Keeping Secrets

February 2, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: This is a classic interview-style podcast episode, hosted by Shankar Vedantham of Hidden Brain. It’s a deep, narrative-driven conversation that blends scientific research with personal anecdotes.
The Key Players:
- Host: Shankar Vedantham – The calm, curious guide who asks the right questions.
- Guest: Leslie John – A psychologist at Harvard Business School and author of Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing. She’s the expert on the psychology of secrets and self-disclosure.
The Vibe: Educational & Intimate. The tone is warm and thoughtful, but the stories range from hilarious (Mr. Bean) to deeply emotional (a mother’s near-death scare). It feels like a fascinating lecture from a friend.

🗝️ Key Themes & Topics

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Leslie John**
2 (04:15) **The Mr. Bean Moment & Leslie’s Personal Story**
3 (08:13) **The Cost of Concealment: Jennifer & Donna**
4 (17:32) **The Psychology of Self-Concealment**
5 (20:30) **Hiding from Doctors: Shocking Research**
6 (25:28) **The Hidden Physical & Cognitive Costs of Secrecy**
7 (26:46) **Reciprocity Failures in Relationships**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

We all carry secrets, from harmless omissions to life-changing truths. But secrecy isn’t neutral: hiding takes mental work and can harm our health and relationships. In this week’s show, and in our episode next week, psychologist Leslie John explores the costs of concealment — and how opening up can give us more mental space and deepen our connections.

After you listen to today's episode, check out our Hidden Brain+ conversation called "When to Hide the Truth." In that episode, we talk with Leslie about when and where it may be best to withhold information. If you're not yet a Hidden Brain+ subscriber, you can hear that episode with a free seven-day trial -- just go to support.hiddenbrain.org or apple.co/hiddenbrain. Thanks for listening!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain's live tour are coming soon! Join Shankar in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. More info and tickets are at hiddenbrain.org/tour.

Episode illustration by Dadi Prayoga for Unsplash+.

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