This classic episode revisits some old "research" attempting to assess the inherent morality of humans found in the gaze of babies looking at puppets. If that sounds silly, it's because it is. Updated research further debunks this claim, indicating that the original studies were either flawed or fraud. Check it out with us!

Recommendations

• Abraham: Stamp Swap (https://store.stonemaiergames.com/products/stamp-swap?srsltid=AfmBOooiSGaFABDded13WGAuRsBhIQfMioQhfLInfjolangZWXPwLlre) 
• Shane: SexABA Conference (https://www.sexaba.com/) 

Holidays (2/19/2025)

• Best Friends Day
• Coast Guard Reserves Birthday
• International Tug-of-War Day
• Iwo Jima Day
• National Airboat Day
• National Arabian Horse Day
• National Chocolate Mint Day
• National Lashes Day
• Prevent Plagiarism Day
• Vet Girls Rock Day
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Staff Education Week
• Bird Health Awareness Week
• Love Teaching Week
• Make Mine Chocolate
• National Condom Week
• National Pancake Week
• National Sauna Week

Links and References: 

1. Obiols-Suari, N., & Marco-Pallarés, J. (2021). Does It Look Good or Evil? Children's Recognition of Moral Identities in Illustrations of Characters in Stories. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 552387. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.552387
2. Hanesová D. Young Children’s Concepts of Good and Evil before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Research Study. Religions. 2021; 12(9):714. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12090714
3. https://bigthink.com/thinking/are-we-born-evil/
4. Dahl, A., & Killen, M. (2018). A Developmental Perspective on the Origins of Morality in Infancy and Early Childhood. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1736. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01736
5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/desc.13581

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191795

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Do you get goosebumps and shivers when you hear certain songs? There is a name for this experience: frisson. We discuss frisson and what psychological variables influence this experience. 

Support us on Patreon (www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast)

Links and References: 

1. https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0dgrs1l/frisson-why-music-can-give-you-chills-or-goosebumps
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21683603.2016.1130582
3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735615572358
4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735610362950
5. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1747021820977174

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Not the BPA that is commonly advertised as being not in our water bottles (at least I don't think so...), bloodstain pattern analysis is an investigative tool for analyzing crime scenes. Made popular by the TV show, Dexter, BPA attempts to reverse engineer and recreate a crime scene so as to determine important clues. But in real crime scenes, the evidence is very messy, and analysis can become practically impossible. Real experts caution against certainty in using BPA. We will share our findings on the science and misunderstandings of bloodstain pattern analysis. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Fly Me To The Moon (https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/fly-me-to-the-moon/umc.cmc.7bwrikjdeik56bk49vlr7c1h6)
• Shane: Mogwai - The Bad Fire ( https://open.spotify.com/album/3wub9ovkqCGHDDHkdhdh1I?si=TMS7YKK6SzOTvD0y6duP2w)

Holidays (2/12/2025):

• Darwin Day
• Hug Day
• International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers
• Lincoln’s Birthday
• NAACP Day
• National Freedom to Marry Day
• National Lost Penny Day
• National Plum Pudding Day
• Oglethorpe Day
• Paul Bunyan Day
• Safety Pup Day
• Sick of Food Waste Day
• Celebration of Love Week
• Children of Alcoholics Week
• Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
• Freelance Writers Appreciation Week
• Homes for Birds Week
• International Flirting Week
• Love Data Week
• Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week

Links and References: 

1. https://innocenceproject.org/the-pseudo-science-of-dexter/#:~:text=Yet%2C%20when%20I%20watch%20Dexter,the%20legitimacy%20of%20the%20practice
2. https://propublica.org/article/understanding-junk-science-forensics-criminal-justice
3. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/study-reports-error-rates-bloodstain-pattern-analysis
4. https://features.propublica.org/blood-spatter-analysis/herbert-macdonell-forensic-evidence-judges-and-courts/ 
5. https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2022/may/1/pseudoscientific-practice-blood-spatter-analysis-how-desire-convictions-drives-flawed-prosecutions/
6. https://www.thomassci.com/blog/_/spooky-science-behind-the-blood-spatter?srsltid=AfmBOoquBknBgaNKy-QApCwDx_KEUSarh_1iDTE9tmp3aW37NO7LbClO
7. https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/how-dexter-csi-and-henry-lee-convinced-juries-to-buy-blood-spatter-analysis-as 
8. https://science.howstuffworks.com/bloodstain-pattern-analysis4.htm 
9. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228091.pdf 

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We plunge into the perilous yet enthralling world of stunt diving into shallow pools—a practice in which the stakes are as high as the platforms. From the daring exploits of Roy Fransen, who set records by jumping into pools merely 8 feet deep from heights of 110 feet, to Darren Taylor, who in 2014 soared from 37.9 feet into a pool just 12 inches deep, these stunt divers push the limits of human bravery and physical precision. Don't do this. It is extremely dangerous. 

