Why We Do What We Do

Abraham
  • 4.5 (87)
  • 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. 1d ago

    Mini: This is the End-ish

    An important announce and brief explanation. 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

  2. 6d ago

    How to Lie With Math

    The title maybe a little misleading. This is about how we delude ourselves into adopting information as factual becuase it is presented using real math. Math is extremely important and valuable and a necessity for most sciences. However, like any other tool, math can give the illusion of knowledge while actually tricking us into believing things that are not correct. We primarily focus on averages and how problematic this concept can be, but extrapolate this into other forms of math that can be used to lie and mislead even the ones who are executing the computations.  RecommendationsAbraham: Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain With Democracy (Jonathan Rauch (https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300273540/cross-purposes/)Shane: Chat Pile - Who Loves The Sun (https://open.spotify.com/album/2ITnf8HOokOJxjv483Dszk?si=3v175T9iRP2BY8aTU8XPqw) Holidays (9/23/2026):Celebrate Bi-Sexuality DayDogs in Politics DayInternational Day of Sign LanguagesNational Checkers DayNational Great American Pot Pie DayNational Snack Stick DayRestless Legs Syndrome Awareness DaySee You at the PoleTeal Talk DayChild Passenger Safety Awareness WeekConstitution WeekDeaf Dog Awareness WeekInternational Clean Hands WeekInternational Deaf Awareness WeekInternational Interpreters and Translators WeekNational Adult Day Services Week Click here to join our Patreon club! Links and References: https://www.toddrose.com/endofaveragehttps://99percentinvisible.org/episode/on-average/ https://www.anecdote.com/2023/03/179-there-is-no-average/https://austraffic.com.au/aba/us-air-force-finds-averages-can-kill  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

  3. Sep 21

    Mini: Do We Need Privacy?

    We have many mechanisms in place to protect our privacy. Some people care less about this and some people have taken this to tremendous extremes. Of course, many want unambiguous rules about privacy, but there is a lot of room for nuance. So, we ask the question about whether or not we need privacy and share some of the reasons people have given. The short answer is: until we can trust each other, we need privacy.  Click here to join our Patreon crew of cool people Links and References: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/internet-ethics/resources/why-we-care-about-privacy/https://www.privacyguides.org/en/basics/why-privacy-matters/https://www.teamim.com/insights/why-privacy-matters-even-if-you-have-nothing-to-hide  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

  4. Sep 16

    Writer's Block

    Creating content can be very effortful. Particularly when that creating entails a lot of writing. And in pursuit of that endeavor, writers sometimes find themselves stuck and unable to produce ideas to further their writing task. What is going on behaviorally and psychologically? We'll discuss some of the research behind writer's block and what you can do to get over the block. Do you have any tricks to overcome writer's block?  Recommendations Abraham: A Short Stay in Hell (Steven Peck: https://www.strandbooks.com/a-short-stay-in-hell-9780983748427.html)Shane: The Pleasures of the Damned by Charles Bukowski (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-pleasures-of-the-damned-charles-bukowski?variant=32130591162402) Holidays (9/16/2026): Ann Bradstreet DayNational Guacamole DayTrail of Tears Commemoration DayNational GED DayInternational Day for the Preservation of the Ozone LayerNational Cinnamon Raison Bread DayNational Collect Rocks DayNational Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of Hurricane KatrinaNational Play-Doh DayNational Rehabilitation DayNational Stay Away from Seattle DayNational Stepfamily DayNational Tattoo Story DayTeenager Workout DayWorking Parents DayWrinkled Raincoat DayWorld Barber Day Links and References:  https://centerforfiction.org/writing-tools/the-truth-about-writers-block/https://girlspring.com/4-ways-to-combat-writers-block/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22638809757&gbraid=0AAAAADRYq5RcbP7MWvHMjjH7eQosNAYwC&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv4XUBhDBARIsAE6bQUSaMqun3ksA9P5BQfl2c-2ajwULeR_gv3rCLRMQhPcIEN-r7zMv9xsaAlYAEALw_wcBhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7965145/https://writers.com/writers-block-what-causes-writers-block-and-how-to-overcome-ithttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2190/69g4-6ycm-n11h-eeewhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychology-yesterday/202001/a-brief-history-of-writers-blockhttps://www.laurenpalphreyman.com/post/4-types-of-writer-s-block-and-how-to-combat-themhttps://escholarship.org/uc/item/50t6h6kdhttps://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/authors/10-cases-extreme-writers-blockhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1311997/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2277565/https://www.emerald.com/et/article-abstract/59/6/605/91658/A-phenomenological-research-study-on-writer-s?redirectedFrom=fulltext 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

