Why We Do What We Do

Abraham
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  • Social Sciences
  • Updated weekly

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.

  1. 1 day ago

    Faith Healing

    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.  Recommendations Abraham: Fallout (Season 2; https://www.amazon.com/Fallout-Season-2/dp/B0FLSZBRZJ)Shane: Project Hail Mary (the movie) Holidays (6/3/2026): Chimborazo DayGlobal Running DayImpersonate Authority DayLove Conquers All DayNational Chocolate Macaroon DayNational Egg DayNational Itch DayRepeat DayWorld Bicycle DayWorld Clubfoot DayCanadian Environment WeekNational CPR and AED Awareness WeekStepparents Week Links and References:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE21g91Heh8https://www.businessinsider.com/scam-everlasting-after-25-years-debunked-faith-healer-still-preaching-debt-relief-scam-2011-9https://www.motherjones.com/politics/1997/11/faith-healing-hoax/https://evidenceunseen.com/theology/practical-theology-ethics/faith-healershttps://www.heraldnet.com/2006/08/04/dont-fall-for-prayer-rug-watchdog-group-urges/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-31057337https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healinghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24301874/ https://www.gq.com/story/peter-popoff-born-again-scoundrel https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/06/us/bakker-is-convicted-on-all-counts-first-felon-among-tv-evangelists.html https://roysreport.com/disgraced-televangelist-jim-bakker-pleads-for-1-million/ https://www.businessinsider.com/scam-everlasting-after-25-years-debunked-faith-healer-still-preaching-debt-relief-scam-2011-9 https://wng.org/articles/same-old-scam-1620660664 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=307493253281642 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNwHG6kIO0g https://newhumanist.org.uk/2013/07/26/getting-tough-on-the-faith-healing-scammers/https://abc13.com/post/bogus-faith-healer-scams-hispanic-women/1128229/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    1 hr

  2. 3 days ago

    Mini: Three-Card Monte

    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 Community Links and References:  https://www.wikihow.com/3-Card-Montehttps://zelmanow.medium.com/three-card-monte-a-lesson-in-spotting-rigged-games-in-life-05d74d47c57chttps://youtu.be/p4f9LWCwBFM?si=mBxHQymz8fCfre1Xhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-card_montehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_-u94l7weg Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    15 min

  3. 27 May

    Nostalgia: Speed Reading

    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! Recommendations Abraham: Animal Control (season 4;  https://www.hulu.com/series/animal-control-451af77e-25c4-4992-abc8-a313cbd2a2b7)Shane: Hum - Inlet (https://open.spotify.com/album/6SfnjkSphtKowg3tt7azDi?si=AjVsX0kzQpeOX_yYm5Chow) Holidays (5/27/2026): Cellophane Tape DayNational Grape Popsicle DayNational Gray DayNational Sunscreen DayNothing to Fear DayOld Time Player Piano DayWorld Otter DayHair Stylist Mental Health DayEid-al-AdhaOlder Americans Mental Health WeekPrepare Tomorrow’s Parents MonthScripps National Spelling BeeWeek of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing TerritoriesNew links and references: https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/neuroscience-speed-reading-b******t/\ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    1hr 5min

  4. 25 May

    Mini: Car-Sick

    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 References:  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12782-motion-sicknesshttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-reading-in-a-mov/https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-air-sea/motion-sickness.htmlhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4112051/https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/motion-sickness-how-you-can-prevent-symptoms-and-enjoy-travel/2024/05  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    16 min

