We tend to think of prejudice as something that other people, particularly bad people, have in their hearts and minds. The truth is, prejudice is inside us all. The good news is that psychology provides a powerful way to combat it. Prejudice is due in part to cultural learning, from our parents, our schools and social messages and depictio...

Psychologist Paul Bloom, author of How Pleasure Works, studies the nature of pleasure. At TED Global he gave a witty and riveting talk on how knowing the history of an object (or a relationship with a person) can profoundly affect our enjoyment of it or them. After the conference, TED's Ben Lillie caught up with him to talk about why that is...

Psychologist Paul Bloom studies the nature of pleasure. In this conversation with Ben Lillie, he discusses how knowing the history of an object can profoundly affect our enjoyment of it. Why is the origin of things so deeply important to us? We have a biological adaptation called "essentialism," which is a particularly clever and important a...

Our attention gets hijacked by everything from the stress in our lives to the ding of our phones. Neuroscientist Amishi Jha shows how we can cultivate the ability to focus on what really matters. “I think, therefore I am distracted.” If Descartes were writing today, this is what his famous aphorism might have become. We’re living in an age o...

Founder of Acumen Fund Jacqueline Novogratz recently visited Pakistan (along with TED Curator Chris Anderson) to offer what help she could and work with local friends on their relief efforts. On returning to New York, she gave a short talk at TED HQ and shared the stories of the Pakistani people she met along with a profoundly touching video cre...

Tough times are inevitable. Wellbeing and resilience expert Lucy Hone shares the three straightforward tactics that she used to get through her darkest days. This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here. I'd l...

How do parents protect their children and help them feel secure again when their homes are ripped apart by war? In this warm-hearted talk, psychologist Aala El-Khani shares her work supporting -- and learning from -- refugee families affected by the civil war in Syria. She asks: How can we help these loving parents give their kids the warm, secu...

In her blockbuster TED Talk, Susan Cain has a call to action: Take introverts seriously, and understand what they can do in the right environment. Ben Lillie called her up for an extended conversation about the terrors of public speaking, how her issue is one of civil rights, and the neuroscience behind personalities. What was it like giving a ...

About this event: 1. Miryam Z. Wahrman, Ph.D. BIO: MIRYAM Z. WAHRMAN is Professor of Biology at William Paterson University of New Jersey, where she directs a research laboratory in microbiology, studying bacteria on environmental surfaces. An expert in Bioethics, Professor Wahrman has developed and teaches graduate courses in Bioethics and Research Methods, an...

A well-designed flag can be a thing of beauty, inspiring pledges of allegiance galore. But weirdly, bad flags can inspire passion and loyalty too, suggesting that democracy and design don’t always work together hand-in-hand. In 1926, the Union of South Africa needed a flag -- badly. Formed in 1910 by the joining of four former colonies, South ...

Homophobia and mass shootings are afflictions that won't be solved overnight -- but the problematic and outdated restrictions against gay blood donors could be. Nothing rubs salt in the wounds of tragedy like bigotry or bureaucracy -- or both. But that is just what happened last week after the shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando. Wit...

By far the most viewed talk from TED2012 was given by an introvert who doesn't like talking. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, quietly and powerfully delivered a call to action: take introverts seriously and understand what they can do in the right environment. There is, of course, mu...

Founder of EachOneTeachOne, Neha Gupta helps Facebook users spend their online time tutoring students in need. Neha has a history of using IT for social good, including helping develop a smart phone app that provides live video streaming during 911 calls. In the future, Neha hopes to spread the power of technology by training women from her na...

When we're overwhelmed by emotions, we’re usually not our best selves. We may blow up, say hurtful things or burst into tears. But what if we had a tool we could use to turn down the temperature at those times? Psychologist Marc Brackett has a helpful strategy. As founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, psychologist Mar...

Written by the educator who created What Makes Us Human?, a brief look at the key facts, tough questions and big ideas in his field. Begin this TED Study with a fascinating read that gives context and clarity to the material. As a biological anthropologist, I never liked drawing sharp distinctions between human and non-human. Such boundaries ma...

