We study social behavior, focusing not just on how people act, but why. Many of our current projects examine how ecological conditions (like pathogen prevalence, resource availability, and population density) fundamentally shape the way people connect with others, drawing on social, evolutionary, and ecological perspectives. We use a variety of methods in our research, including lab experiments, online surveys, field studies, analyses of social network datasets, and simulations using large language model agents.
We are presently exploring themes like:
How does living in regions with higher disease risk shape people’s everyday social ties and activities?
How does feeling like resources are scarce (or could change suddenly) affect the choices people make?
How does living in crowded vs. spread-out neighborhoods shape the way people see themselves and treat others?
Can we model social behavior under ecological threat using large language model-based agents (AI simulated individuals)?
See our publications below.
under review
Multi-decade pathogen threat and social ties: Strengthening bonds, weakening bridges
Infectious disease concerns predict narrow friendship networksEvolution & Human Behavior, in press