  5. 20 May

    Antimetabole and Chiasmus

    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 (https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/mortal-kombat-ii)Holidays (5/20/2026):Eliza Doolittle DayEmancipation Day (Florida)Emergency Medical Services DayFlower DayInternational Clinical Trials DayNational Juice Slush DayNational Quiche Lorraine DayNational Rescue Dog DayPick Strawberries DayWeights and Measure DayWorld Bee DayWorld Metrology DayInternational Pickle WeekBand director’s dayNational Foul Ball Week Links and References: https://mralancooper.medium.com/antimetabole-1d95057c9658https://rhetoric.byu.edu/Figures/A/antimetabole.htmhttps://www.americanrhetoric.com/figures/antimetabole.htmhttps://www.southfloridawriters.org/post/antimetaboles-and-chiasmuses-and-expletives-oh-myhttps://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/antimetabolehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimetabole https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-humanities/articles/10.3389/fdigh.2018.00010/full https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6050388/ https://gretchenschmelzer.com/blog-1/2015/1/11/understanding-learning-and-memory-the-neuroscience-of-repetition  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    53 min

  6. 18 May

    Mini: Evidence of Bigfoot?

    In several interviews, Jane Goodall explained why she believed there was evidence of Bigfoot. While she was a wonderful natural scientist, a good science communicator, and radically changed the way we think about animals, she also had some biases that prevented a healthy skepticism from driving her perspective. We explain the "evidence" and why it is not evidence.  Support us on Patreon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ukvQfUlAogmichigansthumb.com/opinion/article/Jane-Goodall-making-monkey-out-of-average-Bigfoot-17018324.php Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    14 min

  7. 13 May

    English Accents

    Why do American and UK Accents sound so dissimilar? Could a couple hundred years of infrequent communciation result in that much drift? Did the Americans change or did the English change? Back in the 1700s, American English and British English sounded basically identical to.... American English today! We dive into the divergence of the various UK accents, as well as unique American accents. Language is weird.  Recommendations Abraham: Big Mistakes (season 1; https://www.netflix.com/title/81734605) Shane: Goldentone Studios  (https://www.discogs.com/label/281800-Goldentone-Studios?srsltid=AfmBOop0QkSpSlHdHzsHVnu6F6Z1dX_20fCHQ0iE_ai_cXXo2tZa1QCl) Holidays (5/13/2026): Cough Drop DayDonate a Day’s Wages to CharityFrog Jumping DayInternational Hummus DayNational Apple Pie DayNational Leprechaun DayNational Root Canal Appreciation DayTop Gun DayTulip DayWorld Orienteering DayFood Allergy Awareness WeekInternational Coaching WeekNational Bike Week Links and References:  https://youtu.be/vnkOFZKN0Dk?si=IPeNuwtYoU_m86uehttps://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-24703-3_6 https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180207-how-americans-preserved-british-englishhttps://www.voices.com/blog/mid-atlantic-accent/https://beelinguapp.com/blog/the-transatlantic-accent:-what-is-it-&-how-do-you-talk-in-ithttps://www.cmdnyc.com/blog/2016/5/3/what-happened-to-the-mid-atlantic-accenthttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-phonetic-association/article/abs/effects-of-dialect-on-vowel-acoustics-and-intelligibility/EE3A72D1A6D39C5216EDA4F5D337538Ahttps://www.studiocambridge.co.uk/a-brief-guide-to-british-accents-and-dialects/https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/why-us-and-uk-english-sound-so-different/  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    57 min

  8. 11 May

    Mini: Designer Genes

    There are pros and cons to the trajectory of genetic engineering research. Eventually, we will be confronted by a systemic drive to apply these interventions to human beings. On the one hand, genetic engineering could alleviate a tremendous amount of suffering for people with horrible genetic diseases. On the other, we don't understand these processes well enough to anticipated the unintended consequences of manipulating something as complex as a genome. What do you think about the future of genetic engineering in humans? Email us at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com Blue Sky @wwdwwdpodcast.bsky.social Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wwdwwdpodcast Support us on Patreon Links and References:  https://www.leopoldina.org/en/topics/genome-editing/the-pros-and-cons-of-genome-editinghttps://theweek.com/news/science-health/959606/pros-and-cons-of-gene-editing-babies Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support. Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

    18 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Abraham
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    587
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Context Media
  • Show Website
    Why We Do What We Do

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