The Human Beast

Sex

Authoritarianism in an Evolutionary Context

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on September 21, 2022

Early hunter-gatherer societies were egalitarian. In contemporary societies, power is concentrated at the top. Why did we accept inequality and unfairness?

Trust

Do Our Cats Actually Like Us?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on September 2, 2022

Animal behaviorists are revising our understanding of the relationship between cats and people.

Consumer Behavior

What Shopping Says About the Pleistocene Overkill

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on August 18, 2022

The Pleistocene Overkill: The first case of excessive consumption by our species has some surprising similarities to the modern shopping craze.

Environment

Does Hoarding Have Evolutionary Roots?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on August 12, 2022

Clinical hoarding seems remote from adaptation to the environment. Closer analysis suggests that people who store too much stuff are motivated by self-preservation anxieties.

Career

The Super Senses of Dogs

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on August 4, 2022

Dogs' newly discovered sensory abilities include heat mapping by the nose, as well as detecting cancer and predicting the onset of seizures.

Creativity

How Far Did Hunter-Gatherers Travel and Why Does It Matter?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 22, 2022

Travel increased considerably before settled agriculture. This played a key role in technological innovation making societies more complex.

Bullying

The Social Brain and Brain Size

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 14, 2022

Do our large brains help us keep track of complex social relationships?

Child Development

Is Your Child an Entrepreneur?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 8, 2022

Is it a good idea to encourage the entrepreneurial youngster?

Environment

The History of Waste

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 1, 2022

Predators are unlikely to kill off their favored prey because doing so restricts their own population. Yet, humans have been doing this for over a million years.

Mating

Do Large Brains Make People Sexier?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on June 16, 2022

Brain tissue uses a fifth of our energy budget. How do those big brains pay for their upkeep? What are they for?

Relationships

What Dog Societies Tell Us About Dog Training

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on June 9, 2022

All canine societies have a similar social structure. This suggests many practical tips for dog training.

Mating

Is a Man Sexier With a Beard?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on May 25, 2022

A resurgence of facial hair among political extremists, nonconformists, and others is often discussed as a fashion but has an evolutionary history in sexual signaling.

Body Image

How Can Teens Overcome Body Image Problems?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on April 26, 2022

Given constant access to electronic devices, how can young people avoid body image problems?

Career

Social Flexibility in Humans and Other Species

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on April 7, 2022

Human communities are categorized as simple or complex, settled or nomadic, foragers or farmers. Actual human groups may defy sharp social categories and so do other species.

Environment

Are Humans the Only Species to Wipe Out Prey Animals?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on March 30, 2022

Predators cannot wipe out their prey without disappearing themselves. The development of effective weapons for killing at a distance tipped the balance against our large prey.

Conformity

The Perils of Conformity

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on March 24, 2022

Groups encourage, and sometimes enforce, conformity with possible adverse effects.

Relationships

Dogs and People: Evolution of a Special Relationship

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on March 17, 2022

Dogs are very useful to us. A lesser-told story is the very great reliance of dogs on people for their food, for shelter, and for protection from larger predators.