Joshua Conrad Jackson
@joshcjackson.bsky.social
Cultural evolution of the mind | Assistant Professor @ University of Chicago, Booth School of Business & Faculty Affiliate of UChicago Data Science Institute | He/his | https://joshuaconradjackson.com
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
What happens when we model the detective archetype at scale? 🕵️♂️📚
Our new paper, accepted for #CHR2025 combines literary history and computational modeling to trace how the figure of the detective evolves across 150 years of French fiction.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.00627
Our new paper, accepted for #CHR2025 combines literary history and computational modeling to trace how the figure of the detective evolves across 150 years of French fiction.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.00627
November 4, 2025 at 5:36 PM
What happens when we model the detective archetype at scale? 🕵️♂️📚
Our new paper, accepted for #CHR2025 combines literary history and computational modeling to trace how the figure of the detective evolves across 150 years of French fiction.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.00627
Our new paper, accepted for #CHR2025 combines literary history and computational modeling to trace how the figure of the detective evolves across 150 years of French fiction.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.00627
Our "Historical Psychology" special issue is now out in CRESP!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Our "Historical Psychology" special issue is now out in CRESP!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
On election day, I wanna announce that I am recruiting social psych PhD students for my lab at UIC. My lab focuses on racial identities (esp Asian, Latino, MENA Americans) and intra-minority conflict/ coalition. So please tell your students to pick me! All details on my website: www.pbandjlab.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
On election day, I wanna announce that I am recruiting social psych PhD students for my lab at UIC. My lab focuses on racial identities (esp Asian, Latino, MENA Americans) and intra-minority conflict/ coalition. So please tell your students to pick me! All details on my website: www.pbandjlab.com
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
This thicc 71-chapter book (academic.oup.com/edited-volum...) arrived just in time to use as the textbook for my new "Cultural Evolution" class I've just started teaching!
Featuring this chapter from @cailinmeister.bsky.social @psmaldino.bsky.social & Jingyi Wu as well as much more including...
Featuring this chapter from @cailinmeister.bsky.social @psmaldino.bsky.social & Jingyi Wu as well as much more including...
October 29, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This thicc 71-chapter book (academic.oup.com/edited-volum...) arrived just in time to use as the textbook for my new "Cultural Evolution" class I've just started teaching!
Featuring this chapter from @cailinmeister.bsky.social @psmaldino.bsky.social & Jingyi Wu as well as much more including...
Featuring this chapter from @cailinmeister.bsky.social @psmaldino.bsky.social & Jingyi Wu as well as much more including...
Adam Smith wrongly predicts that celebrity wages will drop once people begin to like celebrities
(Wealth of Nations was published in 1776)
(Wealth of Nations was published in 1776)
October 22, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Adam Smith wrongly predicts that celebrity wages will drop once people begin to like celebrities
(Wealth of Nations was published in 1776)
(Wealth of Nations was published in 1776)
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
How do humans keep inventing tools and technologies that no single person could create alone?
Our new preprint, led by
@anilyaman.bsky.social & @ts-brain.bsky.social
shows that semantic knowledge guides innovation and drives cultural evolution. 🧠📘 arxiv.org/abs/2510.12837
Our new preprint, led by
@anilyaman.bsky.social & @ts-brain.bsky.social
shows that semantic knowledge guides innovation and drives cultural evolution. 🧠📘 arxiv.org/abs/2510.12837
October 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
How do humans keep inventing tools and technologies that no single person could create alone?
Our new preprint, led by
@anilyaman.bsky.social & @ts-brain.bsky.social
shows that semantic knowledge guides innovation and drives cultural evolution. 🧠📘 arxiv.org/abs/2510.12837
Our new preprint, led by
@anilyaman.bsky.social & @ts-brain.bsky.social
shows that semantic knowledge guides innovation and drives cultural evolution. 🧠📘 arxiv.org/abs/2510.12837
Only two days left to apply!
🚨Historical Psych Pre-Conference🚨
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
October 21, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Only two days left to apply!
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?
October 8, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?
