Why We Do What We Do

This is a rerun and update of our episode on the polygraph. Originally recorded in 2017, we wanted to see what new research has happened since our original publication. Spoiler: They still don't work, Listen in to learn more. ]Links and references htp s s://axeligence.com/applicant-consultants-on-polygraph-test-accuracy/#:~:text=Some%20studies%20have%20shown%20that,98%25%20for%20each%20test%20take...

One of the most enduring theories of choice-making is the behavioral economics model called "Prospect Theory." People tend to avoid risk twice as much as work for reward. Unless you were raised somewhere other than Western culture. How does this apply to things beyond decision making? We'll replace one of your Psych 101 classes with this theory you should know. Recommendations Abraham: Black Mirro...

Homeowner Associations (HOAs) are (mostly) involuntary paid memberships into systems that can regulate nearly everything about your home and life around your home. Any deviation from those regulations, real or perceived, can be met with fines, a lien on your house, mortgage takeover, and threats of jail time. Where did this sadistic practice horror come from? Racism, of course. Listen in to our de...

A few times through history a large crowd of people stopped everything they were doing and just started dancing... Sometimes until the dancing resulted in serious injury. Why did they do this? We explore the known and unknown about the dancing plagues! Recommendations Abraham: Ted Lasso Season 3 ( https://tv.apple.com/us/show/ted-lasso/umc.cmc.vtoh0mn0xn7t3c643xqonfzy ) Shane: Spider-Man - Across...

Video games often depict graphic violence, gore, and other behaviors that would be considered extremely inappropriate, immoral, and illegal. What effect does this have on the players who control these actions? Politicians point to these games as influencing the violent crimes that people commit. Fortunately, there is a lot of research so we got to the bottom of this controversial idea. Recommendat...

"Tough on Crime" has been a popular rallying cry in the US for some time. However, what does this actually mean? Further, how does it impact the behavior of would-be criminals? We explore the "tough on crime" policies with a critical eye. Recommendations: Abraham: Penn and Teller: Fool Us ( https://www.facebook.com/PennandTellerFoolUs/ ) [bonus: fight wars using paintballs] Shane: Elvis by Baz Luh...

Rats have been a source of much rage and fear for their various behaviors and disease-carrying proclivities. But they are an impressive evolutionary smelling machine and pretty easy to train. Researchers have trained rats to use their remarkable sense of smell for a variety of heroic deeds that are saving many human lives. These are their stories... dun dun. Recommendations Abraham: Saosin (self-t...

Scientology is one of the newer religions in the world. And, although you have probably heard a lot about them, they are pretty small in number. Why did we choose to take on this litigious behemoth? Because they are staunchly anti-psychology while claiming to be science. Ripe for the plucking. Recommendations Abraham: Bob’s Burgers ( https://www.fox.com/bobs-burgers/ ) Shane: John Mulhaney “Baby J...

One of the global ways that people communicate symbolically, flags are a sort of universal-ish language, depending on the flag. Where did they come from? Why do we use them? What do we use them for? A lot more interesting than you might think. Recommendations Abraham: Meredith for Real: The Curious Introvert Podcast ( https://www.meredithforreal.com/ ) Shane: TMNT: The Last Ronin Series ( https://...

Compulsory, ritualistic pledging an oath of fealty to a leader or government's flag sounds like something you might see in an oppressive tyranical government. Indeed, there are a few countries that currently require school children and government officials to recite a daily pledge of loyalty to their government. Are you in one of them? In this discussion we explore the history of the ritual pledge...

First aired in November 2017, what has happened in the world of consciousness since this episode? Both a lot and somehow very little. As always, the definition is very important, and as always, a few "new" ideas of what that definition should be have been proposed. What do you think about it? Did this discussion influence you? Recommendations Abraham: Love, Death, and Robots (Netflix; https://www....

Wokeism has a much longer history than you might think and its original meaning has been appropriated and obfuscated beyond recognition. We break down the defintiion, the current application, and level a critical lens at "woke" culture. Warning: We discuss a few awful people doing awful things. Vocab: Pejorative. Recommendations: Abraham: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story ( https://therokuchannel.roku....

