Evolutionary Psychology (the podcast)

What is exploitation? Why does it happen? And how can we better understand what makes it more or less likely? In this episode, we talk to Hannes Rusch (Max Planck Crime, Security, & Law) about all things exploitation and group-y. Other topics include jobs, mopping, scapegoating, bravery, and how much people care about their group identities.    More about Hannes Rusch:  https://hrusch.de/ https://csl.mpg.de/en/hannes-rusch   Shownotes: Metallica "Man Unkind": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUVr2xnGIEo Exploitation: Theory and Practice https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_3655768_1/component/file_3655769/content  

Are humans designed to be monogamous? Polygamous? In this episode, we talk to Brooke Scelza (UCLA) about her work with the Himba and the complex web of social norms at play in that society and what it can teach us about our evolved psychology. Other topics include parental investment, the state of cross-talk between evolutionary anthropology and psychology, and the sometimes perverse incentives in science and the resulting replication crisis. If you think you do (or do not) understand mating markets and social norms, then this episode is for you.    More about Brooke Schelza: https://bscelza.weebly.com/ https://anthro.ucla.edu/person/brooke-scelza/ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=v8E5934AAAAJ&hl=en  

Are mothers the evolutionary crucible of leadership psychology? And is leadership more misunderstood and cryptic than we might think? In this episode, we talk to Zach Garfield (UM6P, Morocco) about all things lead-y and follow-y, and the new and amazing Omo Valley Research Project.  More about Zach Garfield: https://zhgarfield.github.io/ The Omo Valley Research Project (with Luke Glowacki) https://www.omovalleyresearchproject.org/  

What is cultural diffusion, why do need models of cultural change and distance, and what is on Bret's whiteboard? In this episode, we do a deep on how cultural change and distance are measured and studied with Bret Beheim (Max Planck for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig). Other topics include the local norms surrounding red lights and the evergreen game of "go".    More about Bret Beheim: https://babeheim.com/ https://www.eva.mpg.de/ecology/staff/bret-beheim/ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=V6Ea-MkAAAAJ&hl=en  

Are group boundaries solid, impermeable, and red in tooth-and-claw? Is animosity between groups inevitable? In this episode, we talk to Anne Pisor ( Penn State) about all things inter-group from an evolutionary perspective, including the forging of relationships across group boundaries as a way to deal with uncertainty and risk, and the circumstances that increase or decrease inter-group antagonism.  More about Anne Pisor: https://www.socialitylab.org/ https://anth.la.psu.edu/people/anne-pisor/ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Qav4JJ4AAAAJ&hl=en

Daniel Sznycer, an evolutionary psychologist from Oklahoma State, delves into the fascinating world of self-conscious emotions like shame, pride, and guilt. He critiques traditional views on shame, arguing it serves vital social functions, like managing how others value us. Sznycer discusses the difference between shame and guilt, the cultural variations in these emotions, and explores how they impact social dynamics and personal actions. He even connects current societal behaviors to evolutionary insights, making his findings both relevant and relatable.

Motive? Intent? Case closed! In this episode, Keelah Williams (JD, PhD, Hamilton) runs us through our bar exam prelims, explaining how our evolved psychology influences legal decision-making, and what consequences this may have on truth, justice, and much else... If you are interested in how evolutionary approaches inform legal issues, this episode is for you. Bonus: Keelah also discusses her ground-breaking work on ecology stereotypes.  More about Keelah Williams: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=42lmiPwAAAAJ https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/evolution-and-human-behavior/vol/44/issue/3  

Grab some candy (or brains): Halloween is here! This week, we talk to Coltan Scrivner about why we can't look away from the macabre, what exactly the "horror" genre is, and why a self-dose of fear and horror may be good for anxiety. If you are curious about horror, true crime, cobwebs, zombies, great white sharks, Jurassic Park, or whether its good for kids to experience gross or scary things, this episode is for you!  Also, today, Coltan's book, Morbidly Curious, comes out: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705578/morbidly-curious-by-coltan-scrivner-phd/ More about Coltan Scrivner: https://www.coltanscrivner.com/ https://www.morbidlycuriousthoughts.com/  

How are humans able to sustain large families? What is our "true" reproductive strategy as a species? Are kids designed to raise younger children? And is it unnatural for us to live in such strongly age-segregated societies? In this episode, we talk to Karen Kramer (U of Utah) where we discuss our (possibly unique) ability to live with and raise one another.    More about Karen Kramer: https://www.sapiens.org/authors/karen-l-kramer/ https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u0839608/about https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2tP1330AAAAJ&hl=en

Join philosopher Dan Williams from the University of Sussex as he delves into the nature of belief, misinformation, and delusion. He examines why we cling to bizarre beliefs and the social motivations behind them. Williams critiques the concept of self-deception in favor of understanding propaganda and signaling. Discover how beliefs can be compartmentalized, the adaptive reasons for internalizing propagated ideas, and the implications of our biases on daily life. Enjoy insights on navigating controversial topics in research and the pursuit of truth.