human behavior – The Human Evolution Blog

The Decline of Violence in Homo sapiens

September 3, 2019

Science is finally making real progress on the question of how our species achieved a mostly nonviolent social harmony. … More The Decline of Violence in Homo sapiens

Attraction and Mate Choice in Humans

October 1, 2018

New research on attraction reveals how this multidimensional phenomenon integrates in our mind. … More Attraction and Mate Choice in Humans

What is the value of play?

May 1, 2017

[This is a quick summary of the second chapter of my book, Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals on play and recreation. The thesis of the book is that we can better understand human behaviors by studying their equivalents in other animals.] Isn’t playing a pointless distraction for an animal? At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be any … More What is the value of play?

Borrowed Signals: A Discussion of the “Guilty Dog” Look

September 12, 2016

That “guilty dog” look is the product of millions of years of evolution and is actually a sophisticated social communiqué. … More Borrowed Signals: A Discussion of the “Guilty Dog” Look

Why do We and Other Animals Wince When in Pain?

August 8, 2016

The “pain grimace” is quite similar in many mammals, but where did it come from and why do we do it? … More Why do We and Other Animals Wince When in Pain?

More evidence Connecting the Immune System with Social Behavior, with Implications for Neurodiversity

July 25, 2016

A new study shows how immune activity can affect social behavior in order to limit the spread of an infection. … More More evidence Connecting the Immune System with Social Behavior, with Implications for Neurodiversity

What Mountain Gorillas Can Teach Us about Gendered Behaviors

June 6, 2016

A population of Mountain Gorillas recently underwent a complete upheaval in the most central aspects of their gender-based social structures. If they can do it, so can we. … More What Mountain Gorillas Can Teach Us about Gendered Behaviors

Why does Trauma Cause Memory Distortion?

October 13, 2015

Traumatic memories are especially prone to distortion and exaggeration over time, complicating recovery of PTSD. But could this phenomenon have once brought evolutionary value? … More Why does Trauma Cause Memory Distortion?

Did Neanderthals Have Gender Roles in their Division of Labor?

April 12, 2015

It is not uncommon among social mammals to engage in division of labor between the sexes. Female lions do all of the hunting; males loaf around and occasionally fight other males. Chimpanzees have a strictly male-dominated social hierarchy, while bonobos employ a matriarchal structure in which dominance is enforced by females. These sex roles can … More Did Neanderthals Have Gender Roles in their Division of Labor?