Two Guys on Your Head

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July 29, 2022

Porosity Complicated

By: Rebecca McInroy

Last week’s episode focused on the concept of “porosity” a term developed by anthropologist Tanya Marie Luhrmann and psychology researcher Kara Weisman, to help understand the root of religious and spiritual beliefs. They argue that at the heart is the concept of a porous boundary between mind and world and that people in all human societies have conflicting intuitions about this boundary.

Here at Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman,  Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy find this concept interesting and thought we would spend a little time, not only understanding it but complicating it.

In this second in our three-part series on porosity we ask a few questions about how it manifests in our daily lives and why we should care.

“Porosity is The Heart of Religion”

 


Episodes

October 27, 2023

The Lying Brain

Some new research suggests that there is a lot more we consider when deciding to tell a fib or not. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about what’s on “the lying brain” and why it matters.

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October 19, 2023

The Midlife Crisis

A midlife crisis is a time of transition when we might question what we’ve accomplished, done, or not done, and ask things like the Talking Heads do of our “Once in a Lifetime.” But what is a midlife crisis psychologically? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and […]

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October 12, 2023

Are We Motivated By Deadlines?

The way we respond to deadlines varies quite a bit. Some people fall apart when they’re up against a deadline while for others deadlines help them focus, and then there are those for whom deadlines don’t seem to matter at all. So, as with most things in science, the answer to the question about if […]

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October 5, 2023

Test Anxiety

Feeling a bit nervous before an exam is normal and sometimes can even help to focus your attention. But as Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about in this edition of Two Guys on Your Head,  test anxiety, can interfere with your test-taking performance, and hence not really demonstrate your aptitude for […]

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September 29, 2023

Speed and Test Taking

When it comes to taking tests, like college prep tests for example, why does how fast you complete the test matter? In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about why speed matters when taking tests, but also why it’s not the best way to […]

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September 22, 2023

Intrinsic & Extrinsic Reward

Recognition is important, but it can be a double-edged sword if it’s not thoughtful and honest. In fact, it might often be counterproductive when trying to cultivate self-motivation. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.

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September 15, 2023

Recognition and Expectation

Recognition is a big deal. When we are not recognized for the things we do that are important to us we can feel invisible. However, there are many elements to recognition that we might not, well, recognize. In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk […]

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September 9, 2023

Why Do We Make Lists?

We have so many wonderful apps and gadgets that help us stay on track with our lives and goals so why would anyone still use a piece of paper and pen to make a list? It turns out there is a lot more to list-making than meets the eye. In this edition of Two Guys […]

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