David W Lawson
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davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson
@davidwlawson.bsky.social
1.5K followers 200 following 79 posts

Professor of Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara
Applied Evolutionary Anthropology Lab 🌍🌏🌎
Human Behavioral Ecology
Global Health, Family, Gender Norms 🏳️‍🌈
aea-lab.com

Videos
Psychology 35%
Medicine 15%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by David W. Lawson

epthepod.bsky.social
Evolutionary Psychology (the podcast) @epthepod.bsky.social · 10d
This week, we talk to Sara Mathew about the psychology of killing, PTSD, and the relationship between our evolved psychology and cultural evolution.
youtu.be/mgDerXD0djI
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-qypm9...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Culture, Killing, and PTSD with Sarah Mathew
YouTube video by Evolutionary Psychology (The Podcast)
youtu.be

Reposted by David W. Lawson

jolindevlaeyen.bsky.social
Jolinde Vlaeyen @jolindevlaeyen.bsky.social · 10d
My first PhD paper is published! 🎉 We compared how wild bonobo and chimpanzee infants (0-5.5y) become independent from their mothers. Here is the open-access link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

🧵(1/5)
Great Ape Childhoods: Social and Spatial Pathways to Independence in Bonobo and Chimpanzee Infants
onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Márk E. Hauber, David W. Lawson

asab-meetings.bsky.social
ASAB Spring 2026 @asab-meetings.bsky.social · 10d
Congratulations to Hanna Kokko for receiving this year’s ASAB medal! Hanna has done extraordinary work and we are so pleased to honour her at #ASABWinter2025
Hanna posing with tthe medal with ASAB president Melissa

Reposted by David W. Lawson

acerbialberto.com
Alberto Acerbi @acerbialberto.com · 10d
Work (also) with me!

Two years postdoc in the @weaponisedpasts.bsky.social project, based in Edinburgh. Will do transmission chain experiments to understand the spread of heritage-based hostility, online and elsewhere.

More info
⬇️⬇️⬇️
chiara-bonacchi.bsky.social Chiara Bonacchi @chiara-bonacchi.bsky.social · 10d
📣 PDRA JOB (2 Years, full-time) based in Psychology, @schoolofppls.bsky.social: We are hiring a Post-doctoral Research Associate, to work on Strand B (experimental) of our @weaponisedpasts.bsky.social project, generously funded by @leverhulme.ac.uk.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Ian Hussey, Jonathan Hopkin , and 2 more

jayvanbavel.bsky.social
Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · 11d
A new PNAS paper finds that polarization increased immediately after the invention of smartphones and the advent of social media, which both appeared around the same year, 2008.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

acerbialberto.com
Alberto Acerbi @acerbialberto.com · 12d
"misinformation is widespread in biological systems spanning levels of organization, and [...] is probably an inevitable property that inherits from fundamental constraints on biological communication systems, rather than a pathology"
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article...
A brief natural history of misinformation
Abstract. The idea that organisms benefit by acquiring information through social connections is a cornerstone of our understanding of social evolution and
royalsocietypublishing.org

davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson @davidwlawson.bsky.social · 12d
I miss London!

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Daniel S. Goldberg, Alan Richardson , and 3 more

roxanegay.bsky.social
Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 12d
Each semester I go in my classroom and I try to figure out what we would use to block the doors, if it would be safe to crawl out the windows, where we could hide if there was a mass shooter in campus. It’s such an indictment of this country how we have normalized these preventable tragedies.

Reposted by David W. Lawson

royalsocietypublishing.org
Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 13d
In this blog post, Guest Editor @rachkendal.bsky.social discusses their #PhilTransB issue, 'Transforming cultural evolution research and its application to global futures': royalsociety.org/blog/2025/12...

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

gillianrbrown1.bsky.social
Prof. Gillian Brown @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social · 13d
🚨New article on gender differences (Rajasekhar et al 2025): 'self-reported empathy appears to be related to social desirability and broader social attitudes, which suggests that a range of cultural and social factors might contribute to gender differences in empathy'. 🧪

dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Gender difference in self-reported empathy: Effects of task instructions and exposure to gender essentialism primes
Women often score higher on average than men on self-report measures of empathy. However, self-report estimates of empathic tendencies and other attributes could be susceptible to a range of biases. F...
dx.plos.org

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

kevinlala.bsky.social
Kevin Lala @kevinlala.bsky.social · 14d
Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives.

