Lara Wood
@larawood.bsky.social
Reader in Psychology at Abertay University. Research on how children think about others (social cognition) and how others influence children (social learning and influence) including #imitation #genderstereotypes #epistemicvigilence #sociallearning
Reposted by Lara Wood
"If we lose hope, we're doomed."
We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.
We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.
October 1, 2025 at 7:31 PM
"If we lose hope, we're doomed."
We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.
We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.
Reposted by Lara Wood
RIP Jane Goodall... this documentary made a deep impression on me
www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...
www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...
A public and private persona | BPS
Kirsty Graham (University of York) examines the contradictions in a new documentary about Jane Goodall.
www.bps.org.uk
October 1, 2025 at 7:17 PM
RIP Jane Goodall... this documentary made a deep impression on me
www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...
www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...
Jane totally changed the conversation on animal culture, tool use, emotions and communication. She was a fierce advocate for animals but also paved women’s rights to be explorers, scientists, and activists. I introduced her to my own baby primate many moons ago. Jane, have fun with David Greybeard 💛
October 1, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Jane totally changed the conversation on animal culture, tool use, emotions and communication. She was a fierce advocate for animals but also paved women’s rights to be explorers, scientists, and activists. I introduced her to my own baby primate many moons ago. Jane, have fun with David Greybeard 💛
Reposted by Lara Wood
After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.
Let’s be clear about what happened to Jimmy Kimmel
Trump’s most brazen attack on free speech yet.
www.yahoo.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:10 PM
After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.
Reposted by Lara Wood
Race Isn’t Biological — So Why Do So Many Still Think It Is?
@kevinlala.bsky.social and @kztwyman.bsky.social blog about their recent paper in the journal Evolutionary Human Sciences
www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
@kevinlala.bsky.social and @kztwyman.bsky.social blog about their recent paper in the journal Evolutionary Human Sciences
www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
August 31, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Race Isn’t Biological — So Why Do So Many Still Think It Is?
@kevinlala.bsky.social and @kztwyman.bsky.social blog about their recent paper in the journal Evolutionary Human Sciences
www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
@kevinlala.bsky.social and @kztwyman.bsky.social blog about their recent paper in the journal Evolutionary Human Sciences
www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
Reposted by Lara Wood
Our article "Impediments to countering racist pseudoscience" (with @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social, @kztwyman.bsky.social & Marc Feldman) is now published online.
We describe five factors that contribute to the spread of racism and suggest strategies for countering them.
doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
We describe five factors that contribute to the spread of racism and suggest strategies for countering them.
doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
August 27, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Our article "Impediments to countering racist pseudoscience" (with @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social, @kztwyman.bsky.social & Marc Feldman) is now published online.
We describe five factors that contribute to the spread of racism and suggest strategies for countering them.
doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
We describe five factors that contribute to the spread of racism and suggest strategies for countering them.
doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
Reposted by Lara Wood
This is an important essay. Surprisingly the comments push back, with only scant evidence to support arguments for the use of race as a biological construct.
Medicine Still Treats Race as Biology. As a Physician, I Choose Evidence Instead. www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Medicine Still Treats Race as Biology. As a Physician, I Choose Evidence Instead. www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Opinion | Medicine Still Treats Race as Biology. As a Physician, I Choose Evidence Instead.
Treatment should be tailored to underlying causes of poor health
www.medpagetoday.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:21 AM
This is an important essay. Surprisingly the comments push back, with only scant evidence to support arguments for the use of race as a biological construct.
Medicine Still Treats Race as Biology. As a Physician, I Choose Evidence Instead. www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Medicine Still Treats Race as Biology. As a Physician, I Choose Evidence Instead. www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Reposted by Lara Wood
For the @puddingviz.bsky.social, I explored which animals we gender, and why.
Come for the extremely cute interactive viz of animals, stay for the extremely nerdy etymology of the ladybug.
Story: pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
Come for the extremely cute interactive viz of animals, stay for the extremely nerdy etymology of the ladybug.