🚨Historical Psych Pre-Conference🚨
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
October 8, 2025 at 1:20 AM
🚨Historical Psych Pre-Conference🚨
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
We're accepting poster & data blitz abstract submissions from all career stages. If your work is broadly related to morality, you should apply! We welcome a wide range of topics and approaches.
Submit here: spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2026-p...
Deadline to submit an abstract: Oct. 23.
Submit here: spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2026-p...
Deadline to submit an abstract: Oct. 23.
2026 Preconference Submission Portal
Use this submission form for all preconference submissions. Select your preconference first as this may change submission fields. The submission guide can be found here .
You may submit to multi...
spsp.wufoo.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We're accepting poster & data blitz abstract submissions from all career stages. If your work is broadly related to morality, you should apply! We welcome a wide range of topics and approaches.
Submit here: spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2026-p...
Deadline to submit an abstract: Oct. 23.
Submit here: spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2026-p...
Deadline to submit an abstract: Oct. 23.
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
@elijfinkel.bsky.social
& I are recruiting a postdoc in the #LitowitzCenter for Enlightened Disagreement at Northwestern University. We seek research excellence regarding navigating conflict.
Application deadline: Nov. 17.
Salary: ~$80k.
facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/MjQzNw==
& I are recruiting a postdoc in the #LitowitzCenter for Enlightened Disagreement at Northwestern University. We seek research excellence regarding navigating conflict.
Application deadline: Nov. 17.
Salary: ~$80k.
facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/MjQzNw==
Northwestern Faculty Search -
facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu
October 7, 2025 at 12:09 AM
@elijfinkel.bsky.social
& I are recruiting a postdoc in the #LitowitzCenter for Enlightened Disagreement at Northwestern University. We seek research excellence regarding navigating conflict.
Application deadline: Nov. 17.
Salary: ~$80k.
facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/MjQzNw==
& I are recruiting a postdoc in the #LitowitzCenter for Enlightened Disagreement at Northwestern University. We seek research excellence regarding navigating conflict.
Application deadline: Nov. 17.
Salary: ~$80k.
facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/MjQzNw==
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
I am happy to announce that our project on risk and social learning is now in press at Psychological Review. Several new additions and revisions thanks to detailed feedback from colleagues and anonymous reviewers. osf.io/preprints/so...
@psmaldino.bsky.social @babeheim.bsky.social
@psmaldino.bsky.social @babeheim.bsky.social
September 27, 2025 at 12:14 AM
I am happy to announce that our project on risk and social learning is now in press at Psychological Review. Several new additions and revisions thanks to detailed feedback from colleagues and anonymous reviewers. osf.io/preprints/so...
@psmaldino.bsky.social @babeheim.bsky.social
@psmaldino.bsky.social @babeheim.bsky.social
🚨New preprint🚨
osf.io/preprints/ps...
In a sample of ~2 billion comments, social media discourse becomes more negative over time
Archival and experimental findings suggest this is a byproduct of people trying to differentiate themselves
Led by @hongkai1.bsky.social in his 1st year (!) of his PhD
osf.io/preprints/ps...
In a sample of ~2 billion comments, social media discourse becomes more negative over time
Archival and experimental findings suggest this is a byproduct of people trying to differentiate themselves
Led by @hongkai1.bsky.social in his 1st year (!) of his PhD
September 26, 2025 at 8:30 PM
🚨New preprint🚨
osf.io/preprints/ps...
In a sample of ~2 billion comments, social media discourse becomes more negative over time
Archival and experimental findings suggest this is a byproduct of people trying to differentiate themselves
Led by @hongkai1.bsky.social in his 1st year (!) of his PhD
osf.io/preprints/ps...
