Benjamin Zubaly

Want to recognize someone who has gone above and beyond in communicating and countering misinformation about human evolutionary science? Nominate them for the EHAP 2026 Evolution in the Public Eye award! Nominations are now open (until Jan 31) at: sites.lsa.umich.edu/ehap/evoluti...

A lovely summary by @ensaracem.bsky.social of our new paper in Theory and Society. Many great collaborators and I provide a balanced overview of, and some potential responses to, this important normative scientific conflict.

Open access in his thread.

We'd love to hear your perspective.

To broaden the conversation, we are now collecting perspectives across fields.

If you work in research, we would be grateful for your input.

📋 Survey: erasmusuniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Thanks @duddaleonie.bsky.social, @mamsmandrill.bsky.social, @martakowal.bsky.social, @milkos.bsky.social, @moralnosc.bsky.social, @bzubaly.bsky.social and all co-authors (not on Blusky too)! Special thanks to @verheyensteven.bsky.social for leading this collaboration.

Grateful to be part of it!

Why I declare a conflict of interest and you should not - Theory and Society Academic publishing is both an indication of scientific contribution and a currency for career advancement. This dual role gives rise to a normative scientific conflict: Does the structural incentive ...

Our new paper is out in Theory and Society:

“Why I declare a conflict of interest and you should not.”

We examine whether the structural pressure to publish should itself be understood as a conflict of interest—and what that means for research culture.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

YouTube video by UofM Psychology Evolution in the Public Eye | Professor Edward Hagen | The Evolution of "Recreational" Drug Use

The video from the inaugural Evolution in the Public Eye award ceremony is now up! See Ed Hagen's award acceptance and lecture here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyDI...

If you’re in Ann Arbor on Oct 24th, come out to the library for the first Evolution in the Public Eye award address featuring Ed Hagen. Refreshments provided!

Come check out the inaugural EPE award lecture from Dr. Edward Hagen this Friday in Ann Arbor!

Very excited to announce the inaugural Evolution in the Public Eye Award Ceremony and Lecture. Our first winner, Ed Hagen, will be speaking about "The Evolution of 'Recreational' Drug Use" on Oct. 24 @ 5:30pm at the Ann Arbor District Library. More info: sites.lsa.umich.edu/ehap/evoluti...

benjaminjzubaly.github.io//publications/

New paper spearheaded by Jaime Palmer-Hague is out in Evolution and Human Behavior. We explored the (lack of) effect of fertility on intersexual competitiveness towards highly attractive women.

Download the html or pdf versions at the link below!

Religiosity may function as a mating strategy shaped by disease avoidance psychology Researchers have uncovered evidence that links disease-avoidance motives to religiosity. Rather than tradition or ethnocentrism, the findings point to sexual conservatism—specifically, a preference fo...

Coverage of our recent study about disgust and religiosity (work with @karbeau.bsky.social and Jaime Palmer-Hague) by @psypost.bsky.social. Check it out!

www.psypost.org/religiosity-...

🌐 psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/...
📄 benjaminjzubaly.github.io/files/zubaly...

New paper out in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences!

We find evidence that disgust sensitivity leads to religiosity through monogamous sexual attitudes. Calibrated mating goals might functionally shape belief.

w/ @karbeau.bsky.social & Jaime Palmer-Hague

Link to publisher and PDF below!

A new piece in @psypost.bsky.social on our recent study published in Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology. Check it out!

Why do our friendships feel so vital?

I wrote a short piece for @jessicadayers.bsky.social’s lab blog. It discusses why evolutionary psychology is critical for understanding complex social phenomena like friendship and provides an introduction to evolutionary social psychology.

Read it here!

Why Understanding Friendship Requires Evolutionary Psychology My name is Benjamin Zubaly. I am an incoming PhD student in the Evolutionary Social Psychology lab at the University of Michigan and a research assistant in the Ayers Psychology an

After a great @humbehevosoc.bsky.social panel on friendship, I thought it was a perfect time to share Benjamin Zubaly’s thoughts on why evolutionary theory is needed to understand friendships www.ayerslab.org/blog/why-und...