#664 Summer Mengelkoch: Early Life Stressors, Life History, Physiology, and Decision-Making
RECORDED ON MAY 20th 2022.
Dr. Summer Mengelkoch has recently finished her PhD in experimental social psychology at Texas Christian University. She has just accepted a postdoc position at UCLA under George Slavich. She earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 2013, and an M.S. From Texas Christian University in 2020. Dr. Mengelkoch seeks to better understand relationships between biology and behavior. To do so, she investigates relationships between biological factors (including hormones, hormonal contraceptive use, and immune function) and behaviors (including eating behavior, mate preferences, cognition, and decision-making).
In this episode, we talk about early life stressors and their impact on physiology and decision-making. We talk about how early life disadvantages impact development, particularly at the level of physiology. We get into the relationship between immune function and decision-making. We discuss how a fast life history strategy impacts eating behavior, mating behavior/preferences, and punishment sensitivity. Finally, we talk about Dr. Mengelkoch’s current and future work.
Time Links:
Intro
Early life disadvantages and development
How physiology is impacted
Development of diseases
The relationship between immune function and decision-making
Fast life history strategies in industrialized societies
Eating behavior
Mating behavior/preferences
Punishment sensitivity, and penal systems
Dr. Mengelkoch’s current and future work
Follow Dr. Mengelkoch’s work!
Follow Dr. Mengelkoch’s work:
Website: https://bit.ly/3rcg1ql
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/3HhpqCA
Twitter handle: @PsychdOnScience