Why Do We Do That?

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with magician Brian Brushwood about the importance of story-telling when performing tricks, the lengths magicians will go to create effects, what magic teaches you about reading people, and how magic can change your perception of the real world and prevent you from being taken advantage of. For more on Brian, visit his website or check out his podcast, World's Greatest Con. 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 social psychologist Dr. John Petrocelli about the difference between BS and lying, the various kinds of BS and why people engage in them, the danger in valuing personal experience over objective truth, and what tools you should have in your BS detection kit. For more on John, check out his website, purchase a copy of his book, or watch his popular TEDx talk. 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 social psychologist Dr. William Swann about the battle between viewing yourself positively vs. accurately, why some people might not prefer positive feedback, the trick to maintaining your sense of self worth, and why affirmations may not be as useful as once thought. For more on Bill, visit his University of Texas at Austin faculty page. 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 aggression expert, Dr. Brad Bushman about which types of people are prone to aggression, how violent media and the presence of guns can influence aggressive behavior, why purging your anger is a bad idea, and some helpful ways to manage your anger. For more on Brad, visit his OSU faculty page or follow him on Twitter. 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 social psychologist, Dr. Richard Nisbett about how poorly people are at explaining their own thoughts, how thinking has changed over the past century, what statistical principles can make you a better thinker, and cost-benefit analysis in the age of Covid-19. For more on Richard, visit his website, where you can purchase his latest book "Thinking: A Memoir" 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 mentalist Mark Edward about the techniques he uses to create the illusion of psychic ability. We discussed how listening plays a role in producing a convincing reading, what methods psychics use to get inside information about you, whether or not all psychics are con artists, and how much of a role the victims play in being taken advantage of. For more on Mark, visit his website or download his audiobook, "Psychic Blues: Confessions of a Conflicted Medium" on iTunes or Audible. 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 social psychologist, Dr. Benjamin Karney about success in long-term relationships. They discuss the one trait that predicts marriage success over time, how life circumstances & socioeconomic status can influence relationships, what behaviors within a relationship can lead to more positive outcomes, and what factors to consider when choosing a long-term mate. For more on Ben, visit his faculty page at the UCLA Psychology Department. 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 social psychologist Dr. David Pizarro about moral judgment. They discussed how emotions can influence moral judgments, if too much empathy can be a bad thing, how disgust can impact your political attitudes, and how to balance emotion & reason when forming moral judgments. For more on David, follow him on Twitter or check out his podcast, Very Bad Wizards. 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 social psychologist Dr. Kennon Sheldon about goal pursuit and motivation. They discussed the biggest mistake people make when choosing goals, the importance of doing things you don't want to do, the keys to effective goal planning, how to stay motivated while pursuing long-term goals, and how goal pursuit can lead to a happier life. For more on Ken, visit his faculty page at the University of Missouri Psychology Department. 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 Dr. James Kaufman about how there's not just one way to be creative, how to maximize creativity in a group setting, what mental processes and traits contribute to someone being creative, whether or not mental illness increases creativity, and how to increase YOUR ability to be more creative. For more on James, follow him on Twitter or check out a few of his books, Creativity 101 or Creativity: An Introduction on Amazon. 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 |