‎Warum manche Gerüche Heimweh verursachen und Kühlschränke nachts besonders verlockend sind

by Jen Martin

Die wissenschaftlichen Erklärungen unserer alltäglichen Marotten

Warum werde ich den Ohrwurm nicht los? Wieso habe ich vergessen, was ich in diesem Zimmer wollte? Warum fühle ich mich beobachtet? Wir alle begegnen diesen Fragen im Alltag und denken wohl oft, es läge an uns selbst. Doch tatsächlich lassen sich all diese Gewohnheiten und Ticks wissenschaftlich erklären! Dr. Jenny Martin bringt Licht ins Dunkel und liefert die Erklärungen für die merkwürdigsten Eigenheiten, die eben gar nicht so eigen sind. Sie erläutert auf humorvolle Weise, wieso es einem manchmal schwerfällt, Augenkontakt zu halten, warum man sich für sein Teenager-Ich schämt und noch viele weitere unserer bizarrsten Eigenheiten.

Dieser unterhaltsame Begleiter eignet sich ideal als Geschenk! Man lernt nicht nur dazu, sondern fühlt sich auch weniger sonderbar.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Self Help, Mental Health

128 pages, Hardcover

Published November 30, 2021

Reviews

[Aylin Kuhls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Für das, was es ist, ein super Buch! Kurze knappe aber gut recherchierte Texte zu spannenden Fragen, tolle Aufmachung und sehr coole Illustrationen.

[Linnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this looks like a coffee table book, it was fascinating and I learned so much! It was super readable, considering the volume of research cited. And now I have answers to many of life’s questions! (Why do songs get stuck in my head, why do I hate doing nothing, why do certain bdays bring existential crises, why FOMO is a thing, etc.)

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up on my Melbourne Book Crawl. I found that i couldnt really relate to alot of the thoughts and habits.
I did however learn about why i stick my tongue out when im concentrating, yay! I adored the illustrations!

[Melya Waty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Am I Like This? is a non-fiction scientific book written by an Australian author, Dr. Jen Martin, and was published in 2022.

The book has a very friendly look with pictures and concise interesting information about human quirks and tendencies. Each topic is not more than 2 pages long and it's definitely a good conversation starter or an interesting contribution on a dinner table.

It doesn't dig deeper on any of the topics which makes it an easy read.

It's a good commute read, too.

#jenmartin #whyamilikethis?

[Livinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently picked up this book at the Big Bad Wolf Books bazaar in Indonesia, and it turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read. The book explores everyday questions about our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in a light and amusing way, without getting lost in long or overly academic explanations. The content is broken down into short, digestible sections, which makes it easy to pick up and read a few pages at a time. I also really enjoyed the illustrations as they add a playful touch and make the overall reading experience even more engaging.

Some of the ideas in the book really resonated with me, while others felt less relevant to my own experiences. One of the most interesting parts was the explanation of why I get such a thrill from watching horror movies. As someone who genuinely enjoys horror, I found it fascinating to see some of the psychological reasons behind that excitement and the attraction to fear in a controlled environment.

I also enjoyed the discussion around why silence can feel calming. It made me reflect on how our brains respond to constant stimulation and why moments without noise or distraction can sometimes feel so comforting. It is interesting how something as simple as silence can create a sense of space and calm that we don't always consciously notice.

Overall, I enjoyed the book because it doesn't try to overwhelm the reader with complicated theories. Instead, it presents interesting psychological insights in a simple, entertaining, and visually appealing way. Not every chapter felt equally relatable, but there were enough little discoveries that made me pause and think about my own habits and reactions. It's a light yet thought-provoking read, perfect for anyone who enjoys learning about the quirks of human behaviour without wanting to read a heavy psychology textbook.

[Gemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hilarious & yet also perplexing. This book is not like all the others out there, pretty unique actually. I enjoyed it & pondered the things the author brought up. They may be things you have thought about, but not necessarily. I was amused by certain aspects of it so imagine you probably will be too. Whether you're a procrastinator or a supposed multi-tasker there are actual reasons behind certain things. This might have you looking internally & thinking about some aspects of your life & why you do things the way you do. It may be reflective to see how some of the things may inspire you or at least give you some answers. So go check it out.

[Ariel]

I loved the illustrations in this book. I found a lot of the questions interesting but I constantly found myself wanting to know more. On the flip side, this was perfect for my attention level lately! I read the whole thing in one sitting!

[Misti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of brief essays about some common activities/brain phenomena (earworms, multitasking, FOMO to name just a few). The writing is simple and readable, about on level with popular science articles you might find online, and each essay is no more than a few pages long. I didn't find any of the information particularly groundbreaking or informative -- your mileage may vary.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little read, would be a fun table book to have. I didn't read each section, but the ones I did were very informative. I liked the format of question, background info, facts, and then an advice bit.

[Camille Akinnusotu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and it was fun and interesting to read. If you’re curious about all the weird things we do as humans without taking in too much research this is the book for you. It also confirmed for me that multitasking is essentially bullshit.

[Myrthe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Het idee achter dit boek is erg leuk en de vragen die behandelt worden zijn denk ik voor iedereen herkenbaar. Toch is het soms wel erg wetenschappelijk en had het iets meer anekdotisch of humoristisch kunnen zijn. Dan lees je er wat makkelijker doorheen. Ik vond het nu af en toe saai.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to browse...

[Natalia A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book to browse before giving it to your young teenager child

[Vanessa Burwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and fun read. Illustrations are lovely.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and fun

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book ranging in topics, easy to read. Fun to read and learn more about the science of why things and people are.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, with some things I didn't know and some penetrating observations.

[Ivan Titkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book for teenagers - a sort of encyclopedia entertainment. No solid storyline, no so-whats. Don't waste your time if you're 25+

[NeedEnergy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's pretty, a lot of cool thoughts, though I still lack some proved info and maybe more facts or stracture.

[Kylee Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick, easy read. I found the explanation of blushing to be the most interesting

[Kurtis Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average read! Nice and easy and digestible, I think. Managed to pick up a few fun facts that I'll probably forget in a few months.

[Nurrani Mustika Dewi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting content and illustration. I love how Dr Jen was able to deliver facts and knowledges in an interesting way!

[Meilin · Rating 3 out of 5]

idk wasn't weird enough and then just ended?

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts…
This was such a cute little book that did indeed answer some often thought about questions.

I think this book did what it set out to do; answer commonly asked questions like “why do I forget things when I leave the room?” And “why do I procrastinate?” In a fun and easy to read format. It was short and sweet, tackling numerous topics in bite sized chunks. I would love to see these short stories more flushed out to tickle my interest a bit more, but I can understand why it was done the way it was. Overall, I enjoyed myself and learned a few new fun facts along the way.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content looks suspiciously lightweight until you realise it was written by an award-winning science communicator, and there is also a bibliography listing the many research papers behind the information presented in the book.
It is entertaining, easy to read, and contains a super-relatable list of questions and topics exposing the quirks of human behaviour - including things like why we crave snacks late at night, and why people enjoy scary / horror experiences.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot more interesting than I thought this book would be, would recommend for a short little read.

[Melissa Melfessity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. It was short, fun, and got to the point. Felt like those books we used to reads as preteens "chicken soup for the soul" or something that would give you small life tidbits. LOL. I think some points were too brief or weren't even really given an answer, but over all I think it was fine.

[Steph]

Jen is a friend of mine so I’m biased. Five stars.