Hidden Brain: You 2.0 – Change Your Story, Change Your Life

Host: Shankar Vedantam
Guest: Jonathan Adler, Psychologist at Olin College
Release Date: July 28, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of Hidden Brain, hosted by Shankar Vedantam, the focus is on how the stories we tell about our lives profoundly influence our well-being, relationships, and overall life outcomes. Through an engaging conversation with Jonathan Adler, a psychologist at Olin College, the episode delves into the concepts of narrative psychology, exploring how personal narratives shape our identities and experiences.

Jonathan Adler’s Personal Journey ([05:11] - [09:59])

Shankar Vedantam opens the conversation by recounting Jonathan Adler's formative years. Adler, a diligent and curious student from Maine, grappled with his sexuality during college. Seeking clarity and a fresh start, he embarked on a semester abroad in Perth, Australia.

Key Quote:
"I felt profoundly disappointed in myself for not having capitalized on this rare opportunity and stifled to be back in my old life without having figured anything out."
— Jonathan Adler [09:29]

Adler’s time in Australia, intended as a period of self-exploration and reinvention, turned out to be isolating and unfulfilling. Cast in a challenging role in a postmodern adaptation of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya," Adler found himself overwhelmed, leading to increased loneliness and a delay in coming out. This period marked a significant emotional setback, pushing him to focus solely on his academic and professional pursuits upon returning to the United States.

The Foundation of Narrative Psychology ([14:05] - [18:14])

Jonathan Adler introduces the foundational ideas of narrative psychology, drawing from the work of Dan McAdams at Northwestern University. Narrative psychology posits that the stories we craft about our lives significantly impact our mental health and overall satisfaction.

Key Concepts:

• Reconstructive Nature of Memory:
  "Stories are an amazing tool for holding onto the meaning of our past experiences. So the objective facts of our lives are what they are. But the stories are about where we draw connections between things, where we parse the chapter breaks of our lives."
  — Jonathan Adler [14:05]

• Redemption vs. Contamination Sequences:
  Adler explains that the way we narrate our life events can follow two primary sequences:

  • Redemption Sequence:
    "Stories that we narrate as starting bad and ending good tend to be associated with positive well-being, good life satisfaction, lower levels of depression, higher self-esteem."
    — Jonathan Adler [16:21]

  • Contamination Sequence:
    "Stories that start good and end bad... have a contagious effect and spread and infect other things."
    — Jonathan Adler [16:21]

These sequences determine whether our narratives foster resilience and growth or perpetuate negativity and stagnation.

Impact of Personal Narratives on Well-being ([18:14] - [27:57])

Adler discusses various studies illustrating how personal narratives influence mental health and life outcomes.

Examples:

1. Addiction and Sobriety:
   Participants who framed their last drink as a redemption moment ("the low point from which they turned their lives around") were more likely to maintain sobriety compared to those with contamination narratives.

2. Chronic Stress and Telomeres:
   In collaboration with Ashley Mason, Adler explored how parents of children with severe autism spectrum disorders narrated their experiences. Those who adopted stories of integration—making sense of their challenges—showed:

   • Lower self-reported psychological stress.
   • Less telomere shortening over 18 months, indicating reduced biological aging stress markers.

   "We found that among the chronically stressed parents, stories of integration were associated not only with their self-report of lower levels of psychological stress, but also with significantly less telomere shortening over 18 months."
   — Jonathan Adler [28:15]

Constructive Storytelling: Agency and Communion ([38:36] - [45:03])

Adler introduces additional themes that enrich personal narratives:

• Agency:
  The sense of being in control of one's life. Narratives emphasizing agency correlate with higher well-being.

  Key Quote:
  "Shared themes of agency capture the quality of people's connections to others."
  — Jonathan Adler [38:36]

• Communion:
  The quality of connections with others, emphasizing relationships and community. Positive stories of communion enhance life satisfaction.

Case Studies:

1. Leila's Story:
   After losing her vision, Leila reframed her narrative to focus on agency and meaning, leading her to shift careers and contribute to adaptive technology for the blind.

