We must change this mindset that the essential and most critical work in a field is always the first one. That distorted view has caused a lot of problems in psychological science already. The first work is just that—the start. Every field should be evaluated based on the complete body of evidence.

The academic study of Religion also remains misunderstood as @vox-magica.bsky.social notes—whether because of its common misinterpretation as theological or the sense that it’s arcane +

A lot of the justifications point to the number of Religious Studies majors—but is this really how a dept’s value should be judged? In many RS departments in which I’ve taught, our courses have enormous enrollments & student interest +

I admit that I do not fully grasp what the knowledge of an ongoing genocide demands of me, but I think if I were not bothered by that question—if I batted it away, like a gnat—it could only be because something essential and irreplaceable had absented itself from my soul.

This is still early stages and we’re seeking feedback from animal behavior researchers on how to make future versions most useful for comparative research. Please take a look and get in touch! (5/5)

Current version has 133 behaviors for 62 species, mostly mammals + birds. Our focus now is expanding this sample, filling out missing data, and standardizing/quantifying variables (4/5)

Web app for the database: datadiversitylab.github.io/ACDB/
(3/5)

This includes taxonomic info and IUCN status; descriptions of behaviors, how they’re socially transmitted, and category (e.g. communication, foraging, migration, etc…); and a map of populations and behaviors (2/5)

I cannot imagine an ecologist saying "I'm going to start a genomics project, I don't know anything about DNA but how hard can it be?" You'd ask someone who knew. You'd learn.

You should do the same for social science research! Obviously!