Curiosity Daily Podcast: The Psychology of ‘Animal Crossing,’ How a Failed Death Ray Led to Radar, and Intrusive Thoughts Explained
Learn about how radar technology came from a failed attempt to build a death ray; how self-regulation helps you handle intrusive thoughts; and why self-determination theory might explain why the video game Animal Crossing: New Horizons is so incredibly popular.
June 26, 2020
Episode Show Notes:
How failing to build a “death ray” led to the invention of radar by Cameron Duke
- 2.009 Product Engineering Processes: Archimedes. (2019). Mit.edu. https://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/experiments/deathray/10_ArchimedesResult.html
- Archaeology and Ground Penetrating Radar. (2019). US Radar. https://usradar.com/gpr-ground-penetrating-radar-applications/archaeology/
- Dvorsky, G. (2012, August 20). How Britain’s Failed Attempt to Develop a “Death Ray” Changed the Course of World War II. io9. https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-britains-failed-attempt-to-develop-a-death-ray-chan-5936231
- Christensen, B. (2005, October 24). Radar as Death Ray? Livescience.com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/435-radar-death-ray.html
- Archimedes Death Ray | MythBusters. (2020). Discovery. https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/full-episodes/archimedes-death-ray
- Clark, J. (2008, September 29). What was Archimedes’ death ray? HowStuffWorks. https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/archimedes-death-ray.htm
Intrusive thoughts by Ashley Hamer (Listener question from Guillermo in Miami)
- Schmitz, T. W., Correia, M. M., Ferreira, C. S., Prescot, A. P., & Anderson, M. C. (2017). Hippocampal GABA enables inhibitory control over unwanted thoughts. Nature Communications, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00956-z
- Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2007). Self-Regulation, Ego Depletion, and Motivation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00001.x
- DeWall, N. (2014). Self-control: Teaching students about their greatest inner strength. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2014/12/self-control
- Impulsivity. (2009, September 15). Goodtherapy.org. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/impulse-control-disorders
Self-determination theory may be why everyone is enjoying Animal Crossing so much by Steffie Drucker
- Dr. Pete Etchells. (2020, May 29). Why are so many people playing Animal Crossing? BBC Science Focus Magazine; BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/why-are-so-many-people-playing-animal-crossing/
- Cherry, K. (2013, September 20). Self-Determination Theory and Motivation. Verywell Mind; Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-determination-theory-2795387
- Theory – selfdeterminationtheory.org. (2020). Selfdeterminationtheory.org. https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/
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