Why We Do What We Do

A trending strategy to bolster the interpretation of scientific results is to "pre-register" a study. This is publicly declaring your methods and data analysis procedures prior to beginning the research. Another advantage is that this means null results are more likely to be published. However, it may also inhibit attention to unexpected discovery. We'll briefly describe what pre-registering is, the pros and the cons. 

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Links and References: 

1. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/resources/preregistration
2. https://help.osf.io/article/145-preregistration
3. https://www.cos.io/initiatives/prereg
4. https://acf.gov/opre/blog/2022/08/pre-registering-studies-what-it-how-do-you-do-it-and-why
5. https://help.osf.io/article/603-benefits-of-registration
6. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2833373X.2024.2376046

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We are all gonna die! Some day :) Top 10, or 12 or something times that humans incorrectly predicted the end of the world! People have been doing this for a long, LONG time. Why do we love predicting the end of times? Is it money? Fame? Power? Mental Illness? A little of column A, a little of column B? We'll do our best to list some major would-be world-ending events that didn't end the world and why humans predicted them in the first place. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Sound of Metal (movie https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Sound-of-Metal/0U8IBE45LTNO63PAZ9B9ZA81RN) 
• Shane: Book tours on trips 

Holidays (5/28/2025):

• End of the world
• Amnesty International Day
• International Hamburger Day
• Menstrual Hygiene Day
• National Senior Health and Fitness Day
• Slugs Return from Capistrano Day
• Whooping Crane Day
• World Otter Day
• National African Violet Week
• National Frozen Yogurt Week
• Older Americans Mental Health Week
• Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents Month
• Scripps National Spelling Bee
• Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non Self-Governing Territories

Links and References: 

1. https://www.ripleys.com/stories/doomsday-scenarios
2. https://www.britannica.com/list/10-failed-doomsday-predictions 
3. https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2021/06/23/joanna-southcott-1750-1814-religious-prophetess/ 

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Music is an important part of many people's childhood. Early, we start soaking up everything we hear and give equal opportunity to select the things we'll like. Later, we can't seem to move on from those early experiences. Why do we get stuck in a music rut and lose motivation to find new music... or do we?

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Links and References: 

1. https://neurosciencenews.com/music-aging-22716/?fbclid=IwAR2DlzUFA-zCgaDd3QXs9JQ2m4JFe4fd-rkmGEWlX7wtBZKgZxiqgkBM3DU 
2. https://academic.oup.com/book/2888/chapter-abstract/143505209?redirectedFrom=fulltext
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253337104_Music_Through_the_Ages_Trends_in_Musical_Engagement_and_Preferences_From_Adolescence_Through_Middle_Adulthood

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Years ago we talked about the science of masturbation (yes, ther's a science). Amazingly, there are some updates in the research on masturbation, so we decided it was time for an update. Fair WARNING: Episode contains expllcit, sexual descriptions. Listen in!

support us: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Recommendations

• Abraham: Tokaido (https://stonemaiergames.com/games/tokaido/)
• Shane: Pet Symmetry - Big Symmetry (https://open.spotify.com/album/4Qt9subXSihAzylWq7dI8q?si=t5hlGJS2ScaCwE7tZGaakA)

Holidays (5/21/2025):

• American Red Cross Founder’s Day
• End of the World or Rapture Party Day
• I need a Patch for That Day
• International Tea Day (but NOT in Boston)
• National Juice Slush Day
• National Memo Day
• National Strawberries and Cream Day
• Turn Beauty Inside Out Day
• World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
• World Orienteering Day
• Emergency Medical Services Week (EMS)
• Healthy and Safe Swimming Week
• National Foul Ball Week
• National New Friends, Old Friends
• National Vegetarian Awareness Week

Links and References:

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9794105/
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7145784/
3. https://www.psypost.org/large-study-unpacks-the-complicated-nature-of-problematic-masturbation/
4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-023-02641-3
5.  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-022-02305-8
6.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11323945/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37414871/

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) used to be escalating toward crisis. However, a public health campaign was able to effectively influence behaviors and significantly reduced instances of SIDS. So, what is going on with SIDS? Why does it happen? What can do to prevent it? We'll quickly explain what is known about this frightening condition. 

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There have been some wildly inaccurate claims in the news lately about autism and autistic people. There is a specific political agenda making the case that rates of autism are rising. Further, recent comments from RFK jr. have motivated us to respond and critique his asinine behavior. Autism is part of the human condition. Vaccines don't cause autism. We make an empassioned case against the misinformation ecosystem.

Recommendations

• Abraham: Deafheaven - “Lonely People With Power” (https://deafheavens.bandcamp.com/album/lonely-people-with-power) 
• Shane: Thunderbolts* (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20969586/)
• Bonus Recommend: Profound Autism Summit (https://www.profoundautismsummit.org/)

Holidays (5/14/2025):

• International Dylan Thomas Day
• National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
• National Dance Like a Chicken Day
• World Stationary Day
• International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
• Online Romance Day
• National Children’s Day in the UK
• National Receptionists Day
• National Third Shift Workers Day
• National Decency Day
• Shades Day
• Economic Development Week
• Food Allergy Awareness Week
• Hospital Week

Links and References: 

