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Modern WisdomJan 15, 2022

#422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture on Modern Wisdom.

Guest: Joe Henrich

Notable books mentioned: The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, Steve Stewart Williams, The Chosen Few

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The Weirdest People in the World cover
Mentioned at 1:31
The Weirdest People in the World
Joseph Henrich

The host mentions 'The Weirdest People in the World' to highlight the limitations of psychological research that predominantly draws from Western s…

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The Secret of Our Success cover
Mentioned at 5:07
The Secret of Our Success

The host mentions 'The Secret of Our Success' to elaborate on how kin-based institutions and family structures influence human psychology and socia…

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Steve Stewart Williams cover
Mentioned at 7:11
Steve Stewart Williams

The host references Steve Stewart Williams' work to illustrate how family dynamics and early childhood experiences can influence adult relationship…

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#422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture
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Episode summary, books & quotes

#422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture mentions The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, Steve Stewart Williams, and The Chosen Few with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

The Weirdest People in the WorldThe Secret of Our SuccessSteve Stewart WilliamsThe Chosen Few
Guest: Joe Henrich
Episode summary
Joe Henrich is Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and an author. Humans like to think that we're sovereign individuals with agency over our preferences and actions. But we are also a part of our social environment and Joe has teased apart some fascinating trends which explain how our location and culture have huge impacts on the way we behave, our preferences on everything from dating to work and family life to religion. Expect to learn why the things we consider to be human nature could just be cultural conditioning, the dangerous future if there's lots of sexless men, how the choice between growing rice and wheat impacts family life, what having diplomatic immunity from parking tickets can teach us about human nature, how Joe's lab can use language to archaeologically tell us about social trends from history and much more...
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Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture on Modern Wisdom.

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  • The conversation centers on cultural conditioning and psychology.
  • A second recurring theme is family structure and instincts.
  • Referenced books include The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich and The Secret of Our Success.
  • The strongest audience signal points to Researchers and students in psychology and cultural studies and Academics and students interested in psychology and sociology.
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Which books are mentioned in #422 - Dr Joe Henrich - Evolution, Psychology, Monogamy & Culture?

The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, and Steve Stewart Williams are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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cultural conditioning and psychology(1)family structure and instincts(1)human social psychology(1)literacy and culture(1)
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Researchers and students in psychology and cultural studiesAcademics and students interested in psychology and sociologyStudents of psychology and evolutionary biologyIndividuals interested in cultural history and literacy's impact on society

Books Mentioned

The Weirdest People in the World cover
The Weirdest People in the World
Joseph Henrich
Best for Researchers and students in psychology and cultural studiesOften cited around cultural conditioning and psychology

“The author discusses a paper published in 2010 called The Weirdest People in the World, which critiques the overrepresentation of Western subjects in psychological research.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Researchers and students in psychology and cultural studies
Key quote: “We published in 2010 called The Weirdest People in the World, where weird is an acronym that stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic.”
The host mentions 'The Weirdest People in the World' to highlight the limitations of psychological research that predominantly draws from Western societies. The book serves as a critique of how cultural conditioning influences perceptions of human nature and behavior.
ASIN: 1250800072
Buy on Amazon
The Secret of Our Success cover
The Secret of Our Success
Best for Academics and students interested in psychology and sociologyOften cited around human social psychology

“The author mentions their book called The Secret of Our Success, which explores fundamental human institutions and psychology.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Academics and students interested in psychology and sociology
Key quote: “So I wrote a lot about that in my book called The Secret of Our Success, which came out in 2016.”
The host mentions 'The Secret of Our Success' to elaborate on how kin-based institutions and family structures influence human psychology and social behavior. This book provides a foundational understanding of the evolutionary instincts that shape our social interactions and cultural frameworks.
ASIN: 0691166854
Buy on Amazon
Steve Stewart Williams cover
Steve Stewart Williams
Best for Students of psychology and evolutionary biologyOften cited around family structure and instincts

“The excerpt references an example in a book by Steve Stewart Williams discussing the Westermark effect and its implications in family dynamics.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Students of psychology and evolutionary biology
Key quote: “And that's one of the interesting ways that scientists have been able to figure this out is because there's things like in Taiwan and actually in China, they have minor marriages.”
The host references Steve Stewart Williams' work to illustrate how family dynamics and early childhood experiences can influence adult relationships. The discussion highlights the evolutionary mechanisms behind incest aversion and the implications of familial bonds on social structures.
ASIN: N/A
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The Chosen Few cover
The Chosen Few
Best for Individuals interested in cultural history and literacy's impact on societyOften cited around literacy and culture

“The argument there is that once you have a culture of literacy, you get a culture of debate about what the Torah says and a culture of commentary on that.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Individuals interested in cultural history and literacy's impact on society
Key quote: “I'm drawing on this book called the chosen few, but the argument there is that once you have a culture of literacy, you get a culture of debate about what the Torah says and a culture of commentary on that.”
The host mentions 'The Chosen Few' to illustrate how a culture of literacy among Jews led to a unique intellectual tradition and societal roles. This book supports the argument that literacy fosters debate and critical thinking, which contrasts with other cultural backgrounds.
ASIN: 0691163510
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