William Costello
@williamcostello.bsky.social
PhD student of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
MSc Psych: Evolution & Culture Brunel University London ‘21
MSc Psych: Evolution & Culture Brunel University London ‘21
Keynotes for NEEPS (Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society) conference 2026 looking 🔥😎
November 4, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Keynotes for NEEPS (Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society) conference 2026 looking 🔥😎
Pathway 2: The Psychosocial Vulnerability Trajectory
The second pathway involves psychosocial vulnerabilities, including autistic traits, low mate value, and adverse childhood experiences such as bullying and abuse.
The second pathway involves psychosocial vulnerabilities, including autistic traits, low mate value, and adverse childhood experiences such as bullying and abuse.
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Pathway 2: The Psychosocial Vulnerability Trajectory
The second pathway involves psychosocial vulnerabilities, including autistic traits, low mate value, and adverse childhood experiences such as bullying and abuse.
The second pathway involves psychosocial vulnerabilities, including autistic traits, low mate value, and adverse childhood experiences such as bullying and abuse.
Pathway 1: Dispositional Extremism Trajectory
The first pathway involves dispositional traits, such as the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) and right-wing political views.
The first pathway involves dispositional traits, such as the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) and right-wing political views.
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Pathway 1: Dispositional Extremism Trajectory
The first pathway involves dispositional traits, such as the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) and right-wing political views.
The first pathway involves dispositional traits, such as the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) and right-wing political views.
We also found two indirect pathways to harmful beliefs among incels, which we call The Dual Pathways Hypothesis of Incel Harm.
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
We also found two indirect pathways to harmful beliefs among incels, which we call The Dual Pathways Hypothesis of Incel Harm.
Using a 3N (needs, networks & narratives) inspired model, a pathway analysis found that poor mental health & ideological adherence were 2x as predictive of incels' harmful attitudes than networking.
There was also a bidirectional effect between poor mental health & ideology.
There was also a bidirectional effect between poor mental health & ideology.
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Using a 3N (needs, networks & narratives) inspired model, a pathway analysis found that poor mental health & ideological adherence were 2x as predictive of incels' harmful attitudes than networking.
There was also a bidirectional effect between poor mental health & ideology.
There was also a bidirectional effect between poor mental health & ideology.
Our main goal was to identify which factors predict harm among incels.
We quantified harm using a composite measure consisting of
Hostile sexism
Rape myth acceptance
Displaced aggression
Justification of violence
Angry rumination
Revenge planning
We quantified harm using a composite measure consisting of
Hostile sexism
Rape myth acceptance
Displaced aggression
Justification of violence
Angry rumination
Revenge planning
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Our main goal was to identify which factors predict harm among incels.
We quantified harm using a composite measure consisting of
Hostile sexism
Rape myth acceptance
Displaced aggression
Justification of violence
Angry rumination
Revenge planning
We quantified harm using a composite measure consisting of
Hostile sexism
Rape myth acceptance
Displaced aggression
Justification of violence
Angry rumination
Revenge planning
Consistent with previous research, incels showed
- Ethnic and political diversity
- Extremely poor mental health (including high levels of suicidal ideation)
- Autistic traits (as measured by the AQ-10 scale)
- Ethnic and political diversity
- Extremely poor mental health (including high levels of suicidal ideation)
- Autistic traits (as measured by the AQ-10 scale)
May 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Consistent with previous research, incels showed
- Ethnic and political diversity
- Extremely poor mental health (including high levels of suicidal ideation)
- Autistic traits (as measured by the AQ-10 scale)
- Ethnic and political diversity
- Extremely poor mental health (including high levels of suicidal ideation)
- Autistic traits (as measured by the AQ-10 scale)
. @humbehevosoc.bsky.social members, I will always advocate for you and our field no matter what, but I would love your vote so that I could do so in an official capacity as student representative!
Go to the HBES website to vote or follow instructions in your email.
Go to the HBES website to vote or follow instructions in your email.
May 21, 2025 at 2:55 AM
. @humbehevosoc.bsky.social members, I will always advocate for you and our field no matter what, but I would love your vote so that I could do so in an official capacity as student representative!
Go to the HBES website to vote or follow instructions in your email.
Go to the HBES website to vote or follow instructions in your email.
Looking forward to @humbehevosoc.bsky.social conference next month!