1. https://www.theautismservice.co.uk/news/the-history-of-autism/#:~:text=Born%20in%20the%20Russian%20Empire,t%20read%20or%20recognise%20faces.
2. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism/the-history-of-autism#:~:text=Kanner%20syndrome,former%20London%20Borough%20of%20Camberwell.
3. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Autism-History.aspx
4. https://beyondthespectrummovie.com/a-history-of-autism/#:~:text=Experts%20now%20believe%20that%20humans,with%20autism%20appeared%20circa%201800. 
5. Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.55.1.3
6. https://www.factcheck.org/2023/08/scicheck-what-rfk-jr-gets-wrong-about-autism/ 

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Facilitating prosocial behavior is something humans have struggled with for a long time. We unfortunately discovered that coercion was effective at directing some behaviors to some degree. This lead to a pervasive tendency to focus on punishment to try to influence behavior, as opposed to reinforcement and encouragement. This is a guide for shifting emphasis back toward acknowledging what's working as a more effective behavior management strategy.

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Links and References: 

1. https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-magic-relationship-ratio-according-science/
2. Friman, P. C. (2021). There is no such thing as a bad boy: The circumstances view of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(2), 636-653. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.816
3. Allison, Wade, & Nichols, Allison. (2016). Catch ‘Em Being Good:” An Extension Service and State School System Team Up to Promote Positive Outcomes for Youth. Journal of Youth Development. 3. 144-153. 10.5195/JYD.2008.293. 
4. https://www.tiee.org/teaching-fundamentals/positive-behavior-intervention-in-schools-pbis/ 

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A lot of engenuity has come out of various human endeavors over time. One system by which invention is motivated is the competition of capitalism. Thus, many people laud capitalism and private enterprise as the solution to most or all problems. We wanted to explore the motivations and science behind the management of a system that is government operated compared to a system that is privately operated to look for effects on human behavior and society. Turns out, the answers are nuanced. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Wheel of Time (season 3; https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-Wheel-of-Time/0O0T3QWQ2OOTT8KCKC1PW233XW) 
• Shane: Wax Trax Records (https://www.waxtraxrecords.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopFbU71sLzY5hnnVkFQZWtSjwQQT2ymHHu0_i5PwRho65Xh1F1t)

Holidays (5/7/2025):

• Great American Grump Out
• National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day
• National Barrier Awareness Day
• National Cosmopolitan Day
• National Day to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
• National (Deaf) Interpreter Day
• National School Nurse Day
• National Skilled Trades Day
• National Tourism Day
• National Walk Bike & Roll to School Day
• Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day
• Paste Up Day
• Protect Aces Day
• Air Quality Awareness Week
• Arson Awareness Week
• Be Kind to Animals Week
• National Hug Holiday Week
• National Hurricane Preparedness Week
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• ASL Awareness Month
• National Wildfire Awareness Month
• Jesse Spiker’s Birthday

Links and References: 

1. https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/501/economics/advantages-of-privatisation/ 
2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2016.04.002
3. https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/privatization#:~:text=Railroads%2C%20airports%2C%20energy%20companies%2C,bypassed%20our%20own%20federal%20government.
4. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/privatization-of-non-inherently-governmental-functions-why-public-private-partnerships-are-so-effective-and-so-rare-in-the-federal-government/
5. https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2020/09/15/privatized-prisons-lead-inmates-longer-sentences-study-finds/ 
6. https://www.afge.org/article/do-private-prisons-really-save-us-money/#:~:text=And%20on%20top%20of%20jeopardizing,to%20federal%20and%20state%20facilities.%22 

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Airlines have tried various methods to herd people onto a plane efficiently. Governing a lot of moving people is tricky. Which methods work to get people boarded? Did you know there is no standard way to do this? We'll break down the issues with boarding. 

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Links and References:

• https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/by_the_numbers
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/there-are-quicker-ways-to-board-a-plane-so-why-dont-airlines-use-them/

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Last episode we spent a lot of time discussing some history about text-based communication in general, so we barely touched on the concepts you would need to get started teaching reading. This episode, we describe most of the remaining phonetic rules to teach reading in the bizare code that is the English language. 

Recommendations: 

• Abraham: Sinners (https://slate.com/culture/2025/04/sinners-movie-michael-b-jordan-horror-how-scary.html) 
• Shane: Spaceships over Glasgow by Stuart Braithwaite (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60891783-spaceships-over-glasgow)

Holidays (4/30/2025)

• Bugs Bunny Day
• Day of the Child
• Denim Day
• Hairstyle Appreciation Day
• Honesty Day
• International Guide Dog Day
• International Jazz Day
• National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
• National Animal Advocacy Day
• National Bubble Tea Day
• National Mr. Potato Head Day
• National Oatmeal Cookies Day
• National Raisin Day
• National Sarcoidosis Day
• National Therapy Animal Day
• Spank Out Day
• Stop Food Waste Day
• Go Diaper Free Week
• National Auctioneers Week
• National Green Week
• National Scoop the Poop Week
• National Youth Violence Prevention Week

Links and Reference: 

1. https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/resources/science-of-literacy.html#:~:text=Let's%20start%20thinking%20in%20terms,readers%2C%20writers%2C%20and%20thinkers.
2. https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/#:~:text=The%20science%20of%20reading%20is%20a%20vast%2C%20interdisciplinary%20body%20of,School%20Psychology

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/blog/scarboroughs-reading-rope?srsltid=AfmBOopp-Hyjo_pG4GWpfCGsXJJgUgy2ca7hHNWZn8coyLQYFY3hytah

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