Should We Be Worried About Incel Violence? - Dr Andrew Thomas

Why Andrew Spoke in Parliament About Incels (0s)

• Research on incels was presented at the Houses of Parliament, which was funded by an arms-length body of the Home Office, and the study was one of the largest incel studies to date (13s).
• The study's findings were discussed with the Women and Equalities Select Committee, and the goal is to inform policy and dispel myths around the incel phenomenon (29s).
• The primary research is necessary to understand the incel phenomenon, as there is a lot of theoretical and secondary data analysis that can be misleading (53s).
• Incels should be looked at from a mental health perspective, at least in part, to reduce online misogynistic ideology (1m14s).
• A recent study tried to predict incel harm, defined as a combination of misogynistic beliefs, condoning of violence, and aggressive tendencies (1m48s).
• The study found that incel networking, ideology, and mental health all predicted harm, but mental health and ideology were about twice the predictive strength of networking (3m3s).
• There is a statistically significant relationship between mental health and ideology in a bidirectional way, meaning that poor mental health is associated with a stronger adherence to incel ideology, and vice versa (3m24s).
• The study's findings suggest that addressing mental health and ideology might be a more effective way to reduce incel harm than focusing solely on networking (3m17s).
• The researchers involved in the study included Joe Whitaker, a criminologist, and Will, who is familiar with incel ideology (2m10s).
• The study's goal is to find the most effective way to reduce incel harm and online misogynistic ideology (1m32s).
• Engaging with individuals about their ideology and trying to change their beliefs is notoriously difficult, but addressing mental health issues has shown more promise in modifying behavior (3m40s).
• A study suggested that supporting individuals with mental health issues may be a worthy goal, as it could potentially reduce their adherence to problematic ideologies (4m2s).
• Research on reoffending among inmates found that providing generic mental health support led to lower reoffending rates, whereas physical health support had the opposite effect (4m33s).
• The idea of providing mental health support to individuals with problematic ideologies, such as incels, is often met with resistance due to concerns that it may be seen as excusing their behavior (5m36s).
• There is a huge variety within the incel community, and addressing their mental health issues could be a way to reduce their adherence to problematic ideologies (5m47s).
• Some individuals may be resistant to helping incels due to their views, but addressing their suffering and mental health issues could be a way to stop misogyny and suffering (6m3s).
• The incel problem may be, in part, a result of individuals retreating into an ideology and making it their identity due to feelings of existential crisis, and providing a way out of this ideology could be beneficial (7m5s).
• If individuals with incel ideologies were given a surefire route out of it, many of them might take it, but it would require them to divorce themselves from their current identity (7m11s).
• The incel problem is complex and multifaceted, with no single solution or intervention. (7m17s)
• There is suffering among individuals who identify with the incel ideology, and this suffering should be acknowledged. (7m26s)
• The lack of sympathy for incels may be due to a perception that they are motivated by "sour grapes," or a sense of entitlement and resentment. (7m28s)
• This perception may be influenced by the fact that some people are upset by the need to ask for help or intervention, rather than the action itself. (7m44s)
• The difficulty in showing sympathy for incels may be related to the complexities and nuances of their ideology and experiences. (7m53s)

Why Nobody Sympathises With Incels (7m56s)

