Why You're Smarter Than You Think

From the time we're schoolchildren, we're ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, we revisit a favorite 2022 conversation with cognitive scientist Scott Barry Kaufman , who proposes a more expansive notion of what it means to be "smart." Then, in the latest installment of Your Questions Answered, psychologist James Cordova answers listener questions on accepting our romantic partners as they are. Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25 . He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring! If you missed our original series with James Cordova, listen to How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1 and How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2 . Episode illustration by ghariza mahavira for Unsplash+ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Why You're Smarter Than You Think is an episode from Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain.

This episode is 01:34:13 long.

This episode was published on Feb 16, 2026.

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