2. Antonio's Story:
   A first-generation Latino student felt isolated until he connected with a peer who shared similar cultural experiences, highlighting the importance of positive communion.

Meaningful Narratives: Hedonic vs. Eudaimonic Well-being ([45:03] - [47:14])

Adler distinguishes between two types of well-being:

• Hedonic Well-being:
  Pleasure and comfort.

• Eudaimonic Well-being:
  Meaning and self-realization.

He emphasizes that while hedonic well-being focuses on feeling good, eudaimonic well-being centers on finding meaning, even in challenging circumstances.

Key Quote:
"Feeling meaningful is still incredibly worthwhile."
— Jonathan Adler [47:14]

Addressing Listener Concerns: Authenticity in Storytelling ([47:36] - [49:55])

Adler acknowledges that not all life events can or should be framed positively. He introduces the concept of accommodative processing, where individuals integrate challenging experiences without forcing a positive spin, fostering a sense of meaning despite adversity.

Key Points:

• Press for Redemption:
  Cultural expectations often pressure individuals to find redemption in hardship. Adler advises recognizing and validating feelings of struggle without conforming to redemption narratives.

• Accommodative Processing:
  "When something happens that really makes us question the story we've been telling, the story itself needs to change to accommodate that new experience."
  — Jonathan Adler [36:30]

National and Master Narratives ([49:55] - [53:40])

Adler extends narrative psychology to societal levels, discussing how nations craft master narratives that influence cultural identities and policies.

Example: Barack Obama's Hope Speech ([51:12] - [52:15]):

Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention speech exemplified a redemption narrative, emphasizing hope and collective progress despite challenges.

Key Quote:
"Each of those images includes this shift from negative to positive...leaders serving as narrators in chief. They shape our narrative ecology as they model storytelling for us."
— Jonathan Adler [53:15]

Conclusion: Empowerment Through Storytelling ([53:40] - [55:17])

Jonathan Adler reflects on the personal empowerment that comes from recognizing oneself as both the protagonist and narrator of one’s life story. He emphasizes that while not every experience can be framed positively, being mindful of narrative choices can lead to greater well-being and meaning.

Key Quote:
"The awareness that you are not only the main character in your story, but also the narrator and that the way you choose to tell the story of your life really matters, that can be an empowering insight."
— Jonathan Adler [54:30]

Bonus Segment: Negotiation Insights with Max Bazerman ([55:30] - [81:15])

Beyond narrative psychology, the episode features a segment with behavioral scientist Max Bazerman from Harvard Business School, discussing effective negotiation strategies. This segment addresses common biases in negotiations, such as overconfidence and anchoring, and offers practical advice for achieving win-win outcomes. Listener questions highlight cultural considerations and strategies for negotiating in low-trust relationships.

Highlights:

• Overconfidence Bias:
  "Once we know what role we're in, what side we're playing, what our interests are, our ability to be objective largely disappears."
  — Max Bazerman [57:21]

• Anchoring Effect:
  Kuveman and Tversky’s experiment demonstrates how initial numbers can skew perceptions and negotiation outcomes. Effective negotiators should anchor near their preferred outcomes within a viable range.

• Cultural Considerations:
  Negotiation norms vary across cultures and contexts. Adaptability and understanding the broader social environment are crucial for successful negotiations.

Final Thoughts

Hidden Brain’s episode You 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life offers a comprehensive exploration of how personal narratives shape our lives. Through Jonathan Adler’s insights into narrative psychology and Max Bazerman’s negotiation strategies, listeners gain valuable tools for reinterpreting their life stories and enhancing their interpersonal interactions.

Listener Engagement:
Shankar encourages listeners to reflect on their own life stories and consider how reshaping their narratives can lead to improved well-being and relationships. For those interested in sharing their stories, Hidden Brain invites recording and emailing personal anecdotes to us@ideashiddenbrain.org with the subject line "Personal Stories."

This summary captures the essence of the "You 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life" episode of Hidden Brain, highlighting the key discussions on narrative psychology and negotiation strategies. Notable quotes are attributed with timestamps for reference.