Tag Archives: atheoryofeveryone

Invited talk at Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute of Human Development, Berlin, Germany

I recently gave an invited talk at the Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute of Human Development in Berlin, Germany.

My presentation focused on the limitations of relying on WEIRD samples in research on human cognition and behavior, and the need to move beyond these populations. I shared new data from my research in Namibia and Angola, drawing on the framework from my book, A Theory of Everyone, to emphasize the importance of strategic sampling based on theory and cultural distance.

In the talk, I also discussed best practices for cross-cultural research, including the use of online tools like Besample, cross-cultural collaborations, and considerations for field research.

My deepest thanks to the Max Planck Institute of Human Development for inviting me and organising the event.

Some of my relevant papers on the topic can be found here:

  • Muthukrishna, M. (2023). [BOOK] A Theory of Everyone: Who we are, how we got here, and where we’re going. MIT Press (US & Canada) / Basic Books (UK and Commonwealth) [Amazon and Local Bookstores]
  • Muthukrishna, M., Bell, A. V., Henrich, J., Curtin, C., Gedranovich, A., McInerney, J. & Thue, B. (2020). Beyond Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) Psychology: Measuring and Mapping Scales of Cultural and Psychological Distance. Psychological Science, 31(6), 678-701. [Download] [Supplementary] [Code] [Summary Post] [Publisher] [Twitter]
  • Slingerland, E., Atkinson, Q. D., Ember, C. R., Sheehan, O., Muthukrishna, M., Bulbulia, J. & Gray, R. D. (2020). Coding Culture: Challenges and Recommendations for Comparative Cultural Databases. Evolutionary Human Sciences, 2, E29. [Download] [Publisher]

Keynote at Association for Contextual Behavioral Science World Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina

I was honored to deliver a keynote at the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In my presentation, based on the concepts from my book, A Theory of Everyone, I discussed the ongoing scientific revolution transforming the psychological and behavioral sciences. I also discussed how the dual inheritance theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding human behavior and its applications in real-world interventions and policy.

My deepest thanks to the ACBS for inviting me and organising the event, and to Lori E. Crosby, Mavis Tsai and her team for their insightful talks and workshop.

Invited speaker for Charter Cities Week Zanzalu, Zanzibar

I was invited to talk at the Charter Cities Week in Fumba Town, Zanzibar.

I explored the themes from my book, A Theory of Everyone, focusing on how startup cities like Fumba Town can catalyze economic and social development. I discussed the critical interplay of culture, psychology, and economics in shaping urban projects, emphasizing the role of cultural and psychological insights as foundational elements in designing and building new urban environments.

The full talk can be found here, and you can check out my book here.

My sincere thanks to the Charter Cities Institute for inviting me and hosting the event.

Keynote speaker at Rebuilding Macroeconomics conference on Polycrises and Policy Frameworks

I was invited to deliver a keynote address at the Rebuilding Macroeconomics conference on Polycrises and Policy Frameworks. In my talk, I explored how human evolution, shaped by both genetic and cultural factors, has contributed to our ability to address complex challenges. I focused on my research on cultural transmission, and how it enables humans to innovate, cooperate, and respond to crises.

I also tackle these concepts in my book, A Theory of Everyone, which you can check out here.

The talk also included an insightful discussion between myself, speakers Clara Mattei and Alan Kirman. Those interested can view the full discussion here.

My deepest thanks to the Insitute for Global Prosperity for inviting me and for organizing the event.

Book Launch: A Theory of Everyone: Who We Are, How We Got Here and Where We’re Going

I launched my book, “A Theory of Everyone: Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going,” at the LSE. The launch was a fireside chat with author, journalist, and Olympian Matthew Syed, chaired by our Head of Department, Liam Delaney. I was thrilled that the room was overflowing with thousands watching online. You can watch the launch below:

Invited Speaker at WEIRD Conference, University of Minnesota Law School, University of Minnesota.

The University of Minnesota Law School hosted a WEIRD Conference. Joe Henrich opened the conference with a discussion of his book (which the conference was built around) and I ended the conference with a talk on my book, A Theory of Everyone. It was a US soft launch for the book – the official launch was at LSE and you can watch the video below:

My thanks to Claire Hill for organizing the event and inviting me to talk about A Theory of Everyone.