Story: pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
July 7, 2025 at 6:36 PM
For the @puddingviz.bsky.social, I explored which animals we gender, and why.
Come for the extremely cute interactive viz of animals, stay for the extremely nerdy etymology of the ladybug.
Story: pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
Come for the extremely cute interactive viz of animals, stay for the extremely nerdy etymology of the ladybug.
Story: pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
Great article showing that animal characters are gendered in children's books too- pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
(see onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... for my study looking at this in films)
(see onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... for my study looking at this in films)
Bears Will Be Boys
A data analysis of animal gender in children’s books
pudding.cool
July 31, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Great article showing that animal characters are gendered in children's books too- pudding.cool/2025/07/kids...
(see onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... for my study looking at this in films)
(see onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... for my study looking at this in films)
Reposted by Lara Wood
What can schools do to help end sexism?
Dr Lara Wood, Reader in Socio-Cognitive Development at Abertay University, argues that to end sexism and misogyny in schools, we need to start young and be proactive in positively challenging children’s behaviour.
@larawood.bsky.social
Dr Lara Wood, Reader in Socio-Cognitive Development at Abertay University, argues that to end sexism and misogyny in schools, we need to start young and be proactive in positively challenging children’s behaviour.
@larawood.bsky.social
What can schools do to help end sexism? - End Sexism in Schools
The question "what can schools do to end sexism?" is a hot topic. Dr Lara Wood gives 8 simple actions for schools beyond PSHE.
endsexisminschools.org.uk
July 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
What can schools do to help end sexism?
Dr Lara Wood, Reader in Socio-Cognitive Development at Abertay University, argues that to end sexism and misogyny in schools, we need to start young and be proactive in positively challenging children’s behaviour.
@larawood.bsky.social
Dr Lara Wood, Reader in Socio-Cognitive Development at Abertay University, argues that to end sexism and misogyny in schools, we need to start young and be proactive in positively challenging children’s behaviour.
@larawood.bsky.social
Reposted by Lara Wood
#Resistance tools from bsky.app/profile/whys... when asked “why are we funding this” from uncles & Senators alike.
www.americanscientist.org/article/%E2%...
Shoutout bsky.app/profile/amer... for keeping the lights on while we reclaim #Science from the privatizing dismantlers.
#StandUpForScience
www.americanscientist.org/article/%E2%...
Shoutout bsky.app/profile/amer... for keeping the lights on while we reclaim #Science from the privatizing dismantlers.
#StandUpForScience
June 19, 2025 at 10:49 AM
#Resistance tools from bsky.app/profile/whys... when asked “why are we funding this” from uncles & Senators alike.
www.americanscientist.org/article/%E2%...
Shoutout bsky.app/profile/amer... for keeping the lights on while we reclaim #Science from the privatizing dismantlers.
#StandUpForScience
www.americanscientist.org/article/%E2%...
Shoutout bsky.app/profile/amer... for keeping the lights on while we reclaim #Science from the privatizing dismantlers.
#StandUpForScience
Delighted to write a blog for @endsexisminschools.bsky.social prodiving some evidence-based tips on how educators can challenge sexism in schools
endsexisminschools.org.uk/what-can-sch...
endsexisminschools.org.uk/what-can-sch...
What can schools do to help end sexism? - End Sexism in Schools
The question "what can schools do to end sexism?" is a hot topic. Dr Lara Wood gives 8 simple actions for schools beyond PSHE.
endsexisminschools.org.uk
June 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Delighted to write a blog for @endsexisminschools.bsky.social prodiving some evidence-based tips on how educators can challenge sexism in schools
endsexisminschools.org.uk/what-can-sch...
endsexisminschools.org.uk/what-can-sch...
Reposted by Lara Wood
Great to see the conversation in the US around how gender-blind design leaves girls out of parks.
