Talking to your pet like it’s a real person
If you’re wondering why your dog is looking at you like you’re a complete lunatic while you’re sharing some important news, that’s because some might think you sort of are. Your dog can’t understand a word you’re saying; he’s just waiting for you to finish your babbling and feed it or give it an ear massage.
But don’t worry, “talking to our pets is absolutely natural, “says psychology professor at Western Carolina University, Hal Herzog. “Human beings are natural anthropomorphizers, meaning we naturally tend to [ascribe] all kinds of thoughts and meanings to other things in our lives.” This doesn’t mean it’s not embarrassing when someone else witnesses the conversation.
Checking under your bed to make sure there’s no “monster” underneath it
The bogeyman might not scare you now, when you’re in your thirties like it used to when you were a very impressionable kid, but old habits die hard. Sometimes, as embarrassing as it may be to admit it, you find yourself checking underneath the bed or behind the curtain to make sure there’s no one there.