• Many people's understanding of incels is based on stereotypes from the media, rather than a deep understanding of the community, which can lead to oversimplification and a lack of nuance in discussions about incels (7m59s).
• The common stereotype of an incel is a right-wing, young male who is not in education, employment, or training, and who hates women, but this stereotype does not accurately represent the complexity of the issue (8m26s).
• Some researchers have used domestic violence rates as evidence of incel harm, but this approach overlooks the fact that domestic violence often involves a partner, and that incels may not necessarily be a threat to women (8m52s).
• The lack of sympathy for incels comes from both men and women, but it is more understandable from women's perspective, given the negative content created by some incels and their perceived bad behavior (9m48s).
• The lack of sympathy from other men may be due to a zero-sum game of competition, where men who have sexual access to women may see incels as competition, and therefore encourage them to "ascend" or improve themselves, rather than offering sympathy (10m25s).
• In a meritocratic world, men may also be less sympathetic to incels because they see them as "losers" who have not achieved success through their own efforts, and therefore do not deserve help or support (11m1s).
• The male desire for conquest, mastery, and success may also contribute to a lack of sympathy for incels, who are seen as "broken" or "deficient" and therefore unworthy of help or support (11m9s).
• To better understand incels and their behavior, it may be necessary to look at the setup and how they interact with one another, rather than relying on stereotypes or oversimplifications (11m39s).
• The way incels interact with each other, often in online communities, may be different from how people interact in real-life social groups, where individuals can offer support and help to those who are struggling (11m44s).
• Incel communities often exist on anonymous forums where individuals hide behind usernames, spending a significant amount of time online, with some members reportedly spending five to six hours a day on these forums, which can lead to a lack of socialization and social support (12m7s).
• The setup around incel culture can draw people in, and for individuals with autism or those who struggle with social skills, it may be easier to interact online, making it difficult to entirely blame them for their involvement (12m37s).
• Incel communities often exhibit "performative antagonism," where individuals say extreme things they don't necessarily believe to provoke a reaction from others, creating a cycle of self-sabotage and rejection (13m2s).
• This behavior is similar to perfectionism, where individuals may self-sabotage due to feelings of inadequacy, and in the case of incels, it's a way to take control of the expected rejection by mainstream society (13m20s).
• Media often misinterprets incel statements, taking them at face value and assuming they genuinely believe in extreme views, which informs the stereotype of incels and makes it difficult for others to sympathize with them (14m9s).
• However, when engaging with incels and exploring their views, it becomes clear that they often don't genuinely believe in the extreme statements they make, but rather use them to provoke a reaction (14m4s).

The Criticisms of Andrew’s Research (14m31s)

• A recent essay critiqued scholarly approaches that attribute incel violence to poor mental health and loneliness, arguing that these approaches lack explanatory power and methodological rigor, validate misogynist incels' claims to victimhood, and obscure incel violence (14m45s).
• The essay recommended incorporating feminist, structural, and intersectional approaches in research and conceptualizing misogynist incel ideology and violence as products of male supremacist culture and structure (15m13s).
• The authors of the essay were criticized for not discussing psychology and instead dismissing alternative approaches, with their paper being described as containing logical fallacies, including ad hominem attacks and unfalsifiable claims (16m4s).
• The authors were also accused of questioning the sexuality of incel researchers and criticizing the rigor of established theories while promoting their own, less rigorous theory (16m50s).
• The criticism of the essay's approach was seen as unhelpful and counterproductive, as it dismissed one potential avenue for exploring and addressing the incel problem (17m13s).
• The importance of exploring all avenues, including mental health and psychology, was emphasized in order to seriously address the issue of incel violence and help those affected (17m22s).

Does Incel Violence Occur? (17m28s)

