Possessed

Data are often depicted as numbers. However, data can include narrative observations. This is called qualitative data. We believe there is a lot of value to qualitative data, so we are making the case for qualitative data. Of course, it's not perfect. So, we point out the arguments against it as well. Support us on PatreonLinks and References: https://www.britannica.com/science/qualitative-chemical-analysishttps://www.nu.edu/blog/qualitative-vs-quantitative-study/ https://dovetail.com/research/examples-of-qualitive-data/https://www.greenbook.org/insights/qualitative-market-research/8-examples-of-qualitative-research https://skimle.com/blog/qualitative-research-examples https://www.thoughtco.com/evidence-darwin-had-for-evolution-4030723 https://brainly.com/question/51299881Become 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

B.F. Skinner was a profoundly impactful figure in modern psychology. His work set the foundation for the field that now consists of tens of thousands of professionals around the world. Yet, we have discussed him little, and few people are familiar with many of the details of his life. We decided to spend our final suite discussing various aspects of Skinner. What's your favorite Skinner fact?RecommendationsAbraham: Scariest House in America (season 3; https://www.hgtv.com/shows/scariest-house-in-america/step-inside-the-scariest-house-in-america-season-three-renovation-pictures)Shane: Carry Your Heart by Louis Busch (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Carry-Your-Heart/Louis-Busch/9781668206171)Holidays (11/4/2026):International Stress Awareness DayKing Tut DayNational Block It Out DayNational Candy DayNational Easy-Bake Oven DayNational Eating Healthy DayNational Skeptics DayNational Waiting for the Barbarians DayUse Your Common Sense DayDrowsy Driving Prevention WeekGive Wildlife a Brake WeekNational Allied Health WeekNational Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation WeekNational Cat WeekLinks and References: https://www.bfskinner.org/archival-materials/biographical-information/https://www.biography.com/scientists/bf-skinnerhttps://www.verywellmind.com/b-f-skinner-biography-1904-1990-2795543Skinner, B.F. (1976). Particulars of my life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.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

Many argue against government regulations. But, it seems they often seem to ignore the regulations that have saved their lives, or the ones that industries affected by the regulations have asked for. Nevertheless, it is true that regulations don't always work as intended and sometimes cause new problems. We list a few regulations that serve an important purpose and some that have failed. Patreon with us!Links and References: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/10-success-stories-of-government-action-in-the-us/https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2015/05/government-regulation-costs-lower-benefits-greater-than-industry-estimateshttps://www.sec.gov/spotlight/sec-employees/psrw50ways.pdfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDqGzMdhL1M&t=8shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF1AdkgpGLkhttps://sensiblesafeguards.org/issues/the-benefits-of-regulation/https://www.independent.org/article/2015/07/16/5-unintended-consequences-of-regulation-and-government-meddling/https://www.changelabsolutions.org/blog/10-harmful-local-lawshttps://www.mercatus.org/research/working-papers/how-do-federal-regulations-affect-consumer-prices-analysis-regressive 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

For our last Halloween-season-themed episode, we are talking about possessions. We have discussed exorcisms in the past. So, for this discussion, we dug more into the philosophy of science for bringing a skeptical analysis to possessions. We had a lot of fun doing it, too. RecommendationsAbraham: A Walk in the Park (by Kevin Fedarko; https://www.kevinfedarko.com/a-walk-in-the-park)Shane: Werewolf by Night (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15318872/)Holidays (10/28/2026):Champagne DayInternational Animation DayLung health DayNational Chocolate DayPlush Animal Lovers DaySeparation of Church and State DayStatue of Liberty Dedication DayWild Foods DayAce WeekAmerican Massage Therapy WeekBrain Tumor Awareness WeekDisarmament WeekInternational Magic WeekPro Bono WeekLinks: https://apnews.com/article/portland-san-francisco-oregon-cff13a56cd41997553ea3e9a8fc21384https://www.newportri.com/story/entertainment/2016/10/25/4-degrees-demonic-possession/985256007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z110720e110720v000001&gca-ft=164&gca-ds=sophihttps://www.servantsuniversity.com/the-assumptions-of-science/https://www.jstor.org/stable/2156020https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1525/aa.1958.60.2.02a00040https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1548-1352.2008.00013.xhttps://brill.com/view/journals/jocc/8/1-2/article-p23_2.xmlBecome 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

Our fears change over time. What scares us when we were young is not so scary when we get older. And, what scares us when we get older, does not scare us when we are young... sometimes. We explain the kinds of things that scare us as kids and how and why they change. Join us on Patreon!References: Watson, J. B., & Rayner, R. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 3(1), 1–14. doi.org [1]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

