Hugo Mercier
@hugoreasoning.bsky.social
Evolutionary and cognitive psychologist. Author, Not Born Yesterday (http://tinyurl.com/yyh929ns), The Enigma of Reason (http://tinyurl.com/6hbpn84).
Interesting megastudy on the (in)effectiveness of climate messaging: tiny effects on attitudes, no effects on donation www.nature.com/articles/s41...
"Persuasiveness varied little across party lines", another win for Persuasion in Parallel @aecoppock.bsky.social
"Persuasiveness varied little across party lines", another win for Persuasion in Parallel @aecoppock.bsky.social
A registered report megastudy on the persuasiveness of the most-cited climate messages - Nature Climate Change
How to effectively communicate climate change to the public has long been studied and debated. Through a registered report megastudy, researchers tested the ten most-cited climate change messaging str...
www.nature.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Interesting megastudy on the (in)effectiveness of climate messaging: tiny effects on attitudes, no effects on donation www.nature.com/articles/s41...
"Persuasiveness varied little across party lines", another win for Persuasion in Parallel @aecoppock.bsky.social
"Persuasiveness varied little across party lines", another win for Persuasion in Parallel @aecoppock.bsky.social
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
The Kinsley gaffe to end all Kinsley gaffes
Copy Editing Matters, from HHS's release on the new childhood vaccine schedule: All the diseases will still be available to anyone who wants them
January 6, 2026 at 2:21 AM
The Kinsley gaffe to end all Kinsley gaffes
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
This week, we talk to Léo Fetuchi about the moralization of self-control and the lack thereof.
youtu.be/duLUU9e0i0k
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-99f5i...
youtu.be/duLUU9e0i0k
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-99f5i...
Moralizing Self-Control with Léo Fetuchi
YouTube video by Evolutionary Psychology (The Podcast)
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 2:05 PM
This week, we talk to Léo Fetuchi about the moralization of self-control and the lack thereof.
youtu.be/duLUU9e0i0k
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-99f5i...
youtu.be/duLUU9e0i0k
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-99f5i...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
🚨Excited to share our new paper published in PNAS (joint with @yamilrvelez.bsky.social and Don Green)! AI can enhance political knowledge and provide balanced information about politics with proper guardrails and vetted sources (e.g., party platforms).
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
December 8, 2025 at 9:40 PM
🚨Excited to share our new paper published in PNAS (joint with @yamilrvelez.bsky.social and Don Green)! AI can enhance political knowledge and provide balanced information about politics with proper guardrails and vetted sources (e.g., party platforms).
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
"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...
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
December 14, 2025 at 6:36 AM
"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...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Why do humans have linguistic intuition? And why should you care?
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
Why Do Humans Have Linguistic Intuition?
| Cadernos de Linguística
cadernos.abralin.org
December 15, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Why do humans have linguistic intuition? And why should you care?
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Woah.
Argentina's 1990s preschool expansion program appears to have been a smashing success.
The program increased high school completion by a whole 11.9 percentage points.
The authors estimate that for every $1 spent, the preschool expansion generated about $11 in benefits.
Argentina's 1990s preschool expansion program appears to have been a smashing success.
The program increased high school completion by a whole 11.9 percentage points.
The authors estimate that for every $1 spent, the preschool expansion generated about $11 in benefits.
December 15, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Woah.
Argentina's 1990s preschool expansion program appears to have been a smashing success.
The program increased high school completion by a whole 11.9 percentage points.
The authors estimate that for every $1 spent, the preschool expansion generated about $11 in benefits.
Argentina's 1990s preschool expansion program appears to have been a smashing success.
The program increased high school completion by a whole 11.9 percentage points.
The authors estimate that for every $1 spent, the preschool expansion generated about $11 in benefits.
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Excellent job opportunity: Full professorship in Digital Society and Democracy @ddc-sdu.bsky.social and @d-ias.bsky.social.
Top conditions, environment & colleagues.
Candidates welcome across places and disciplines.
🗓️ DL: March 15, 2026
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Top conditions, environment & colleagues.
Candidates welcome across places and disciplines.
🗓️ DL: March 15, 2026
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
DIAS Professorship in Digital Society and Democracy
Application deadline: March 15, 2026, 11.59 PM/23.59 CET/CEST.
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Excellent job opportunity: Full professorship in Digital Society and Democracy @ddc-sdu.bsky.social and @d-ias.bsky.social.
Top conditions, environment & colleagues.
Candidates welcome across places and disciplines.
🗓️ DL: March 15, 2026
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Top conditions, environment & colleagues.
Candidates welcome across places and disciplines.