In a sample of ~2 billion comments, social media discourse becomes more negative over time
Archival and experimental findings suggest this is a byproduct of people trying to differentiate themselves
Led by @hongkai1.bsky.social in his 1st year (!) of his PhD
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
The @spspnews.bsky.social Religion & Spirituality Preconference is accepting applications for talks, data blitzes, & posters until 10/23! We're excited to hear from Kathleen Corriveau, @alexandraworm.bsky.social, @drmeltemyucel.bsky.social & @joshcjackson.bsky.social. More info: tinyurl.com/33x9za7r
September 17, 2025 at 4:32 PM
The @spspnews.bsky.social Religion & Spirituality Preconference is accepting applications for talks, data blitzes, & posters until 10/23! We're excited to hear from Kathleen Corriveau, @alexandraworm.bsky.social, @drmeltemyucel.bsky.social & @joshcjackson.bsky.social. More info: tinyurl.com/33x9za7r
One of my favorite conferences, @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social, just released key dates and other info!
I highly recommend checking it out for great research from across the social, behavioral, and natural sciences
I highly recommend checking it out for great research from across the social, behavioral, and natural sciences
The count down starts for #CESRabat! Follow @ces2026.bsky.social and join us May 11-13 next year for an exciting meeting in Rabat, Morocco.
Massive thanks to the #CESRabat organising committee:
Sarah Alami (co-chair)
Mathieu Charbonneau (co-chair)
Zachary Garfield
Edmond Seabright
Massive thanks to the #CESRabat organising committee:
Sarah Alami (co-chair)
Mathieu Charbonneau (co-chair)
Zachary Garfield
Edmond Seabright
September 17, 2025 at 2:12 AM
One of my favorite conferences, @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social, just released key dates and other info!
I highly recommend checking it out for great research from across the social, behavioral, and natural sciences
I highly recommend checking it out for great research from across the social, behavioral, and natural sciences
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
🚨 New paper alert! (slightly belated)
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Complex technology requires cultural innovations for distributing cognition
Over the last decade, new research has shown how human collectives can develop technologies that no single individual could discover on their own. How…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:48 PM
🚨 New paper alert! (slightly belated)
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We (with @joshcjackson.bsky.social) suggest that complex technologies, as they need several (often many) people to use them, require innovations that distribute cognition to help regulate cognitive load and coordinate.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
Below is my new post about our Three Stages of Religious Decline paper (www.nature.com/articles/s41...).
We argue that a similar process of decline affects countries on every populated continent, including countries in which Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism is the largest religion.
A🧵
We argue that a similar process of decline affects countries on every populated continent, including countries in which Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism is the largest religion.
A🧵
How religion declines around the world
A country’s religious affiliation tends to decline in three transitional stages that unfold across generations, a new paper using Center data proposes.
www.pewresearch.org
September 2, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Below is my new post about our Three Stages of Religious Decline paper (www.nature.com/articles/s41...).
We argue that a similar process of decline affects countries on every populated continent, including countries in which Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism is the largest religion.
A🧵
We argue that a similar process of decline affects countries on every populated continent, including countries in which Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism is the largest religion.
A🧵
@helenamiton.bsky.social and I have a new paper out:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Past theories focus on how we evolve complex technologies (jet engines), but neglect cultural innovations that help us operate these technologies (pilot checklist)
Paper has tons of examples and new theory!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Past theories focus on how we evolve complex technologies (jet engines), but neglect cultural innovations that help us operate these technologies (pilot checklist)
Paper has tons of examples and new theory!
September 5, 2025 at 8:46 PM
@helenamiton.bsky.social and I have a new paper out:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Past theories focus on how we evolve complex technologies (jet engines), but neglect cultural innovations that help us operate these technologies (pilot checklist)
Paper has tons of examples and new theory!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Past theories focus on how we evolve complex technologies (jet engines), but neglect cultural innovations that help us operate these technologies (pilot checklist)
Paper has tons of examples and new theory!
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
Social media often feels saturated with politics and morality - but is that feeling accurate? Our new paper finds that moralization has increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021, more than traditional media. See 🧵 below!
New preprint! We developed new measurement tools to examine moralization in ~2B Twitter/X & Reddit posts and ~5M traditional media texts.
