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PODCAST

Why We Do What We Do

We explain popular and weird, little-known ideas in psychology. Whether you are a little curious about psychology, or a student, or even a professional, we have something for everyone.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

science social sciences

All Episodes

13:45

Mini: Animal Chiropractic

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/27

We did a full episode on chiropractic, but we didn't get into the application for animals. Given the questionable nature of chiropractic in the first place, applying to animals seems pretty audacious. Enough so that we thought we could unpack it fairly comprehensively in a mini format. And we did. Enjoy!Support us on Patreon!Links and

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50:11

Birding!

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/22

Tens of millions of people in the United States and likely hundreds of millions around the world have a shared interest in our avian friends. Birding is a hobby ranging from casual observation to expert documenting rare and common birds out in the wild. We'll describe how the hobby works, why people do, and how to get involved. Tell us your birding stories!RecommendationsAbraham: “Season of Surrender” by August Burns RedShane: Jackass - Best and Last (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39316472/)Holidays

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12:33

Mini: What is the Point of Science?

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/20

It seems like an obvious answer to a silly question. But try to answer it and you find it can kind of spiral into more difficult conundrums. This doesn't mean that we don't value science. On the contrary, it may mean that it means science is a value unto itself and hence elusive in its aspirational origins. We'll review some old philospohical arguments and make some of our own. What do you think the point of science is?You are one click away from being an elite Patreon supporter!Links and

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67:55

Nostalgia: Altruism

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/15

An all truism about altruism. We are reflecting on this earlier episode with a more nuanced view than the first time around. When it comes to matters of philosophy, definitions are important (and, some might argue, not important at all). So, we are replaying this past episode and adding a bit of an updated discussion at the end, plus some new recommendations. Tell us what you think about altruism!RecommendationsAbraham: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

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14:52

Mini: How Many Senses Do We Have?

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/13

How many senses do we have? Like so many things, it depends entirely on how you define "senses." If the question is how many distinct things can we sense? Then, we have a number of sense so large it doesn't make any sense (pun intended). But, we'll get into some of the senses that can be reasonably argued to exist to paint a picture of how many potentially overlooked "senses" we might have.Join us on Patreon!Links and

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51:49

American Sign Language pt. 2

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/08

In this discussion, we get into the grammar and structure of ASL. We also talk about non-manual markers and their importance in communication for ASL speakers. We describe how to do several signs and get into a functional analysis of sign language. Of course, we get into some various interesting tidbits (tidboints, as we sometimes like to call them) and some things to know about deaf culture. Recommendations (Part 2)Abraham: Widow’s Bay

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16:53

Mini: Iran Deal pt. 2

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/06

In our strange decision to record a two-part mini, we are following up last week's mini with more information about the recent Iran "deal." Of course, we recorded this well before the cease-fire broke again. And who knows what will happen between scheduling this episode and its publication. Check out this discussion for the discussion around the contents of the actual recent agreement and how incredibly incompetent it is. Support us on Patreon!Links and

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41:07

American Sign Language pt. 1

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/07/01

There are an estimated 70 million deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing impaired people in world. Given that language globably developed through auditory communication using speech, deaf people in history were often mistreated. At least, in western and European countries. American Sign Language (ASL) developed from French Sign Language, Martha's Vineyard Sign Language and other regional signs. This discussion will largely expore the history of deaf people and the development of sign

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14:49

Mini: Iran, Deal? pt. 1

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/29

Every once in a while, something so monumental happens, we decide to release a topical episode rather than a timeless one. The recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), perhaps better known as the Iran deal, is a catostrophic failure and will cost the US a jaw-dropping amount of money. But you don't even have to take our word for it, we'll just give you the facts and let you decide on your own. In a rare move, we are releasing a two-part mini to cover these events. Support us on PatreonLinks and