🗓️ DL: March 15, 2026
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
🌟 JOB ALERT! 🌟
I’m hiring 1 postdoc for my ERC project ECONENGAGE (@ Gothenburg 🇸🇪)! Starting ca. Aug '26! Congenial colleagues + int'l & supportive environment. 💸 for conferences + workshops! Lots of professional networking opportunities with scholars! Deadline Jan 7th. Apply! (see more below 🧵)
I’m hiring 1 postdoc for my ERC project ECONENGAGE (@ Gothenburg 🇸🇪)! Starting ca. Aug '26! Congenial colleagues + int'l & supportive environment. 💸 for conferences + workshops! Lots of professional networking opportunities with scholars! Deadline Jan 7th. Apply! (see more below 🧵)
Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science PAR 2025/838
The Department of Political Science is an international academic environment that welcomes students, researchers and
web103.reachmee.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:06 AM
🌟 JOB ALERT! 🌟
I’m hiring 1 postdoc for my ERC project ECONENGAGE (@ Gothenburg 🇸🇪)! Starting ca. Aug '26! Congenial colleagues + int'l & supportive environment. 💸 for conferences + workshops! Lots of professional networking opportunities with scholars! Deadline Jan 7th. Apply! (see more below 🧵)
I’m hiring 1 postdoc for my ERC project ECONENGAGE (@ Gothenburg 🇸🇪)! Starting ca. Aug '26! Congenial colleagues + int'l & supportive environment. 💸 for conferences + workshops! Lots of professional networking opportunities with scholars! Deadline Jan 7th. Apply! (see more below 🧵)
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
The "smartphones/social media" discourse suffers from some amazing historical amnesia. There was no 2008 financial crisis and no global pandemic starting in 2020, it's all SCREENS SCREENS SCREENS. Major world events? Just the backdrop against which SCREENS happened.
December 15, 2025 at 7:05 AM
The "smartphones/social media" discourse suffers from some amazing historical amnesia. There was no 2008 financial crisis and no global pandemic starting in 2020, it's all SCREENS SCREENS SCREENS. Major world events? Just the backdrop against which SCREENS happened.
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
New paper out in @science.org! We unveil the online manipulation market with the Cambridge Online Trust & Safety Index (COTSI). We show in real time the cost of purchasing fake accounts across every social platform around the world - so they can be held accountable
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Mapping the online manipulation economy
A market perspective on digital manipulation may help improve online trust and safety
www.science.org
December 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM
New paper out in @science.org! We unveil the online manipulation market with the Cambridge Online Trust & Safety Index (COTSI). We show in real time the cost of purchasing fake accounts across every social platform around the world - so they can be held accountable
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
AI toys for kids talk about sex and issue Chinese Communist Party talking points, tests show
New research from Public Interest Research Group and tests conducted by NBC News found that a wide range of AI toys have loose guardrails.
www.nbcnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
In case someone isn't getting the reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_Tib...
CIA Tibetan program - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 12, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In case someone isn't getting the reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_Tib...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
It's out!!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Big thank you to my coauthors @small-schulz.bsky.social and @lorenzspreen.bsky.social, and to all participants who discussed 20 political issues over 4 weeks in 6 subreddit, 3 experimental conditions and let us observe.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Big thank you to my coauthors @small-schulz.bsky.social and @lorenzspreen.bsky.social, and to all participants who discussed 20 political issues over 4 weeks in 6 subreddit, 3 experimental conditions and let us observe.
December 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
It's out!!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Big thank you to my coauthors @small-schulz.bsky.social and @lorenzspreen.bsky.social, and to all participants who discussed 20 political issues over 4 weeks in 6 subreddit, 3 experimental conditions and let us observe.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Big thank you to my coauthors @small-schulz.bsky.social and @lorenzspreen.bsky.social, and to all participants who discussed 20 political issues over 4 weeks in 6 subreddit, 3 experimental conditions and let us observe.
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
December 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with an interdisciplinary team (me, @bstewart.bsky.social, and @manoelhortaribeiro.bsky.social).
Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
December 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with an interdisciplinary team (me, @bstewart.bsky.social, and @manoelhortaribeiro.bsky.social).
Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
Link: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...
Please apply by THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 14!
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
This week, we talk to @hugoreasoning.bsky.social about all things "epistemic". Are we gullible and prone to misinformation? Are we vigilant in favor of our interests? Enjoy the wide-ranging conversation!
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-wphps...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
youtu.be/nf42LNg6y-A
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-wphps...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
youtu.be/nf42LNg6y-A
Reasoning and Epistemic Vigilance with Hugo Mercier
YouTube video by Evolutionary Psychology (The Podcast)
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 7:35 PM
This week, we talk to @hugoreasoning.bsky.social about all things "epistemic". Are we gullible and prone to misinformation? Are we vigilant in favor of our interests? Enjoy the wide-ranging conversation!
