Why Do We Do That?

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with cultural psychologist Dr. Michael Morris about tribal culture and his new book, Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together. They discuss the important elements of culture, how human coordination compares to other primates, the key instincts that facilitated tribal living, and how our tribal nature can be used to foster cooperation in today's world. For more on Michael, visit www.michaelwmorris.com. Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with psychologist Dr. Barbara Kelly about the topic of divorce. They discuss the reasons why people pursue divorce, common causes of communication breakdown in a relationship and how to avoid them, strategies for detaching from an intimate partner, and how to manage divorce effectively when children are involved. For more on Barbara, visit www.kellypsychology.com Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with existential psychologist Dr. Clay Routledge about happiness & well-being. They discuss the extent to which happiness is objective, the distinction between pleasure and well-being, how discomfort can be an important contributor to well-being, and how nostalgia can be used to cope with negative emotions. For more on Clay, visit his website or subscribe to his Substack. Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with psychologist Dr. Sue Jackson about flow states and her new book, Experiencing Flow: Life Beyond Boredom & Anxiety They discuss the characteristics of flow, common activities that can produce flow states, the arousal sweet spot that leads to flow, what elite athletes can teach us about flow, and some practical ways to experience more flow in your life. For more on Sue, visit her website. Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). They discuss how OCD is different from "ordinary" obsessions, different categories of obsessive thoughts, whether or not traumatic events cause OCD, and how exposure helps to treat OCD symptoms. For more on Jon, visit http://www.jabramowitz.com or https://iocdf.org Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with educational psychology scholar Dr. Russell Warne about intelligence and his book, In the Know: Debunking 35 Myths about Human Intelligence. They discuss the key components of intelligence, the myth of multiple intelligences, what life outcomes are improved by having higher intelligence, to what degree intelligence is determined by your genes, and how IQ scores could be used to improve education. For more on Russell, visit his website or RIOTIQ.com Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

Dr. June Tangney, an expert in moral emotions and a professor at George Mason University, delves into the intricate worlds of shame and guilt. She distinguishes between these two powerful emotions, explaining how guilt can be constructive, while shame often proves damaging. Cultural variations influence the experience of these feelings, particularly regarding expectations around punctuality. Tangney discusses survivor guilt and offers effective coping strategies, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and verbalizing emotions for personal growth.

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with behavioral scientist Dr. Coltan Scrivner about morbid curiosity. They discuss the different domains of morbid curiosity, if morbidly curious people are less empathetic, what attracts us to horror & true crime content, and potential benefits of being curious about danger. For more on Coltan, visit www.coltanscrivner.com or subscribe to his Substack, Morbidly Curious Thoughts. Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with professor of psychology and co-author of "Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong", Dr. Chris Ferguson, about the relationship between video games and mental health. They discuss whether or not violent video games cause violent behavior, the challenges in measuring the impacts of gaming, why violent video games are so enjoyable, if gaming is any different from other forms of escapism, and the benefits of online gaming. For more on Chris, follow him on X at https://twitter.com/CJFerguson1111 Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with play expert, Dr. Peter Gray about his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students For Life. They discuss the characteristics of an activity that allow it to be considered play, the developmental skills learned during play, why play has declined since the 1950's, and how parents & schools can create environments to foster play. For more on Peter, visit his Substack at petergray.substack.com. Why Do We Do That? is a psychology podcast that deconstructs human behavior from the perspectives of social scientists, psychologists, and others that use applied psychology in their work. Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon |