Ben Crosier

Dartmouth College, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Post-Doc

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Papers by Ben Crosier

Does lacking threat-management resources increase information avoidance? A multi-sample, multi-method investigation

by Jennifer Howell and Ben Crosier

Journal of Research in Personality, 2014

ABSTRACT Are people who lack personal and interpersonal resources are more likely to avoid learni... more ABSTRACT Are people who lack personal and interpersonal resources are more likely to avoid learning potentially threatening information? We conducted four studies assessing three different populations (undergraduates, high school students, and a nationally-representative sample of adults), using a variety of measures and methods (e.g., single and multi-item self-report measures, a behavioral measure, social network analysis), across three information contexts (i.e., general health information, specific disease risk, socially-evaluative information). The consistent finding is that people who lack personal and interpersonal resources to manage threat are more likely to avoid learning potentially-threatening information. The results indicate that personal and interpersonal resources represent generalizable and robust predictors of information avoidance.

Wired to connect: Evolutionary psychology and social networks

by Ben Crosier and Haley Dillon

Review of General …, Jan 1, 2012

Social networks dominate modern life. Social networks have always existed and have been around in... more Social networks dominate modern life. Social networks have always existed and have been around in nonelectronic forms throughout the entirety of our species' history. It is only recently that the Internet has provided a venue for their electronic explosion. From a nonexistent phenomenon to an incessantly repeated buzzword that permeates the media and is the topic of a major Hollywood film, electronic social networks experience such success because human social behavior has been naturally selected to interface in such a way. Genes and culture relentlessly encourage sociality, and network structure is the grand output of countless interactions in which we engage, from winks to weddings. With the advent of technology that promotes these connections, our innate propensity to connect at a large scale is changing the way we live. From mundane communication to meeting the love of one's life to inciting political revolutions, network ties are the conduits by which information and resources are spread. Understanding the patterns and more importantly the "whys" of human connectedness can greatly impact quality of life for the better. The present article reviews the extant literature of social networks and social network analysis proper, the evolutionary foundation of social networks, the proposed psychological antecedents of network composition, the transition from traditional to online networks and how the two modes differ, the impact of social networks on popular culture, and the future of social networks.

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Two Sides of the Same Coin? Viewing Altruism and Aggression Through the Adaptive Lens of Kinship

by Ben Crosier and Tatiana Orozco

Social and …, Jan 1, 2012

Are altruism and aggression polar opposites, or are they two sides of the same coin? In this revi... more Are altruism and aggression polar opposites, or are they two sides of the same coin? In this review, the authors examine the evolved biological roots of these behaviors and focus on the psychology of kinship and how it can serve to bridge both behaviors. Drawing on inclusive fitness theory , the kinship, acceptance, and rejection model of altruism and aggression (KARMAA; Webster, 2008), and a sociofunctional threat-based approach to prejudice , the authors propose that altruism and aggression can be viewed as two sides of the same coin depending on context and perspective. For example, a mother bear protecting her cubs by attacking a predator may be simultaneously exhibiting an act of altruism and aggression. After offering some empirical support for their view, the authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of viewing altruism and aggression as related constructs at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup levels.

format_quoteHamilton's inequality C < rB predicts altruistic behavior when the genetic benefit to relatives outweighs the costs to the altruist.format_quote

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The Dark Triad and risk behavior

Personality and Individual Differences, Jan 1, 2012

Abstract The Dark Triad traits—Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy—are theorized to fac... more Abstract The Dark Triad traits—Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy—are theorized to facilitate short-term, exploitative social tactics. Thus, the Dark Triad traits should be positively related to (a) similar short-term-focused traits such as impulsivity and sensation-seeking, and (b) risky behaviors. In two studies (N&amp;gt; 1400), we examined the relationships among the Dark Triad traits and impulsivity and sensation-seeking. In Study 2, we incorporated risk behaviors, including blackjack betting and temporal discounting of ...

The interdisciplinarity of evolutionary approaches to human behavior: a key to survival in the ivory archipelago

by Ben Crosier and Justin R. Garcia

Futures-the Journal of Policy …, Jan 1, 2011

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Evolutionary Psychology's Place in Evolutionary Studies: a Tale of Promise and Challenge

Evolution: Education and …, Jan 1, 2011

The Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) Consortium and the academic programs born from its creation have ... more The Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) Consortium and the academic programs born from its creation have been wildly successful in their initial ventures. These achievements are marked by feedback from across the EvoS campuses, the resultant scholarly work produced by participating students, and faculty collaborations spurred by exposure to the organization. The success of EvoS is probably best marked by the recent National Science Foundation grant (CCLI Award #0817337), awarded jointly to SUNY New Paltz and Binghamton University, with the purpose of expanding EvoS beyond the bounds of these two institutions. A particularly noteworthy element of many EvoS programs is the role of Evolutionary Psychology (EP), a perspective in the behavioral sciences that addresses questions of human behavior from the perspective of evolution. In light of several forms of data, including analyses of a variety of disciplines drawn on from evolutionary psychologists in their work, we argue that evolutionary psychologists may well be the most naturally interdisciplinary scholars within the behavioral sciences, making them highly appropriate for inclusion in EvoS. But our research shows not only promise regarding the relationship between EP and EvoS-challenges are raised as well. We present additional data showing that EP is currently represented disproportionately within the EvoS world-a fact that clearly shows that there are currently limitations to the potential impact of EvoS in modern academia. Scholars from other disciplines, particularly within the humanities and social sciences, seem to be missing the evolution revolution. Implications regarding how EvoS can broaden its scope to be even more powerful in its integrative scope are discussed.

format_quoteDisproportionate representation of evolutionary psychology limits EvoS's impact in academia, especially within humanities and social sciences.format_quote

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Buyer’s Remorse. Book Review: Miller, G (2009). Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior.

Lost in translation: Jürgen Tautz’s The Buzz About Bees, The Biology of a Superorganism

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