Books by Dario Maestripieri
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Papers by Dario Maestripieri
Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 2025
The integration of scientific and humanistic disciplines in academic research and teaching ("cons... more The integration of scientific and humanistic disciplines in academic research and teaching ("consilience") is grounded in the concept of the unity of knowledge. Opponents of consilience argue that there is a difference between factual or propositional knowledge (i.e., "objective" knowledge) produced by science and philosophy through theory, empirical data, or logic-based argumentation, and "understanding," defined as "knowledge in the form of realization" (or "knowing what's like to…"), produced by the humanities and the arts through the subjectivity of individual perception, or lived experience, or cultural or moral relativity. We argue that "understanding" is not a distinct type of knowledge, but simply perspective-taking. Moreover, both the sciences and the humanities can explore and explain both subjective and objective aspects of self-knowledge (i.e., of what it means to be human). Therefore, we assert that all knowledge is objective knowledge and there is no conceptually valid argument for the separation of science and humanities. Evolutionary psychology has been at the forefront of the consilience movement for 30 years. Moreover, there are many examples of "consilient" explorations of the human mind and human behavior, which blended evolutionary biology, philosophy, and literature, dating back to the publication of Darwin's The Origins of Species (1859). We believe that evolutionary psychology can continue to play a pivotal role in the implementation of the "consilience" agenda and issue a Call for Papers for a Special Issue of Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences on the topic of Consilience. Public Significance Statement It has been claimed that the sciences produce objective, factual knowledge, whereas the humanities and the arts may lead to a different kind of subjective knowledge called "understanding." We argue that "understanding" is not a type of knowledge, but simply perspective-taking. There is only one knowledge, and both the sciences and the humanities can contribute to it. Evolutionary psychology can continue to play a pivotal role in interdisciplinary and "consilient" investigations of the human mind and human behavior.
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Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, 2023
Objectives We argue that research in the psychological sciences testing evolutionarily informed q... more Objectives We argue that research in the psychological sciences testing evolutionarily informed questions could benefit considerably from more frequent use of techniques common in behavior genetics. Methods We review some of the reasons why data and analytical strategies in behavior genetics confer certain advantages over more traditional forms of data analysis. In particular, we focus on the wide availability of secondary data, the generalizability of data, the capacity of certain designs to bolster causal inference capabilities, and the overall adaptability of the research designs to a wide array of empirical questions. Results Not only do we show how the use of sibling designs can be of methodological assistance, but we also demonstrate how they can play a role in refining theories informed by evolution. In order to give a more concrete vision of what this can look like, we offer a type of case study using prior work which has already taken advantage of behavior genetic tools. Conclusions Because of the efforts to situate psychological science in the context of evolutionary biology, the field has undergone considerable intellectual growth. We suggest that by simply making more frequent use of tools in behavior genetics, the fields of psychology might further accelerate the progress that is already well underway.
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This study investigated the effects of psychosocial stress on hormonal responses to a social inte... more This study investigated the effects of psychosocial stress on hormonal responses to a social interaction with an opposite-sex individual to test the hypothesis that stress may interfere with or suppress adaptive neuroendocrine responses to courtship opportunities. Heterosexual men and women were randomly assigned prior to arrival to either a control or psychosocial stress condition (Trier Social Stress Test) and subsequently went through a social interaction test with an opposite-sex individual. Expected increases of testosterone for control participants who interacted with opposite-sex individuals were not observed, and changes in testosterone were not observed for those in the psychosocial stress condition either. However, exploratory analyses in control participants showed main and interaction effects of relationship status were significant for both cortisol and testosterone. Specifically, single individuals showed higher levels of cortisol compared to those in a relationship, and single individuals showed significantly higher concentrations of cortisol after a social interaction when compared to individuals who were in a relationship. For testosterone, only individuals in a relationship decreased in testosterone following the social interaction. This study suggests that relationship status and psychosocial stress may be important variables moderating the relationship between an ecological cue of a potential courtship opportunity and subsequent adaptive physiological responses.
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Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences , 2023
This research aimed to investigate whether and how facial attractiveness relates to physical (hei... more This research aimed to investigate whether and how facial attractiveness relates to physical (height, weight), social (relationship status), and psychological characteristics (personality traits, self-esteem, locus of control, self-evaluated social status, trait anxiety, and time perspective) in a sample of college students. In a first study, 231 participants, males and females, provided a standardized photo of their face, self-rated their attractiveness, answered some anthropometric and demographic questions, and completed some psychological questionnaires. In a second study, the faces were evaluated for attractiveness by an external group of same-aged judges (N = 236). Attractiveness was negatively correlated with Body Mass Index and with height (only in males). Attractive individuals reported being in a long-term romantic relationship more than others. Self-rated and/or other-rated attractiveness were positively correlated with self-reported social status, self-esteem, and past-positive time perspective, and negatively correlated with trait anxiety, neuroticism and past-negative time perspective. The findings of this study suggest that more attractive individuals possess characteristics that favor psychological well-being and good mental health and that make them desirable and successful as social or romantic partners. Attractiveness may also be associated with adaptive cognitive biases that promote self-enhancement.
