Psychology
Exploring "Why" questions about Psychology
480 articles
Why is farting more embarrassing than belching?
As explained *by* my five year old... "Because it comes from your butt! Ha ha ha!"
Why do so many abandoned building photos feature mental hospitals? Why are there so many of these?
We used to have a bunch of mental institutions - partially because we thought that locking up crazy people was the best way to help them, partially because we just didn't know how else to take care of
Why do different colors evoke certain emotions in people? (e.g. red and anger, yellow and hunger)
They don't, by-and-large. It's a cultural myth that colors alter moods or cognitive function in any meaningful way outside of the placebo effect. Red is "anger and hate" in the USA (due to anti-commun
Why do subjects that people dislike so much get so much attention? (Kanye, Bieber, 50 Shades)
Because they don't need a majority of people to like them. They just need a passable market share. They do things that appeal (or they think appeals) to a target demographic.
Why do they add a laugh track to certain TV shows?
So that you know when to laugh, since their jokes aren't that funny cue: [Big Bang Theory](_URL_0_)
Why do we love members of our family that aren’t our parents?
Because, evolutionarily speaking, they share a good bit of your genetic material. Furthermore, we're a social species. We basically lived in extended family groups for a lot of our history.
Why, after an emotionally taxing event such as a tough breakup or loss in the family, do people not experience hunger for a while?
Loss of appetite is a common response to stressful situations. I guess it makes sense - if your body senses something dangerous or wrong in the environment, it's probably safer to avoid eating while d
Why do so many car commercials try to appeal to viewers emotionally rather than advertise features of the car?
Because that's how advertising works best. Human decisions are built on emotions and how you view yourself more than on logic. A lot of the psychological theories used for advertising are based on the
Why do most of us forget our dreams? And some remember every minute of it?
You remember your dreams vividly as soon as you wake up, but you begin forgetting immediately. Keep a journal next to your bed and the second you wake up, start writing down what you just dreamt about
Why does slurping a hot beverage make it feel less hot when drinking it?
You're also using your mouth like a carburetor of sorts. Adjusting the ratio of air rushing past the surface of the liquid also changes the temperature of it while providing cooling to the tongue and