Posts in Psychological History

William James

William James, or Billy Jilly as we called him in this discussion, is often referred to as the father of modern psychology. Indeed, his writings and philosophy were instrumental in the orientation to psychology that made it a science. If you didn't know or didn't remember much about him, this is a great revisit of who he was. Also, it is likely that his accomplishments overshadow those of other because he was a white man born into wealth and privilege, and we go after a college for their history of racism and sexism.

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Psychological History, PhilosophyWWDWWDMay 1, 2023Abraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, psychology, William James, Pragmstism, Modern Psychology, History, historical figures, historyComment

Motivational Interviewing

Turns out the method of persuasion we have all grown to love being on the receiving end of, condescending lectures and rhetorical questions, might not be the most effective way of connecting with someone and helping them change their mind. Motivational interviewing is not only a non-combative counseling style, it is also a strategy for being a good listener. You have probably heard something about it, so listen in to get the bigger picture.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

ABA, ACT, How To, Psychological History, Social ScienceWWDWWDJanuary 13, 2023Abraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, motivational interviewing, active listening, behaviorism, couseling, humanism, psychiatry, psychologyComment

241 | Christmas Origins: Santa Claus

This time of year it is fun to explore the origins of our most rock-solid traditions. In this discussion we learn about our favorite god-like mutant: Santa Claus! This is one of the few beings with a pretty clear starting point in American (yes, mostly North American) history. We had a lot of fun unpacking the science of what it would mean for Santa to visit every house in the world, which involves a mountain of calories and alcohol and faster than light travel. What a guy!

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Psychological HistoryWWDWWDDecember 20, 2022Abraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Christmas, Holidays, History, Santa ClausComment

236 | Don't You D.A.R.E.

Drugs. The single greatest threat that humankind has ever faced… according to Nancy Reagan. Politicians and depots have known for a long time that fear can unite a people. In the 1980s, stoking fear about and going to “war” with drugs gave the sheeple a common enemy to fear and stoked good fear for their warrior politicians. One of the ill-begotten ideas sprung forth was the D.A.R.E. program. This program was specifically ideological and eschewed empirical evidence. As such, this programs hemorrhaged money for years until it was finally abandoned. Learn about about the rise and epic fall of the D.A.R.E. program and share your D.A.R.E. stories with us!

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228 | Psychology's Checkered Bible

A comprehensive history of the Diagnositc and Statistical Manual of the United States. Where did diagnoses come from? Where do they come from now? We don’t pull any punches but try to be as fair as possible. What do you want to know about the DSM?

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Diagnosis, Disorders, The Brain, Psychological History, AutismWWDWWDSeptember 22, 2021Abraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, DSM, Diagnosis, Mental Health, racism, neuro-diverse, jet lag, history, psychology, Freud, MilitaryComment

221 | Impulsivity and the Marshmallow

What to Expect:

This episode will highlight early studies of Walter Mischel that examined “delay to gratification” effects under various circumstances, and several follow-up studies looking at longitudinal impact of the initial results. While early results suggested correlations in predictive value toward future academic and behavioral success, these may have been overgeneralized from a narrow sample population, and ignorant of more potent variables in a child’s environment.

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Social Science, Children, Education, Human Bias, Psychological History, Behavioral EconomicsWWDWWDAugust 4, 2021Abraham, Shane, Shane Spiker, Shanebraham, Impulsivity, Marshmallow Test, Marshmallows, Pretzels, Self-control, DistractionComment

206 | Pavlov, The Man Himself

Ivan Pavlov, Yup the guy with the dogs. Yup The Office episode. Yes, the one with the mint. Sure there is a surface level to him but do you really know him? Where did he grow up? What did he do before he got some dogs? What impact did he have on the Scientific community?