  5. Sep 14

    Mini: Snake Oil

    We use the term snake oil to refer any fradulant product, service, or claim that is not what it says it is and lies or misconstrues what it does. You might already know that this comes from a real product that had those exact qualities. You might not know what that product was actuallly based on. We discuss the history of snake oil and why that term stuck around.  Click or tap to join our Patreon group Links and Refrences:  https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/opinion/the-history-of-snake-oilhttps://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/26/215761377/a-history-of-snake-oil-salesmenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-snake-oil-became-a-symbol-of-fraud-and-deception-180985300/https://www.si.edu/object/clark-stanleys-snake-oil-liniment%3Anmah_1298331https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/rise-and-fall-snake-oil https://www.natepedersen.com/quackery  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

  6. Sep 9

    Diagnoses: More Harm Than Good? With Dr. Stu Law pt. 3

    This is the final discussion in which we "break our silence" as the click-bait headlines like to call it, on our final thoughts about diagnoses and why we believe that they have caused more harm than good. Due to the nature of separating an entire discussion into two parts after the fact, this episode jumps into the discussion pretty quickly.  Recommendations (Part 2) Abraham: Flip 7 (https://theop.games/products/flip-7?srsltid=AfmBOope-f-q_QElBRFFD56xiHxlsBbWULVkkXJHpef6OiYa02WlmfZW) Shane: Show Me the Body - Alone Together (https://open.spotify.com/album/2itfvUrApVCygurzgNzXJg?si=miioVowrRBSO26h1soi8lw)Stu: https://www.youtube.com/@jetlagthegame, Call out Purple Hat DBT theses and dissertations, The Orphans of Davenport (https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631494680), genArete (https://genarete.org/) Holidays (09/09/26): Teddy Bear DaySudoku DayWienerschnitzel DayWeirdos DayFalsely Accused DayInternational Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Spectrum Awareness DayInternational Box Wine DayDay to Protect Education From AttackEmergency Services DayReferences: Barlow, D. H., & Nock, M. K. (2009). Why can’t we be more idiographic in our research? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(1), 19–21.Beck, A. T., & Alford, B. A. (2009). Depression: Causes and treatment. University of Pennsylvania Press.Beck, A. T., Davis, D. D., & Freeman, A. (Eds.). (2015). Cognitive therapy of personality disorders. Guilford Publications.Beck, A. T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. (2005). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. Basic Books.Beltz, A. M., & Gates, K. M. (2017). Network mapping with GIMME. Multivariate behavioral research, 52(6), 789-804.Birkhoff, G. D. (1931). Proof of the ergodic theorem. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 17, 656-660.Brown, T. A., Campbell, L. A., Lehman, C. L., Grisham, J. R., & Mancill, R. B. (2001). Current and lifetime comorbidity of the DSM-IV anxiety and mood disorders in a large clinical sample. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110(4), 585–599. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.110.4.585Clark, L. A., Watson, D., & Reynolds, S. (1995). Diagnosis and classification of psychopathology: Challenges to the current system and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 46, 121–153. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ps.46.020195.001005Fried, E. I. (2015). Problematic assumptions have slowed down depression research: why symptoms, not syndromes are the way forward. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 309.Fried, E. I., & Cramer, A. O. (2017). Moving forward: challenges and directions for psychopathological network theory and methodology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(6), 999-1020.Galizio, A., Frye, C. C., Haynes, J. M., Friedel, J. E., Smith, B. M., & Odum, A. L. (2018). Persistence and relapse of reinforced behavioral variability. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 109(1), 210-237.Galatzer-Levy, I. R., & Bryant, R. A. (2013). 636,120 Ways to Have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(6), 651-662.Glick, I. D., Murray, S. R., Vasudevan, P., Marder, S. R., & Hu, R. J. (2001). Treatment with atypical antipsychotics: New indications and new populations. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 35(3), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3956(01)00020-6.Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. W., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(6), 1152-1168.Hofmann, S. G., Curtiss, J., & McNally, R. J. (2016). A complex network perspective on clinical science. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), 597-605.Hofmann, S. G., & Hayes, S. C. (2019). The future of intervention science: Process-based therapy. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(1), 37-50.Hofmann, S. G., Meuret, A. E., Rosenfield, D., Suvak, M. K., Barlow, D. H., Gorman, J. M., ... & Woods, S. W. (2007). Preliminary evidence for cognitive mediation during cognitive-behavioral therapy of panic disorder. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 75(3), 374.Kessler, R. C., Chiu, W. T., Demler, O., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.617.Newman, C. F., Leahy, R. L., Beck, A. T., Reilly-Harrington, N. A., & Gyulai, L. (2002). Bipolar disorder: A cognitive therapy approach. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10442-000.Lenzenweger, M. F., Lane, M. C., Loranger, A. W., & Kessler, R. C. (2007). DSM-IV personality disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 62(6), 553–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.019Molenaar, P. C. (2004). A manifesto on psychology as idiographic science: Bringing the person back into scientific psychology, this time forever. Measurement, 2(4), 201-218.Molenaar, P. C., & Campbell, C. G. (2009). The new person-specific paradigm in psychology. Current directions in psychological science, 18(2), 112-117.Meehl, P. E. (1978). Theoretical risks and tabular asterisks: Sir Karl, Sir Ronald, and the slow progress of soft psychology. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(4), 806–834.McNally, R. J. (2012). The ontology of posttraumatic stress disorder: Natural kind, social construction, or causal system? Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 19, 220–228.Piccirillo, M. L., & Rodebaugh, T. L. (2019). Foundations of idiographic methods in psychology and applications for psychotherapy. Clinical psychology review.Popa, A., & McDowell, J. J. (2016). Behavioral variability in an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 105(2), 270-290.Sidman, M. (1952). A note on functional relations obtained from group data. Psychological Bulletin, 49(3), 263Volkovysskii, R. L. & Sinai, Y. G. (1971). Ergodic properties of an ideal gas with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. Functional Analysis and Its Applications (Funktsional'nyi Analiz i Ego Prilozheniya), 5(3), 185-185. 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

