Kathryn Paige Harden

Kathryn Paige Harden at Harvard Book Store | Harvard Book Store presenting Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness

Boston-area folks: I will be presenting on ORIGINAL SIN at Harvard Book Store on March 19. Come say hi & ask me questions! www.harvard.com/event/kathry...

4/ With such a large and diverse sample, we identified many genes associated with externalizing: Across 1,294 genomic loci and 647 fine-mapped SNPs, we pinpointed 961 effector genes, including known biology (e.g., CADM2, BDNF) and novel discoveries (e.g., SLC17A6, NRN1)!

Genomic insights into substance use and disinhibitory disorders Externalizing spectrum disorders- spanning attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, substance use disorders, and other disorders characterized by disinhibition - frequently co-occur...

Our multi-ancestry GWAS of EXTernalizing conditions (ADHD, substance use...) in ~4M people reveals neurodevelopmental risk, drug-repurposing targets, and yields one of the strongest psychiatric polygenic indices yet! 🧬🎉 doi.org/10.64898/202...

Original Sin

Lastly, if you want a different introduction to the book's themes and topics, I put together a very eclectic book-related playlist as I was writing:

open.spotify.com/playlist/0YR...

If you're looking for someone to appear on your podcast or in your class, this is an excellent time to ask me!

If you're considering buying Original Sin, please consider supporting my beloved local bookstore, Reverie Books: bookshop.org/shop/reverie...

"What Makes a Child Go Bad--Nature or Nurture?" Introducing my new book on the genetics of vice, the problem of blame, and the future of forgiveness

My new book will be released in less than 1 month! On Substack, I describe a letter I received that radically reshaped the book: A man in prison for a sexually violent crime asked me, "What makes a child go bad--nature or nurture?"

kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com/p/what-makes...

📢🧬 Call for Papers — 5th ESSGN Conference
📍 Bologna, May 21–22, 2026

I’ll be co-organising the 5th ESSGN conference in Bologna together with Nicola Barban, Stephanie von Hinke, Paul Hufe, and Niels Rietveld @essgn.bsky.social

📄 Submit here: forms.gle/fmVDUrQqQYju...
🗓 Deadline: 1 March 2026

Book giveaway for Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness by Kathryn Paige Harden Jan 26-Feb 17, 2026 Enter to win one of 10 free copies available. Giveaway dates from Jan 26-Feb 17, 2026. We're giving away 10 copies of ORIGINAL SIN by Kathryn Paige Harde...

Goodreads is giving away 10 free copies of my new book, ORIGINAL SIN (and nearly 1000 people have already signed up!). Enter here for your chance to get a free book, ahead of publication day:

www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

European colleagues who don't want to travel to the US for PAA should come to Finland for @invest-flagship.bsky.social instead!

Join us in Turku, Finland for the 3rd @invest-flagship.bsky.social conference; May 6-8, 2026. This year's topic is "Building equal societies: from scientific findings to societal transformation" with excizing and timely keynotes by Prof. Harden @kph3k.bsky.social and Prof. Cohen @philipncohen.com

surest sign that we need to get the pipes wrapped and the generator ready

AGBT General Meeting Featured Speaker: Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden (kph3k.bsky.social), Professor of Psychology at @utaustin.bsky.social & author.

At AGBTGM26, she’ll explore how moral beliefs shape science, and how transcending the “moral vs. biological” divide can open new paths for discovery.

How Much Are We Like Our Parents, Really? A conversation with psychologist Paige Harden about the genetic roots of behavior and personality

I talked with the great @kph3k.bsky.social about her fascinating new book, Original Sin, and whether we're doomed (or blessed!) to turn out just like our parents substack.com/home/post/p-...

“police use lies—both in their work and in the court of public opinion—to deploy a set of strategic narratives that bolsters their budgets, powers, and quest to be seen as the only means of safety available“

Comments on this article show how evidence of biology’s role in a behavior doesn’t *erase* moral beliefs about that behavior, but rather interacts w/ moral beliefs in complicated ways

See eg Interesting paper by Sydney Scott: ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jobhdp...

These articles revlea people's uniquely twisted/nasty views about weight & health. Have been reading an early copy @kph3k.bsky.social book on the "genetics of sin" (order it!), & I am convinved we need to confront people's gut instincts about health, it matters and is weaponised (see vaccines).

advance copies of my new book are now out in the world! pub day is on 3.3.26 & preorders are a love language ❤️

Paul Eastwick: The New Science of Love and Connection Join us at Commonwealth Club World Affairs on February 13 to prepare scientifically for Valentine’s Day.

SF folks! I'm going to be talking to @pauleastwick.bsky.social about his EXCELLENT new book on Feb 13 at the Commonwealth Club. Come to hear the *real* science of relationships (not the manosphere pseudoscience), stay for a Valentine's Day dance party

www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2026-...

Paul Eastwick: The New Science of Love and Connection Join us at Commonwealth Club World Affairs on February 13 to prepare scientifically for Valentine’s Day.

SF folks! I'm going to be talking to @pauleastwick.bsky.social about his EXCELLENT new book on Feb 13 at the Commonwealth Club. Come to hear the *real* science of relationships (not the manosphere pseudoscience), stay for a Valentine's Day dance party

www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2026-...

Thank you!

reposting for the Monday crowd—

This week in my newsletter I discussed the “Have your best baby” campaign by Nucleus Genomics as an example of what @gaiaghirardi.bsky.social and @arnovanhootegem.bsky.social have called “commodification on steroids”

open.substack.com/pub/kathrynp...

I wonder about these questions a lot! I can also see a very logical extension to GLP-1s - as a fat person who is not interested in those medications, I’m starting to see subtle shifts from pity to confusion about my size (if she has money and health care, why ISN’T she on a GLP-1?).

Thank you for sharing this insight -- yes, clear parallels with the tensions I describe in this piece but I hadn't thought of the GLP-1 connection!

& your argument might be right— I am very uncertain about what the long term net effects of such a policy would be

Thank you, Kevin!

"Their very public embrace of cosmetic surgery and embryo selection could be seen as a bit of embodied rhetoric in support of their political and economic project. How else to justify...such parasitic hoarding of wealth without advertising yourself as exempt from the shared human condition?"

"Have Your Best Baby" Four parallels between cosmetic surgery and polygenic embryo selection, two competing definitions of "eugenics," and one short excerpt from my forthcoming book

I wrote about Nucleus Genomics' "Have your best baby" ad campaign and Kris Jenner's "best version of myself" facelift, the parallels between embryo selection and cosmetic surgery, and competing definitions of "eugenics"

kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com/p/have-your-...

This is possible! but at this point in my life I am suspicious of any intended changes that hinge on me becoming more efficient— I see some amount of faffing about as unavoidable & my current overall work capacity as pretty inelastic

OK, that's all I got. What are your writing goals for 2026?

5. It is basically impossible to be a writer without being a reader. What have you read recently that made you want to write? If nothing comes to mind, then you might need to start there--resolving to read more--before resolving to write more.