Evolutionary Psychology

It seems odd, but stable facial cues, such as the width-height ratio of a man's face, may be decent predictors of his trustworthiness. Less strange is that we apparently use face-width when intuitively judging a strangers' trustworthiness... Read More

In his recent piece for the New York Times Magazine, Jonah Lehrer describes Charles Darwin's debilitating depression, which involved "hysteri Read More

A recent video by the creationist camp uses peanut butter jars to "prove" that evolutionary arguments are false...here's to make sure we're even speaking the same language. Read More

If the contents of the human brain are domain-specific, as evolutionary psychologists contend, how can evolutionary psychology explain general intelligence, which is seemingly domain-general? Read More

Relationships between older men and younger women, men’s proclivities toward seduction, infidelity, and the occasional betrayal of trust in romantic relationships.  These are the facets of human nature that evolutionary psychologists have explored too deeply for some tastes, but that traditional social scientists largely misunderstood for most of the 20th century. An Education provides a refreshing, and educating, perspective on these topics, and includes a few surprises.  Coauthored by David Lundberg Kenrick Read More

The contenders for Best Picture Oscar reflect 4 key evolutionary themes common in Hollywood: Getting Along, Getting Ahead, Getting the Bad Guys, and Getting the Girl (or the Guy).  The contenders also tap into a broad range of critical psychological concepts. Read More

Humans everywhere have an evolved finely-honed sense of justice. This protects the community against selfish individuals who harm others for their own benefit. Read More

Hey ladies, check out this HUGE...lexicon: Sycophantic people who act obsequiously are execrable. Can I have your phone number? Read More

Michael Oher was a poor black kid taken into the home of a wealthy white family. They fed him, clothed him, and tutored him, and helped him turn his life around.  Michael’s tested IQ went up 20 or 30 points, he went to college, and went on to become a highly payed NFL football player. The story is a celebration of positive psychology – of astounding acts of kindness, courage, and overcoming adversity. So what’s not to love about a movie that tells this wonderful story?--Coauthored by Douglas T. Kenrick Read More