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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.
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14 OCT 2026 · What happens when you regurgitate items out of your esophagus for a magic trick? A lot of digestive juices on the stuff you just regurgitated. But, if you don't want your audience to know, you might tell them that it goo left over from a ghost! In Biology, ectoplasm is a real thing. In paranormal investigations it has been appropriated in an attempt to bring paranormal entities into normal activities. We'll unpack the science and history of the concept of "ectoplasm" in this discussion.
Recommendations
- Abraham: “Rock the Plank” - Mad Caddies (https://madcaddies.bandcamp.com/album/rock-the-plank)
- Shane: Geoff John's run on Green Lantern (Blackest Night; https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401291198?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback)
Holidays (10/14/2026):
- Be Bald and Be Free Day
- Bullying Prevention Day
- Emergency Nurses Day
- International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
- International Top Spinning Day
- National Chocolate Covered Insects Day
- National Dessert Day
- National Fossil Day
- National lowercase Day
- National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- Spider-Man Day
- Stem Cell Awareness Day
- Thank Your Cleaner Day
- World Standards Day
- Biology Week
- Bone and Joint Health Action Week
- Earth Science Week
- Mediation Week
- Meditation Week
- National Case Management Week
Links and References:
- https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/ectoplasm
- https://www.popsci.com/whats-deal-paranormal-ectoplasm/
- https://www.grunge.com/665457/the-strange-truth-about-ectoplasm-explained/
- https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/ectoplasm
- https://medium.com/the-shortform/is-ectoplasm-really-a-thing-77a7b83a0ef7
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137027252_6
- https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/12/warner.php
- https://daily.jstor.org/ectoplasm-and-the-last-british-woman-tried-for-witchcraft/ 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
Transcribed
12 OCT 2026 · We did an episode about the history of halloween a while back. This mini explores more of the myths, legends, ideas, and traditions of the tradition that eventually became Halloween. This is all about the traditions of Samhain (no mention of St. Swithuns).
Tell us your thoughts: info@wwdwwdpodcast.com
Links and References:
- https://www.history.com/articles/samhain
- https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-festivals/samhain-festival
- https://www.hawthornandhoney.com/journal/samhain-rituals
- https://www.museum.ie/en-ie/collections-research/folklife-collections/folklife-collections-list-(1)/religion-and-calendar-customs/hallowe-en-samhain
- https://heritageireland.ie/2023/09/samhain-the-roots-of-halloween/ 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
Transcribed
7 OCT 2026 · We are kicking off this spooky season with a discussion about the spectres of the ocean: ghost ships! We tell a few of the both lesser and more well-known stories of ghost ships. We also talk about why they happen and how they influence our behavior. Have you seen a ghost ship?
Recommendations
- Abraham: Saosin (Just Be Honest; https://saosin.com/)
- Shane: Hellboy comics (Mike Mignola)
Holidays (10/5/2026):
- Blue Shirt Day World Day of Bullying Prevention
- Chic Spy Day
- Child health Day
- Day of Unity
- Do Something Nice Day
- Global James Bond Day
- International Day of No Prostitution
- National Apple Betty Day
- National Consignment Day
- National Kiss a Wrestler Day
- National Storytelling Day
- World Day of Architecture
- World Habitat Day
- World Teacher’s Day
- Active Aging Week
- Animal Welfare Week
- Banned Books Week
- Death Penalty Focus Week
- Mystery Series Week
- National Vegetarian Week
- National Chili Week
Links:
- https://explorersweb.com/exploration-mysteries-ghost-ships/
- https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/ocean-oddities-ghost-ships/78374
- https://www.hms-resolute.co.uk/the-nutshell/
- https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2023/10/29/the-mysterious-fate-of-the-baychimo-the-ghost-ship-that-haunted-the-arctic-for-decades/
- https://www.worldofcruising.co.uk/editors-corner/mv-lyubov-orlova-ghostship-sunk
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abandoned-ship-the-mary-celeste-174488104/
- https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/horrifying-final-voyage-cruise-boat-22044077
- https://skybrary.aero/articles/fata-morgana 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
Transcribed
5 OCT 2026 · We are kicking off this year's spooky seasons mini with a brief history of the town on fire. This is a real place in the United States that has become unlivable since the town accidentally set a gigantic, subterranean coal reserve. This inspired the video game and movie franchise, "Silent Hill." Have you been to Centralia?
