Evolutionary Psychology (the podcast) https://epthepod.podbean.com Actual evolutionary psychology by actual evolutionary psychologists. Hosted by Dave Pietraszewski and David Pinsof. Every week, Dave and David bring cutting-edge work in the evolutionary behavioral sciences to you. patreon.com/epthepod

]]> Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:00 -0700 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Science 1440 episodic Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof No false https://feed.podbean.com/epthepod/feed.xml https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/20648489/EPlogonoframeedited_size_pngb3lqz.png Evolutionary Psychology (the podcast) https://epthepod.podbean.com 144 144 The Yanamamo and Nap Chagnon with Ray Hames The Yanamamo and Nap Chagnon with Ray Hames https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/ray-hames/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/ray-hames/#comments Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/f5502713-5ae2-36e6-a392-9ddbfac11ce4 Ray Hames, along with guest-host Zach Garfield, discusses his time with the Yanamamo, being a student of Napoleon Chagnon, and what it was like to be in the early, 2nd generation of anthropologists applying evolution to human behavior. Topics include hunting, the history of sociobiology, human behavioral ecology, and evolutionary psychology, attitudes about indigenous populations, the elderly, sexual orientation, and the darkness in Eldorado hoax. 

 

More about Ray Hames:

https://rhames.unl.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BZ98oywAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/raymond-b-hames-srcedw/

 

]]> Ray Hames, along with guest-host Zach Garfield, discusses his time with the Yanamamo, being a student of Napoleon Chagnon, and what it was like to be in the early, 2nd generation of anthropologists applying evolution to human behavior. Topics include hunting, the history of sociobiology, human behavioral ecology, and evolutionary psychology, attitudes about indigenous populations, the elderly, sexual orientation, and the darkness in Eldorado hoax. 

 

More about Ray Hames:

https://rhames.unl.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BZ98oywAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/raymond-b-hames-srcedw/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6164 59 full Sex and Gender with Dan Conroy-Beam Sex and Gender with Dan Conroy-Beam https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/complex-interrelations-between-sex-gender-roles-and-gender-with-dan-conroy-beam-1777316267/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/complex-interrelations-between-sex-gender-roles-and-gender-with-dan-conroy-beam-1777316267/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/6389174e-7353-3c25-9c0f-b6dde4adc538 What is sex? What is gender? These are big, weighty questions with not a few societal and political tensions involved. Who better to guide us through this morass than Dan Conroy-Beam (UCSB)? Get ready for a clear-minded, derived-from-first-principles tour of the evolution of sex, sex roles, and gender. Other topics include the culture vs. biology distinction, mentors, friends, what agent based modeling is, and why it's not self-indulgent to model the evolution of sex. 

More about Dan Conroy-Beam:

https://www.danconroybeam.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ifQUQssAAAAJ&hl=en

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/daniel-conroy-beam

 

]]> What is sex? What is gender? These are big, weighty questions with not a few societal and political tensions involved. Who better to guide us through this morass than Dan Conroy-Beam (UCSB)? Get ready for a clear-minded, derived-from-first-principles tour of the evolution of sex, sex roles, and gender. Other topics include the culture vs. biology distinction, mentors, friends, what agent based modeling is, and why it's not self-indulgent to model the evolution of sex. 

More about Dan Conroy-Beam:

https://www.danconroybeam.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ifQUQssAAAAJ&hl=en

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/daniel-conroy-beam

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7582 58 full Revenge and Forgiveness with Mike McCullough Revenge and Forgiveness with Mike McCullough https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/revenge-and-forgiveness-with-mike-mccullough/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/revenge-and-forgiveness-with-mike-mccullough/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/99615172-8aca-3380-9a3b-4a5805092b2c Revenge, forgiveness, morality. Join us and our guest Mike McCullough (UC San Diego) as we navigate the deep cost/benefit structure of the social world. Topics include what punishment really is, why we should respect revenge, why victims may sometimes not seek help, and why times heals all wounds. 

 

More about Mike McCullough:

https://www.michael-mccullough.com/

https://psychology.ucsd.edu/people/profiles/mmccullough.html

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZyAttkAAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Revenge, forgiveness, morality. Join us and our guest Mike McCullough (UC San Diego) as we navigate the deep cost/benefit structure of the social world. Topics include what punishment really is, why we should respect revenge, why victims may sometimes not seek help, and why times heals all wounds. 

 

More about Mike McCullough:

https://www.michael-mccullough.com/

https://psychology.ucsd.edu/people/profiles/mmccullough.html

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZyAttkAAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6745 56 full Causality with Tadeg Quillien Causality with Tadeg Quillien https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/causality-with-tadeg-quillien/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/causality-with-tadeg-quillien/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/46b2a0bc-7436-384b-a9c7-5059b9c2553a Causality is....well...causality...it's hard to explain. And that's exactly what Tadeg Quillien (Edinburgh) does: figure out what the heck causality is, and how our mind does it. Other topics include domain generality vs. specificity, counterfactuals, relevance, morality, beliefs and theory of mind, and what it means to be computational, and how David Hume was pretty cool. 

More about Tadeg Quillien:

https://quillienlab.github.io/people/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7h0VM_kAAAAJ&hl=fr

 

]]> Causality is....well...causality...it's hard to explain. And that's exactly what Tadeg Quillien (Edinburgh) does: figure out what the heck causality is, and how our mind does it. Other topics include domain generality vs. specificity, counterfactuals, relevance, morality, beliefs and theory of mind, and what it means to be computational, and how David Hume was pretty cool. 

More about Tadeg Quillien:

https://quillienlab.github.io/people/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7h0VM_kAAAAJ&hl=fr

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7637 54 full Founding Evolutionary Psychology with Leda Cosmides Founding Evolutionary Psychology with Leda Cosmides https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/leda-cosmides/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/leda-cosmides/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/81410c40-d5a7-33fb-955d-e9e87703e82e A guest who needs no introduction. Leda Cosmides (UCSB) talks about how she and John Tooby co-founded the enterprise "evolutionary psychology"---including the how's, when's and why's---and what she thinks about current work. Other topics include why it's good for science to not be a jerk, and how she's come to understand what the heck behavioral and experimental economists are up to.  More about Leda Cosmides: https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/leda-cosmides

https://www.cep.ucsb.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=V1vCfTYAAAAJ&hl=en

 

 

]]> A guest who needs no introduction. Leda Cosmides (UCSB) talks about how she and John Tooby co-founded the enterprise "evolutionary psychology"---including the how's, when's and why's---and what she thinks about current work. Other topics include why it's good for science to not be a jerk, and how she's come to understand what the heck behavioral and experimental economists are up to. 
More about Leda Cosmides:
https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/leda-cosmides

https://www.cep.ucsb.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=V1vCfTYAAAAJ&hl=en

 

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7431 55 full The Origins of evolutionary psychology with Martin Daly The Origins of evolutionary psychology with Martin Daly https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/martin-daly/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/martin-daly/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/0ac3e602-dac0-3da5-8132-c61079ca3741 Along with Margo Wilson, Martin Daly (McMaster) is one the founding pioneers of evolutionary psychology. In this episode, we get Martin's take on the history and the field. Topics include studying real-world phenomena (like homicide), inequality, and how evolutionary biologists like Williams and Hamilton supported the upstart approach (and whether it's really a different approach at all), and what happens when you give a lab-reared rat the kind of plant that it evolved to eat out in the wild, but has never seen before. 