Key finding: moralization increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021; more than traditional media; associated with multiple user dynamics
🧵👇
Key finding: moralization increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021; more than traditional media; associated with multiple user dynamics
🧵👇
July 22, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Social media often feels saturated with politics and morality - but is that feeling accurate? Our new paper finds that moralization has increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021, more than traditional media. See 🧵 below!
One of the largest-scale analyses of historical text data that I have contributed to
The finding: language on social media has become more moralized over the 21st century; we don't see the same trends on news media
Kudos to the first author @curtispuryear.bsky.social on the enormous effort
The finding: language on social media has become more moralized over the 21st century; we don't see the same trends on news media
Kudos to the first author @curtispuryear.bsky.social on the enormous effort
New preprint! We developed new measurement tools to examine moralization in ~2B Twitter/X & Reddit posts and ~5M traditional media texts.
Key finding: moralization increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021; more than traditional media; associated with multiple user dynamics
🧵👇
Key finding: moralization increased markedly on social media from 2013-2021; more than traditional media; associated with multiple user dynamics
🧵👇
July 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
One of the largest-scale analyses of historical text data that I have contributed to
The finding: language on social media has become more moralized over the 21st century; we don't see the same trends on news media
Kudos to the first author @curtispuryear.bsky.social on the enormous effort
The finding: language on social media has become more moralized over the 21st century; we don't see the same trends on news media
Kudos to the first author @curtispuryear.bsky.social on the enormous effort
English language is filled with trait words like “caring” and “smart”
These words are the currency of personality/social psych, yet key questions remain about their evolution, function, and structure
We take on these questions in a preprint led by @yuanzeliu.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/ps...
These words are the currency of personality/social psych, yet key questions remain about their evolution, function, and structure
We take on these questions in a preprint led by @yuanzeliu.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/ps...
July 22, 2025 at 3:36 PM
English language is filled with trait words like “caring” and “smart”
These words are the currency of personality/social psych, yet key questions remain about their evolution, function, and structure
We take on these questions in a preprint led by @yuanzeliu.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/ps...
These words are the currency of personality/social psych, yet key questions remain about their evolution, function, and structure
We take on these questions in a preprint led by @yuanzeliu.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
Look what you could publish (anonymously) in Nature in 1970.
June 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Look what you could publish (anonymously) in Nature in 1970.
If anyone is submitting to SESP and looking for a speaker to complete their symposium, I have a collaborator doing really interesting work related to culture, income, and social cognition. He has multiple cool projects on all of those topics.
Feel free to message me and I can connect you
Feel free to message me and I can connect you
May 19, 2025 at 3:11 AM
If anyone is submitting to SESP and looking for a speaker to complete their symposium, I have a collaborator doing really interesting work related to culture, income, and social cognition. He has multiple cool projects on all of those topics.
Feel free to message me and I can connect you
Feel free to message me and I can connect you
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
I'm disappointed to share that my NSF career grant on anti-Asian dehumanization was terminated. This affects ongoing project activities, which have shown great progress so far, and support for my research team and more.
I'm sad to share that the hiring of the postdoc role is currently on pause.
I'm sad to share that the hiring of the postdoc role is currently on pause.
We're hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar! Come join our @conflictcollab.bsky.social at Purdue PSY in the fall 🎉
The role involves opportunities to research and lead writing projects on humanizing organization, conflict mgnt, workplace discrimination, goals, and more! drive.google.com/file/d/1tke0...
The role involves opportunities to research and lead writing projects on humanizing organization, conflict mgnt, workplace discrimination, goals, and more! drive.google.com/file/d/1tke0...
Conflict Collab_Postdoctoral Research Associate Ad.pdf
drive.google.com
April 21, 2025 at 10:52 PM
I'm disappointed to share that my NSF career grant on anti-Asian dehumanization was terminated. This affects ongoing project activities, which have shown great progress so far, and support for my research team and more.
I'm sad to share that the hiring of the postdoc role is currently on pause.
I'm sad to share that the hiring of the postdoc role is currently on pause.
Reposted by Joshua Conrad Jackson
This paper is now published. www.nature.com/articles/s44...
April 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
This paper is now published. www.nature.com/articles/s44...