The Role of Genetics in Human Nature

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evolutionary psychologists don't give enough attention to whether any of these traits that you're talking about are or even could be heritable. I think there needs to be better integration between evolutionary biology and psychological approaches to human nature. We all come into the world with the same basic set of social factors and expectations and our genes interact in very complex ways with that information.

Psychologist and author Jesse Bering joins us to talk about evolutionary psychology and his forthcoming book Perv. In the relatively uncontroversial part of the episode, we ask if homophobia is an adaptation and if women have evolved rape defenses. After that, sex with animals, sex with bookshelves, foot fetishes, amputee fetishes, falling down the stairs fetishes... I don't know, just listen. Or maybe don't.

Jesse Bering [jessebering.com]

Perv (pre-order) by Jesse Bering [amazon.com]

"Darwin's Rape Whistle," by Jesse Bering [slate.com]

"Natural Homophobes?" by Jesse Bering [scientificamerican.com]

The Belief Instinct by Jesse Bering [amazon.com]

Why is the Penis Shaped Like That? by Jesse Bering [amazon.com]

"I think you're some kind of deviated prevert." [youtube.com]

Special Guest: Jesse Bering.

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