evolutionary psychologist – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Moral Dilemma: Would You Kill One Person to Save Five?

By Guest PostDecember 3, 2011Science3 d simulated, carlos david navarrete, evolutionary psychologist, greater good, michigan state university, moral dilemma, runaway boxcar, sensors, three dimensional setting, trolley problem, violate

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Imagine a runaway boxcar heading toward five people who can’t escape its path. Now imagine you had the power to reroute the boxcar onto different tracks with only one person along that route.

Would you do it?

That’s the moral dilemma posed by a team of Michigan State University researchers in a first-of-its-kind study published in the research journal Emotion. Research participants were put in a three dimensional setting and given the power to kill one person (in this case, a realistic digital character) to save five. (more…)

Prejudice Linked to Women’s Menstrual Cycle

By Guest PostJune 24, 2011Healthcarlos david navarrete, carlos navarrete, evolutionary psychologist, fertile, human history, male invaders, male strangers, mcdonald and navarrete, melissa mcdonald, menstrual cycle, michigan state university, psychological system, racial and social groups, reproductive choice, risk of sexual coercion, suggesting prejudice, women

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Women’s bias against male strangers increases when women are fertile, suggesting prejudice may be partly fueled by genetics, according to a study by Michigan State University psychology researchers.

The study, funded by the National Science Foundation, appears online in Psychological Science, a major research journal.

“Our findings suggest that women’s prejudice, at least in part, may be a byproduct of their biology,” said Melissa McDonald, a doctoral student and lead author on the paper. (more…)

‘Growing Economy Sparks Change in Chinese Mating Preferences’

By Guest PostFebruary 15, 2011Cultureattractive mates, chastity, China, cultural evolution of values, cultural mate preferences, david buss, economic changes, economic prosperity, Economy, evolutionary hypothesis, evolutionary psychologist, good earning capacity, grow, mates, premarital sex in china, sexual partner, social status, trait, young adults

AUSTIN, Texas — As China’s economy continues to grow, more young adults desire potential mates with good financial prospects, according to new psychology research from The University of Texas at Austin.

In a paper published in the February issue of Personality and Individual Differences, David Buss, an evolutionary psychologist at the university, and a team of researchers found the preference for financial security reflects the extraordinary economic changes in China over the past 25 years. (more…)

Tag Archives: evolutionary psychologist

Moral Dilemma: Would You Kill One Person to Save Five?

Prejudice Linked to Women’s Menstrual Cycle

‘Growing Economy Sparks Change in Chinese Mating Preferences’