Shankar Vedantam

Don Laub was a pioneering surgeon — one of the first in the U.S. to perform gender reassignment surgeries, but tragedy came when he traveled to Mexico to provide free surgeries to children.

President Trump has decided to change President Obama's policy of making the White House visitor log public. A new study explores what kind of information is contained in the White House visitor log.

After a police shooting, there's often a familiar blame game: Maybe the cop was racist. Maybe the person who was shot really was threatening. Or maybe the bias that leads cops to shoot affects us all.

People used more cups and paper when recycling was an option versus when they had to put them in the trash. Researchers say people's guilt for wasting is overridden by the good feelings for recycling.

Decades ago, researchers introduced a new theory of policing. It's called "broken windows" and is seen by many as a cure-all for crime. But the idea is often used in ways its creators never intended.

Social science research looks at the relationship between how judges rule and how they are influenced by election campaigns.

In general, people show a subtle bias toward the self. This is why we love the IKEA furniture we've built, and gravitate toward others with the same name. But there are much larger implications, too.

There's a difference between the stories we tell and the stories we like to hear. New social science research finds most of us like to listen to stories about familiar things.

The parable of the fox and the hedgehog tells us that there are some who are guided by one big idea. That's the story of Don Laub, a surgeon whose single-mindedness was his triumph, and his downfall.

New social science research shows a correlation between illegal gold mining and the spread of malaria. We explore why this might be the case.

This week on Hidden Brain: coincidences. Why they're not quite as magical as they seem, and the psychological reasons we can't help but search for meaning in them anyway.

Studies show that people who spend more time on social media sites feel more socially isolated than those who don't. This might be because of a disconnect between our online lives and our real ones.

We're often more honest when making searches on Google than when answering surveys or talking to friends. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz explains what these searches tell us about our thoughts and desires.

Instead of buying expensive things, people now use busyness to show their high status. New research finds that many celebrities use social media to boast about their lack of time, not their wealth.

Many Americans are increasingly expressing their political beliefs with their wallets. Neeru Paharia explains how we use money to tell stories about ourselves, and to ourselves.

Social science researchers examine whether extreme protest tactics are an effective way for recruiting popular support. The public may not be relating to protesters like the way protesters aimed for.

Many studies have shown that people who use social media may be unhappier than those who don't. This week on Hidden Brain, we explore the psychological effect social media has on us.

New social science research looks at how to get more low-income students into college.

This week, Hidden Brain considers the power of touch. First, the story of a grown woman who still sleeps with her baby blanket. Then, the science of why we seek comfort and affection.

Research suggests when volunteers are taught and required to practice rituals, they demonstrate greater trust toward others who practice the same ritual, and diminished trust toward those who don't.