– a new book about how to decolonize the curriculum, by Adeela ahmed Shafi et al.

www.emerald.com/books/edited...

Here is our chapter:

Reposted by David W. Lawson

humbehevosoc.bsky.social
Human Behavior & Evolution Society @humbehevosoc.bsky.social · 15d
New special issues in Philosophical Transactions B highlight advances in cultural evolution and why they matter for challenges like inequality, cooperation, conservation, and education.
🔹 Transforming cultural evolution research and its application to global futures
🖇️👇
Volume 380 Issue 1940 | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B | The Royal Society
Influential themed journal issues across the life sciences.
royalsocietypublishing.org

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

royalsocietypublishing.org
Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 15d
This new issue of #PhilTransB expands the field of cultural #evolution and shows why it matters for today’s biggest challenges. It highlights research funded by the @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social's Transformation Fund, which focused on #DEI: royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/issue/3...

Reposted by David W. Lawson

drtwymanghoshal.bsky.social
Dr Anamika Twyman-Ghoshal @drtwymanghoshal.bsky.social · 15d
Our upcoming book will be out TOMORROW:
'Innovations in Decolonising the Curriculum: Multidisciplinary Perspectives'

bookstore.emerald.com/innovations-...

Reposted by Ruth Mace, Rebecca Sear, Jean‐Baptiste André , and 1 more

jeannebovet.bsky.social
Jeanne Bovet @jeannebovet.bsky.social · 15d
Don’t forget to submit your #EHBEA2026 abstract before Dec 15! See you in beautiful Leiden in April! @ehbea2026.bsky.social @ehbea.bsky.social

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

psmaldino.bsky.social
Paul Smaldino @psmaldino.bsky.social · 16d
Super proud of this paper with @apvelilla.bsky.social and @babeheim.bsky.social, now out in Psych Review.

Non-paywalled version (preprint) here: osf.io/preprints/so...
sfiscience.bsky.social Santa Fe Institute @sfiscience.bsky.social · 16d
How likely are you to invest in a new business? Ask your partner to marry you? Move to a new country?

A new model by SFI External Professor Paul Smaldino and colleagues explains how wealth, experience, and environment shape our risk tolerance — and how those effects persist across generations.
Personal risk tolerance has sweeping implications for how societies evolve
How much risk is any individual willing to take on? That depends, in part, on their individual resources and environment, which shape the learning strategies that influence their personal proclivity t...
www.santafe.edu

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Paul E. Smaldino, David W. Lawson

sfiscience.bsky.social
Santa Fe Institute @sfiscience.bsky.social · 16d
How likely are you to invest in a new business? Ask your partner to marry you? Move to a new country?

A new model by SFI External Professor Paul Smaldino and colleagues explains how wealth, experience, and environment shape our risk tolerance — and how those effects persist across generations.
Personal risk tolerance has sweeping implications for how societies evolve
How much risk is any individual willing to take on? That depends, in part, on their individual resources and environment, which shape the learning strategies that influence their personal proclivity t...
www.santafe.edu

davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson @davidwlawson.bsky.social · 16d
End of quarter vibes.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Rebecca Sear

davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson @davidwlawson.bsky.social · 21d
Was great to contribute to this conversation about advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the evolutionary behavioral sciences. Still a LONG way to go, but I'm optimistic things are moving in the right direction.

royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/article...
Advancing equity in collaborative research: reflections from the Cultural Evolution Society Transformation Fund
Abstract. As the field of cultural evolution marks its fiftieth anniversary, it has an opportunity not only to evolve in theory and scope, but also in ethi
royalsocietypublishing.org

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, Paul E. Smaldino, Alex Mesoudi

davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson @davidwlawson.bsky.social · 21d
Excited to get this paper published! 🌟

We argue that men exaggerate patriarchal beliefs in an effort to signal conformity to others, which in turn fuels misperceptions about peers - making patriarchal norms resistant to change.

royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/article...