More about Martin Daly: https://www.martindaly.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Daly_(professor)

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1BUIq-UAAAAJ

]]> Along with Margo Wilson, Martin Daly (McMaster) is one the founding pioneers of evolutionary psychology. In this episode, we get Martin's take on the history and the field. Topics include studying real-world phenomena (like homicide), inequality, and how evolutionary biologists like Williams and Hamilton supported the upstart approach (and whether it's really a different approach at all), and what happens when you give a lab-reared rat the kind of plant that it evolved to eat out in the wild, but has never seen before. 

More about Martin Daly:
https://www.martindaly.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Daly_(professor)

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1BUIq-UAAAAJ

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7221 53 full Music and Acoustics with Greg Bryant Music and Acoustics with Greg Bryant https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/greg-byrant/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/greg-byrant/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/8fedf2a2-c894-3a9b-85c3-b3cfa3383eff What's up with music? Why do vibrating strings tug on our emotions? And why can't most animals keep a beat? In this episode, we talk to Greg Bryant (UCLA) all about things acoustic and musical. Other topics include: the evolutionary logic of distortion in rock, laughter (including in rats!), and the psychology of perfect pitch and jamming. 

 

More about Greg Bryant:

https://gabryant.scholar.ss.ucla.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=urz-QfkAAAAJ&hl=en

Greg's music:

/gbryant.bandzoogle.com/home

https://gbryant.bandcamp.com/album/soft-assembly-of-a-die-hard

 

]]> What's up with music? Why do vibrating strings tug on our emotions? And why can't most animals keep a beat? In this episode, we talk to Greg Bryant (UCLA) all about things acoustic and musical. Other topics include: the evolutionary logic of distortion in rock, laughter (including in rats!), and the psychology of perfect pitch and jamming. 

 

More about Greg Bryant:

https://gabryant.scholar.ss.ucla.edu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=urz-QfkAAAAJ&hl=en

Greg's music:

/gbryant.bandzoogle.com/home

https://gbryant.bandcamp.com/album/soft-assembly-of-a-die-hard

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7090 52 full Stress with Jen Byrd-Craven Stress with Jen Byrd-Craven https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/jenn-byrd-craven/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/jenn-byrd-craven/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/76586292-6c82-3ba9-8887-cdb3eb675c22 What is stress? Is it useful? What is the endocrine system? Why do we need it (and why isn't a brain enough)? In this episode, we talk to Jen Byrd-Craven (Oklahoma State) about all things stress and endocrine. Other topics include development, supposedly "over-active" stress responses, rage-bait, chilling out, obesity, parenting, status, teaching history, and much more.  

More about Jen Byrd-Craven:

https://byrd-cravenpsychobiologylab.mystrikingly.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MYyZEL4AAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> What is stress? Is it useful? What is the endocrine system? Why do we need it (and why isn't a brain enough)? In this episode, we talk to Jen Byrd-Craven (Oklahoma State) about all things stress and endocrine. Other topics include development, supposedly "over-active" stress responses, rage-bait, chilling out, obesity, parenting, status, teaching history, and much more.  

More about Jen Byrd-Craven:

https://byrd-cravenpsychobiologylab.mystrikingly.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MYyZEL4AAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 5559 51 full Cultural Evolution with Rob Boyd Cultural Evolution with Rob Boyd https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/rob-boyd/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/rob-boyd/#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/5bdd436e-bf47-3cd6-9e4c-f1db9e332b62 Along with Pete Richerson, Rob Boyd (ASU) is one of *the* founders of cultural evolution, and one of the key figures in connecting human behavior with evolution. A very special episode with one of the greats! To top it off, we have Rob's former PhD student (and previous guest) Cristina Moya, in the role of guest host. 

More about Rob Boyd:

https://www.robboyd.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Boyd_(anthropologist)

https://search.asu.edu/profile/1952328

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YucHqSsAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Along with Pete Richerson, Rob Boyd (ASU) is one of *the* founders of cultural evolution, and one of the key figures in connecting human behavior with evolution. A very special episode with one of the greats! To top it off, we have Rob's former PhD student (and previous guest) Cristina Moya, in the role of guest host. 

More about Rob Boyd:

https://www.robboyd.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Boyd_(anthropologist)

https://search.asu.edu/profile/1952328

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YucHqSsAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7912 50 full Microchimerism with Amy Boddy Microchimerism with Amy Boddy https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/amy-boddy/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/amy-boddy/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/d1491356-b7e0-3af2-8c95-927496f44f1f Are we one, or do we contain multitudes? In this episode, we explore the bizarre and fascinating world of microchimerism with Amy Boddy (UCSB). 

 

More about Amy Boddy:

https://www.anth.ucsb.edu/people/amy-boddy

https://boddylab.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jnNIBc4AAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Are we one, or do we contain multitudes? In this episode, we explore the bizarre and fascinating world of microchimerism with Amy Boddy (UCSB). 

 

More about Amy Boddy:

https://www.anth.ucsb.edu/people/amy-boddy

https://boddylab.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jnNIBc4AAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6869 49 full Status and Personality with Patrick Durkee Status and Personality with Patrick Durkee https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/patrick-durkee/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/patrick-durkee/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/efd0475a-e430-3c89-a6a5-136122bf7ca5 What is status? What is inspiration? What is personality? It all sounds simple and obvious, but in this episode with Patrick Durkee (CSU Fresno), we make "the familiar strange" and think through how an evolved mind may figure out how to invest our time and energy, what inspiration means, and what personality really is. 

More about Patrick Durkee:  https://www.pdurkee.com/

https://csm.fresnostate.edu/about/directory/psych/durkee-patrick.html

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uj4K4rQAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> What is status? What is inspiration? What is personality? It all sounds simple and obvious, but in this episode with Patrick Durkee (CSU Fresno), we make "the familiar strange" and think through how an evolved mind may figure out how to invest our time and energy, what inspiration means, and what personality really is. 

More about Patrick Durkee: 
https://www.pdurkee.com/

https://csm.fresnostate.edu/about/directory/psych/durkee-patrick.html

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uj4K4rQAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 8383 48 full The Microbiome with Katrine Whiteson The Microbiome with Katrine Whiteson https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/the-microbiome-with-katrine-whiteson/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/the-microbiome-with-katrine-whiteson/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/8ba1e9f7-0971-330c-9779-ee098bf45930 In this episode, we talk with Katrine Whiteson (UC Irvine) about her amazing work studying the human microbiome. We cannot stress enough how much we learned from this episode, from how to prevent your gut bacteria from becoming trashed by antibiotics, how to shop for food that will feed your healthy microbes and prevent blood sugar spikes. Other topics include: what's missing form our modern gut bacteria, the relationship between eating, cancer, and immune function, hunting for phages, and much more. A great example of using evolution to better understand our health. 

