I too am an ex-smalltalker, and I too tend to "end up" with small methods, 
after a spike is refactored.  In my own mind I have noticed two reasons for 
this:

1)  It is an attempt to collect duplicated code in a single method.  This is 
simply good practice and not only in XP.

2)  it is an attempt to reduce the visual complexity, so as to be able to 
grasp quickly what is going on in a method; i.e. , condense a snippet that is 
not duplicated anywhere else into a sort of language shorthand.  I call this 
the "Watership Down" syndrome: one, two, three, many.  This is the most 
common reason and the most unjustifiable from a programming standpoint.  

-- 
Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of