Curious Minds at Work

We’re constantly seeking explanations for why things happened. Why did a project fail? Why did someone behave the way they did? Why did one approach work when another one didn’t?

But explanations don’t just help us understand the past. They influence what we do next. The explanation we land on can affect what we learn, how we see others, and the decisions we make. And if we anchor on the wrong explanation, we can end up solving the wrong problem.

Tania Lombrozo studies how this works. She’s a professor of psychology at Princeton University and author of the new book, Why We Ask Why: The Science of Explanation and the Human Drive to Understand. Her research helps us understand why we’re so driven to seek explanations, how they shape the way we think and act, and how we can get better at using them in our work and lives.

Before we start, one quick ask. If you like the podcast, please take a moment to leave a rating on iTunes or wherever you subscribe. Your feedback sends a strong signal to people looking for their next podcast. And if you’re wondering what I’m curious about this week, be sure to listen to the end of the episode.

Resource Links

The Secret to Efficient Learning

Interview with Steven Sloman author of The Knowledge Illusion

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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We’ve all had moments when we’re not sure whether to say something. A friend is making a mistake. A colleague seems upset. We have something personal we want to share. Do we speak up? Stay quiet? And how do we know which choice is the right one?

Social psychologist Vanessa Bohns studies what happens in these moments. She’s a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University and author of the new book, Should I Say Something? The Science of What to Share and What to Keep to Yourself. Her research reveals why we often misjudge how other people will respond and how those assumptions can lead us to share too much, say too little, or avoid conversations altogether.

Vanessa helps us think differently about what it means to be honest, vulnerable, and open with other people. She also shares research we can use to make better decisions about when to say something and when it may be better to hold back.

Resource Links

3 Ways to Make a Request That Doesn’t Feel Coercive

Do New Hires Really Understand Your Policies

Interview with Alison Wood Brooks, Episode 284

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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When it comes to enhancing mental performance, we’re all looking for an edge. And while a healthy diet, regular exercise, and ample rest support healthy brain function, they can only get us so far.

What really matters when it comes to improving our focus, regulating our emotions, or planning for our future, is taking a moment to think before we think. And to do that, we need to understand how our brains do these things, and what they need to do them well.

Adrian Owen is a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario. He’s spent his career studying how we’re able to do the amazing things associated with our brain’s executive function, things he shares in his latest book, Think Before You Think: Understanding and Mastering Executive Function. This was a fascinating conversation.

Episode Links

Why Everyone Should Be Thinking More about Thinking

Episode 191 with Lisa Feldman Barrett

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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Opportunities for human connection are all around us. When we’re in a café. At a restaurant. In a checkout line. Each instance is an opportunity for small talk with a stranger. And these interactions can yield big benefits.

Unfortunately, most of us are missing out. We’re not aware of how powerful these experiences can be. And that’s where researchers are sharing some incredible findings. University of Sussex psychology professor Gillian Sandstrom is one of these researchers.

Gillian has spent decades studying how these kinds of connections work and what they give us. More recently, she’s been researching the link to kindness. And if you’re skeptical about talking to strangers, Gillian’s written a book, Once upon a Stranger: The Science of How “Small” Talk Can Add up to a Big Life, that may be what you need to change your mind.

Episode Links

Avoiding Loneliness During Life Transitions

Don’t Dread Boring Small Talk. You’ll Like It More Than You Think

The Big Benefits of Small Talk

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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Most of us ruminate. We get caught in a loop of thoughts that replay over and over again. It’s as if our brain is stuck in a place we don’t want to be, yet we can’t break free. Over time, those repetitive thoughts can become the lens through which we see ourselves, other people, and the world—and that lens is often shaped more by fear than reality.

Donna Jackson Nakazawa can help us break the cycle. An award-winning science journalist, Donna is the author of Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist. She spent years talking with researchers and clinicians to understand why we ruminate—and, more importantly, how we can shift from negative rumination toward creativity, curiosity, and growth.

Donna shares practical tools I’m already putting into practice. This is a book I’ll return to again and again.

Episode Links

Are You Processing Your Emotions or Just Ruminating

How to Escape a Thought Spiral

Understanding Why We Get Lost in Thought Spiraling

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

Support the Podcast

If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show.

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