Swearing involves the use of taboo words considered coarse, blasphemous, or otherwise unacceptable in polite or formal speech to accentuate a statement. Contrary to the myth that frequent swearing reflects a poverty of vocabulary, research shows that people who use taboo words tend to have larger vocabularies and higher verbal fluency. Swearing serves different functions like expressing emotions,...

In this third and final installment of our discussion about Facilitated Communication, we explain why Facilitated Communication is not only ineffective, it is actively harmful, even fatally. Facilitated Communication is dangerous and does not work. WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse and violence. Recommendations Rick and Morty season 6 ( https://www.adultswim.com/videos/ric...

The follow-up to the history of Facilitated Communication. How can we determine if the messages typed by an individual with little or no previous language experience is coming from them or their facilitator? Simply. This episode describes the experiments that cleverly demonstrated the nature of the Facilitated Communication dynamic. It was very one-sided. Only one-sided in fact. Check out part two...

Being as charitable and honest as we can, facilitate communication is an ineffective pseudoscience. We explore the history, the claims, and a careful discussion of the general procedures. We handle this first discussion gently. Next episode, the gloves come off. Recommendations Abraham: Vindication (board game; https://www.orangenebula.com/product/vindication/ ) Shane: Everything Everywhere All At...

Seizure alert animals, like dogs, help during and after seizures and require training and upkeep. They aren't just pets and may stay with their owner for 8-9 years. The animals recognize seizures through sudden shifts in behavior and intense pacing, whining, or licking. Researchers also explore capturing seizure-associated scents. So, if you see a dog licking you intensely, it might be detecting s...

A highly controversial speculative hypothesis. Julian Jaynes read ancient texts and arrived at a unique and wholly original hypothesis: Our ancestors did not have consciousness. He reasoned that their brains did not work in concert as ours do today and instead they "hear" the messages from one hemisphere as the ethereal voice of gods. Is there evidence for this? Have we learned something knew abou...

The royal "you" feel high, that is. Many if not most people understand that THC is the primary chemical in cannabis respnosible for the effect of feeling "high." But what is happening in oury brain to produce this sensation? How does it work and why? We explore the history of this weird plant, the chemical process and neural mechanisms responsible for its effect, and a variety of other topics rela...

Fan fiction is whn fans take liberties with their favorite characters and put them in new situations or contexts, creating their own stories. It's a way to imagine an intellectual propery in your own strange way. Wouldn't it be great if Lost had a better ending? Sometimes the stories are romantic, sometimes they're action-packed, and sometimes they're just plain weird. And it's not just porn. Reco...

"Feral" is a fancy word for describing something that's wild, untamed, and unaccustomed to human contact - kinda like that one coworker who always brings a live snake to the office. Feral animals are like free-spirited rebels who don't follow the rules, while feral kids are like tiny cavemen who've somehow found their way into the 21st century. In short, if you see something feral, you might wanna...

Spartan culture was all about being tough and ready for battle. They trained hard, ate tough, and had no time for luxuries like haircuts or personal hygiene. They were so tough, they even made their children run away from home at a young age to fend for themselves. They were also known for their legendary battle cry "This is Sparta!" which they shouted while kicking people into wells. All in all,...

It has been suggested that consuming too much ultra-processed food can lead to a decrease in cognitive abilities, particularly in areas such as decision-making and impulse control. Some experts even say that these foods are like "brain junk food," filling your stomach but leaving your brain feeling unsatisfied. There are also critics who point to flaws in this argument including inconsistencies, a...

This is not about authors. Authoritarians represent an oppressive governmental structure including "communism" and dictatorships. Although different in theory, they are similar in practice. We describe what authoritarianism is, how it works, why it works, and why a relatively substantial amount of people absolutely love it. And Abraham says "... and that sort of thing" a lot. Recommendations Abrah...

WARNING: There is some discussion about suicide. John Broadus Watson was a giant historical figure in the history of psychology and is often referred to as the father of behaviorism. He developed several hypothesis, experiments, and strategies that advanced the science of psychology. In many things, he was at least partially correct, but often politically or scientifically incorrect. We highlight...