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Personality and Individual Differences, 2023
Personality-like traits such as impulsivity may be associated with interindividual variation in e... more Personality-like traits such as impulsivity may be associated with interindividual variation in endocrine function and in physiological reactivity to psychosocial stress. This study investigated the relationship between impulsivity, cortisol, and testosterone both in baseline conditions and in response to psychosocial stress in a mixed-sex sample of college students (mean age = 22.275, SD = 4.321). Half of our study participants (total n = 120, 60 male, 60 female) underwent a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) (n = 60, 31 male, 29 female) and half were in a control condition (n = 60, 29 male, 31 female). All of them provided saliva samples to assess hormone levels at three-time points (i.e., "baseline", "during", and "after" either the TSST or control condition) and completed the Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire (EIQ). We found positive correlations between the global EIQ score, its dimension 'venturesomeness', and testosterone levels when data for males and females were analyzed together. We also found a negative correlation between 'venturesomeness' and cortisol changes. The EIQ dimension 'impulsivity' influenced cortisol changes in both sexes, whereas the global EIQ influenced testosterone changes only in females in the control condition. Our results highlight potential sex differences in the association between steroid hormones and various aspects of impulsivity and suggest limited effects of impulsivity dimensions on the regulation of cortisol and testosterone levels.
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MDPI Biology, 2023
The “challenge hypothesis” predicts higher male–male aggressive behavior along with increases in ... more The “challenge hypothesis” predicts higher male–male aggressive behavior along with increases in testosterone levels during times of reproductive challenges and social instability. In addition, in some primate species, higher glucocorticoid levels can be observed as well, but this is usually modulated by dominance rank. We studied rank-related aggressive behavior, mating activity, and fecal testosterone and glucocorticoid metabolites (fTm and fGCm) in male stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides) in order to test some predictions of the “challenge hypothesis”. Over a 20-month period, we collected data on aggressive behavior and copulation, as well as fecal samples (n = 700) to quantify fTm and fGCm in seven adult stumptail males living in captivity. During periods of mating activity, male-to-male aggression increased in higher- and middle-ranking males. Neither fTm nor fGCm levels predicted male-to-male aggression. fGCm levels (but not fTm) were positively associated with male-to-female aggression; however, this association was pronounced during periods of mating activity. fGCm levels differed according to social rank, with middle-ranking males having the highest levels. Both hormones were higher during periods of mating activity, but only in higher- and middle-ranking males. Taken together, our findings partially support the challenge hypothesis in a non-seasonal primate and shed some light on the unique social and mating system of the stumptail macaque.
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Frontiers in Psychology, 2023
Introduction: Narcissistic personality manifests itself in at least two different forms: grandios... more Introduction: Narcissistic personality manifests itself in at least two different forms: grandiose and vulnerable. In the present study, we compared cortisol and emotional responses to psychosocial stress between subjects high in vulnerable and grandiose narcissism scores, and examined possible associations between narcissism, other personality traits, and stress responses. We hypothesized that subjects with higher scores of vulnerable narcissism would show stronger emotional and physiological reactivity than those with high scores of grandiose narcissism. Methods: A final sample of forty-seven participants underwent a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), provided saliva samples to assess cortisol levels, and completed several personality questionnaires. Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, subjects with higher scores of vulnerable narcissism had a stronger cortisol and emotional response than those with high scores of grandiose narcissism. Vulnerable narcissism was positively correlated with schizotypal traits, while grandiose narcissism was positively correlated with psychopathic traits. Participants with a mixed-type of narcissism were also discussed. Discussion: This study provides the first evidence of differential physiological and emotional reactivity to social evaluation threat according to scores of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism. Since this is an exploratory study, the results must be interpreted with caution. However, the results will be informative for future confirmatory research with larger and more heterogeneous samples.
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Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2023
The scientific study of human behavior from a modern evolutionary perspective began in the 20th c... more The scientific study of human behavior from a modern evolutionary perspective began in the 20th century with disciplines such as human ethology and behavioral ecology as well as sociobiology. This early work focused on the characterization of a universal human nature that could be observed across all societies and cultures, one believed to have emerged in part from evolutionary processes. With the passage of time a newer evolutionary discipline, evolutionary psychology, emerged in the early 1990 s and quickly flourished. The focus on human nature was retained from its forerunners, but the primary focus of the field underwent a decided shift. Gone was the emphasis on observable behaviors and in its place moved psychological and cognitive functioning. At the same time, the new field took an interesting departure from other branches of psychology by largely relegating the significance of individual differences across cognitive and personality styles (whether heritable or environmental in origin) to a minor role. In this paper, we review the primary original arguments for minimizing or ignoring the importance of individual differences in personality and cognition, all in the service of making the case that the study of human nature, and evolutionary psychology more generally, is not at odds with individual differences research. The two fields have always been complementary, with one serving as a frequent source of insight for the other.