Links: https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/history-of-centralia-a-pennsylvania-ghost-town/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/centralia-pennsylvania-rebirth https://www.history.com/articles/mine-fire-burning-more-50-years-ghost-town
Tell us your favorite memories of the show: info@wwdwwdpodcast.com
Links and References:
- https://www.abc27.com/digital-originals/history-of-centralia-a-pennsylvania-ghost-town/
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/centralia-pennsylvania-rebirth
- https://www.history.com/articles/mine-fire-burning-more-50-years-ghost-town 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
Transcribed
30 SEP 2026 · One of the most enduring values, mottos, or goals is the pursuit of happiness. We strive for it implicitly or explicitly for much of our lives. So, what is happiness? How do we achieve it? Why can't you just be happy? Because it depends :D
Recommendations
- Abraham: Fix My Frankenhouse (seasons 1-2; https://www.hgtv.com/shows/fix-my-frankenhouse)
- Shane: A Short Stay In Hell by Steven Peck
Holidays (9/30/2026):
- My mom’s birthday! Happy birthday, P-Nut!
- Banned Websites Awareness Day
- Blasphemy Day
- Chewing Gum Day
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day
- International Podcast Day
- International Translation Day
- National Hot Mulled Cider Day
- National Love People Day
- National Microcephaly Awareness Day
- National Mud Pack Day
- National Women’s Health and Fitness Day
- Orange Shirt Day
- Time for Yoga
- Thunderbirds Day
- World School Milk Day
- National Chimney Safety Week
- National Dog Week
- National Fall Foliage Week
Links and References:
- Harris, R. (2022). The happiness trap: Stop struggling, start living (2nd ed.). Robinson
- https://ndpr.nd.edu/reviews/the-quest-for-the-good-life-ancient-philosophers-on-happiness/
- https://www.weforum.org/stories/leadership/13-great-philosophers-on-the-secret-of-happiness/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278667273_EMOTIONS_AND_EMOTIONAL_BEHAVIOR_A_CONSTRUCTIONAL_APPROACH_TO_UNDERSTANDING_SOME_SOCIAL_BENEFITS_OF_AGGRESSION
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3160511/
- https://arnoldspumpclub.com/blogs/newsletter/why-chasing-happiness-makes-you-miserable-and-what-science-says-to-do-instead?srsltid=AfmBOornkPKnjN9wQWbXZB8QQh_5fHqMbgEbdpiVJkW6kGlSi9jONIuM
- https://ls.berkeley.edu/news/stop-worrying-about-being-happy-new-berkeley-psychology-research-suggests-doing-so-makes-people
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10224953/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3546638/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1279874/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1284106/ 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
Transcribed
28 SEP 2026 · 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
23 SEP 2026 · 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.
Recommendations
- Abraham: 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 Day
- Dogs in Politics Day
- International Day of Sign Languages
- National Checkers Day
- National Great American Pot Pie Day
- National Snack Stick Day
- Restless Legs Syndrome Awareness Day
- See You at the Pole
- Teal Talk Day
- Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week
- Constitution Week
- Deaf Dog Awareness Week
- International Clean Hands Week
- International Deaf Awareness Week
- International Interpreters and Translators Week
- National Adult Day Services Week
https://patreon.com/wwdwwpodcast
Links and References:
- https://www.toddrose.com/endofaverage
- https://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
Transcribed
21 SEP 2026 · 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.
https://patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast
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
Transcribed
16 SEP 2026 · 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 Day
- National Guacamole Day
- Trail of Tears Commemoration Day
- National GED Day
- International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
- National Cinnamon Raison Bread Day
- National Collect Rocks Day
- National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina
- National Play-Doh Day
- National Rehabilitation Day
- National Stay Away from Seattle Day
- National Stepfamily Day
- National Tattoo Story Day
- Teenager Workout Day
- Working Parents Day
- Wrinkled Raincoat Day
- World 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_wcB
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7965145/
- https://writers.com/writers-block-what-causes-writers-block-and-how-to-overcome-it
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2190/69g4-6ycm-n11h-eeew
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychology-yesterday/202001/a-brief-history-of-writers-block
- https://www.laurenpalphreyman.com/post/4-types-of-writer-s-block-and-how-to-combat-them
- https://escholarship.org/uc/item/50t6h6kd
- https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/authors/10-cases-extreme-writers-block
- https://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
Transcribed
14 SEP 2026 · 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.
https://patreon.com/wwdwwdpldcast
Links and Refrences:
- https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/opinion/the-history-of-snake-oil
- https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/26/215761377/a-history-of-snake-oil-salesmen
- https://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_1298331
- https://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
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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.
Information
| Author | Abraham |
| Organization | Abraham |
| Categories | Social Sciences , Education , Philosophy |
| Website | www.spreaker.com |
| info@wwdwwdpodcast.com |
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