#763 Mitch Brown: Pathogen Avoidance, Mate Preferences for Facial Features, and Humor
RECORDED ON DECEMBER 13th 2022.
Dr. Mitch Brown is an instructor and researcher in Psychology at the University of Arkansas. His research uses complementary social and evolutionary perspectives in understanding how fundamental social motives shape social perceptions and interpersonal preferences. This work primarily considers (1) the tradeoffs people invoke to avoid disease and belong to groups, (2) the prioritization of physical features and behaviors in shaping preferences for short-term and long-term mates, and (3) how inferences of men’s formidability inform stereotypes of personality and social functions. From an increasingly applied standpoint, his research considers how evolutionary motives impede fair treatment of individuals under the U.S. Constitution.
In this episode, we talk about topics in evolutionary psychology. We start with the evolution of pathogen avoidance behaviors. We discuss the physical features that men and women look for in a potential partner, and the information regarding personality and motivational states people derive from facial and bodily features. We talk about humor styles, focusing on aggressive and self-defeating humor, and the personality traits of people who use them. Other topics include: the relationship between formidability and political militancy and moral foundations; limbal rings; and mom and dad bods, and parenting ability.
Time Links:
Intro
The evolution of pathogen avoidance behaviors
The physical features men and women look for in a potential partner
A preference for masculinized faces
The information regarding personality and motivational states people derive from facial and bodily features
Humor styles, and who uses them (focusing on aggressive, and self-defeating humor)
The relationship between formidability and political militancy and moral foundations
Deontology as a signal in mating
Limbal rings
Mom and dad bods, and parenting ability
Follow Dr. Brown’s work!
Follow Dr. Brown’s work:
University page: https://bit.ly/3dnemtB
Social Perception and Human Evolution Research Lab: https://bit.ly/3rGVQAn
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/3dztF2m
Twitter handle: @ExtravertedFace