Geoffrey Miller on Signaling, Mating, and Morality || The Psychology Podcast

Today it’s so great to have Geoffrey Miller on the podcast. Geoffrey is an American evolutionary psychologist, researcher, and author. We talk about elements of evolutionary psychology such as virtue signaling, altruism, sexual selection, and their role in the evolution of human nature.
Time Stamps
[0:35] Dr. Miller’s background and his book, The Mating Mind
[2:53] Understanding Signaling Theory
[6:10] Connecting Signaling Theory to sexual selection
[10:41] Common misconceptions about Signaling Theory
[12:41] Functions and social benefits of signaling
[14:01] Creativity as signals
[15:39] Dr. Miller shares about cognitive emotions
[17:42] How social media helps intellectual curiosity
[20:34] Connection between social rewards and sexual selection
[23:06] How self-esteem tracks perception of social value
[27:56] How Machiavellianism and sociopathy create a “trap” of finding followers
[29:30] “Pick up artists” and their life hacks on courtship and dating
[33:06] Effective influencing and courtship vs. Machiavellianism
[35:18] Human beings as “ideological animals”
[39:06] How individual differences create beliefs, ideologies, and values
[43:07] Distinguishing cheap talk and virtue signaling
[47:07] Differences between empathy and effective altruism
[49:29] Cognitive biases and utilitarian thinking
[54:09] Effective altruism vs. psychopathy
[57:03] Discrimination of neurodivergent people
[1:02:45] Impact of gifted people on society moving forward
[1:04:49] Dr. Miller on teaching a course on polyamory and open sexuality
[1:07:11] Pair bond and monogamy in human evolution
[1:11:49] How monogamous and polyamorous people can learn from each other
[1:12:43] So what is polyamory?
[1:14:30] Dr. Miller on writing a new book about ethical polyamory
[1:16:20] Existential and extraterrestrial threats from an effective altruist perspective
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