Whether weddings, national parades or religious festivals, rituals present a puzzle. We stress their importance, reflecting on these services as some of life’s most cherished moments. And yet, when prompted, most of us can’t explain why we perform them. What explains their persistence, and this apparent contradiction? In his new book Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts …
In 2017, Collins Dictionary crowned ‘fake news’ its word of the year. Collins’ entry can be credited to two unforgettable events that defined 2016: the decision taken by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, and the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. Dismayed and disoriented by the outcome …
As workers across the corporate world have begun scuttering back into their offices, many of us are sneaking away with our comrades for a drink. Given the substantial hazards alcohol presents, what should our stance on drinking with our colleagues be? In his new book Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to …
Here's an ethical dilemma for you to mull over: You are riding in a car driven by a close friend. He hits a pedestrian. You know he was going at least 35 miles per hour in an area of the city where the maximum allowed speed is 20 miles per hour. There are no witnesses. …
Continue reading The Weirdest People in the World, by Joseph Henrich
Here’s a podcast episode I recorded with Ricardo Lopes, for The Dissenter. Ricardo and I explore the application of evolutionary psychology to the business world. We start by tackling the concept of evolutionary mismatch, and then go through some examples of how it applies to the modern workplace— such as Dunbar’s number, hierarchy and leadership, …
Continue reading Evolutionary Organisational Psychology, with The Dissenter
Here’s a podcast episode I recorded with Mark van Vugt, for the This View of Life podcast. Mark van Vugt and I discuss his book Mismatch, coauthored with Ronald Giphart. We then delve into the science of evolutionary mismatches, and how this knowledge can help us understand human behaviour in modern settings, such as the workplace. We recorded this …
Continue reading Evolutionary Mismatch in the Workplace, with Mark van Vugt
Darwinian Business 