How Our Brains Learn
Hidden Brain

How Our Brains Learn

Aug 18, 2025 · 1h 22m

About this episode

<p>Have you ever fallen asleep in school or during a work meeting? Maybe you felt your eyes glaze over as your boss or a teacher droned on and on about a topic that had no relevance to you. What's missing from these classrooms and conference rooms is engagement: A state of being absorbed, alert, and eager to learn. This week, psychologist and neuroscientist <a href="https://rossier.usc.edu/faculty-research/directory/maryhelen-immordinoyang" target="_blank">Mary Helen Immordino-Yang</a> explores why so many of us feel apathetic at school and at work, and how to cultivate the magic of engagement.</p><p><i>Do you have follow-up questions or comments after listening to this episode? If you’d be willing to share your thoughts with the Hidden Brain audience, please record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at </i><a href="mailto:ideas@hiddenbrain.org" target="_blank"><i>ideas@hiddenbrain.org</i></a><i>. Use the subject line “learning.” Thanks! </i></p><p><i>Episode photo by </i><a href="https://unsplash.com/@hajjidirir?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash"><i>Ismail Salad Osman Hajji dirir</i></a><i> on </i><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/boy-in-blue-and-white-plaid-shirt-reading-book-v7FT5ngIEfA?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash"><i>Unsplash</i></a></p><p> </p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>