More about Katrine Whiteson: https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6103 https://kwhiteson.bio.uci.edu/

]]> In this episode, we talk with Katrine Whiteson (UC Irvine) about her amazing work studying the human microbiome. We cannot stress enough how much we learned from this episode, from how to prevent your gut bacteria from becoming trashed by antibiotics, how to shop for food that will feed your healthy microbes and prevent blood sugar spikes. Other topics include: what's missing form our modern gut bacteria, the relationship between eating, cancer, and immune function, hunting for phages, and much more. A great example of using evolution to better understand our health. 

More about Katrine Whiteson:
https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6103
https://kwhiteson.bio.uci.edu/

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7004 47 full Views of Mind with Clark Barrett Views of Mind with Clark Barrett https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/cbarrett/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/cbarrett/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/e7bda040-1e22-3acf-8345-24eeaa0075cd In this episode, we talk to Clark Barrett (UCLA) about all the ways we understand the mind, and all the ways that that understanding may be weirder and wider that our intellectual inheritance would have it. Topics include: lies, hunting magic, predicting the future, spirituality, dreams, Freud, fish with two jaws, embodiment, art, physical intelligence, not discounting other views of the mind, Konrad Lorenz, and the music of the Shuar. 

http://www.hclarkbarrett.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vIovbyUAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.geographyofphilosophy.com/

 

 

]]> In this episode, we talk to Clark Barrett (UCLA) about all the ways we understand the mind, and all the ways that that understanding may be weirder and wider that our intellectual inheritance would have it. Topics include: lies, hunting magic, predicting the future, spirituality, dreams, Freud, fish with two jaws, embodiment, art, physical intelligence, not discounting other views of the mind, Konrad Lorenz, and the music of the Shuar. 

http://www.hclarkbarrett.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vIovbyUAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.geographyofphilosophy.com/

 

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 8374 46 full The Behavioral Immune System with Josh Tybur The Behavioral Immune System with Josh Tybur https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/josh-tybur/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/josh-tybur/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/91c2694a-8c91-3bb3-94f1-d9fa4870b985 It stinks to be sick. Our guest, Josh Tybur (VU Amsterdam), is the one of the foremost experts on how our brain--or better yet, our "behavioral immune system"--helps us avoid pathogens while still navigating the necessities of social and physical life: eating, hugging, parenting, mating, and so on. Topics include whether pathogen avoidance actually drives attitudes towards social outgroups, how disgust, sex, and morality all interact (including David's pet theory of kinky sexual practices), and whether evolutionary mismatch is over-used and under-specified (or not). Oh, that whole world-wide pandemic thing. 

More about Josh Tybur:

https://www.joshtybur.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ash8oRMAAAAJ&hl=en

 

 

]]> It stinks to be sick. Our guest, Josh Tybur (VU Amsterdam), is the one of the foremost experts on how our brain--or better yet, our "behavioral immune system"--helps us avoid pathogens while still navigating the necessities of social and physical life: eating, hugging, parenting, mating, and so on. Topics include whether pathogen avoidance actually drives attitudes towards social outgroups, how disgust, sex, and morality all interact (including David's pet theory of kinky sexual practices), and whether evolutionary mismatch is over-used and under-specified (or not). Oh, that whole world-wide pandemic thing. 

More about Josh Tybur:

https://www.joshtybur.com/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ash8oRMAAAAJ&hl=en

 

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 8278 45 full Selection with Paul Smaldino Selection with Paul Smaldino https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/paul-smaldino/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/paul-smaldino/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/020b1b61-b87f-3783-9719-47a68751b69a Intentions be damned! Whats matter is selection! In this episode, Paul Smaldino (UC Merced) takes us on a tour of his work on social signals, social identities, the perverse incentives of science, the stupidity and yet usefulness of models, and so much else. (Paul also shows us his small model of the solar system in the background). 

More about Paul Smaldino:

https://smaldino.com/wp/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AwHfbP0AAAAJ&hl=en

https://smalldinosaurs.bandcamp.com/album/dad-songs

 

]]> Intentions be damned! Whats matter is selection! In this episode, Paul Smaldino (UC Merced) takes us on a tour of his work on social signals, social identities, the perverse incentives of science, the stupidity and yet usefulness of models, and so much else. (Paul also shows us his small model of the solar system in the background). 

More about Paul Smaldino:

https://smaldino.com/wp/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AwHfbP0AAAAJ&hl=en

https://smalldinosaurs.bandcamp.com/album/dad-songs

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7452 44 full Consciousness with Michael Graziano Consciousness with Michael Graziano https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/consciousness-with-michael-graziano/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/consciousness-with-michael-graziano/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/550c5a23-cd33-30a3-b111-6773e7967887 Consciousness: is it really that hard of a problem? In this episode, we talk to our favorite mechanistically-minded (and possibly clearest) thinker about consciousness we've had the pleasure to stumble across, Michael Graziano (Princeton). Topics include why consciousness has been so hard to study, what it is, and what future (evolutionary) work on consciousness would look like. 

More about Michael Graziano: https://grazianolab.princeton.edu/

https://pni.princeton.edu/people/michael-graziano

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Graziano

https://www.press53.com/michael-s-a-graziano

https://www.amazon.com/stores/B.-B.-Wurge/author/B001JS4X0U?

]]> Consciousness: is it really that hard of a problem? In this episode, we talk to our favorite mechanistically-minded (and possibly clearest) thinker about consciousness we've had the pleasure to stumble across, Michael Graziano (Princeton). Topics include why consciousness has been so hard to study, what it is, and what future (evolutionary) work on consciousness would look like. 

More about Michael Graziano:
https://grazianolab.princeton.edu/

https://pni.princeton.edu/people/michael-graziano

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Graziano

https://www.press53.com/michael-s-a-graziano

https://www.amazon.com/stores/B.-B.-Wurge/author/B001JS4X0U?

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7755 43 full Peace with Luke Glowacki Peace with Luke Glowacki https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/luke-glowacki/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/luke-glowacki/#comments Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/6c47c074-156a-3458-a0fd-5dd724e03993 The evolution of war has occupied science. But what about the evolution of peace? In this episode, we talk to Luke Glowacki about his framing of peace as requiring just as much, if not more, explanation, than the evolution of war, and how it comes about via cultural technology interacting with our evolved psychology. Other topics include the distribution of conflict, the Omo valley research project, and how to think about our own species through the lens of other species--including mongeese (mongooses?) 

More about Luke Glowacki:

https://www.hsb-lab.org/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DaCQ-UIAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.bu.edu/anthrop/profile/luke-glowacki/

 

]]> The evolution of war has occupied science. But what about the evolution of peace? In this episode, we talk to Luke Glowacki about his framing of peace as requiring just as much, if not more, explanation, than the evolution of war, and how it comes about via cultural technology interacting with our evolved psychology. Other topics include the distribution of conflict, the Omo valley research project, and how to think about our own species through the lens of other species--including mongeese (mongooses?) 

