I read somewhere that scientists discovered our bodies act before we think. We act instinctively and then reason through our actions. For example, your hand involuntarily reaches for a cup of coffee and, upon noticing it, you think that you want a coffee. It all happens so quickly that you are convinced it was the thought that motivated you to act. In relaity, your conscious mind wasn't involved almost at all.

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? I'll get back to that.

The conscious mind isn't involved in tasks that don't require it. For example, I was consciously focused on the mechanics of typing when I was learning to type, now my subconscious mind taken has taken over that task for me so that I can get onto more interesting things, like focusing on the words and the meaning of what's being typed. It's pointless to ask me what the specific reasoning is behind any motion my fingers make, I'm not thinking about my fingers as I'm typing.

A lot of research that relies on self-reports (i.e. researcher pokes subject and asks them "Why are you doing that?") fails to recognize that simply asking the question is the reason for the answer. If you were to stop someone in the middle of reaching for a coffee cup, and ask them why, you have stopped them in the middle of an action for which no such answer was needed. The reasoning for their actions are on a higher level than merely reaching once for a coffee cup. It takes several reaches for the cup to drink the entire thing, so thinking out and planning each and every step would be a considerable waste of brain power, just the same as intentionally planning out each key I press as I type.

So what's really going on here is that the person being asked the question is being put on the spot to come up with an answer. Unfortunately, the norm is to accept one's thoughts automatically. There's lots of mayhem and fun that can be had knowing this:

People answer questions without stopping to consider if an answer is needed.

Click, whirr.

What's your favorite flavor of bowling ball?

Some people, when they think of it, they imagine some sinister thing controlling their life.

Nail, hit right the on head. 10 points.