  7. Sep 7

    Mini: Life Expectancy

    How we understand, talk about, and think about life expectancy is sometimes misunderstood by some flukes of math. Understanding how numbers work can illuminate a clearer picture of history and mortality. Long story short, (or short story shorter, this is a mini afterall), there have been old people who lived to be old (very old) for most or all of human history.  Support us on Patreon! Links: https://ourworldindata.org/life-expectancyhttps://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/usa/united-states/life-expectancy#google_vignettehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4861644/https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/lifeexpectancies/articles/howhaslifeexpectancychangedovertime/2015-09-09  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

  8. Sep 2

    Diagnoses: More Harm Than Good? With Dr. Stu Law pt. 2

    This continues our discussion with Dr. Stu Law. We further elaborate on the issues with a diagnostic system for mental health and what the pitfalls are, including faulty underlying assumptions. After recording, we had enough content in this discussion for two separate episodes. So, we awkwardly added a post-hoc conclusion in this discussion and a similar intro to the next episode.  Recommendations Part 2 Abraham: Rick & Morty Season 9 (https://www.hbomax.com/?utm_id=sa|22393148778|180575663513|297385727722&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22393148778&gbraid=0AAAAApH9fnpTr6yDijXdlc51psz-wvFmK&gclid=CjwKCAjwtKrUBhAhEiwAr77ZosVPKgR3u_fZCszdZHzumdiOcQNAKwT0a7Nf_f0fizQrw8F_yunqPBoC2nAQAvD_BwE)Shane: Unwed Sailor - High Remembrance (https://open.spotify.com/album/0U5ebcuEkgaH7nYtQ01puI?si=TJaLAOzySAS6YynsVxegoA) Holidays (9/2/2026): Bison-Ten Yell DayCalendar Adjustment DayGlobal Talent Acquisition DayNational Blueberry Popsicle DayNational No Patrick DayPierce Your Ears DaySpalding Baseball DayV-J DayWorld Coconut Day References: Barlow, D. H., & Nock, M. K. (2009). Why can’t we be more idiographic in our research? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(1), 19–21.Beck, A. T., & Alford, B. A. (2009). Depression: Causes and treatment. University of Pennsylvania Press.Beck, A. T., Davis, D. D., & Freeman, A. (Eds.). (2015). Cognitive therapy of personality disorders. Guilford Publications.Beck, A. T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. (2005). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. Basic Books.Beltz, A. M., & Gates, K. M. (2017). Network mapping with GIMME. Multivariate behavioral research, 52(6), 789-804.Birkhoff, G. D. (1931). Proof of the ergodic theorem. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 17, 656-660.Brown, T. A., Campbell, L. A., Lehman, C. L., Grisham, J. R., & Mancill, R. B. (2001). Current and lifetime comorbidity of the DSM-IV anxiety and mood disorders in a large clinical sample. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110(4), 585–599. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.110.4.585Clark, L. A., Watson, D., & Reynolds, S. (1995). Diagnosis and classification of psychopathology: Challenges to the current system and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 46, 121–153. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ps.46.020195.001005Fried, E. I. (2015). Problematic assumptions have slowed down depression research: why symptoms, not syndromes are the way forward. