Evolutionary Psychology

A person’s sexual history can shape how desirable they seem as a long-term partner. But a new cross-cultural study suggests people aren’t applying different standards to men and women.

People with stronger olfactory abilities reported slightly higher emotional and intellectual intimacy in their relationships, while higher pathogen and sexual disgust were unexpectedly associated with more physical closeness, according to a new study exploring sensory-emotional factors in romantic bonding.

A new study finds that while moderate eyelash length is seen as most attractive and healthiest, longer lashes are linked to greater perceived sexual receptivity—suggesting that long eyelashes may signal openness to casual relationships, despite lower attractiveness ratings.

Researchers have uncovered evidence that links disease-avoidance motives to religiosity. Rather than tradition or ethnocentrism, the findings point to sexual conservatism—specifically, a preference for monogamy—as the psychological bridge between disgust and religious devotion.

Despite its reputation for secularism and science literacy, a new study finds that many Danes still hold supernatural beliefs. From psychic energy to ghosts, these beliefs show strong demographic patterns—and challenge assumptions about modern rationality.

New research finds that men high in psychopathy and sexual desire, and women who are less picky with matches, report more sexual encounters via Tinder. The findings suggest dating apps favor fast, opportunistic mating strategies shaped by personality.

Human brain growth slowed about 300,000 years ago, research in Brain & Cognition suggests. Energy demands and shifting climates may have capped brain size, pushing survival toward cultural innovations and cognitive offloading rather than ever-larger skulls.

A groundbreaking study in Nature suggests that some genes affect us differently depending on whether they’re inherited from our mother or father. Researchers identified dozens of parent-specific genetic effects related to traits like height, metabolism, and disease risk.

Physically attractive women tend to report greater interest in casual sex, but a new study finds that traditional moral values—especially those emphasizing social order and purity—can override this tendency, particularly among women with rural or conservative backgrounds.

Researchers have used eye-tracking to show that our gaze is not random when we evaluate bodies. A study in Behavioral Sciences found that attention is focused on the chest and torso, and this focus shifts when judging for attractiveness, health,...

One hundred years post-Scopes trial, why does the evolution debate persist in the US? It may have less to do with faith and more to do with our brains. Research shows fundamentalism can suppress analytical thinking, making facts alone unpersuasive.

Psychologists have discovered that sexual desire plays a key role in long-term partner preferences. When desire increases, women’s interest in physical attractiveness rises to match men's, reducing long-standing sex differences in what people look for in committed relationships.

Growing up poor might slightly influence how adults respond to threats, but a large replication study found much weaker effects than past research suggested. The results call into question earlier claims about poverty, risk-taking, and decision-making.

Women’s creativity got a boost from thinking about committed relationships—but only to a point. A new study suggests that sexual arousal linked to highly desirable long-term partners may short-circuit creative thinking, highlighting a strange cost of romantic attraction.

New research isolates a key mechanism underlying food choice in uncertain environments. An experiment found that an individual's preconceived belief in future food scarcity, when combined with cues of economic hardship, significantly increases visual fixation on high-calorie food items.