171 | Anti-Racism

Black Lives Matter.

Jelisa Scott and Mawule Sevon discuss anti-racism and growing up with dark skin in the United States.

We were inspired by The Behavioral Observations podcast and Matt' Cicoria’s thoughtful decision to provide his podcast as a platform for black voices without him having to control the narrative. We were inspired to continue this action.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

InterviewScott Abraham MillerAugust 26, 2020Jelisa Scott, Mawule Sevon, Anti-racism, History, Policing, Black Lives Matter, Black, African American, AbrahamComment

170 | The Hawthorne Effect

This episode explores the Hawthorne Effect, a famous psychological phenomenon that arose in the 1920s and 1930s and has been continuously debated by scientists since then. Once regarded as a simple relation between the presence of experimenters affecting worker performance, it has more recently been refuted as an excessively liberal, if not lazy, interpretation of data. Human behavior is complicated, but it can always be directly attributed to something in the environment.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Myth-Busting, Psychological HistoryScott Abraham MillerAugust 19, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, OBM, Organizational Behavior Management, Management By Walking Around, MBWA, IO Psych, Industrial Organizational Psychology, The Hawthorne Effect, Observation, Reactivity, Science Friday, The Beastie BoysComment

169 | Artificial Intelligence

So many references to Isaac Asimov’s books on robots. A ton of pop culture references. A ton of jokes. Throwing public figures under the bus. How behavior analysis can save us from AI. And an update to the laws of robotics. Your general awesome WWDWWD podcast episode

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

168 | Syphilis Part 2

In this second and final part, we bust a bunch of syphilis myths. Also, we talk about some behavioral health strategies to decrease the risk of catching syphilis at various levels of prevention and intervention. Oddly one of our funnier episodes.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

167 | Syphilis Part 1

The illustrious history of an old friend that humanity doesn’t miss: syphilis. Origins of its global spread and the path toward its eventual treatment with penicillin will be explored. We talk mainly about the course of the disease and methods of contact and how it affects the brain. In the next episode, we will take on myths about syphilis as well as strategies to increase safe practices to prevent its spread.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

166 | Stockholm Syndrome

This episode will investigate a phenomenon that has been popular in entertainment and psychological literature for almost 50 years- Stockholm Syndrome, named after the eponymous location of a bank robbery that gave focus to this phenomenon. Do hostages, victims of abuse, and kidnapped individuals cross a threshold at some point into developing sympathy for their captors, or are they subtly forming a strategy for survival?

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Diagnosis, Myth-Busting, Psychological HistoryScott Abraham MillerJuly 22, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Behavioral Observations Podcast, Stockholm Syndrome, ABBA, Kidnapping, Hostages, Avoidant Behavior, Survival, Abuse, Negative ReinforcementComment

165 | Human Nature

"Human nature" is often used as an excuse, explanation, justification, or assumption for the good and bad things that we do. Although we can make general statements about human voluntary and involuntary behavior, most of the time that people invoke this phrase, they claiming ignorance or giving up understanding. No more! it is difficult to argue that a behavior is "human nature" if not all humans do it. It's also nonsense to assume that studies of WEIRD populations reflect the majority of people. The most scientific thing we can say is that human nature is just what we do in the contexts in which we do it. It's the "what we do" part without the "why" part.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Human Bias, PhilosophyScott Abraham MillerJuly 15, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Human Nature, Nature, Kantor, J.R. Kantor, Behaviorism, WEIRD Populations, Research, Logical Fallacy, Circular ReasoningComment

164 | Would a Head Transplant Work?

If we had to ask, then the answer is obvious. At this point, it seems unlikely. But even if we figure it out later, it may be unnecessary. A few experiments have mostly failed to demonstrate this with animals and one claimed to have succeeded with a human cadaver. By why would you want a head transplant anyway? One of our more humorous and thorough discussions IMHO.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Myth-Busting, Animals, The BrainScott Abraham MillerJuly 8, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, head transplant, brain transplant, SkepticismComment

163 | Can You Feel Yourself Being Watched?

