

How WEIRD Societies Shaped the World w/Evolutionary Biologist Joseph Henrich
Sep 17, 2024
Joseph Henrich, a distinguished anthropologist and evolutionary biologist at Harvard, dives into the fascinating roots of WEIRD societies. He unpacks how cultural learning shapes social behavior, especially during adolescence, and critiques biases in psychological research. The discussion explores kinship structures' influence on politics and economics, alongside Western Christianity’s role in fostering individualism. Henrich also highlights the resurgence of witchcraft in modern culture as a response to societal trust issues, demonstrating the complex interplay between culture, belief, and cooperation.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Intro
00:00 • 2min
Cultural Learning and Perception
01:51 • 11min
The Impact of Kinship on Economic and Political Structures
12:21 • 3min
The Influence of Christianity on Social Structures
15:19 • 13min
Cultural Epistemology and Collective Cognition
27:53 • 18min
Navigating Interdisciplinary Work in Academia
45:36 • 2min
Navigating Victimhood Culture and Political Discourse
47:27 • 11min
Witchcraft, Trust, and Cultural Resilience
58:14 • 8min
Exploring the Unlikely Link Between Religion and Creativity
01:06:06 • 2min