Evolutionary Psychology

When viewing pairs of faces, men linger selectively on attractive faces matching their sexual orientation, while women look longer at attractive faces of either sex, according to new eye-tracking research in Evolution and Human Behavior.

Women are often thought to compete through gossip and exclusion rather than fists. But an analysis of ethnographic records from 19 cultures found physical fights between co-wives documented in 12 of them, suggesting high stakes can change the rules.

Couples tend to resemble each other in schooling, drinking, and smoking. A study of hundreds of thousands of people suggests this matching leaves a measurable imprint in the genome, one that may have grown stronger in recent American generations.

Communities where people report high levels of social support and frequent social interactions tend to have higher birth rates, regardless of their economic status. This pattern suggests that strong social networks may help sustain regional populations.

When people judged drawings of hands, medium-length nails and white polish earned the highest attractiveness ratings, while long nails and dark shades scored lowest. The researchers describe the study as an early look at an overlooked grooming cue.

Evolutionary psychologists have often argued that richer, more egalitarian societies amplify innate differences between men and women. However, two decades-long studies of Americans suggest otherwise, finding that rising wealth and gender equality do not widen the psychological divide.

A recent study shows that a person's facial and bodily attractiveness are closely linked in the eyes of observers. However, the human voice operates independently, sending a separate biological message to potential partners.

Unlike other primates, female humans have permanent breasts. Researchers now suggest this unique anatomical trait evolved to provide essential body heat to infants with large, energy-demanding brains.

Is the pronounced gap in throwing ability between men and women purely a product of childhood socialization? A new commentary argues that evolutionary biology and social experience actually work hand-in-hand to shape this distinct sex difference.

We often assume a smart enough AI will eventually become conscious. But a new theoretical framework argues consciousness evolved specifically for biological self-preservation—meaning today's highly capable AI lacks the survival stakes to ever truly "wake up."

A study published in the EvoS Journal: Evolutionary Studies and Higher Education presented results of an online experiment that asked participants how much they would like to interact with a social media profile of a creative individual who also suffers...

A sweeping new study of world leaders spanning six decades finds that those with wider facial proportions are slightly more likely to initiate military action, particularly during their first few years in office.