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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

14:13

Mini: Repeatedly Incorrect

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/04/13

Have you ever noticed that you always make the same typo when writing? Or, that you repeatedly misspeak some phrase or mispronounce some word when talking? When you make the same mistake often enough (sometimes, once is enough!), it starts to become a habit in that context. We discuss these "chained in" errors and what you can do about them. What are your chained in errors?Ad-free and bonus content for supporters: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and

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62:22

Interbehaviorism

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/04/08

Nearly a century ago, a groundbreaking philosopher of psychology was way ahead of his time. J.R. Kantor developed a theory of psychology that finally rooted psychology in a natural science perspective. Unfortunately, his ideas did not spread to mainstream psychology or science. But this philosophy persists in the works of brilliant scholars following in the natural science tradition. It may sound complicated, but it is as straightforward as any other natural science, in a sense. We do our best to

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11:59

Mini: Arrows Point the Way

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/04/06

Symbols are weird. Actually, there are fairly intuitive in many cases, but many are surprisingly new. We explore the recent history of the arrow symbol and the way that it is able to direct human behavior pretty much regardless of language or culture despite only being a few lines. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and

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53:40

Scared Straight

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/04/01

Perhaps this would have made a good Halloween episode? Probably not. Anyway, this episode honors April Fool's day by examining a foolish endeavor: Scared Straight programs. We review the scientific research and philosophy underlying the idea of Scared Straight. Unsurprisingly, this is an idea that is so bad that even the cops don't like it. So, why does it persist...? RecommendationsAbraham: Zootopia 2 Shane: A Wilhelm Scream - Cheap Heat

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17:57

Mini: Magestic Manatees

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/30

Manatees are remarkable and gentle creatures. Possibly the source of mermaid stories of old, these strange aquatic mammals live life on the slow side. Some researchers have learned a lot about their behavior and cognition in recent experiments, so we are going to break down what we understand about manatee behavior and the conundrum of their complex cognitive and social repertoires with their proportionally small brains. Have you seen a manatee up close? Send us pictures!Join our supporters' club:

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57:13

First Episode Psychosis

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/25

Psychosis is an experience that some people have in which they struggle with the ability to discern their experience from the current ongoing reality. This tends to arise from a variety of possibly traumas. But, the sooner it is treated, the better the prognosis. If you or someone you know is struggling, seek help from a professional.RecommendationsAbraham: Project Hail Mary (movie; https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/project-hail-mary/umc.cmc.7jxdlxvz304lj3iwhtrhbe8fv)Shane: Our Band Could Be Your Life

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12:07

Mini: Name Traditions

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/23

Does your name mean anything? Many cultures around the world choose names because they have some explicit, intended meaning, while others assign names for familial connections, or just because they like the way certain names sounds. We review a handful of naming conventions around the world. Let us know what your name means.support us on PatreonLinks and

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57:15

Nostalgia: Mithridatism

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/18

This is another nostalgia, re-release of a previous episide with a brief update at the end. This is a discussion of the idea to ingest poison to build a tolerance to it? Is the poisonous juice worth the proverbial squeeze? No, probably not. You might just be slowly causing permanent damage to your insides. Enjoy!RecommendationAbraham: Avatar: Way of Water (https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-e6ef640e-787e-4477-aba4-9e05925ebac2)Holidays (03/18/26)Sloppy Joe DaySmall Bussiness Development

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21:16

Mini: Computer Music

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/16

AI music is not only here to stay, it is rapidly gaining in mainstream popularity. We briefly discuss the history of computer music, the changes it has made to music and where we think the future of music is headed in the AI zeigeist. Stay for the AI song tribute at the end of the episode (this song is the AI generated content flagged for this episode)support us on PatreonLinks and

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65:36

Nostalgia: 10 Ways to Ruin Your Sleep

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/11

This is a re-run (nostalgia) of our fun-spirited discussion about how to ruin your sleep. We play the entire episode, plus some added research from the last five years. Have you taken on the challenge to never sleep again? (Please don't)RecommendationsAbraham: Famous by Blake Crouch (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790216/famous-by-blake-crouch/) Shane: Bugonia ( https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12300742/)Holidays (11 March 2026):311 DayDebunking DayDream DayJohnny Appleseed DayNational