Also great to see Brickfield Park in Bath mentioned – co-created with teenage girls, alongside inspiring examples from Vienna. Awareness is growing!
nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
Also great to see Brickfield Park in Bath mentioned – co-created with teenage girls, alongside inspiring examples from Vienna. Awareness is growing!
nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
Our Public Spaces Are Failing Teen Girls
Op-ed: Adolescent girls are missing from parks, playgrounds — and our gender-blind urban planning. So let’s ask them what they need.
nextcity.org
June 19, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Great to see the conversation in the US around how gender-blind design leaves girls out of parks.
Also great to see Brickfield Park in Bath mentioned – co-created with teenage girls, alongside inspiring examples from Vienna. Awareness is growing!
nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
Also great to see Brickfield Park in Bath mentioned – co-created with teenage girls, alongside inspiring examples from Vienna. Awareness is growing!
nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
Reposted by Lara Wood
Join us on the @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social executive committee! Shape the field of cultural evolution alongside amazing colleagues @maximederex.bsky.social, @nicolewen.bsky.social, @hyperadapthyrax.bsky.social, @lucymaplin.bsky.social, @ferylbadiani.bsky.social & incoming President Fiona Jordan
It's CES election time! We have FOUR positions that have come up for renewal, so please consider nominating yourself or your colleagues. Nominations close June 20th, with voting from June 30th -July 4th.
June 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Join us on the @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social executive committee! Shape the field of cultural evolution alongside amazing colleagues @maximederex.bsky.social, @nicolewen.bsky.social, @hyperadapthyrax.bsky.social, @lucymaplin.bsky.social, @ferylbadiani.bsky.social & incoming President Fiona Jordan
Really important work here from @daveleavens.bsky.social and team. Will be covering this in next year's teaching
The indefatigable Kim Bard, Heidi Keller, and I wrote a critique and remedy for Western-oriented developmental psychology. Call for Commentary Proposals will likely be out soon.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Let’s go WILD: Increasing Inclusivity in Theories of Developmental Psychology | Behavioral and Brain Sciences | Cambridge Core
Let’s go WILD: Increasing Inclusivity in Theories of Developmental Psychology
www.cambridge.org
June 16, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Really important work here from @daveleavens.bsky.social and team. Will be covering this in next year's teaching
Reposted by Lara Wood
It's CES election time! We have FOUR positions that have come up for renewal, so please consider nominating yourself or your colleagues. Nominations close June 20th, with voting from June 30th -July 4th.
June 4, 2025 at 11:15 AM
It's CES election time! We have FOUR positions that have come up for renewal, so please consider nominating yourself or your colleagues. Nominations close June 20th, with voting from June 30th -July 4th.
Reposted by Lara Wood
🚨 CE PhD opportunity!
@onicatam.bsky.social is looking for PhD applicants interested in projects related to cultural evolution or language evolution for a fully funded scholarships at the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNH532/s...
@onicatam.bsky.social is looking for PhD applicants interested in projects related to cultural evolution or language evolution for a fully funded scholarships at the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNH532/s...
School of Social Sciences PhD Studentship (Psychology) at Heriot-Watt University
Find a School of Social Sciences PhD Studentship (Psychology) on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board in higher education. Click to view more!
www.jobs.ac.uk
June 11, 2025 at 11:29 PM
🚨 CE PhD opportunity!
@onicatam.bsky.social is looking for PhD applicants interested in projects related to cultural evolution or language evolution for a fully funded scholarships at the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNH532/s...
@onicatam.bsky.social is looking for PhD applicants interested in projects related to cultural evolution or language evolution for a fully funded scholarships at the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNH532/s...
Reposted by Lara Wood
Did you know that our field guide to cross-cultural research on childhood learning is completely FREE?
books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp...
books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp...
books.openbookpublishers.com
June 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Did you know that our field guide to cross-cultural research on childhood learning is completely FREE?
books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp...
books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp...
Reposted by Lara Wood
there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that
scientists who are able and willing to do so will have to enter the public arena and bring their voices to debates of critical societal importance. This is such a time.
scientists who are able and willing to do so will have to enter the public arena and bring their voices to debates of critical societal importance. This is such a time.
