Curious Apes Podcast #31 - Steve Stewart-Williams: Evolution, Maladaptation, Sex Differences

[@Anniducati]

Fascinating conversation. I've subscribed to this channel, and looking very much forward to Steve Stewart-Williams' new book on sex differences.

[@TMK1450]

Sapolsky was mentioned, can anyone explain the context? Didn’t get „his work“ part in the conversation…

[@CuriousApes]

Happy to help. Check out the following links: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387823/ or. www.nytimes.com/2004/04/13/science/no-time-for-bullies-baboons-retool-their-culture.html. In essence, Sapolsky showed that a shift in the power structure of a baboon troop had a lasting effect that also seemed to changed the behavior that resulted from biology like testosterone. In this way, culture might be a "steering wheel" for the human condition, rather than the human condition being something that is static.

[@RogerSweeny]

I wonder if there is substantial behavioral/psychological evolution in relatively isolated populations. Some have proposed the Amish. Late teen Amish have to go out in the non-Amish world for a year. If they like it, they stay. If not, they go back to the community. So the community gets more and more "pro-Amish". Okay with hard physical work and a relative lack of entertainment/novelty. Something similar may be happening with Orthodox Jews. Why this may be important is that these groups also have a culture that encourages lots of children. As just about all other high-income cultures result in well below replacement birth rates, these conservative (for want of a better word) people will become larger and larger proportions of the population.

[@CuriousApes]

Fascinating perspective. This reminds me of the 7R alleles in dopamine receptors that seem to be tied to migration and openness to novelty. Maybe you'll find interest in this work as well: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21469077/