More about Luke Glowacki:


https://www.hsb-lab.org/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DaCQ-UIAAAAJ&hl=en

https://www.bu.edu/anthrop/profile/luke-glowacki/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6794 41 full Free Will with David Pietraszewski Free Will with David Pietraszewski https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/free-will-with-david-pietraszewski/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/free-will-with-david-pietraszewski/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/e48cc737-5f10-324d-b3ba-11bebd336bd7 Free will: Do we really have it? And what is it, exactly?  In this episode, co-host David Pietraszewski takes the role of guest and explains his recent evolutionary, adaptationist approach to the problem of free will, explaining what people are talking about when they talk about free will, why different people have different opinions about whether it really exists in light of science, and what an evolutionary approach has to say about how to study it in the first place. If you love or hate the study of free will--or think it is a forever-unsolvable mystery-- then this episode is for you!

 

More about David Pietraszewski:

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rGFYm8AAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

 

]]> Free will: Do we really have it? And what is it, exactly?  In this episode, co-host David Pietraszewski takes the role of guest and explains his recent evolutionary, adaptationist approach to the problem of free will, explaining what people are talking about when they talk about free will, why different people have different opinions about whether it really exists in light of science, and what an evolutionary approach has to say about how to study it in the first place. If you love or hate the study of free will--or think it is a forever-unsolvable mystery-- then this episode is for you!

 

More about David Pietraszewski:

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rGFYm8AAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7368 42 full Moralizing Self-Control with Léo Fitouchi Moralizing Self-Control with Léo Fitouchi https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/moralizing-self-control-with-leo-fetuchi/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/moralizing-self-control-with-leo-fetuchi/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/7ee1acef-ccd0-329b-96ba-772884b98103 Why do we care about delaying gratification? Why do we judge others for moral failings that have no apparent consequences on us? In this episode, we talk to Lêo Fitouchi (IAST Toulouse) about all things moral, including guzzling french fries. 

More about Léo Fitouchi:  https://sites.google.com/view/leofitouchi/home

 

]]> Why do we care about delaying gratification? Why do we judge others for moral failings that have no apparent consequences on us? In this episode, we talk to Lêo Fitouchi (IAST Toulouse) about all things moral, including guzzling french fries. 

More about Léo Fitouchi: 
https://sites.google.com/view/leofitouchi/home

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6604 40 full Evolutionary Social Sciences with Dan Nettle Evolutionary Social Sciences with Dan Nettle https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/dan-nettle/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/dan-nettle/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/53d91231-25a6-309a-bec8-d69d36beed2c Poverty? Universal basic income? Do we really crave sugar because of evolutionary mismatch? How do you train for an 800meter and a 100K running race? We cover this and much more with Dan Nettle (Jean Nicod). 

 

More about Dan Nettle:

https://www.danielnettle.eu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rl3kkv4AAAAJ&hl=en

]]> Poverty? Universal basic income? Do we really crave sugar because of evolutionary mismatch? How do you train for an 800meter and a 100K running race? We cover this and much more with Dan Nettle (Jean Nicod). 

 

More about Dan Nettle:

https://www.danielnettle.eu/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rl3kkv4AAAAJ&hl=en

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6284 39 full Culture, Killing, and PTSD with Sarah Mathew Culture, Killing, and PTSD with Sarah Mathew https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/sarah-matthew/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/sarah-matthew/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/0e182df3-bf0b-3d44-a1a2-47a52da8481e How do evolutionary behavioral scientists think about the interplay between our psychology and culture? What causes some cultural norms to persist and spread? Do non-Western combatants in war have something like PTSD? In this episode, we explore all of these questions and more with Sarah Mathew (ASU), who talks about her work with the Turkana, and her long-term interest in the interplay between our evolved psychology of cooperation and violence, and the social norms and institutions that push and pull on our evolved psychology. 

 

More about Sarah Mathew:

https://search.asu.edu/profile/2208359

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FqTZawEAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> How do evolutionary behavioral scientists think about the interplay between our psychology and culture? What causes some cultural norms to persist and spread? Do non-Western combatants in war have something like PTSD? In this episode, we explore all of these questions and more with Sarah Mathew (ASU), who talks about her work with the Turkana, and her long-term interest in the interplay between our evolved psychology of cooperation and violence, and the social norms and institutions that push and pull on our evolved psychology. 

 

More about Sarah Mathew:

https://search.asu.edu/profile/2208359

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FqTZawEAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7268 37 full Reasoning and Epistemic Vigilance with Hugo Mercier Reasoning and Epistemic Vigilance with Hugo Mercier https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/hugo-mercier/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/hugo-mercier/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/cab211b8-ac90-3587-8dd0-e083def99ed7 Is the evolved mind prone to believing misinformation? Are people gullible? What is reasoning, anyway? And what is it for? In this episode, we talk all things reasoning with Hugo Mercier (Institute Jean Nicod). If you have an opinion about whether people are reasonable (or not) this episode is for you. 

 

More about Hugo Mercier:

https://sites.google.com/site/hugomercier/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=b3o24EEAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Is the evolved mind prone to believing misinformation? Are people gullible? What is reasoning, anyway? And what is it for? In this episode, we talk all things reasoning with Hugo Mercier (Institute Jean Nicod). If you have an opinion about whether people are reasonable (or not) this episode is for you. 

 

More about Hugo Mercier:

https://sites.google.com/site/hugomercier/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=b3o24EEAAAAJ&hl=en

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 5874 33 full Love and Regret with Cari Goetz Love and Regret with Cari Goetz https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/love-and-regret-with-cari-goetz/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/love-and-regret-with-cari-goetz/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/2d9fc56a-ca6c-3762-9b09-a9b8dab4a5cb What is love? What is regret? What are we missing in our understanding of mating? In this episode we talk to Cari Goetz (Cal State San Bernardino) about the (still largely unexplored) emotions surrounding romance, sex, commitment, and parenting. Topics include: the field's current overemphasis on the early stages of mating, the cultural propaganda surrounding love and related emotions, deliberate ignorance about infidelity, the rehearsal of the social consequences of dating earlier in development, mate ejection strategies, and what love might be at a functional/software level. 

More about Cari Goetz: https://www.csusb.edu/profile/cgoetz

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BIKau3cAAAAJ&hl=en

]]> What is love? What is regret? What are we missing in our understanding of mating? In this episode we talk to Cari Goetz (Cal State San Bernardino) about the (still largely unexplored) emotions surrounding romance, sex, commitment, and parenting. Topics include: the field's current overemphasis on the early stages of mating, the cultural propaganda surrounding love and related emotions, deliberate ignorance about infidelity, the rehearsal of the social consequences of dating earlier in development, mate ejection strategies, and what love might be at a functional/software level. 

