Evolution is shaping our behavior. Some of our decisions come very naturally, they are innate. Evolution is also shaping how we interact with each other, our tendency to behave differently with people from our communities vs. others (in-group vs.out-group behavior). In fine, it considerably affects how we design our societies and our institutions.

Further readings

• Evolutionary theories can be used to explain why preferences have evolved to the way they are in the context of risk, time and other regarding concerns.

• Evolutionary theories of risk behavior build on risk sensitivity theory. Read more here.

• For background knowledge on evolution, visit our Biology section under Evolution and Biological Diversity

• Are children inherently able to trade efficiently? We address this question in an experiment with young children (K-2nd). Read here.

• Life History Theory studies differences in life patterns across species trhough the lens of advantageous evolutionary adaptations and trade-offs.