Reposted by David W. Lawson

rebeccasear.bsky.social
Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 21d
"This Issue stems from the Cultural Evolution Society Transformation Fund, designed to bridge the social & natural sciences, promote equity, diversity & inclusion & support work with policy relevance. This diversification of the CE field strengthens its capacity to positively shape global futures"

Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill, Rebecca Sear, Alex Mesoudi , and 2 more

rachkendal.bsky.social
Rachel Kendal @rachkendal.bsky.social · 22d
Today sees the publication of the Theme Issue featuring the CES Transformation Fund grant scheme. Enjoy! royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/issue/3...
@durhamdcerc.bsky.social @durhamanthropology.bsky.social @cultevolfunding.bsky.social @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social
Picture of front cover of Theme Issue entitled "Transforming cultural evolution research and its application to global futures." The image on the front cover is of a Yao honey hunter in Mozambique holding retrieved honeycomb.

Reposted by David W. Lawson

siobhancully.bsky.social
Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼 @siobhancully.bsky.social · 23d
We are hiring a postdoc in the evolveD lab (evolvedlab.net) at Rutgers University. The remit is broad. We are looking for innovation, passion, and ethical collaboration. Please share the ad and email/ DM w/ Qs. We will start reviewing applications January 5.
Home | Evolve D Lab
evolvedlab.net

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, Martin Lang, David W. Lawson

brunelcce.bsky.social
Centre for Culture and Evolution @brunelcce.bsky.social · 24d
1/ 🧵 New PNAS paper by CCE’s @michealdebarra.bsky.social @aiyanakoka.bsky.social with Angel V Jiménez and Nachita Rosun🎉

📄 Why do people turn to religious or supernatural cures?
🧪🏺

#evolpsy #evolanth #evolutionarybehaviouralsciences #culturalevolution
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org

davidwlawson.bsky.social
David W Lawson @davidwlawson.bsky.social · 24d
This is a really great interview.

Inspired me to add a Machine Culture lecture to my Cultural Evolution course.

Reposted by Michelle Kelly‐Irving, David W. Lawson

uossocstatdemo.bsky.social
UoS Social Statistics and Demography @uossocstatdemo.bsky.social · 24d
The Department of Social Statistics and Demography at the University of Southampton is seeking candidates to apply for fully funded PhD positions through the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP; @scdtp.bsky.social).

🗓️ Deadline for 2026/27 entry: 16 January 2026, 16:00 GMT

More info ⬇️
Graphic advertising fully funded PhD studentships in Social Statistics and Demography at the University of Southampton, funded through the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP). Background image shows the Highfield campus at night. The text highlights: Application deadline: 16 January 2026, 16:00 GMT Research supervision areas: family and social demography, population and global health, migration and demographic modelling, statistical methodology, official statistics and survey methods Funding routes: 1+3.5 MSc + PhD (with Research-in-Practice placement) +3.5 PhD only (with placement) +4.5 interdisciplinary route (with placement) For details and how to apply: bit.ly/48u1cEa Contact: Dr Liliana Andriano – L.Andriano@soton.ac.uk Logos: University of Southampton and South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SC.DTP).

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

mammalssuck.bsky.social
Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · 25d
to say something about "celebrating science" in the age of AI & current political context.

EVEN THOUGH I HAD OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO DO THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

mammalssuck.blogspot.com/2025/11/if-y...
If you like milk science...
<dusts off the ol’ blog> On Thanksgiving, a Facebook “human interest story pages” dropped an essay about mother’s milk and me as a milk rese...
mammalssuck.blogspot.com

Reposted by Rebecca Sear, David W. Lawson

alexmesoudi.com
Alex Mesoudi @alexmesoudi.com · 27d
Working my way slowly through the @manymindspod.bsky.social back catalogue. This one with @iyadrahwan.bsky.social is really good on a cultural evolution analysis of machine / digital culture

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
The rise of machine culture
Podcast Episode · Many Minds · 31/10/2024 · 1h 20m
podcasts.apple.com

Reposted by David W. Lawson

siobhancully.bsky.social
Siobhán Cully 🇺🇸 🐱🥼🤓🩼 @siobhancully.bsky.social · 29d
Many of you are aware that NSF has terminated DDRIs for anthropologists and archaeologists. This is obviously a blow to these fields. It means we need to be proactive in revising expectations and training programs. This sort of thing reminds us again how important it is to be able to pivot.

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Tanja Gabriele Baudson, Lesley A. Hall , and 4 more

rebeccasear.bsky.social
Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · Nov 26
Retraction Watch has covered the problem of the “national IQ” database. Should be noted I’m far from alone in working to remove these publications. The spreadsheet of pubs which use NIQ - linked to in the article - was started by @kohngregory.bsky.social; a project also worked on by Cathryn Townsend