Dreams are nocturnal hallucinations we do while asleep. Why do we do it? There are some hypotheses, but how it works is more interesting. Specifically, we carry our experiences with us and they are cued by environmental stimuli. By the way, there is nothing to dream interpretation.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Myth-Busting, Human BiasScott Abraham MillerJuly 1, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Perception, Stalking, Being Watched, Observed, Can you feel yourself being watched, eyes on the back of your head, sense of being watched, sclera, misconceptionComment

162 | Why Do We Dream?

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Philosophy, The BrainScott Abraham MillerJune 24, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Dreams, Dreaming, Perception, Stimulus Control, Dream Interpretation, PhilosophyComment

161 | Board Games

This is Abraham’s passion episode! We talk a bit about the history of tabletop games, what board games are, and why people do (or don’t) play them. Plus Abraham makes about 60 recommendations (see below). Let us be your board game bartender!

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

PhilosophyScott Abraham MillerJune 17, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Games, Board Games, Tabletop Games, Co=op games, Boardgamegeek.com, MansionsOfMadness, Chess, History, Last Person Standing, First Person Out, Group GamesComment

160 | Why Do We Kiss Each Other?

Ever think about how strange it is that we mash our food holes together to show affection? Why is it that we engage in this bizarre and seemingly pointless behavior? There are several theories that we review and weight the pros and cons. Like most things, this is part learned, cultural behavior, part genetic, and all fascinating.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Sex, How To, Psychological HistoryScott Abraham MillerJune 10, 2020Abraham, Shane, Sexual Behavior, Shanebraham, Black Lives Matter, Kiss, Kissing, Lips, Mastication, Food, Culture, Love, Affection, GroomingComment

159 | Masturbation: The Original DIY

WARNING! This episode contains discussions related to sexual behavior. Although we joke about this during our discussion to keep the mood light, this is a serious scientific and professional discussion about a psychologically important topic. If you are uncomfortable with hearing sexual content, or do not want children to hear it, then do not listen. We are not marking this as explicit content because of the scientific nature of this discussion.

That being said, this is a fascinating look at the history and culture around masturbation. Furthermore, we explore some of the myths about masturbation and recent scientific literature about it. We also touch out sexual behavior of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and what to expect from children.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

158 | Distracted Driving

What is distraction anyway? We have largely pinned this discussion around phones, but phones are relatively recent and people have been driving distractedly for a long time. We discuss under what conditions people drive distractedly and interventions to reduce distracted driving. If you’re reading this while driving, STOP! Eyes back on the road!

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Behavioral Economics, Research, Human BiasScott Abraham MillerMay 27, 2020Abraham, Shane, Kyle, Distracted Driving, Cell Phones, Distraction, Technology, Autonomous Cars, Self-Driving Cars, Insurance, Safe Driving, Delayed DiscountingComment

157 | Motivated Reasoning

Have you ever heard someone self-describe as “socially liberal and fiscally conservative?” If that grinds your gears, you might be avoiding conflicting thoughts altogether and falling victim to motivated reasoning. Life isn’t black and white, but if you’re comfortable in your own beliefs then you probably haven’t heard another opinion in a while. Behavior analysts especially should echo our essential attitude of Philosophical Doubt and always consider the unseen variables at play. The world is an ever-changing platform of complication and contention, but we can continuously work together for the greater good by monitoring our systems

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Philosophy, Human BiasScott Abraham MillerMay 20, 2020Abraham, RyanO, Alan, Motivated Reasoning, Skepticism, Rationalization, logical reasoning, SGU, Skeptics Guide to the UniverseComment

156 | Why? Our 3-Year Anniversary With Special Guests!

We turned 3! In celebration, the whole team gathered for a live stream in which we answered: Why do we use the word “why?” Why do we feel bored? What do we or don’t we physical distance? Why are we gross? and Why do we listen to podcasts? We also invite a special guest and audience participation with Q&A.