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17:03

Mini: Top 100

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/09

This is our 100th mini! So, we spend the mini talking about the number 100! Things that humans, make, some facts about non-human animals... and human animals. A random smorgasbord of things about 100. Enjoy!Become our 100th patron by signing up 99 friends and then joining yourself. www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and

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74:09

Inside Out 2: A Commentary

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/04

Why We Do What We Do goes back to the movies! Last week, we reviewed Disney + Pixar's Inside Out, so we are taking on the sequel. In many ways, this film exceeds its predacessor in the way it portrays psychological functions, and in some ways it detracts. Either way, it is a fantastic film. We once again critique some of the portrayals of psychological processes and also praise the beautifully constructed metaphors. Let us know what you thought about the movies or our reactions to the

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16:19

Mini: LARP

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/03/02

Humans love to play. Some of us are willing to be more immersed in that play than others. Those who live for the immersion will often dress up for their character and stage elaborate scenarios with other players. They call this Live Action Role Playing, or LARPing. We discuss a brief history, what it is, and why people do it. Tell us your LARP stories!Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and

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65:08

Inside Out: A Commentary

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/25

Why We Do What We Do goes to the movies! A couple of movies have directly taken on representing the inner world of our behavior, and we finally decided that we'd weigh in on these movies. So, we summarize the film and describe what they get wrong and what they get right. Join us in a fun trip to the movies. Let us know what you think about our commentary on the film.RecommendationsAbraham: Greatfull Gardens (https://www.greatfullgardens.com/)Shane: JD Salinger - Nine Stories

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17:03

Mini: Rock, Paper, Scissors

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/23

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot! This 5-second two-player game to settle disputes began in ancient China and quickly spread throughout the world. Some research has also attempted to use game theory to understand decisions in this game and were surprised by the results, but we weren't! You'll see why. Join our supporters' club: www.patreon.com/wwdwwpodcastLinks and

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50:10

N-Rays

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/18

Not to be confused with Neutron Imaging, which is also sometimes called N Rays, N-Rays were a scientific discovery at the turn of the 1900s that promised a bright future for humanity... except that that didn't really exist. In the flurry of ground-breaking discoveries around radiation, N-Rays emerged as the elusive new-kid-on-the-block that could only be seen out of the corner of your eye in an extremely dark room. Red flag. But, science quickly correct course as science does and this phenomeon died

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16:58

Mini: Red Light Therapy

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/16

Shining red lights on our bodies is all the rage in the "wellness" space. Red lights are purported to do a hole host of incredible things, which raised our skeptical hackles. We discuss what red lights are, what they do, and where we think this trend is going. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and

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58:47

Guess Who..?

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/11

In a departure from our standard episode format, Abraham will profile three people and see if Shane can guess who they are. You can play along! Send us in your guesses by emailing us or post them to us on social media. RecommendationsAbraham: The Naked Gun (2025) https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/61gdvpY7mURqcXbL67yYKiiQzEuRQZwW/ Shane: Pet Semetary by Stephen King (https://stephenking.com/works/novel/pet-sematary.html)Holidays (2/11/2026):Be Electrific DayDaytona Pole DayDon’t Cry Over

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13:07

Mini: The Cat's Meow

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/09

Do cat's only meow at humans? What does their meowing mean? We once again spend a mini reviewing the interesting feline behavior of meowing. Yes, they mostly only meow at humans. No, humans aren't great an interpreting their meows. But, we'll explain in more detail in the episode. Are you good at understanding your cat?Get ad free episodes and support the show: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast.comLinks and

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91:42

Nostalgia: How to Protest Safely

Why We Do What We Do ·

2026/02/04

Once again, we find ourselves in distressing and troubled times. Those of us inspired to action have taken to the streets in peaceful demonstrations and protests around the country. When we do this, we undertake a certain amount of risk. So, we have put together a list of strategies to keep in mind to protest safely in a episode originally published in 2020. In this nostalgia release, we add new information about how to protect yourself legally with ICE detaining and murdering American civilians and

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