Beat Your Genes: An Evolutionary Psychology Podcast For Finding Happiness In The Modern World

Today on the podcast a few questions from listeners will include a questions from a man trying to understand why Dr. Lisle recommends that women delay sex a bit.  Another question asks whether women get more confident as they get older despite aging and perhaps feeling less attractive.  And finally, an older listener has a crush on a much younger man in her life, what will Dr. Lisle say?

Committing to goals, displaying confidence, soulmates, why do guys push sex? 1. I'm 42 overweight would like to be married and would still like to have kids though I'm running out of time. I know exactly what I need to do to lose weight so I can feel better about myself and attract a mate but I just won't commit to doing it. Why? Are these things actually not important to me even though I think they are? 2. Setting New Year's resolutions seems to be a universal phenomenon. Is there an evolutionary basis for this (i.e. periodically reflecting on your recent history and determining what to improve)? 3. I'm quite shy, trip over my tongue in social situations, blush easily, and my eyes often automatically dart away when they meet the eyes of others. All of these feel really self-defeating in the modern world. Do all of these have the same source and can I improve, with practice or otherwise? 4. Is it common for a reasonably smart  independent woman to stay in an unloving marriage of over 30 years ? Is being provi

Stress in the modern world vs. stone-age

Placebo effect, Stockholm syndrome, Listener's son having mental breakdown

Aren't humans omnivores?  The evo psych of human diet.  Stanford Experiment, Placebo effect, Stockholm syndrome. Stanford Prison Experiment: " The Lifespan of a Lie" https://medium.com/s/trustissues/the-lifespan-of-a-lie-d869212b1f62

A very unique dating question from a listener who has gotten healthier.  Under what circumstances does Dr. Lisle turn disagreeable? Flooding the Circuits - tips, tricks, technique Managing anger & passion

Dr. Lisle discusses a novel approach to cravings.  Are we prone to dislike certain people with personality traits opposite from ours?  Do we select friends subconsciously based on status like we do with mates?  

How does our personality change? With circumstance? With age?

Hamilton's Rule, Altruism, Kin selection

Q1:  What makes certain people do more for others than they would for themselves? Q2: What's the scoop on altruism? Q3: What's wrong with socialism? Q4: Why do internet trolls say mean/harsh thing online? One caller has a question about her special needs son.  Second caller has a question about identity politics in 2018.     

An instagram model recently stopped shaving her armpits and wearing makeup as a sort of protest against the "societal programming" of beauty standards.  What does Dr. Lisle think about this?  What's the Doug Download on Prostitution?  Is emotional intelligence a thing?  

 Depression, Psychedelics

Evo Psych in academia, advertising, music, and leadership

Caller questions are about "Fear of commitment, Evo Psych in academia, advertising, and why do we  love music? Live caller asks about video game addiction in young men.   Another live caller asks about his pinball teammates' differing views on children.  

Questions today: 1) Listener has a friend who is an alcoholic.  What can be done as a friend?  2) Why can some people drink heavily and not become addicted to alcohol? 3) Is it worth being an evolutionary psychologist in academia? 4) How does advertising & media influence people? 5) Why do people love music?

Evolution of language, Emotional first-aid, helping a friend

Questions for this show are: 1. Strategies for "healing" from an abusive relationship.  Do spouses that escape a narcissist spouse need therapy and support on codependency? 2. Are children’s attachment styles bogus in predicting their personalities? Also, what’s the earliest age at which you can see a person’s personality characteristics? 3.What advice would you give to a parent who’s lost a child (say 18 years old) under tragic circumstances, such as suicide? Are there any useful techniques or ways of thinking to really help ease the pain of such a profound biological loss?

Questions for tonight are as follows: A listener's husband spends money on certain displays but not others - what does it mean? How does a 10-year married couple navigate being swingers when one of them no longer wants to do it?  Why do some men feel guilty or nervous about Valentine's Day? Why do romantic partners act surprised when their spouse/partner leaves despite threatening to do so for a long time? Why does it feel so devastating when a spouse cheats?

Questions today are about: Influencing children - how does punishment work? Advice to psychology students who want to learn evo psych in a school that teaches conventional psychology Phobias like snakes, heights, etc.. are briefly explored Brief question regarding Big Five personality and how/if those traits can change as we age and gain status. Sharing evolutionary psychology knowledge in social settings. Getting cynical from evolutionary psychology - accepting the tragic view of existence.  

Listener questions today are: 1.  Pediatrician has overweight child patients that get picked on at school.  Asking for advice on what to tell them.  2. Job satisfaction - should people select their job based on their own IQ, conscientiousness, and stability?   3.  Stay-at-home mom has finished raising her kids and now wants to do something that makes her feel productive.  Her family, on the gravy train because of all that she does for them is giving her push back.  She's a little stuck between starting personal projects & disrupting the family balance.  We have two callers:  Alan - who asks about Dr. Lisle's thought process for diagnosing a problem. And the next caller, Rob, asking about how humans react differently to significant events vs. everyday events that are similar.