Get ad-free episodes and support the show by supporting us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpocast

Links: 

1. https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/circus-arts/shallow-diving.htm
2. https://youtu.be/IEZ4Czz9Zj4?si=wchw_3Rr4yuOFi-2
3. https://www.apeacefulfarewell.com/the-paw-blog/the-incredible-high-diving-horses-of-yesteryear-horses-pets-incredible-flying-family

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Think adrenaline junkies are just chasing the thrill? Think again. From BASE jumping to bull riding, the real high might not be what you think. Join us as we dive into the science of thrill-seeking, break down the myths about adrenaline addiction, and find out what’s really fueling our need for speed and intense stimulation. With extreme sports legends, wild experiments, and a dash of history, we'll explore the motives behind these restless folks 💥🏄‍♂️🎙️

Recommendations

• Abraham: Silo (season 2; https://tv.apple.com/us/show/silo/umc.cmc.3yksgc857px0k0rqe5zd4jice?mttn3pid=Google%20AdWords&mttnagencyid=a5e&mttncc=US&mttnsiteid=143238&mttnsubad=OUS20191050_1-720042226487-c&mttnsubkw=148542490075__V96F42ea_&mttnsubplmnt=_adext_)  
• Shane: Red Dead Redemption II (https://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption2) 

Holidays (2/5/2025):

• Disaster Day
• Feast of St. Agatha
• Global School Play Day
• International Clash Day
• Move Hollywood and Broadway to Lebanon, PA Day
• National Chocolate Fondue Day
• National Fart Day
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day
• National Primrose Day
• National Signing Day
• National Weatherperson’s Day
• World Animal Reiki Day
• World Nutella Day
• World Read Aloud Day
• African Heritage and Health Week
• Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week
• Dump Your Significant Jerk Week
• Feeding Tube Awareness Week
• Intimate Apparel Market Week
• National Apprenticeship Week
• American Heart Month
• Library Lovers Month
• Black History Month

Links and References: 

1. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/adrenal-glands#:~:text=What%20You%20Need%20to%20Know,stress%20and%20other%20essential%20functions.
2. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-you-asked/why-are-people-addicted-heroin-called-junkies
3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23038-adrenaline
4. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adrenaline-junkie#psychology
5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-019-00557-7
6. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0093854813485575
7. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/371/

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Ever stop to think about how strange it is that women wear fabric over their entire faces during wedding ceremonies? We did, and so we looked into the history of this very strange and very sexist tradition. It's not NOT about warding off evil spirits, in the pagan religions of the past... 

Get episodes early and ad free by joining our exclusive Patreon club: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://www.brittenweddings.com/en-us/blogs/news/67979395-wedding-veil-history-and-tradition#:~:text=Bridal%20Veils%20seem%20to%20have,signalling%20purity%20to%20the%20husband. 
2. https://www.brides.com/story/wedding-traditions-debunked-the-veil
3. https://www.nkbride.com/blog/2022/7/7/wedding-dress-the-history-of-bridal-veils 
4. https://www.veilsbylily.com/frequently-asked-questions/#:~:text=Back%20to%20Top-,Why%20don't%20men%20wear%20veils%3F,is%20the%20glory%20of%20man.%22 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Bullies are all around us. What drives these proto-criminals to be the jerks that they are? It's complicated. A tragedy of errors the drives people to be the worst versions of themselves. Let us explain...

Recommendations

• Abraham: Agatha All Along (https://www.disneyplus.com/series/agatha-all-along/6Nf0RIVHbJnh?v=var1) 
• Shane: Haxtec dice (https://haxtec.com/)

Holidays (1/29/2025):

• Chinese New Year
• Curmudgeons Day
• Freethinkers Day
• Kansas Day
• Korean New Year
• Lunar New Year
• National Carnation Day
• National Corn Chip Day
• National Puzzle Day
• Seeing Eye Guide Dog Birthday
• Thomas Paine Day
• Cordova Ice Worms Days
• International Hot Air Balloon Week
• Kiss a Shark Week
• National Clean Out Your Inbox Week
• National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week

Links and References: 

1. https://youtu.be/2Vl85lO6Wis?si=AftU0Y43ipEjKRVs 
2. https://www.apa.org/search?query=bullying 
3. https://youtu.be/Yie1dWzmgvw?si=g9GQvVDT9VkdkYcr 
4. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/male-female-bullies.htm?s1sid=fn4iwgoi6jsvai3jz4th9ooo&srch_tag=r6f4qqrlmtt2gnjzcsjl6qff67pj5trs 
5. https://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/family/parenting/tweens-teens/effects-bullying-on-teens.htm?s1sid=fn4iwgoi6jsvai3jz4th9ooo&srch_tag=r6f4qqrlmtt2gnjzcsjl6qff67pj5trs 
6. https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/5-ways-schools-can-stop-bullying.htm?s1sid=fn4iwgoi6jsvai3jz4th9ooo&srch_tag=r6f4qqrlmtt2gnjzcsjl6qff67pj5trs 
7. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/bullying

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Some of us have a nearly irresistable fascination with watching sores, boils, pustules, and zits be drained of their viscous contents. Some of us are repulsed by that very sentence. But for those who find enjoyment in that sort of thing, what is going on there? We do a quck dive into the mind of someone who loves popping zits or watching them pop.

Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and References: 

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432821000164?via%3Dihub 
2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202101/why-some-people-enjoy-watching-pimple-popping-videos 
3. https://www.benzac.com/au/article/popping-pimples-habit#:~:text=Popping%20pimples%20releases%20dopamine,feel%20a%20sense%20of%20accomplishment. 
4. https://www.thedermspecs.com/blog/the-art-of-pimple-popping-why-people-love-it-and-how-to-do-it-right/ 
5. https://www.menshealth.com/health/a25949460/reasons-why-people-like-pimple-popping-psychology/ 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Why do we love to compete? From Olympic games to trivia nights, competition is everywhere—but what drives us to strive, push, and sometimes obsess over being the best? In this episode, we explore the origins of competition, its role in evolution and society, and why it’s both thrilling and necessary. Whether it's sports, art, or even board games, we unpack how competition connects us, challenges us, and shapes the world we live in.

Recommendations

• Abraham: Bonk (by Mary Roach; https://maryroach.net/bonk.html) 
• Shane: The Last Equation of Isaac Severy by Nova Jacobs (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Last-Equation-of-Isaac-Severy/Nova-Jacobs/9781501175138)

Holidays 1/22/25:

• Celebration of Life Day
• Come in from the Cold Day
• Dance of the Seven Veils Day
• Library Shelfie Day
• National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day
• National Blonde Brownie Day
• National Hot Sauce Day
• National Polka Dot Day
• Roe vs. Wade Day
• Cancertalk Week
• Energy Saving Week
• Healthy Weight Week
• Hunt for Happiness Week
• International Hoof Care Week

Links and References: 

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763423002014#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20social%20play%20in,Kramer%20and%20Burghardt%2C%201998). 
2. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2023.2345#:~:text=(c)%20Playful%20elements,of%20the%20interaction%20(P5). 
3. https://gizmodo.com/do-animals-have-a-sense-of-competition-1823122780#:~:text=Jennifer%20Nadeau&text=My%20expertise%20is%20with%20horses,in%20their%20own%20unique%20way.&text=If%20playback%20doesn't%20begin%20shortly%2C%20try%20restarting%20your%20device. 
4. https://youtu.be/OvUlOzqQtzc?si=Yfi9DpW3Rzb2wQle 
5. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/galapagos-tortoise#:~:text=If%20a%20fight%20breaks%20out,and%20the%20battle%20is%20over. 
6. Franken, R. E., & Brown, D. J. (1995). Why do people like competition? The motivation for winning, putting forth effort, improving one's performance, performing well, being instrumental, and expressing forceful/aggressive behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(2), 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(95)00035-5
7. https://online.eou.edu/resources/article/psychology-of-competitiveness/ 
8. https://www.reddit.com/r/Adulting/comments/1dn1jnx/why_are_some_people_so_competitive_about_life/?rdt=65364 
9. https://nitsjournal.com/psychology/why-do-humans-naturally-love-to-compete-besting-their-peers/ 
10. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/socially-relevant/201506/the-psychology-competition 
11. https://vocal.media/men/the-innate-urge-why-humans-crave-competition 
12. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-we-compete-dave-williams/ 
13. https://medium.com/@mscarey/why-humans-are-driven-to-compete-ffacc5f313c6 

https://www.statista.com/forecasts/884970/other-gambling-industries-revenue-in-the-us

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Being stared at can be disconcerting the piont of sparking violent conflict. But why? Do other animals similarlty react to staring? We explore what it is about staring that can give rise to such intense reactions. 

Join our supporters club: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and references: 

1. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-truth-about-exercise-addiction/201706/whats-really-going-on-when-someone-stares-at-you 
2. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-we-respond-to-being-stared-at-is-an-evolutionary-trait-2017-6#:~:text=According%20to%20research%20discussed%20in%20another%20blog,or%20they%20are%20trying%20to%20intimidate%20us. 
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/scopophobia#eye-contact 
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQD_YeI9TzY#:~:text=Few%20things%20are%20as%20creepy%20as%20turning,not%20paranoid%20it's%20'hardwired'%20into%20our%20brains 
5. https://www.verywellmind.com/scoptophobia-2671835 

Weick, M., McCall, C., & Blascovich, J. (2017). Power Moves Beyond Complementarity: A Staring Look Elicits Avoidance in Low Power Perceivers and Approach in High Power Perceivers. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(8), 1188-1201. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167217708576

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.