about right...

9 Mar 1h 37min

The Secret of Charisma

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 offeri...

2 Mar 1h 34min

Populært innen Vitenskap

fastlegen
tingenes-tilstand
jss
rekommandert
rss-nysgjerrige-norge
forskningno
sinnsyn
liberal-halvtime
fjellsportpodden
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-paradigmepodden
villmarksliv
kvinnehelsepodden
rss-rekommandert
rss-overskuddsliv
nordnorsk-historie
rss-bondevennen
tidlose-historier
nevropodden
rss-inn-til-kjernen-med-sunniva-rose