More about Cari Goetz:
https://www.csusb.edu/profile/cgoetz

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BIKau3cAAAAJ&hl=en

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6643 35 full Exploitation with Hannes Rusch Exploitation with Hannes Rusch https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/hannes-rusch/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/hannes-rusch/#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/2e718a8d-1d5a-39fb-b996-10c7f2b0aedb 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

 

]]> 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

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7023 32 full Polygamy with Brooke Scelza Polygamy with Brooke Scelza https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/polygyny-with-brooke-schelza/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/polygyny-with-brooke-schelza/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/0f68ac96-c7cf-3657-a328-e272079b44c2 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 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

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6682 34 full Leadership with Zach Garfield Leadership with Zach Garfield https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/zach-garfield/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/zach-garfield/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/7779fc0c-5ff5-3c85-8d4f-1c405edd292d 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/

 

]]> 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/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6362 30 full Cultural Dynamics with Bret Beheim Cultural Dynamics with Bret Beheim https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bret-beheim-reupload/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bret-beheim-reupload/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0800 epthepod.podbean.com/187809ed-116c-361a-b54c-ed5f80c73414 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

 

]]> 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

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7474 31 full Inter-group Relations with Anne Pisor Inter-group Relations with Anne Pisor https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/anne-pisor/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/anne-pisor/#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/05ce569a-70f7-3390-ad78-ddb27e7302d2 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

]]> 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

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6417 26 full Shame, Pride, and Guilt with Daniel Sznycer Shame, Pride, and Guilt with Daniel Sznycer https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/daniel-sznycer/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/daniel-sznycer/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/2c713600-7b51-3e69-995a-2c5913543bdc Why do we feel shame? Is it a useless emotion? Our guest, Daniel Sznycer (Oklahoma State) has been studying "self-conscious" emotions from a functional/evolutionary perspective. If you're curious about why we feel things like shame, pride, guilt, or how an evolutionary approach can she light on understanding our emotions, this episode is for you.  

More about Daniel Sznycer: 

https://sites.google.com/view/sznycerlab/sznycer-lab

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AKHl_vwAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Other links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate_the_Positive#:~:text=For%20other%20uses%2C%20see%20Accentuate,film%20Here%20Come%20the%20Waves.

 

]]> Why do we feel shame? Is it a useless emotion? Our guest, Daniel Sznycer (Oklahoma State) has been studying "self-conscious" emotions from a functional/evolutionary perspective. If you're curious about why we feel things like shame, pride, guilt, or how an evolutionary approach can she light on understanding our emotions, this episode is for you.  

More about Daniel Sznycer: 

https://sites.google.com/view/sznycerlab/sznycer-lab

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AKHl_vwAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Other links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate_the_Positive#:~:text=For%20other%20uses%2C%20see%20Accentuate,film%20Here%20Come%20the%20Waves.

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7470 28 full Evolutionary Psychology and the Law with Keelah Williams Evolutionary Psychology and the Law with Keelah Williams https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/keelah-williams/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/keelah-williams/#comments Tue, 14 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/3f3abb41-1a0c-38b3-82b9-e3c74d4b5975 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

 

]]> 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

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6314 27 full Horror and Morbid Curiosity with Coltan Scrivner Horror and Morbid Curiosity with Coltan Scrivner https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/coltan-scrivner-halloween/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/coltan-scrivner-halloween/#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/56d409ef-c4ba-377f-a2cb-ca8b91a1250b 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/

 

]]> 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/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7565 24 full Cooperative breeding with Karen Kramer Cooperative breeding with Karen Kramer https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/juvenility-cooperative-breeding-and-intergenerational-transfers-with-karen-kramer/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/juvenility-cooperative-breeding-and-intergenerational-transfers-with-karen-kramer/#comments Tue, 30 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/ba2fccc5-ad6d-391b-9154-6edf6bb32ba7 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

]]> 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

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 4574 23 full Belief with Dan Williams Belief with Dan Williams https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/dan-williams/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/dan-williams/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/b5c640c4-f73e-3841-b598-443c2eff1b1c Why do we believe what we believe? And our we aware of why we believe what we believe? And what is a belief anyway? And what should we think of people like Jordan Peterson? We tackle these questions and more in this episode with Dan Williams (Sussex): our first guest representing evolutionary approaches to philosophy. 

 

More about Dan Williams:

https://danwilliamsphilosophy.com/

https://www.conspicuouscognition.com/

 

]]> Why do we believe what we believe? And our we aware of why we believe what we believe? And what is a belief anyway? And what should we think of people like Jordan Peterson? We tackle these questions and more in this episode with Dan Williams (Sussex): our first guest representing evolutionary approaches to philosophy. 

 

More about Dan Williams:

https://danwilliamsphilosophy.com/

https://www.conspicuouscognition.com/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6856 20 full The Evolution of Human Longevity with Mike Gurven The Evolution of Human Longevity with Mike Gurven https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/mike-gurven-need-titledescription/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/mike-gurven-need-titledescription/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/e25e767d-c907-30d0-b897-03a579e2649d Did we evolve to live long lives? Is heart disease a human universal? In this episode, we talk to Mike Gurven (UCSB), who has run a number of large-scale studies on the life and health of non-Western populations (among much, much more). And now, he has a new book out (Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer) summarizing the big picture of what we've learned so far! 

 

More about Mike Gurven:

https://www.anth.ucsb.edu/people/michael-gurven

https://gurven.anth.ucsb.edu/

 

More about the book (Mike is the real deal, so we are happy to plug his book!):

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691231990/seven-decades

Enter code (PUP30 for a discount)

https://www.target.com/p/seven-decades-by-michael-d-gurven-hardcover/-/A-94306245

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Decades-Evolved-Live-Longer/dp/0691231990/ref=sr_1_1

 

]]> Did we evolve to live long lives? Is heart disease a human universal? In this episode, we talk to Mike Gurven (UCSB), who has run a number of large-scale studies on the life and health of non-Western populations (among much, much more). And now, he has a new book out (Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer) summarizing the big picture of what we've learned so far! 

 

More about Mike Gurven:

https://www.anth.ucsb.edu/people/michael-gurven

https://gurven.anth.ucsb.edu/

 

More about the book (Mike is the real deal, so we are happy to plug his book!):

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691231990/seven-decades

Enter code (PUP30 for a discount)

https://www.target.com/p/seven-decades-by-michael-d-gurven-hardcover/-/A-94306245

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Decades-Evolved-Live-Longer/dp/0691231990/ref=sr_1_1

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6754 22 full Language and Communication with Thom Scott-Phillips Language and Communication with Thom Scott-Phillips https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-18-thom-scott-phillips-needs-titledescription/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-18-thom-scott-phillips-needs-titledescription/#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:01:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/a4a7047c-6af3-33c5-a4f9-cb61f5ed5d8a What do the lindy hop, ostensive communication, and the evolution of language all have in common? Thom Scott-Phillips! In this episode, we discuss if language is an adaptation, why art museums have that certain vibe, the theory crisis in the behavioral sciences, the state of scientific publishing, and why Thom loves the lindy hop. 

 

More about Thom Scott-Phillips:

https://www.thomscottphillips.com/

 

]]> What do the lindy hop, ostensive communication, and the evolution of language all have in common? Thom Scott-Phillips! In this episode, we discuss if language is an adaptation, why art museums have that certain vibe, the theory crisis in the behavioral sciences, the state of scientific publishing, and why Thom loves the lindy hop. 

