Naturally Selected

Artificial Intelligence

Why AI Will Never Be Your Leader

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on December 5, 2025

Personal Perspective: We’re letting algorithms increasingly guide our choices. AI can manage tasks better than any human, yet it can’t earn trust, loyalty, or moral authority.

Personal Perspective: We’re letting algorithms increasingly guide our choices. AI can manage tasks better than any human, yet it can’t earn trust, loyalty, or moral authority.

Leadership

The Authoritarian Drift: Psychological Roots of the Trend

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on September 27, 2024

Authoritarian leadership is gaining ground worldwide. What fueled this shift, and how will it affect democracy’s future?

Authoritarian leadership is gaining ground worldwide. What fueled this shift, and how will it affect democracy’s future?

Environment

What Soccer Can Tell Us About Human Nature

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on April 7, 2023

If there were more international soccer, there would be fewer wars.

If there were more international soccer, there would be fewer wars.

Leadership

War and the Preference for a Strong Leader

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on May 27, 2022

What kind of leadership do Ukrainians want in these challenging times? Recent survey data may offer clues.

What kind of leadership do Ukrainians want in these challenging times? Recent survey data may offer clues.

Career

Evolutionary Mismatch

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on April 2, 2018

The world in which humans live today is very different to the world in which humans evolved. The result is mismatch. Understanding mismatch is crucial to improving human welfare.

The world in which humans live today is very different to the world in which humans evolved. The result is mismatch. Understanding mismatch is crucial to improving human welfare.

Education

How Our Kids Learn Naturally

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on July 4, 2017

How do we stimulate the natural learning capacities of our children better in classrooms around the world?

How do we stimulate the natural learning capacities of our children better in classrooms around the world?

As a democratically elected leader, getting absolute power is no easy feat. Here are some helpful tips for a prolonged iron rule.

Politics

Did Hillary Clinton Fall Victim to the Queen Bee Effect?

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on November 14, 2016

Why are women leaders not getting the top jobs in politics and business? The Queen Bee syndrome offers an explanation. Finding solutions is important for high potential women.

Why are women leaders not getting the top jobs in politics and business? The Queen Bee syndrome offers an explanation. Finding solutions is important for high potential women.

Trust

God Is Watching You

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on September 15, 2016

Is God our Big Brother who watches over us to make sure we do not do anything bad or foolish?

Is God our Big Brother who watches over us to make sure we do not do anything bad or foolish?

Career

The Social Psychology of Brexit

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on August 12, 2016

How can social psychology contribute to understanding the consequences of Brexit for the European Union? Exit-voice-loyalty theory offers some suggestions and solutions.

How can social psychology contribute to understanding the consequences of Brexit for the European Union? Exit-voice-loyalty theory offers some suggestions and solutions.

Leadership

Do You Have the Face of a Leader?

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on January 3, 2016

Can we predict the outcome of the presidential elections based on facial cues? Face research suggests that we make snapshot judgments about the leadership abilities of individuals.

Can we predict the outcome of the presidential elections based on facial cues? Face research suggests that we make snapshot judgments about the leadership abilities of individuals.

Leadership

The Qualities of Leaders

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on November 23, 2015

What makes a good leader? The way leaders are chosen and how they lead may not be so different between humans and others in the animal world. This is important to consider when we make decisions about our political leaders.

What makes a good leader? The way leaders are chosen and how they lead may not be so different between humans and others in the animal world. This is important to consider when we make decisions about our political leaders.

President Donald Trump

Understanding Primates – and Donald Trump

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on September 21, 2015

By scientific criteria, Donald Trump is not a natural leader. How can we then explain his popularity among certain groups of American voters?

By scientific criteria, Donald Trump is not a natural leader. How can we then explain his popularity among certain groups of American voters?

Trust

Can We Trust Psychological Studies?

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on August 28, 2015

Failure to replicate many psychological experiments offers gloomy picture of our field. Yet it is not as bad as it looks and there are ways out of the replication "crisis."

Failure to replicate many psychological experiments offers gloomy picture of our field. Yet it is not as bad as it looks and there are ways out of the replication "crisis."

Leadership

Challenges for Leaders in the Digital Age

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on June 14, 2015

Communication is hugely important for leader effectiveness. Yet when managers and subordinates work remotely the quality of communications suffers. How can we improve remote leadership given the constraints of the human mind.

Communication is hugely important for leader effectiveness. Yet when managers and subordinates work remotely the quality of communications suffers. How can we improve remote leadership given the constraints of the human mind.

Leadership

Does It Take Competition to Make You a Good Leader?

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on April 22, 2015

Leadership modifies organizational culture. An evolutionary niche construction perspective explains why some leaders work for the good of their organization while others turn out to be selfish and destructive leaders.

Leadership modifies organizational culture. An evolutionary niche construction perspective explains why some leaders work for the good of their organization while others turn out to be selfish and destructive leaders.

Sport and Competition

The Social Psychology of Radicalization and Extremism

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on February 8, 2015

What causes young Muslims to radicalize and what should Western governments do to prevent it? Some relevant insights from social psychological theories of group polarization into radicalization and political extremism and some antidotes.

What causes young Muslims to radicalize and what should Western governments do to prevent it? Some relevant insights from social psychological theories of group polarization into radicalization and political extremism and some antidotes.

Why do we believe in conspiracy theories? Why are they so persuasive, and how can we resist them? Here's an evolutionary perspective.

Suicide

ISIS and the Real Reason Why Young Muslim Men Join the Jihad

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on September 20, 2014

IS(IS) attracts many young Western Muslim men to go and fight a war far away from home. But why? The reasons are psychological, and lie deep in our evolutionary history. So too are the solutions to this crisis.

IS(IS) attracts many young Western Muslim men to go and fight a war far away from home. But why? The reasons are psychological, and lie deep in our evolutionary history. So too are the solutions to this crisis.

Leadership

Age and Leadership: The Wisdom of Elders and Elephants

Mark Van Vugt Ph.D. on August 22, 2014

In an era of change and innovation do businesses and societies still need older leaders or should they go for the young and bright? Understanding the relation between age and leadership.

In an era of change and innovation do businesses and societies still need older leaders or should they go for the young and bright? Understanding the relation between age and leadership.