The super famous ghost-hunting couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren are the subject of some of the most popular scary stories and pop-culture media. And if history has taught us anything, it is that when people are successful in this way, it is driven by money. We dive into the history of Ed and Lorraine Warren, their ghost-hunting expoits, some of their most famous cases, and some of the darker, sketchier aspects of their lives and career. RecommendationsAbraham: Ghosts love candy, too (https://25thcenturygames.com/products/ghosts-love-candy-too)Shane: Paleblood - Childhood’s Beginning and Yharnam Sunrise (https://open.spotify.com/artist/1YVTlhDkU8OcWDKNO2aC8c?si=e_iDrPDiTDWQ8Onz5jvwEA)Holidays (10/21/2026):Apple DayBabbling DayBack to the Future DayCaramel Apple DayCelebration of the Mind DayCheck your Meds DayCount Your Buttons DayGarbanzo Bean DayGlobal Dignity DayInternational Day of the NachoInternational Print DayMedical Assistants Recognition DayNational Pumpkin Cheesecake DayReptile Awareness DayBullying Bystanders Unite WeekFood and Drug Interactions Awareness WeekFreedom of Speech WeekNational Nuclear Science WeekNational Wolf Awareness WeekLinks and References: https://warrens.net/https://ihorror.com/ed-and-lorraine-warren-were-the-real-monsters-during-their-investigations/?fbclid=IwY2xjawU3-7FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMWZYQU1BZzJoWDF5QWpic3dzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEehqsRRTst02ju-CEAI-c2HVUdzvHqswm3vDGyhEpKUr-Ni9B5m_66RFTG8so_aem_iS3LoKxeQyoYxDAyOjWGFw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASTUApqR4Wohttps://www.shortform.com/podcast/episode/stuff-you-should-know-2026-01-06-episode-summary-the-warrens-paranormal-power-couplehttps://usghostadventures.com/americas-most-haunted-trending/conjuring-controversy-unraveling-the-warrens-legacy/https://usghostadventures.com/americas-most-haunted-trending/conjuring-controversy-unraveling-the-warrens-legacy/ https://nightscrawlers.ca/2019/10/10/ed-lorraine-warren-the-original-paranormal-investigators/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/war-conjuring-disturbing-claims-behind-a-billion-dollar-franchise-1064364/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

The story of The Winchester Mansion is shrouded in a carefully curated concoction of fanciful stories. These stories have largely been exaggerated or even entirely fabricated. The house is a strange labyrinth of over 160 rooms and curious features such as doors that open to walls and stairs that lead to nowhere. The original proprieter of the mansion, Sallie Winchester, has similarly had her story mutated into something only vaguely representing her life and architectural decision. Links and References: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2024/08/the-truth-about-sallie-winchester-and-the-mystery-house-that-never-was/https://www.history.com/articles/winchester-house-haunted 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

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. RecommendationsAbraham: “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 DayBullying Prevention DayEmergency Nurses DayInternational Day for Natural Disaster ReductionInternational Top Spinning DayNational Chocolate Covered Insects DayNational Dessert DayNational Fossil DayNational lowercase DayNational Pet Obesity Awareness DaySpider-Man DayStem Cell Awareness DayThank Your Cleaner DayWorld Standards DayBiology WeekBone and Joint Health Action WeekEarth Science WeekMediation WeekMeditation WeekNational Case Management WeekLinks and References: https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/ectoplasmhttps://www.popsci.com/whats-deal-paranormal-ectoplasm/https://www.grunge.com/665457/the-strange-truth-about-ectoplasm-explained/https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/ectoplasmhttps://medium.com/the-shortform/is-ectoplasm-really-a-thing-77a7b83a0ef7https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137027252_6https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/12/warner.phphttps://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

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: [email protected] and References: https://www.history.com/articles/samhainhttps://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-festivals/samhain-festivalhttps://www.hawthornandhoney.com/journal/samhain-ritualshttps://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

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?RecommendationsAbraham: Saosin (Just Be Honest; https://saosin.com/)Shane: Hellboy comics (Mike Mignola)Holidays (10/5/2026):Blue Shirt Day World Day of Bullying PreventionChic Spy DayChild health DayDay of UnityDo Something Nice DayGlobal James Bond DayInternational Day of No ProstitutionNational Apple Betty DayNational Consignment DayNational Kiss a Wrestler DayNational Storytelling DayWorld Day of ArchitectureWorld Habitat DayWorld Teacher’s DayActive Aging WeekAnimal Welfare WeekBanned Books WeekDeath Penalty Focus WeekMystery Series WeekNational Vegetarian WeekNational Chili WeekLinks: https://explorersweb.com/exploration-mysteries-ghost-shipshttps://www.surfline.com/surf-news/ocean-oddities-ghost-ships/78374https://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