Best Dave Pietraszewski Podcasts (2025)

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The Evolutionary Psychology of Humor 1:45:51

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2h ago1:45:51

1:45:51

Humor is one of the great puzzles of evolutionary psychology. Co-host David Pinsof (UCLA) presents the coordinating “mix-up” hypothesis of humor, in which….well, you’ll have to listen to find out. By Dave’s account, it is one of the best accounts of the psychology of humor out there (but what do we know?) Content warning: this episode does contain …

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Plants, Infants, and the Evolution of Social Learning with Annie Wertz 1:58:02

7d ago1:58:02

1:58:02

Plants are mini chemical weapon factories! Learning and evolution are not opposed! This week, Annie Wertz (UCSB) joins us to describe her groundbreaking world on the evolutionary psychology of what babies know about plants, and how infants selectively use social information to guide their interactions with them. A lovely example of how adopting an …

1
Cooperation with Pat Barclay 1:55:07

14d ago1:55:07

1:55:07

Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins us to discuss his work solving the mysteries of the evolution of cooperation. Pat is a wonderful human being and an exceptional scientist, whose work is at the forefront of understanding how and why we solve the problem of cooperation as a species. More about Pat Barclay: http://patbarclay.com/ More about David Pinsof: ht…

1
Drugs, Delusions, and Depression with Ed Hagen 2:00:20

21d ago2:00:20

2:00:20

Why would a mind ever be delusional or depressed, and can we understand these as functional or maladaptive outcomes? Why do humans take drugs, and why do plants make them in the first place? (And why might the answer to the second question also answer the first?) Join us on a fun, wide-ranging conversation with guest Ed Hagen (Washington State, Van…

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Conspiracy Theories and Group Boundaries with Cristina Moya 2:01:04

28d ago2:01:04

2:01:04

Guest Cristina Moya (UC Davis) is one of our favorite evolutionary behavioral scientists. In this episode, we discuss her work in Peru on ethnolinguistic group boundaries, why we all believe crazy things, and what the lay of the land is in the evolutionary behavioral sciences. More about Cristina Moya: https://sites.google.com/site/cristinasolermoy…

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Thoughtful Warriors with Brenda Bowser 2:22:45

1M ago2:22:45

2:22:45

Guest Brenda Bowser (CalState Fullerton) recounts a life spent studying conflict and politics in Canambo, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, with her late husband and colleague John Q. Patton. Brenda shares first and second hand accounts of incredible events (including death by phantasm), and how she thinks about status, violence, and conflict, and how thes…

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Egalitarianism in the Amazon with Chris Von Rueden 1:57:59

1M ago1:57:59

1:57:59

Egalitarianism is not what you think it is! Guest Chris Von Rueden (URichmond) has wrapped his head around what egalitarianism is and shares his insights and what he’s learned living with and studying the Tsimane, hunter horticulturists in the Bolivian rainforest. TL;DR: How to make a more just society requires respecting the complexity of our evol…

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Disgust, Morality, and Kinship with Deb Lieberman 2:31:40

2M ago2:31:40

2:31:40

Why do we appeal to disgust when we moralize, and why do we moralize what we find disgusting? Guest Deb Lieberman (UMiami) explains why our human propensity to gang up on others may be driving a lot of our moral sentiments, and why she gets uncomfortable when people appeal to disgust to argue for what is right and wrong. More about Debra Lieberman:…

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Terrorism, Drag Queens, and International Humanitarian Law with Michael Moncrieff 1:53:49

2M ago1:53:49

1:53:49

From offering the UN insights into the psychology of terrorists to interviewing victims of war-torn Croatia, guest Michael Moncrieff has seen a lot of life and yet remains hopeful. Dave wonders aloud why we are so blind to the civilian impacts of war and David and Michael discuss predatory rationality. Michael explains the history of the drag-queen…

1
Bonus: Dave & David (and guest Pat Barclay) Read Some Reviews 17:16

2M ago17:16

17:16

Dave and David read a review of the podcast, and future guest Pat Barclay (Guelph) joins them for a second reading. Topics include why it may be good to be skeptical of high production values, and the tradeoff between focusing on basic research findings versus their broader implications.By Dave Pietraszewski & David Pinsof

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Examples of Good Evolutionary Psychology 2:18:36

2M ago2:18:36

2:18:36

Dave and David move beyond the controversies to explain—and give examples of—evolutionary psychology done well. Topics covered include the science of racial categorization and why we get angry. If you’re looking for examples of novel insights in evolutionary psychology, this episode is for you. More about Evolutionary Psychology The Center for Evol…

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Childhood in the Congo Basin with Sheina Lew-Levy 1:52:55

2M ago1:52:55

1:52:55

Helicopter parenting is not a human universal! Guest Sheina Lew-Levy (Durham) explains what drew her to studying childhood among BaYaka foragers in the Congo Basin, and what parenting and childhood is like there and how this helps us understand who we are and what we need growing up. In this episode we also cover why field anthropologists are bad*s…

1
Friendship with Jaimie Krems 2:01:51

3M ago2:01:51

2:01:51

Why is the study of friendship so lonely, and what makes Philadelphia Philly? Guest Jaimie Krems (UCLA) explains why friendship is a blindspot in science, and why she has no advice to give you if you’re feeling lonely (we’re only half-kidding). If you do want friends, don’t want friends, or have friends, you should listen to this episode. More abou…

1
Mating with Daniel Conroy-Beam 1:58:11

3M ago1:58:11

1:58:11

Guest Daniel Conroy-Beam (UCSB) explains why human mating has occupied the interest of evolutionary psychologists, what consequences this has had on science, and how things might be done better. If you want to understand the science behind why we prefer certain other people to bonk, don’t listen to this episode (we’re kidding, this is exactly what …

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Controversies in Evolutionary Psychology 2:01:28

3M ago2:01:28

2:01:28

Dave and David plunge (or dip a toe) into the controversies surrounding evolutionary psychology and try to make a good-faith effort, while not suffering fools (or internet trolls) lightly. Listen through to the end of this one. More about Evolutionary Psychology The Center for Evolutionary Psychology “Primer” More about David Pinsof: https://www.ev…

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Basement Cults 2:09:33

3M ago2:09:33

2:09:33

Co-host Dave Pietraszewski explains how he learned to love evolutionary psychology despite hating it at first, why attending basement cults as a child in upstate New York wasn’t all bad, really, and why he thinks understanding the human mind will require eventually understanding the evolutionary psychology of psychologists. More about Evolutionary …

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Is Evolutionary Psychology Bulls**t? 1:56:21

4M ago1:56:21

1:56:21

Co-host David Pinsof explains how he discovered evolutionary psychology, why it might not be bulls**t, and why we hate status-seekers (most of the time). Since this is our first episode and it’s been a while, there may be other stuff in this episode, but we don’t remember what it is. More about Evolutionary Psychology The Center for Evolutionary Ps…