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52:52

AAVE pt. 2

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/24

This follow-up discussion gets into the grammar mechanics and and cultural, structural aspects of AAVE. We add our own interpretation and philosophical discussion to bring some additional understanding to this topic. Tell us your thoughts and experiences with AAVE!Recommendations (Part 2)Abraham: Zevo (https://zevoinsect.com/)Shane: Absolute BatmanHolidays (6/24/2026)Celebration of the SensesInternational Fairy DayMuseum Comes to Life DayNational Parchment Cooking DayNationale Pralines DaySwim a Lap

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17:51

Mini: Autistic Pets

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/22

With the increased awareness of neurodivergence in humans, we find many people turning to one of our favorite pasttimes: superimposing human emotions and experiences onto animals around us. So, there have been efforts to identify the extent to which our pets may be autistic. To what end to people do this? Great question. We'll explain how this has been approached and what there may or may not be to learn about this. Join on PatreonLinks and

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48:48

AAVE pt. 1

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/17

AAVE is a dialect of English that is often derided by racists. However, linguists have shown that this is a fully realized dialect like any dialect of any language. We explain the history and current understanding of African American Vernacular English and some court cases that sparked controversy around it. This is only a part one as we will get into the mechanics of the dialect in the next episode. Recommendations (Part 1)Abraham: Hailey Williams “Ego Death at Bachelorette Party”

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13:34

Mini: Feedback for Grant Reform

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/15

Last week, we released an episode dsicussing the rise of authoritarian takeover of science by controlling what science can be conducted and how it can be interpreted. We put out a call to action to respond to their proposal. However, it is important to craft the message so that it is effectively received. So, in this mini, we explain how to create feedback for responding to this horrible proposal. Support us on PatreonLinks and References: Submit your feedback here:

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53:59

How to Kill Science

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/10

How to kill science is also how to kill humans. The incompetent "leadership" in the United States is racing toward dictatorship in their desire to kill all humans. They are proposing to rewrite science so that any government funding that pays for research gets to dictate what that research is and how it is interpreted. Either you say what the government wants, or else you don't get any research funding. It is an unprecedented move that no president has ever tried in history, becuase it is a

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16:25

Mini: Mosh Pits

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/08

Mosh pits are the rough-house style dancing/bopping that people do at music concerts. But where and why did this start? And why are they called mosh pits? We'll describe what is happening in mosh pits and what it all means. Join us on Patreon!Links and

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59:37

Faith Healing

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/03

Professional magicians tell you that they are tricking you for entertainment. Charlatan, con artist magicians tell you that they are performing real magic that will cure you of your ails. Cynical grifters, faith healers perform theatrical stunts to convince people to give them money. They'd cyphon off someone's last dime if given the chance. We explain how faith healers perform their tricks and to the best of our ability, why people fall for it. RecommendationsAbraham: Fallout (Season 2;

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15:28

Mini: Three-Card Monte

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/06/01

This old sleight of hand card trick is designed to steal your money. Be warned, you cannot win this game. It is rigged and 100% unwinable. We explain how the three-card Monte grift works so you can avoid being scammed. Join our Patreon CommunityLinks and

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64:54

Nostalgia: Speed Reading

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/05/27

Years ago, we looked into the research on speed reading. What we found raised difficult questions about how viable this strategy really is. As we reviewed recent research for this re-release, we discovered that a) you can read at extremely speeds, you just won't actually read anything or remember any of it, and b) you can't actually read at extremely high speeds. Tell us your thoughts!RecommendationsAbraham: Animal Control (season 4;

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15:51

Mini: Car-Sick

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/05/25

Sometimes we get nauseaus when riding around in or on vehicles. What is going on with this? We explore motion sickness and what you can do about it... if anything.Support us on Patreon!Links and

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52:44

Antimetabole and Chiasmus

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/05/20

There is a form of rhetoric that is suprrisingly effective at persuading people to adopt beliefs regardless of their accuracy. These are called "antimetabole." They are not necessarily inherently wrong, but we'll explain how to spot them and determine how they are trying to manipulate you. RecommendationsAbraham: Learn ASL! (lifeprint.com; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w1ZDaE-whc&list=PLMN7QCuj6dfaUwmtdkdKhINGZzyGwp7Q1) Shane: Mortal Kombat II

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