Although clearly hyperbolic, this iconic line from When Harry Met Sally speaks to a real insight.
I’ll be presenting new findings that add to growing evidence that mating motivations often underlie cross-sex friendships.
Although clearly hyperbolic, this iconic line from When Harry Met Sally speaks to a real insight.
I’ll be presenting new findings that add to growing evidence that mating motivations often underlie cross-sex friendships.
May 2, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Looking forward to @humbehevosoc.bsky.social conference next month!
Although clearly hyperbolic, this iconic line from When Harry Met Sally speaks to a real insight.
I’ll be presenting new findings that add to growing evidence that mating motivations often underlie cross-sex friendships.
Although clearly hyperbolic, this iconic line from When Harry Met Sally speaks to a real insight.
I’ll be presenting new findings that add to growing evidence that mating motivations often underlie cross-sex friendships.
To be clear, Red pill Manosphere gurus like Rollo Tomassi are not respected in evolutionary psychology, and in fact they’re routinely ridiculed for distorting the science.
That’s why many of us actively highlight their flaws in both our published research and online presence.
That’s why many of us actively highlight their flaws in both our published research and online presence.
April 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM
To be clear, Red pill Manosphere gurus like Rollo Tomassi are not respected in evolutionary psychology, and in fact they’re routinely ridiculed for distorting the science.
That’s why many of us actively highlight their flaws in both our published research and online presence.
That’s why many of us actively highlight their flaws in both our published research and online presence.
Looking forward to writing an invited commentary on this target article for Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
So...Why DO Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men Than to Women?
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
So...Why DO Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men Than to Women?
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
April 29, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Looking forward to writing an invited commentary on this target article for Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
So...Why DO Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men Than to Women?
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
So...Why DO Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men Than to Women?
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
News you simply love to wake up to!
Coming soon from Costello et al.
Coming soon from Costello et al.
February 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
News you simply love to wake up to!
Coming soon from Costello et al.
Coming soon from Costello et al.
Some suggest centering a feminist perspective in incel interventions.
But our findings suggest that feminists may not be the most effective at leading deradicalization efforts due to mutual hostility.
Incels also identify feminists as their primary enemy.
But our findings suggest that feminists may not be the most effective at leading deradicalization efforts due to mutual hostility.
Incels also identify feminists as their primary enemy.
February 13, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Some suggest centering a feminist perspective in incel interventions.
But our findings suggest that feminists may not be the most effective at leading deradicalization efforts due to mutual hostility.
Incels also identify feminists as their primary enemy.
But our findings suggest that feminists may not be the most effective at leading deradicalization efforts due to mutual hostility.
Incels also identify feminists as their primary enemy.
Loneliness among incels correlated with the belief that society blames them, but surprisingly didn’t for other misperceptions, which may be central to incel identity regardless of loneliness.
But there may be ceiling effects due to extremely high levels of loneliness among incels.
But there may be ceiling effects due to extremely high levels of loneliness among incels.
February 13, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Loneliness among incels correlated with the belief that society blames them, but surprisingly didn’t for other misperceptions, which may be central to incel identity regardless of loneliness.
But there may be ceiling effects due to extremely high levels of loneliness among incels.
But there may be ceiling effects due to extremely high levels of loneliness among incels.
Feminist identification correlated with decreased sympathy and support for incels romantic success, increased levels of blame, and higher levels of overall animosity towards incels.
These effects of feminism identification were particularly pronounced among women.
These effects of feminism identification were particularly pronounced among women.
February 13, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Feminist identification correlated with decreased sympathy and support for incels romantic success, increased levels of blame, and higher levels of overall animosity towards incels.
These effects of feminism identification were particularly pronounced among women.
These effects of feminism identification were particularly pronounced among women.
Society isn’t as hostile as incels think.
Incels overestimate societal blame for their struggles.
They also underestimate societal sympathy.
In reality, most people are either sympathetic or neutral toward them.
Incels overestimate societal blame for their struggles.
They also underestimate societal sympathy.
In reality, most people are either sympathetic or neutral toward them.
February 13, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Society isn’t as hostile as incels think.
Incels overestimate societal blame for their struggles.
They also underestimate societal sympathy.
In reality, most people are either sympathetic or neutral toward them.
Incels overestimate societal blame for their struggles.
They also underestimate societal sympathy.
In reality, most people are either sympathetic or neutral toward them.