Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life

Exploring the simple selfish biases that make us caring, creative, and complex

Douglas T. Kenrick Ph.D.

7 Ways Electronic Devices Parasitize Teenagers' Brains

Are teenagers' brains being parasitized by electronic technology? Here I count a few of the ways, and ask: Is there anything we can do about it?

How to Survive the Modern World With a Stone-Age Brain

A hunter-gatherer transported to the modern urban world would think they’d landed in paradise. Why isn't modern technology making us happy?

Are Sex Differences in Mate Choice Really Universal?

Classic studies found men and women differ in preference for youth, attractiveness, and finances. A recent study asks how replicable those findings are.

The Psychology of Walking

In 1909, a 70-year-old man walked from New York to San Francisco. His story touches on several critical aspects of modern psychology.

Five Ways Food Can Lead to Self-Fulfillment

Psychologists often study the negative aspects of eating, but food is intrinsically linked to positive psychology in at least five central ways.

A Glimpse into Our Common Humanity

What is the common thread connecting you, me, a Swedish physician, and a poor woman in Africa?

10 Biases that Blind Us to a World Getting Better

Hard data show we are too pessimistic about the state of the world, and Hans Rosling suggests 10 pessimistic biases we could all do without.

Humans as Penguins? The Psychology of Social Thermoregulation

Humans are commonly compared to chimpanzees, rats, and dogs, but Hans Rocha IJzerman argues we are really a lot like penguins. And he's talking psychology, not just appearance.

Did Assassinating Bullies Make Humans More Domesticated?

A prominent primatologist presents evidence that ancestral humans cooperated to assassinate bullies, which led to a process of self-domestication, and to some nastier traits.

Buddhism Meets Evolutionary Psychology

Why care about Robert Wright’s look at Buddhism and meditation through the lens of evolutionary psychology? For insights about why we're perpetually dissatisfied and self-deluded.

7 Proven Steps to Happiness

1. Do something nice for someone else.

Have We Been Ignoring the Biggest Flaw in Human Judgment?

Doctors, judges, and business leaders make wildly divergent decisions based on the same evidence.. Noisy judgments are costly, dangerous, and unfair, but there are some solutions.

Why Are Modern Americans and Europeans so WEIRD?

Modern Americans and Europeans have brains wired to value education, independence, democracy, and analytic thinking more than family ties, authority, and holistic thought. Why?

A Year of Stanford Education for $150: Psychohistory

Modern history, seen through the eyes of some of the world's pre-eminent thinkers and doers, brilliantly illustrates key themes from evolutionary biology and ancient history.

A Year of Stanford Education at $150: The Reading List

Part II: A reading list for my year of listening to the world's greatest lecturers.

How to Get a Year of Stanford Education for $150

Did I really just get to sit in on a year of lectures from professors at Stanford, Duke, Oxford, Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago for $150?

How to Overcome the 3 Major Sources of Antiscientific Thinking

There's an epidemic of misinformation about scientific findings, and it's dangerous to our health.

When Obedience to Authority Conflicts With Common Decency

Lessons about human nature from Milgram’s classic obedience research.

Disease Threats, Conformity, and Obedience to Authority

UBC's Mark Schaller talks about the behavioral immune system, an old psychological system that has new relevance to social distancing and prejudice.

7 Things You Can Do to Save the World

Can you and I do something to save the planet for our children and grandchildren? Yes, indeed, and here are some suggestions for actions we can, should, and must, take.

The Three Biggest Obstacles to Saving the Planet

If we want to save the planet, an eminent political scientist points out three immense obstacles we'll have to overcome.

3 Reasons to Hope for the Future

Is it too late to save the planet? A political scientist taps psychology to argue that there's still reason to hope and that you could be the hero we need.

Should Amy Coney Barrett Withdraw in Society's Interest?

Feelings of unfairness are linked to strong emotions and undermine people’s trust in government, so Barrett could do a great public service by withdrawing until after the election.

Make America Think Straight Again

Scientific American published a special issue on misinformation and antiscientific thinking. Why now?

Are Men “Toxic Problem-Solvers?”

Are men more likely to be focused on solving a problem when they should focus on giving, or receiving, social support? Don’t be so sure you know the answer.

The Psychology of Denying Overpopulation

Overpopulation is the root of many of the world's current miseries, but it is actively denied, even by people who normally care about social problems. Why?

An Open Letter to Samantha Power

Former UN ambassador Samantha Power has fought valiantly against tribal violence. But the root cause—overpopulation—remains mostly ignored.

True Friendships Are Communistic Not Capitalistic

A study across 60 societies suggests that no matter where you live, friendships work better following the rules of socialism.

How to Find the Next Big Research Question

Here are a few thoughts and suggestions about how to generate the next big research question in psychology, focused for students of evolution, but relevant to other areas as well.

Bibliomania and the Meaning of Life

I just read 3 profound books back-to-back that gave me that youthful feeling of intellectual awe, the wonderful sense that all knowledge is connected.

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