You can view the live stream event here: https://youtu.be/g2pw5jbVY70

We recommended several podcasts:

No Dogs in Space (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-dogs-in-space/id1495604041)
I Don’t Wanna Hear It (https://i-dont-wannahearit-podcast.com/)
Joe Rogan Podcast (http://podcasts.joerogan.net/)
The Brendon Show (https://brendon.com/podcast/)
The Hyper Conscious Podcast (https://www.thehyperconsciouspodcast.com/)
The Skeptics Guide to the Universe (https://www.theskepticsguide.org/)
Ask Women (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-women-podcast-what-women-want/id651219242)
Intelligence Matters (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intelligence-matters/id1286906615)
99% Invisible (https://99percentinvisible.org/)
Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard (https://armchairexpertpod.com/)

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

155 | Addicted to Social Media Part 2

In this thrilling conclusion to the first part of our discussion on social media addiction, we discuss various treatments for social media addiction, as well as some of the caveats to claims that people have made. We end on a hopeful note of how to think about this and what to do about it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfKFyBVsgu3pyXhYGFbP96g/

https://www.facebook.com/wwdwwdpodcast/

https://www.twitch.tv/whywedowhatwedopodcast/

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Disorders, Diagnosis, Behavioral EconomicsScott Abraham MillerMay 6, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Addiction, Social Media, Social Media Addiction, Facebook, Twitter, instagram, Addiction CriteriaComment

154 | Addicted to Social Media Part 1

This episode will focus on the sudden rise of social media as a commanding presence in the lives of billions of people around the world. It has benefited the world in numerous ways, but it may have also become the bane of our existence. How much time should one spend per day checking their notifications and reaching out to their contacts? Does it warrant use on the toilet, while driving, at 3am, or during intimate moments? If that sounds excessive, it’s because it is. Join us in the first part of our discussion about the traits that may influence social media addiction, how to tell if someone is addicted and harming their personal life, and what options they may have in trying to alleviate the symptoms.

ATTENTION! We are hosting our very first live stream event in celebration of our 3-year anniversary. The event will be on May 1st at 5:00 pm PST/8:00 pm EST. Join the whole time for this fun and interactive episode!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfKFyBVsgu3pyXhYGFbP96g/

https://www.facebook.com/wwdwwdpodcast/

https://www.twitch.tv/whywedowhatwedopodcast/

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Disorders, Diagnosis, Behavioral EconomicsScott Abraham MillerApril 29, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Addiction, Social Media, Social Media Addiction, Facebook, Twitter, instagram, Addiction CriteriaComment

153 | Triage: The Best Idea Ever?

A triage system seems like a common-sense idea, however, it had to start somewhere. Turns out it has only been around in its recognizable form for a couple of centuries. Most people think of triage as it pertains to medicine, and there is some interesting information here that we discussed, however, triage has also been applied to mental health systems, as well as academic support. Everywhere that people have implemented a triage system, that system improved. This might be one of the human race’s greatest inventions! Or at least one that we are very excited about.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

152 | Why and How We Grieve

There have been proposed “stages” of grief and various ways of managing grief. Circumstances of trauma can also impact grief such as whether the event was expected or if it was a surprise. Furthermore, there is a clear behavioral process of how grieving works and implicated steps for managing grief in a healthy way.

Listen in, and remember that you can reach us directly at 775.525.0908, at info@wwdwwdpodcast.com, through the comments below OR on social via @wwdwwdpodcast or #wwdwwdpodcast.

Philosophy, ACTScott Abraham MillerApril 15, 2020Abraham, Shane, Shanebraham, Grief, Sadness, Harris, Russ Harris, ACT, Stages of Grief, Kessler, Kubler-Ross, Cues, Reminders, Skepticism, Loss, Autism, Disorder, Diagnosis, Death, Dying, COVID-19, Coronovirus, Pandemic, Why We Grieve, How We GrieveComment

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