 

More about Thom Scott-Phillips:

https://www.thomscottphillips.com/

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 5905 18 full The Evolutionary Psychology of Humor The Evolutionary Psychology of Humor https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-16-humor-w-pinsoff/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-16-humor-w-pinsoff/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/b83e7489-f962-3926-b7cb-a40c7199eff2 Humor is one of the great puzzles of evolutionary psychology. Co-host David Pinsof (UCLA) presents the coordinating “mix-up” hypothesis of humor, in which….well, you’ll have to listen to find out. By Dave’s account, it is one of the best accounts of the psychology of humor out there (but what do we know?) Content warning: this episode does contain humor (or at least attempts at it).

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Humor is one of the great puzzles of evolutionary psychology. Co-host David Pinsof (UCLA) presents the coordinating “mix-up” hypothesis of humor, in which….well, you’ll have to listen to find out. By Dave’s account, it is one of the best accounts of the psychology of humor out there (but what do we know?) Content warning: this episode does contain humor (or at least attempts at it).

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6351 16 full Plants, Infants, and the Evolution of Social Learning with Annie Wertz Plants, Infants, and the Evolution of Social Learning with Annie Wertz https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/developmental-psych-and-plants-with-annie-wertz/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/developmental-psych-and-plants-with-annie-wertz/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/084f69fb-f348-3143-a1c3-79867e0af950 Plants are mini chemical weapon factories! Learning and evolution are not opposed! This week, Annie Wertz (UCSB) joins us to describe her groundbreaking world on the evolutionary psychology of what babies know about plants, and how infants selectively use social information to guide their interactions with them. A lovely example of how adopting an evolutionary perspective inspires new areas of research, and a good example of how evolution builds learning mechanisms. 

 

More about Annie Wertz: 

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/annie-e-wertz

https://lilac.psych.ucsb.edu/

]]> Plants are mini chemical weapon factories! Learning and evolution are not opposed! This week, Annie Wertz (UCSB) joins us to describe her groundbreaking world on the evolutionary psychology of what babies know about plants, and how infants selectively use social information to guide their interactions with them. A lovely example of how adopting an evolutionary perspective inspires new areas of research, and a good example of how evolution builds learning mechanisms. 

 

More about Annie Wertz: 

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/annie-e-wertz

https://lilac.psych.ucsb.edu/

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7082 17 full Cooperation with Pat Barclay Cooperation with Pat Barclay https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-cooperation-with-pat-barclay/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-cooperation-with-pat-barclay/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/3f0477c2-c436-3287-95cc-33ab0a86f750 Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins us to discuss his work solving the mysteries of the evolution of cooperation. Pat is a wonderful human being and an exceptional scientist, whose work is at the forefront of understanding how and why we solve the problem of cooperation as a species. 

More about Pat Barclay: 

http://patbarclay.com/ 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins us to discuss his work solving the mysteries of the evolution of cooperation. Pat is a wonderful human being and an exceptional scientist, whose work is at the forefront of understanding how and why we solve the problem of cooperation as a species. 

More about Pat Barclay: 

http://patbarclay.com/ 


More about David Pinsof: 


https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/


https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 


https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6907 9 full Drugs, Delusions, and Depression with Ed Hagen Drugs, Delusions, and Depression with Ed Hagen https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/drug-use-delusions-and-depression-with-ed-hagen/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/drug-use-delusions-and-depression-with-ed-hagen/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/930453df-6489-31a5-8540-4b813ad4be04 Why would a mind ever be delusional or depressed, and can we understand these as functional or maladaptive outcomes? Why do humans take drugs, and why do plants make them in the first place? (And why might the answer to the second question also answer the first?) Join us on a fun, wide-ranging conversation with guest Ed Hagen (Washington State, Vancouver) one of evolutionary psychology’s most encyclopedic minds. 

 

More about Ed Hagen:

https://anthro.vancouver.wsu.edu/people/hagen/

https://blog.edhagen.net/

 

Evolutionary Psychology FAQ:

https://grasshoppermouse.github.io/evpsychfaq/

 

More about David Pinsof:  https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski:  https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Why would a mind ever be delusional or depressed, and can we understand these as functional or maladaptive outcomes? Why do humans take drugs, and why do plants make them in the first place? (And why might the answer to the second question also answer the first?) Join us on a fun, wide-ranging conversation with guest Ed Hagen (Washington State, Vancouver) one of evolutionary psychology’s most encyclopedic minds. 

 

More about Ed Hagen:

https://anthro.vancouver.wsu.edu/people/hagen/

https://blog.edhagen.net/

 

Evolutionary Psychology FAQ:

https://grasshoppermouse.github.io/evpsychfaq/

 

More about David Pinsof: 
https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 
https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof true No 7220 15 full Conspiracy Theories and Group Boundaries with Cristina Moya Conspiracy Theories and Group Boundaries with Cristina Moya https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/group-boundaries-and-conspiracy-theories-with-cristina-moya/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/group-boundaries-and-conspiracy-theories-with-cristina-moya/#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/e8fe27fa-65a8-306f-a6ec-c73b0da5146d Guest Cristina Moya (UC Davis) is one of our favorite evolutionary behavioral scientists. In this episode, we discuss her work in Peru on ethnolinguistic group boundaries, why we all believe crazy things, and what the lay of the land is in the evolutionary behavioral sciences. 

 

More about Cristina Moya:

https://sites.google.com/site/cristinasolermoya/pubs?authuser=0

https://anthropology.ucdavis.edu/people/cristina-moya

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Guest Cristina Moya (UC Davis) is one of our favorite evolutionary behavioral scientists. In this episode, we discuss her work in Peru on ethnolinguistic group boundaries, why we all believe crazy things, and what the lay of the land is in the evolutionary behavioral sciences. 

 

More about Cristina Moya:

https://sites.google.com/site/cristinasolermoya/pubs?authuser=0

https://anthropology.ucdavis.edu/people/cristina-moya

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7264 14 full Thoughtful Warriors with Brenda Bowser Thoughtful Warriors with Brenda Bowser https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/thoughtful-warriors-with-brenda-bowser/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/thoughtful-warriors-with-brenda-bowser/#comments Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/520b979b-30f6-3216-967e-10679716666e Guest Brenda Bowser (CalState Fullerton) recounts a life spent studying conflict and politics in Canambo, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, with her late husband and colleague John Q. Patton. Brenda shares first and second hand accounts of incredible events (including death by phantasm), and how she thinks about status, violence, and conflict, and how these relate to our connections with others. One of our most memorable episodes! 

