Why Do We Do That? - podcast cover

Why Do We Do That?

BBC Radio 4•www.bbc.co.uk

Why Do We Do That? An anthropologist's guide to the modern world.

There are lots of everyday things which, when you think about them, are pretty weird. Like kissing, doomscrolling and sitting down to go to the loo. Social media may tell you to blame the latest influencer who went viral. Your therapist might tell you to blame your parents. But palaeoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi is here to tell you to blame your great, great, great, great, great, etc. grandparents. For some stuff at least. In this series, Ella is joined by some wonderful guests to dive into the cultural, historical and evolutionary story of everyday human habits and behaviour.

Photo: Sarah Cresswell / The Times / News Licensing

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Episodes

5. Why do we shake hands?

The handshake has been threatened several times throughout history. It was even made illegal in Prescott Arizona due to the Spanish Flu — and yet we keep returning to it. In this episode, Ella Al-Shamahi delves into a possible biological explanation for why we handshake. Studies have shown that we bring our hands close to our face after a handshake, and then subconsciously take a sniff (inhalation through the nostrils doubles). The human body emits over 2000 volatile compounds that change depend...

Oct 28, 2022•14 min•Season 1Ep. 6

4. Why do we procrastinate?

Procrastination is the thief of time - or so the old saying goes. Studies have shown that people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower levels of well-being. So why do we do it? One theory is that focusing on the here-and-now was beneficial for our palaeolithic ancestors. Dr Caroline Schulter from Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany found that chronic procrastinators have a larger amygdala, a key area in the brain that processes and learns from emotions. Could it be a coping mec...

Oct 28, 2022•14 min•Season 1Ep. 5

3. Why do we kiss?

This episode is all about the iconic kiss. Is it as universal as we think? One study suggests that lip-to-lip romantic kissing - the snog, if you will - is only present in 46% of cultures around the world. So did we just recently learn to do it? Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to Journalist and Radio 1 Life Hacks Presenter Katie Thistleton to get deep into the strangeness of kissing. Speaking to Dr Rafael Wlodarski from Oxford University, they find out how kissing, or getting close to one another, has be...

Oct 28, 2022•15 min•Season 1Ep. 4

2. Why do we do things that are bad for Us?

Ella Al-Shamahi is joined by psychologist Prof Laurence Steinberg and DJ / presenter Arielle Free to explore why we are drawn to do things that are bad for us. If our evolutionary purpose is to survive long enough to pass on genes, why do we knowingly put our lives at risk? Ella delves into a theory called costly signalling which may explain why we do risky things when there are others watching – is it just a way of showing off good genes? Dr Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Psychology at Temple...

Oct 28, 2022•15 min•Season 1Ep. 3

1. Why Is Heartbreak So Painful?

In this episode, Ella Al-Shamahi delves into the origins of a broken heart. Words or phrases that use ‘heart pain’ to describe emotional pain appear in many languages, suggesting it is present in many cultures. Studies show that looking at photos of ex-partners within six months of a break-up triggers the same areas of the brain as physical pain. And as odd as it sounds, just like with physical pain, painkillers can act on feelings of a broken heart. So why is it so painful? TV and Radio Present...

Oct 28, 2022•15 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Welcome to Why Do We Do That?

Ella Al-Shamahi introduces her new series, Why Do We Do That? An anthropologist's guide to the modern world.

Oct 25, 2022•1 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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