Culture and Ecology Lab

We study a range of topics in this lab, but our main questions have to do with how ecological factors (population density, resource levels, pathogens, seasons, etc) influence human behavior, cultural variation, and cultural change. We are also interested in evolutionary approaches to kin care and sibling dynamics, expert forecasting, quantitative and AI approaches to making inferences about historical data and the mindsets of past populations, the adaptive function of fiction, and even how we might react to discovering the existence of extraterrestrial life.

To address these questions, we use theoretical frameworks and tools from behavioral ecology, evolutionary psychology, econometrics, big data, and cultural psychology.

Sound interesting? The lab is always looking for bright, conscientious undergraduates to work as research assistants. If interested, please contact Michael Varnum or fill out this form.