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Based on sexual selection theory, the reproductive potential of male primates is expected to be l... more Based on sexual selection theory, the reproductive potential of male primates is expected to be limited by access to fertile females. Alpha males, the highest ranking males in a social group, are predicted to have better access to mates and produce more offspring until they are no longer dominant, which usually corresponds with age. Little is known about male reproductive senescence independent of rank changes in nonhuman primates. Here, we examine variation in the reproductive success of high-ranking male rhesus macaques on cayo Santiago. We recorded behavioral data for 21 adult males across 9 social groups during the 2013 mating season. Additionally, we used paternity data from the long-term database to determine the number of offspring each subject sired over his lifetime and during the study period. Older high-ranking males in stable groups had fewer offspring than younger high-ranking males in stable groups in 2013. The low reproductive output for the older males was not a result of lower mating effort, and reproductive output in 2013 was not predicted by total prior reproductive success. our results provide novel evidence of post-copulatory reproductive senescence in high-ranking male nonhuman primates. Sexual selection theory predicts that male primates are mainly limited in their reproductive potential by access to fertile females 1. Within nonhuman primate groups, alpha males (the highest-ranking male in each group) have better access to mates 2 and are therefore expected to produce more offspring until they are no longer dominant (e.g. baboons 3 ; mandrills 4), which is usually associated with older age due to the energetic and physical demands of maintaining dominance status 5,6. This pattern varies greatly between primate species depending on their social structure and grouping pattern. Rhesus macaques live in large multi-male, multi-female groups where both males and females form strong linear dominance hierarchies in which high-ranking individuals have better access to resources, including mating opportunities. Relatively little is known about male reproductive senescence, or age-related declines in reproduction, independent of rank changes in primates, although a large body of research literature on this topic exists for human males 7-13. In men, age has been negatively associated with sperm quality and positively associated with a risk of genetic disorders in offspring 9,12,14 (but see 10). Importantly, studies on men do not show consistent changes in hormone concentrations with age, suggesting that hormone concentrations are not a good predictor of reproductive function and should not be used as a proxy measure in primates 15,16. In nonhuman primates, the focus has primarily been on female reproductive senescence (e.g. rhesus macaques 17-19), and many studies have simply assumed that alpha males who are seen mating frequently are producing offspring, regardless of their age 20. As studies have started incorporating paternity data, it has become clear that mating success does not always equal reproductive success 21. A few studies have found evidence of changes in sexual behaviors with age in male nonhuman primates, but there is limited evidence of a decrease in fertility (reviewed in 22). The ability to study reproductive senescence in free-ranging primates is limited by the confounding factor that many older males lose their high-ranking status prior to a decrease in their reproductive success 5,23,24. For example, male baboons experience a decline in reproductive output as they age, but this decline coincides with a loss in dominance rank 5. In these cases, a decrease in reproductive success appears to be open
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While associated with extreme terrorist organizations in modern times, extensive accounts of gris... more While associated with extreme terrorist organizations in modern times, extensive accounts of grisly acts of violence exist in the archeological, historical, and ethno-graphic records. Though reasons for this dramatic form of violence are multifaceted and diverse, one possibility is that violence beyond what is required to win a conflict is a method by which violent actors communicate to others that they are formidable opponents. The formidability representation hypothesis predicts that formidability is cognitively represented using the dimensions of envisioned bodily size and strength. We tested the informational ramifications of gruesome acts using two vignette studies depicting individuals who either did or did not grievously damage the corpse of a deceased foe. Participants rated the individual's height, bodily size, and strength, as well as his aggressiveness, motivation, and the capacity to vanquish opponents in future conflicts. Results indicate that, as predicted, committing gruesome acts of violence enhances perceptions of formidability as measured both by envisioned bodily size and strength and expectations regarding the outcomes of agonistic conflicts. Moreover, the gruesome actor was perceived as more aggressive and more motivated to overcome his enemies, and this mediated the increase in conceptualized size and strength. These results both provide further evidence for the formidability representation hypothesis and support the thesis that overtly grisly violence is tactically employed, in part, because it conveys information about the perpetrator's formidability. K E Y W O R D S formidability, signaling, terrorism, threat assessment, violence
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Quillette, 2020
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