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 309.Fried, E. I., & Cramer, A. O. (2017). Moving forward: challenges and directions for psychopathological network theory and methodology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(6), 999-1020.Galizio, A., Frye, C. C., Haynes, J. M., Friedel, J. E., Smith, B. M., & Odum, A. L. (2018). Persistence and relapse of reinforced behavioral variability. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 109(1), 210-237.Galatzer-Levy, I. R., & Bryant, R. A. (2013). 636,120 Ways to Have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(6), 651-662.Glick, I. D., Murray, S. R., Vasudevan, P., Marder, S. R., & Hu, R. J. (2001). Treatment with atypical antipsychotics: New indications and new populations. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 35(3), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3956(01)00020-6.Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. W., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(6), 1152-1168.Hofmann, S. G., Curtiss, J., & McNally, R. J. (2016). A complex network perspective on clinical science. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), 597-605.Hofmann, S. G., & Hayes, S. C. (2019). The future of intervention science: Process-based therapy. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(1), 37-50.Hofmann, S. G., Meuret, A. E., Rosenfield, D., Suvak, M. K., Barlow, D. H., Gorman, J. M., ... & Woods, S. W. (2007). Preliminary evidence for cognitive mediation during cognitive-behavioral therapy of panic disorder. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 75(3), 374.Kessler, R. C., Chiu, W. T., Demler, O., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.617.Newman, C. F., Leahy, R. L., Beck, A. T., Reilly-Harrington, N. A., & Gyulai, L. (2002). Bipolar disorder: A cognitive therapy approach. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10442-000.Lenzenweger, M. F., Lane, M. C., Loranger, A. W., & Kessler, R. C. (2007). DSM-IV personality disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 62(6), 553–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.019Molenaar, P. C. (2004). A manifesto on psychology as idiographic science: Bringing the person back into scientific psychology, this time forever. Measurement, 2(4), 201-218.Molenaar, P. C., & Campbell, C. G. (2009). The new person-specific paradigm in psychology. Current directions in psychological science, 18(2), 112-117.Meehl, P. E. (1978). Theoretical risks and tabular asterisks: Sir Karl, Sir Ronald, and the slow progress of soft psychology. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(4), 806–834.McNally, R. J. (2012). The ontology of posttraumatic stress disorder: Natural kind, social construction, or causal system? Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 19, 220–228.Piccirillo, M. L., & Rodebaugh, T. L. (2019). Foundations of idiographic methods in psychology and applications for psychotherapy. Clinical psychology review.Popa, A., & McDowell, J. J. (2016). Behavioral variability in an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 105(2), 270-290.Sidman, M. (1952). A note on functional relations obtained from group data. Psychological Bulletin, 49(3), 263Volkovysskii, R. L. & Sinai, Y. G. (1971). Ergodic properties of an ideal gas with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. Functional Analysis and Its Applications (Funktsional'nyi Analiz i Ego Prilozheniya), 5(3), 185-185. 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

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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
    620
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Context Media
  • Show Website
    Why We Do What We Do