Just released. My Nature piece:
"Never before has the USA seen such an anti-intellectual, anti-science assault...
History tells us that there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that scientists...
rdcu.be/eo3Hb
"Never before has the USA seen such an anti-intellectual, anti-science assault...
History tells us that there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that scientists...
rdcu.be/eo3Hb
More US scientists must speak out
Nature Human Behaviour - The Trump administration has launched an extraordinary and dangerous attack on US science. Climate and water scientist Peter Gleick calls on scientists who are able and...
rdcu.be
June 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
there are times when the dangers of inaction become sufficiently threatening to individuals or the planet that
scientists who are able and willing to do so will have to enter the public arena and bring their voices to debates of critical societal importance. This is such a time.
scientists who are able and willing to do so will have to enter the public arena and bring their voices to debates of critical societal importance. This is such a time.
Reposted by Lara Wood
A common claim in #EvoPsych is that the persistence of psychological sex differences in gender-egalitarian* countries shows that the differences are innate. I've argued that ignores the highly-gender-unequal media environment. Now @larawood.bsky.social has proved me right!
#EHBEA
#HBES
#EHBEA
#HBES
Children’s animated films inaccurately and consistently portray predators as male and prey as female. Young children learn and maintain these gender stereotypes into adulthood.
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Mr Predator and Mrs Prey: Gender Stereotypes in Children's Films Correlate With Explicit and Implicit Gender Stereotyping
Children acquire gender stereotypes at a young age and these subsequently influence cognition and behavior. Stereotypes may be learned through a child's direct observation of gender differences as we...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 3, 2025 at 7:45 AM
A common claim in #EvoPsych is that the persistence of psychological sex differences in gender-egalitarian* countries shows that the differences are innate. I've argued that ignores the highly-gender-unequal media environment. Now @larawood.bsky.social has proved me right!
#EHBEA
#HBES
#EHBEA
#HBES
I've just finished reading @anthrofuentes.bsky.social's book #SexIsASpectrum, a digestible, & evidence-packed exploration of the issues around oversimplifying and essentialising sex/gender.
I wish this was a core textbook for all human science fields!
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
I wish this was a core textbook for all human science fields!
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
Sex Is a Spectrum
Why human biology is far more expansive than the simple categories of female and male
press.princeton.edu
June 2, 2025 at 9:24 AM
I've just finished reading @anthrofuentes.bsky.social's book #SexIsASpectrum, a digestible, & evidence-packed exploration of the issues around oversimplifying and essentialising sex/gender.
I wish this was a core textbook for all human science fields!
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
I wish this was a core textbook for all human science fields!
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
Reposted by Lara Wood
Children’s animated films inaccurately and consistently portray predators as male and prey as female. Young children learn and maintain these gender stereotypes into adulthood.
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Mr Predator and Mrs Prey: Gender Stereotypes in Children's Films Correlate With Explicit and Implicit Gender Stereotyping
Children acquire gender stereotypes at a young age and these subsequently influence cognition and behavior. Stereotypes may be learned through a child's direct observation of gender differences as we...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 2, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Children’s animated films inaccurately and consistently portray predators as male and prey as female. Young children learn and maintain these gender stereotypes into adulthood.
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
See thread by @larawood.bsky.social or read the whole paper
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Lara Wood
I'm THRILLED that our book is out. This book, with other 60 contributors from across the globe (!!!) is a love letter to the science we want to do, and a how-to guide for how to do it. Please read it and share it!
OUT NOW: A Field Guide to Cross-Cultural Research on Childhood Learning reimagines how we study kids—globally. With voices from 21 countries, this inclusive, practical guide bridges disciplines and challenges Western-centric research. buff.ly/0qk1cOs
May 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I'm THRILLED that our book is out. This book, with other 60 contributors from across the globe (!!!) is a love letter to the science we want to do, and a how-to guide for how to do it. Please read it and share it!