Night wakings: A guide for the science-minded
Night wakings are a normal, healthy part of sleep. But if wakings are causing problems, there are evidence-based tactics to help us cope.
Evolution & Anthropology
Friendship in children: A research-based guide to peer relationships
Across cultures, kids benefit from friends. Why is friendship important? How does friendship in children develop? And what can we do to help?
Paleontology and dinosaurs for kids: Tips for getting children hooked on science
Young dinosaur enthusiasts can learn surprisingly sophisticated concepts about biology and natural selection. Use your child’s interest in dinosaurs to teach lasting lessons about science.
Hunter-gatherers subsidize families…for the benefit of everyone
Freedom-loving, egalitarian, practical: Hunter-gatherers know parents can’t afford to raise kids without help. So everybody pitches in, and society thrives.
The evolution of fatherhood
In popular accounts of evolutionary psychology, men are cads. Males–the story goes–maximize their reproductive success by mating with as many females as possible. If they can’t get extra mating opportunities, then males might make the best of a “bad” situation by supporting their kids–assuming they can be sure of paternity. But, as a rule, males … Continue reading
Growing up, capuchin style: What can the capuchin monkey teach us about kids?
© 2009-2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved The capuchin monkey, indigenous to Central and South America, is a rather distant relation of humankind. We are Old World primates–more closely related to chimpanzees, orangutans, and even baboons. Nevertheless, we have much to learn from capuchins. They are the largest-brained, smartest monkeys in the New World. … Continue reading
Girl toys, boy toys, and parenting: The science of toy preferences
Yes, manufacturers market “girl toys” and “boy toys”. But are children’s interest in gender-typical toys entirely a matter of cultural training?
Fear of snakes: An evolutionary perspective on the way kids learn
© 2011 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Know a child with a disgust or fear of snakes? How about a fearful toddler? Or baby? People aren’t born with such responses. We know that from experiments on infants. If you show snakes to 7-month old babies, they don’t act frightened at all. How—and when—do these … Continue reading
Sexy dads: The allure of men who like babies
© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Like babies? Experiments suggest that women can read a man’s affinity for babies in his face. What’s more, men with “baby-friendly” faces are more attractive to women. Good genes, sexy dads: What makes men attractive to women Mention the evolutionary psychology of women’s mate preferences, and people … Continue reading