Group Think

March 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: This is a classic narrative-driven podcast episode from Hidden Brain, hosted by Shankar Vedantam. It blends expert interviews with listener stories and historical anecdotes.
The Key Players:
- Shankar Vedantam (Host): The calm, curious narrator who guides the conversation.
- J. Van Bavel (Guest): A psychologist from NYU, co-author of The Power of Us. He is the primary expert on group identity.
- Colton Scrivener (Guest): A researcher from Arizona State University, author of Morbidly Curious. He is the expert on why we love scary things.
The Vibe: Educational & Fascinating. The tone is intellectual but accessible, moving from the inspiring story of Nelson Mandela to the hilarious absurdity of a cheese-cube choking incident. It’s designed to make you think differently about everyday human behavior.

🗝️ Key Themes & Topics

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Jay Van Bavel**
2 (05:28) **How Group Identities Create Connection**
3 (08:54) **Group Identity Shapes Perception & Taste**
4 (15:12) **The Minimal Group Paradigm**
5 (19:33) **The Dark Side of Group Loyalties**
6 (26:54) **Distorted Perceptions of Out-Groups**
7 (29:44) **Social Media and Tribalism**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

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 group loyalties affect us more than we realize, and can even shape our basic senses of sight, taste and smell. Then, look out! There's a g-g-g-ghost! Psychologist Coltan Scrivner answers listener questions about the surprising benefits of scary entertainment.

We're excited to share that Hidden Brain is coming to YouTube! Check out our trailer and subscribe so you don't miss our first three episodes, coming April 10.

Episode illustration by Eva Wahyuni for Unsplash+.

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