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-wphps...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
youtu.be/nf42LNg6y-A
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-wphps...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
youtu.be/nf42LNg6y-A
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
🚨 3-Year Postdoc in Political Science at Aarhus University 🚨
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
December 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
🚨 3-Year Postdoc in Political Science at Aarhus University 🚨
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Our new study provides rare causal evidence about NYC’s speed camera program. We find large reductions in collisions (30%) and injuries (16%) near intersections with cameras. www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1... @astagoff.bsky.social ky.social @brendenbeck.bsky.social nbeck.bsky.social 🧪
Can speed cameras make streets safer? Quasi-experimental evidence from New York City | PNAS
Each year, approximately 40,000 people die in vehicle collisions in the United States,
generating $340 billion in economic costs. To make roads saf...
www.pnas.org
December 8, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Our new study provides rare causal evidence about NYC’s speed camera program. We find large reductions in collisions (30%) and injuries (16%) near intersections with cameras. www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1... @astagoff.bsky.social ky.social @brendenbeck.bsky.social nbeck.bsky.social 🧪
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Paper out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com:
1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.
2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.
2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Representation in science and trust in scientists in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour
Druckman et al. document gaps in trust in scientists in the USA. People from groups less represented among scientists (for example, women and those with lower economic status) are less trusting. Incre...
www.nature.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Paper out today in @nathumbehav.nature.com:
1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.
2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1) those groups (women, African Americans, lower SES, rural) that are underrepresented in science have been less trusting of science.
2) If you improve representation in science, you improve trust among those groups.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Spread the word: I'm looking to hire a postdoc to explore the concept of attention (as studied in psych/neuro, not the transformer mechanism) in large Vision-Language Models. More details here: lindsay-lab.github.io/2025/12/08/p...
#MLSky #neurojobs #compneuro
#MLSky #neurojobs #compneuro
Lindsay Lab - Postdoc Position
Artificial neural networks applied to psychology, neuroscience, and climate change
lindsay-lab.github.io
December 8, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Spread the word: I'm looking to hire a postdoc to explore the concept of attention (as studied in psych/neuro, not the transformer mechanism) in large Vision-Language Models. More details here: lindsay-lab.github.io/2025/12/08/p...
#MLSky #neurojobs #compneuro
#MLSky #neurojobs #compneuro
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
Trump's new National Security Strategy: what if groypers cosplayed George Kennan?
www.programmablemutter.com/p/america-ha...
www.programmablemutter.com/p/america-ha...
America has identified its greatest enemy: Western Europe
Trump's new National Security Strategy: what if groypers cosplayed George Kennan?
www.programmablemutter.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Trump's new National Security Strategy: what if groypers cosplayed George Kennan?
www.programmablemutter.com/p/america-ha...
www.programmablemutter.com/p/america-ha...
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
📣 One week left to apply to our Toulouse Summer School in Quantitative Social Sciences!
We have an exciting program for this year: www.tse-fr.eu/sites/defaul...
🗓️ May 26 to June 19, 2026
📍 Toulouse
Application deadline: December 15
Apply here: www.tse-fr.eu/toulouse-sum...
@tse-fr.eu @iast.fr
We have an exciting program for this year: www.tse-fr.eu/sites/defaul...
🗓️ May 26 to June 19, 2026
📍 Toulouse
Application deadline: December 15
Apply here: www.tse-fr.eu/toulouse-sum...
@tse-fr.eu @iast.fr
www.tse-fr.eu
December 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
📣 One week left to apply to our Toulouse Summer School in Quantitative Social Sciences!
We have an exciting program for this year: www.tse-fr.eu/sites/defaul...
🗓️ May 26 to June 19, 2026
📍 Toulouse
Application deadline: December 15
Apply here: www.tse-fr.eu/toulouse-sum...
@tse-fr.eu @iast.fr
We have an exciting program for this year: www.tse-fr.eu/sites/defaul...
🗓️ May 26 to June 19, 2026
📍 Toulouse
Application deadline: December 15
Apply here: www.tse-fr.eu/toulouse-sum...
@tse-fr.eu @iast.fr
Reposted by Hugo Mercier
If you read one piece on Trump’s pernicious new National Security Strategy, read this by @himself.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/programm...
open.substack.com/pub/programm...
America has identified its greatest enemy: Western Europe
Trump's new National Security Strategy: what if groypers cosplayed George Kennan?
open.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 11:50 AM
If you read one piece on Trump’s pernicious new National Security Strategy, read this by @himself.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/programm...
open.substack.com/pub/programm...