 

More about Brenda Bowser:

https://anthro.fullerton.edu/People/BrendaBowser.aspx

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-amazonian-house/

 

More about John Q. Patton:

https://news.fullerton.edu/2024/11/anthropology-scholars-students-host-symposium-to-honor-late-professor/

https://anthro.fullerton.edu/People/JohnPatton.aspx

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NkJttDkP2ZID-a7HSgUNzIfSOlMnQ51I/view?usp=drive_link

 

John Q. Patton Memorial Symposium: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KRRcx00RJmWI6VKcwGs8ms29lRNnP-5oY6VIPqeEkNg/edit?tab=t.0

 

 

]]> Guest Brenda Bowser (CalState Fullerton) recounts a life spent studying conflict and politics in Canambo, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, with her late husband and colleague John Q. Patton. Brenda shares first and second hand accounts of incredible events (including death by phantasm), and how she thinks about status, violence, and conflict, and how these relate to our connections with others. One of our most memorable episodes! 

 

More about Brenda Bowser:

https://anthro.fullerton.edu/People/BrendaBowser.aspx

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-amazonian-house/

 

More about John Q. Patton:

https://news.fullerton.edu/2024/11/anthropology-scholars-students-host-symposium-to-honor-late-professor/

https://anthro.fullerton.edu/People/JohnPatton.aspx

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NkJttDkP2ZID-a7HSgUNzIfSOlMnQ51I/view?usp=drive_link

 

John Q. Patton Memorial Symposium:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KRRcx00RJmWI6VKcwGs8ms29lRNnP-5oY6VIPqeEkNg/edit?tab=t.0

 

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof true No 8565 13 full Egalitarianism in the Amazon with Chris Von Rueden Egalitarianism in the Amazon with Chris Von Rueden https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/egalitarianism-in-the-amazon-with-chris-von-rueden/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/egalitarianism-in-the-amazon-with-chris-von-rueden/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/5282da36-5a11-33b2-9aca-6d200a0824e8 Egalitarianism is not what you think it is! Guest Chris Von Rueden (URichmond) has wrapped his head around what egalitarianism is and shares his insights and what he’s learned living with and studying the Tsimane, hunter horticulturists in the Bolivian rainforest. TL;DR: How to make a more just society requires respecting the complexity of our evolved psychology. 

More about Chris Von Rueden: https://sites.google.com/site/chrisvonrueden/home

Tsimane Health and Life History Project: https://tsimane.anth.ucsb.edu/

More about David Pinsof:  https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

More about Dave Pietraszewski:  https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Egalitarianism is not what you think it is! Guest Chris Von Rueden (URichmond) has wrapped his head around what egalitarianism is and shares his insights and what he’s learned living with and studying the Tsimane, hunter horticulturists in the Bolivian rainforest. TL;DR: How to make a more just society requires respecting the complexity of our evolved psychology. 

More about Chris Von Rueden:
https://sites.google.com/site/chrisvonrueden/home

Tsimane Health and Life History Project:
https://tsimane.anth.ucsb.edu/

More about David Pinsof: 
https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 
https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7079 12 full Disgust, Morality, and Kinship with Deb Lieberman Disgust, Morality, and Kinship with Deb Lieberman https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/disgust-morality-and-kinship-with-deb-lieberman/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/disgust-morality-and-kinship-with-deb-lieberman/#comments Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/02856aef-514b-3ef2-a8d9-84d7ee9b0e1f Why do we appeal to disgust when we moralize, and why do we moralize what we find disgusting? Guest Deb Lieberman (UMiami) explains why our human propensity to gang up on others may be driving a lot of our moral sentiments, and why she gets uncomfortable when people appeal to disgust to argue for what is right and wrong. 

 

More about Debra Lieberman: 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OhbXo2kAAAAJ&hl=en

https://people.miami.edu/profile/820e96aef57fc53a0625013a86f7ecee

https://www.amazon.com/Objection-Disgust-Morality-Debra-Lieberman/dp/0190491299

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Why do we appeal to disgust when we moralize, and why do we moralize what we find disgusting? Guest Deb Lieberman (UMiami) explains why our human propensity to gang up on others may be driving a lot of our moral sentiments, and why she gets uncomfortable when people appeal to disgust to argue for what is right and wrong. 

 

More about Debra Lieberman: 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OhbXo2kAAAAJ&hl=en

https://people.miami.edu/profile/820e96aef57fc53a0625013a86f7ecee

https://www.amazon.com/Objection-Disgust-Morality-Debra-Lieberman/dp/0190491299

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 9100 11 full Terrorism, Drag Queens, and International Humanitarian Law with Michael Moncrieff Terrorism, Drag Queens, and International Humanitarian Law with Michael Moncrieff https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/terrorism-drag-queens-and-international-humanitarian-law-with-michael-moncrieff/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/terrorism-drag-queens-and-international-humanitarian-law-with-michael-moncrieff/#comments Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/31a8e6be-6b95-3a91-a004-48962c57c432 From offering the UN insights into the psychology of terrorists to interviewing victims of war-torn Croatia, guest Michael Moncrieff has seen a lot of life and yet remains hopeful. Dave wonders aloud why we are so blind to the civilian impacts of war and David and Michael discuss predatory rationality. Michael explains the history of the drag-queen phenomenon from an evolutionary psychological perspective. 

 

More about Michael Moncrieff:

 

https://www.michaelmoncrieff.com/

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> From offering the UN insights into the psychology of terrorists to interviewing victims of war-torn Croatia, guest Michael Moncrieff has seen a lot of life and yet remains hopeful. Dave wonders aloud why we are so blind to the civilian impacts of war and David and Michael discuss predatory rationality. Michael explains the history of the drag-queen phenomenon from an evolutionary psychological perspective. 

 

More about Michael Moncrieff:

 

https://www.michaelmoncrieff.com/

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6829 10 full Bonus: Dave & David (and guest Pat Barclay) Read Some Reviews Bonus: Dave & David (and guest Pat Barclay) Read Some Reviews https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bonus-dave-david-and-guest-pat-barclay-read-some-reviews/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/bonus-dave-david-and-guest-pat-barclay-read-some-reviews/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/7cff21c1-079a-33e1-aad3-3c97b30fd02e Dave and David read a review of the podcast, and future guest Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins them for a second reading. Topics include why it may be good to be skeptical of high production values, and the tradeoff between focusing on basic research findings versus their broader implications.

]]> Dave and David read a review of the podcast, and future guest Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins them for a second reading. Topics include why it may be good to be skeptical of high production values, and the tradeoff between focusing on basic research findings versus their broader implications.

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 1036 8 full Examples of Good Evolutionary Psychology Examples of Good Evolutionary Psychology https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/good-evolutionary-psychology/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/good-evolutionary-psychology/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/6f765d2f-d8a2-3060-a230-7db1823332e0 Dave and David move beyond the controversies to explain—and give examples of—evolutionary psychology done well. Topics covered include the science of racial categorization and why we get angry. If you’re looking for examples of novel insights in evolutionary psychology, this episode is for you. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave and David move beyond the controversies to explain—and give examples of—evolutionary psychology done well. Topics covered include the science of racial categorization and why we get angry. If you’re looking for examples of novel insights in evolutionary psychology, this episode is for you. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 8316 7 full Childhood in the Congo Basin with Sheina Lew-Levy Childhood in the Congo Basin with Sheina Lew-Levy https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/childhood-in-the-congo-basin-with-sheina-lew-levy/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/childhood-in-the-congo-basin-with-sheina-lew-levy/#comments Tue, 24 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/caefc621-89bd-387d-b12e-1bff68b79b56 Helicopter parenting is not a human universal! Guest Sheina Lew-Levy (Durham) explains what drew her to studying childhood among BaYaka foragers in the Congo Basin, and what parenting and childhood is like there and how this helps us understand who we are and what we need growing up. In this episode we also cover why field anthropologists are bad*ss and how, for David, “roughing it” involves staying at a 3-star hotel without room-service. 