About this event: TEDxXi'anWomen城市大会：力量与新生 XX和XY作为最原始的染色体，塑造了这个星球上高等生命的两种形态。伴随着人类文明的发展与演进，女性始终贡献着自己独特的影响力。 值得高兴的是，这个时代的女性并不再急于向世界洗刷偏见，而是开始用与性别无关的标签表达自己。当力量并不意味着肌肉发达和身体强壮，新生也并不投射于怀孕产子的生理现象，女性们就脱离了生理构造的方框，发挥出坚韧与温柔的推动力。 我们邀请来自表演艺术、设计、性学、时尚、教育、心理学等多个领域的代表性人物来到丝绸之路的起点西安，围绕女性角色、女性发展、女性智慧等多方面内容，来讲述他们的独特思考。 X and Y, the primary sex chromosomes known, brought two form...

Humanity is defined by its immense body of knowledge. Most times it inches forward, shedding light onto the mysteries of the universe and easing life's endeavors in small increments. But in some special moments, knowledge and understanding leap forward, when one concentrated mind or one crucial discovery redirects the course of things and ch...

ReThinking with Adam Grant Breaking free of stereotype threat with Claude Steele January 24, 2023 [00:00:00] Adam Grant: Hey everyone, it's Adam Grant. Welcome back to ReThinking, my podcast on the science of what makes us tick. I'm an organizational psychologist, and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people to explore new thoughts...

About this event: Focused on the theme of Equity, Inclusion and Justice, this TEDxMtHood Salon features local speakers Lakia Davis and Julie Davis, in addition to related TED.com videos. The schedule of events is as follows: 6:30-7:00pm - Registration and mingling 7:00-9:00pm - Equity, Inclusion and Justice Salon session with speakers Lakia Davis and Julie Dav...

Re:Thinking with Adam Grant How free solo climber Alex Honnold faces fear Sept 20, 2022 [00:00:00] Adam Grant: Hey everyone it's Adam Grant. Welcome back to ReThinking, my podcast on the science of what makes us tick. I'm an organizational psychologist and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people to explore how they think and what...

What do a disease-fighting epidemiologist (retired) and an up-and-coming social psychologist have in common? They're both fascinated by the unseen social problems hidden behind the word "inequality."  Beyond the lack of access to money and power -- what does inequality do to us as human beings? Epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson (TED Talk: ...

How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -- and...

When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience -- and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your...

Taken for Granted Tuesday, June 29, 2021 ADAM: Luis, did you think your son was out of his mind? LUIS: No, no, I never think he’s out of his mind, I just think that he’s ... nuts. [Adam and Lin laugh] ADAM: Nuts. That’s one way to have your dad describe you. But when you have a creative streak like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s, maybe it’s not such ...

ReThinking with Adam Grant Lin-Manuel Miranda Daydreams, and His Dad Gets Things Done (Transcript) June 29, 2021 ADAM: Luis, did you think your son was out of his mind? LUIS: No, no, I never think he’s out of his mind, I just think that he’s ... nuts. [Adam and Lin laugh] ADAM: Nuts. That’s one way to have your dad describe you. But when you...

ReThinking with Adam Grant Knowing when to quit with world poker champion Annie Duke January 3, 2023 [00:00:00] Adam Grant: Hey everyone, it's Adam Grant. Welcome back to ReThinking, my podcast on the science of what makes us tick. I'm an organizational psychologist, and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people to explore new thoug...

How to Be a Better Human The science of happiness (w/ Laurie Santos) January 23, 2023 [00:00:00] Chris Duffy: You are listening to How to Be a Better Human. I am your host, Chris Duffy. Here's a strange thing that I have noticed about my own brain. Often, the times that I feel the happiest are where I have a lot of irons in the fire. There's a...

What should we do with the quiet kids? A conversation with Susan Cain on the future of classroom education. Susan Cain sticks up for the introverts of the world. In the U.S., where one third to one half the population identifies as introverts, that means sticking up for a lot of people. Some of them might be data engineers overwhelmed by the ...

Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Change by Stacey Abrams (TED talk: 3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do) I work in government affairs, and the last thing I enjoy reading for pleasure are books by politicians. However, this book is different on so many levels and is a must-read -- whether you’re a political ...

After his mainstage talk on the opening night of TED, psychologist Steven Pinker sat down with Chris Anderson to dive into his new book, Enlightenment Now. The two examined some criticisms of the book and the thesis behind it, dug into the data, and then threw the floor open for questions, in a session that offered the luxury of time to real...