Why a species as successful as Homo sapiens should spend so much time in fiction, in
telling one another stories that neither side believes, at first seems an evolutionary riddle …

Biocultural theory is an integrative research program designed to investigate the causal
interactions between biological adaptations and cultural constructions. From the biocultural …

Our ability to infer and understand others' thoughts and feelings, known as theory of mind
(ToM), has important consequences across the life span, supporting empathy, pro-social …

Jane Austen is unique among British novelists in maintaining her popular appeal while
receiving more scholarly attention now than ever before. This introduction by Janet Todd …

The sympathetic plot—featuring a goal-directed protagonist who confronts obstacles,
overcomes them, and wins rewards—is ubiquitous. Here, I propose that it recurs because it …

Paradoxically, villainous characters in film, literature, and video games can be very popular.
Previous research in the traditions of cognitive media theory and affective disposition theory …

Culture and cognition work together dynamically every time a spectator interprets meaning
during a performance. In this study, Bruce McConachie examines the biocultural basis of all …

This article presents a theoretical framework for an evolutionary understanding of minds and
meaning in fictional narratives. The article aims to demonstrate that meaning in fiction can …

Sex ratio theory suggests why mating practices have become dysfunctional in the West and
other regions. Spain, Japan, and over 20 other nations are on course to have their …

Henrich (2020) accounts for how the modern world was underpinned by a psychological-
institutional coevolution set in motion by the Church's Marriage and Family Practices (MFPs) …