 

More about Sheina Lew-Levy: 

 

https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sheina-lew-levy/

 

https://sites.google.com/view/sheinalewlevy/home

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Helicopter parenting is not a human universal! Guest Sheina Lew-Levy (Durham) explains what drew her to studying childhood among BaYaka foragers in the Congo Basin, and what parenting and childhood is like there and how this helps us understand who we are and what we need growing up. In this episode we also cover why field anthropologists are bad*ss and how, for David, “roughing it” involves staying at a 3-star hotel without room-service. 

 

More about Sheina Lew-Levy: 

 

https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sheina-lew-levy/

 

https://sites.google.com/view/sheinalewlevy/home

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 6775 6 full Friendship with Jaimie Krems Friendship with Jaimie Krems https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/friendship-with-jaimie-krems/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/friendship-with-jaimie-krems/#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/1348672c-da6f-3be2-9095-2f83af51b089 Why is the study of friendship so lonely, and what makes Philadelphia Philly? Guest Jaimie Krems (UCLA) explains why friendship is a blindspot in science, and why she has no advice to give you if you’re feeling lonely (we’re only half-kidding). If you do want friends, don’t want friends, or have friends, you should listen to this episode. 

More about Jaimie Krems: 

 

UCLA Social Minds Lab

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Why is the study of friendship so lonely, and what makes Philadelphia Philly? Guest Jaimie Krems (UCLA) explains why friendship is a blindspot in science, and why she has no advice to give you if you’re feeling lonely (we’re only half-kidding). If you do want friends, don’t want friends, or have friends, you should listen to this episode. 

More about Jaimie Krems: 

 

UCLA Social Minds Lab

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7311 5 full Mating with Daniel Conroy-Beam Mating with Daniel Conroy-Beam https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/mating-with-daniel-conroy-beam/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/mating-with-daniel-conroy-beam/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/5e98124e-cfb0-34d8-9b2d-d3a153b74c87 Guest Daniel Conroy-Beam (UCSB) explains why human mating has occupied the interest of evolutionary psychologists, what consequences this has had on science, and how things might be done better. If you want to understand the science behind why we prefer certain other people to bonk, don’t listen to this episode (we’re kidding, this is exactly what Dan studies). 

 

More about Daniel Conroy-Beam: 

 

Computational Mate Choice @ UCSB

 

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/daniel-conroy-beam 

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Guest Daniel Conroy-Beam (UCSB) explains why human mating has occupied the interest of evolutionary psychologists, what consequences this has had on science, and how things might be done better. If you want to understand the science behind why we prefer certain other people to bonk, don’t listen to this episode (we’re kidding, this is exactly what Dan studies). 

 

More about Daniel Conroy-Beam: 

 

Computational Mate Choice @ UCSB

 

https://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/daniel-conroy-beam 

 

More about David Pinsof: 

 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

 

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski



]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7091 4 full Controversies in Evolutionary Psychology Controversies in Evolutionary Psychology https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/controversies-in-evolutionary-psychology/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/controversies-in-evolutionary-psychology/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/ff85783b-2eba-3b65-ba8f-acbd5c652110 Dave and David plunge (or dip a toe) into the controversies surrounding evolutionary psychology and try to make a good-faith effort, while not suffering fools (or internet trolls) lightly. 

Listen through to the end of this one. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave and David plunge (or dip a toe) into the controversies surrounding evolutionary psychology and try to make a good-faith effort, while not suffering fools (or internet trolls) lightly. 

Listen through to the end of this one. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

]]> Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof false No 7288 3 full Basement Cults Basement Cults https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-2-basement-cults/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/episode-2-basement-cults/#comments Tue, 27 May 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/bfbd98ff-f321-3ace-a9af-c0e10a3e9171 Co-host Dave Pietraszewski explains how he learned to love evolutionary psychology despite hating it at first, why attending basement cults as a child in upstate New York wasn’t all bad, really, and why he thinks understanding the human mind will require eventually understanding the evolutionary psychology of psychologists. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

Things mentioned this Episode: 

Dave & Annie Wertz’s Modularity Paper

Planetary Regression

Dave’s How our intuitive psychology shapes our science paper

Wayne Wu's paper on attention

Music by David Pinsof

Produced by Naomi Monahan-Miller

 

]]> Co-host Dave Pietraszewski explains how he learned to love evolutionary psychology despite hating it at first, why attending basement cults as a child in upstate New York wasn’t all bad, really, and why he thinks understanding the human mind will require eventually understanding the evolutionary psychology of psychologists. 

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

Things mentioned this Episode: 

Dave & Annie Wertz’s Modularity Paper

Planetary Regression

Dave’s How our intuitive psychology shapes our science paper

Wayne Wu's paper on attention

Music by David Pinsof

Produced by Naomi Monahan-Miller

 

]]> pietra false No 7773 2 full Is Evolutionary Psychology Bulls**t? Is Evolutionary Psychology Bulls**t? https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/1/ https://epthepod.podbean.com/e/1/#comments Tue, 20 May 2025 05:00:00 -0700 epthepod.podbean.com/472f577d-688d-38ad-b269-ada89fc6f669 Co-host David Pinsof explains how he discovered evolutionary psychology, why it might not be bulls**t, and why we hate status-seekers (most of the time). Since this is our first episode and it’s been a while, there may be other stuff in this episode, but we don’t remember what it is.

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

Things mentioned this Episode: 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology: Publication List

Matrix Scene

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

Status is a Four-Letter Word Paper

David’s Politics as Alliances Paper 

David’s Social Paradoxes Paper

Dave & Annie Wertz’s Modularity Paper

Music by David Pinsof

Produced by Naomi Monahan-Miller

]]> Co-host David Pinsof explains how he discovered evolutionary psychology, why it might not be bulls**t, and why we hate status-seekers (most of the time). Since this is our first episode and it’s been a while, there may be other stuff in this episode, but we don’t remember what it is.

 

More about Evolutionary Psychology 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer”

 

More about David Pinsof: 

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

https://www.kremslab.com/people

 

More about Dave Pietraszewski: 

https://cal.psych.ucsb.edu/david-pietraszewski

 

Things mentioned this Episode: 

The Center for Evolutionary Psychology: Publication List

Matrix Scene

https://www.everythingisbullshit.blog/

Status is a Four-Letter Word Paper

David’s Politics as Alliances Paper 

David’s Social Paradoxes Paper

Dave & Annie Wertz’s Modularity Paper


Music by David Pinsof

Produced by Naomi Monahan-Miller

]]> Evolutionary Psychology The Podcat true No 6981 1 1 full