Testing evolutionary theories of human social behavior

Charles Efferson

Evolutionary theories of human social behavior are intrinsically difficult to 
test because the relevant evolutionary process typically happened long ago. 
Nonetheless, a handful of recent studies suggest several ways in which 
experimental methods allow us to address a variety of key questions in 
evolutionary social science. This talk will survey these studies with a 
particular focus on the phylogenetics of prosocial behavior, the mechanics of 
cultural transmission, reciprocal behavior as a cognitive mistake, and the 
romantic pursuits of a certain Hollywood celebrity.