

Serious Inquiries Only
seriouspod.com
Join Thomas for some critical thinking on questions of science, philosophy, skepticism and politics. These serious topics are discussed with some serious guests, but in an entertaining and engaging way! This is not your typical interview podcast; it's a friendly dialogue, conducted thoughtfully and with plenty of humor. It's Serious Inquiries Only; but like, not boring or anything.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 1, 2022 • 1h 5min
SIO331: Study Shows Privileged People Perceive Equality as Unfair
It's another science thingy subjected to the Lindsey treatment! A study purports to show that people in a position of privilege view any effort to promote equality as an attack on them. Does the study hold up? Will Lindsey talk methods to us? Find out! Stay tuned after for a special message from Andrew Torrez. Links: New Scientist Article, Brown et al study 2022

May 19, 2022 • 54min
SIO330: Does Meditation Reduce Prosocial Behavior?
By popular request, Lindsey will be taking us through this fascinating science-thingy! Certain kinds of meditation can reduce feelings like guilt, sadness, etc. But is that good? Does it make people less likely to help others in different ways? Find out! Links: Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Guilt and Prosocial Reparation, popular coverage

May 5, 2022 • 50min
SIO329: Lindsey Shares Her Abortion Story
Our own Dr. Lindsey Osterman has had an abortion, does not regret it, and wants to tell us why this basic healthcare right matters not just for those in extreme circumstances. Then, we discuss the political situation and what can actually be done about it. Yelling may be involved.

Apr 30, 2022 • 1h 4min
SIO328: Making Sense of Sensemaking with Aaron Rabinowitz
There's possibly a new brand of centrist-IDW-know-it-all online, and it's called a "sensemaker." Or, is it a totally normal good thing? I don't know. So I brought in way-too-online-person Aaron Rabinowitz to explain just wtf is going on here. We ended up having a wide ranging discussion on the centristy-IDW manosphere and what makes it tick. And why Elon Musk blows.

Apr 14, 2022 • 1h 4min
SIO327: Does Paying Fox News Viewers to Watch CNN Pull Them Back Into Reality?
You've likely seen this study covered across the interwebs. Well, does it hold up to the SIO-Osterman treatment? Find out!

Mar 13, 2022 • 50min
SIO325: How to Be Persuasive, According to Science - Part 2
Dr. Lindsey Osterman explains the rest of the persuasion review paper. This episode has a lot of good, practical info if you're wanting to try to change minds, for real! Links: Hussein & Tormala (2021) Undermining Your Case to Enhance Your Impact, Jost et al (2003) Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition, Jost et al (2007) Are Needs to Manage Uncertainty and Threat Associated With Political Conservatism or Ideological Extremity?

Mar 9, 2022 • 45min
SIO324: How To Be Persuasive, According to Science
With so many people in our country seemingly living in an alternate universe of facts, persuading people to change their mind has never been more important. But... how can we actually do that? What actually works? Dr. Lindsey Osterman is here to science us about it! Hussein & Tormala (2021) Undermining Your Case to Enhance Your Impact

Feb 19, 2022 • 57min
SIO323: Did COVID Precautions Increase Adolescent Suicide Risk?
That's the claim made by many right wing anti COVID restriction people. What's more, it seems to be based on a CDC report. So is there anything to it? Find out! Links: Yard et al (2021) CDC report, Popular press coverage of report 1, 2, 2020 CDC report (claiming that adolescent ED visits for mental health increased by 31% in 2020 compared to 2019), CDC Reports on decline in total ED visits for March/April 2020, Through March 2021, Timing of State and Territorial COVID-19 Response, CDC Mortality data 2014-2019, 2020-2022 (provisional), WISQARS nonfatal injury reports, WISQARS fatal injury reports, Lindsey's Graphs

Feb 10, 2022 • 47min
SIO322: Again with the Garbage Free Speech Arguments
Yeah it's some commentary about the Joe Rogan controversy. I couldn't help it. People are being too wrong on the internet.

Feb 5, 2022 • 49min
SIO321: Does Giving Money to Mothers Boost Baby Brain Activity?
You might have seen the coverage recently of a study that claims to show that giving poor mothers cash payments changed their babies' brain activity in ways associated with stronger cognitive development. So what is the study, and does it hold up to SIO science thingy scrutiny courtesy of Dr. Lindsey Osterman? Find out! Links: NYT write-up, Troller-Renfree and colleagues (2022) The Impact of a Poverty Reduction Intervention on Infant Brain Activity, Other publications from Baby's First Years