• Some people define violence as including verbal attacks or the perpetuation of misogynistic views, while others define it as physical acts, such as attacks, like those committed by Elliot Rodger or the recent shooter in Plymouth, UK (17m30s).
• Compared to organized terrorist groups, the number of actual incel attacks is very small, and many of these attacks have questionable motivations (18m17s).
• For example, Alec Minassian's attack was initially thought to be incel-motivated, but the court later found that this was likely a lie (18m36s).
• When excluding questionable cases, the number of incel attacks is in the low double digits, despite the incel community having thousands of members (19m3s).
• The term "incel" can refer to both an identity and a reproductive status, describing individuals who are not having sex and feel it is outside of their control (19m22s).
• There are also individuals who are "incel adjacent," holding similar beliefs but not identifying as incels, and these individuals can cause harm online through actions like doxing and modifying people's pictures (19m37s).
• While online harassment is not equivalent to physical violence, it can still be very upsetting and feel like a personal attack (20m13s).
• The term "violence" can be misleading when discussing incel violence, as most people associate it with large-scale incidents like mass shootings, rather than online harassment (20m31s).
• Researchers are exploring the question of why there is not more incel violence, given the size of the incel community and the potential for harm (21m6s).
• Incels often communicate online in pseudo-anonymous communities, which can make it difficult to track their activities and identify potential threats (21m29s).
• Unlike other organizations that engage in physical violence, incels lack a clear ideology and end goal, which can make it harder to understand their motivations and predict their actions (21m46s).
• Despite the lack of a centralized ideology, incels can still be considered a community because they share a sense of social support and connection with one another, even if they are fragmented across different online platforms (22m30s).
• The term "incel community" may be misleading, as it implies a level of cohesion and organization that may not actually exist (22m18s).
• The concept of "hempathy" is mentioned as a term that is sometimes used to describe the lack of empathy or emotional understanding among incels, but it is not a well-defined or widely accepted term (23m3s).
• Some scholars have argued that the use of terms like "toxic masculinity" and "hempathy" can be unhelpful in understanding the issues surrounding incel violence, as they can be overly broad and imprecise (23m51s).
• The use of nebulous terms can make it harder to develop effective strategies for reducing violence and addressing the underlying issues that contribute to incel extremism (24m36s).
• Some researchers have argued that the focus on "toxic masculinity" can be problematic, as it can be used to downplay the suffering of men and demonize certain forms of male behavior (23m59s).
• The debate surrounding incel violence and extremism is often characterized by imprecise terminology and a lack of clear definitions, which can make it harder to develop effective solutions (24m20s).
• Some groups, including incels, have a zero-sum view of empathy and mental health support, where if another group is perceived to be suffering more, their own struggles are invalidated. (25m22s)
• Labeling individuals as "bad people" who don't deserve support can be counterproductive, as providing support can sometimes turn "bad people" into less problematic individuals. (25m49s)
• Incels are often characterized by high rejection sensitivity and a sense of victimhood, perceiving society as not empathizing with them and fearing rejection. (26m20s)
• Referring to incels as "violent monsters" can exacerbate the problem by validating their negative perceptions and feeding into their sense of isolation. (26m7s)
• The incel community can be compared to a cult, where individuals reinforce each other's negative views of the outside world and become increasingly isolated. (27m6s)
• Labeling incels as "bad" or "awful" can create a self-reinforcing cycle, making it difficult for outsiders to offer sympathy or empathy. (27m42s)
• The incel community often presents unrepresentative or edge cases as the entirety of their experience outside the community, making it challenging for others to offer support or alternative perspectives. (28m6s)
• The community's defensive outer shell can be difficult to penetrate, making it frustrating and painful to try to offer help or break apart their ideology. (28m33s)
• The incel ideology is largely unfalsifiable, making it resistant to external challenges or alternative perspectives. (28m46s)
• Men, in particular, are often given less sympathy, and it's essential to acknowledge the struggles of both men and women who are struggling. (28m53s)
• The incel community has unique cultural artifacts that contribute to the hardening of its members' beliefs and behaviors, which can be difficult to change (29m16s).
• Incel ideology can be seen as a form of "reverse CBT" (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), as it encourages individuals to harden their thinking and maintain a black-and-white, all-or-nothing mindset, rather than softening their thinking and adopting a more nuanced perspective (30m7s).
• In the incel community, the concept of "cope" refers to the idea of avoiding or dismissing alternative explanations for one's circumstances, and instead embracing a pessimistic and hopeless outlook (30m10s).
• This mindset is reinforced by the community, which encourages individuals to reject any glimmer of hope or optimism and instead focus on their perceived shortcomings and limitations (30m23s).
• The incel community is diverse, encompassing individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs, from left-leaning individuals with female friends to those who engage in prostitution and drug dealing (30m57s).
• The concept of "crabs in a bucket" is used to describe the way in which individuals within the incel community often pull each other back down and prevent others from escaping or finding hope (31m16s).
• This phenomenon contributes to the perpetuation of the incel problem, as individuals are discouraged from seeking help or exploring alternative perspectives (31m47s).

Ethnic & Political Demographics of Incels (31m57s)

• The incel community is ethnically and politically diverse, with about a third of its members being non-white, which raises questions about the common perception of incels as a white supremacist movement (32m6s).
• In terms of age, incel members are not necessarily young, with huge standard deviations, and some members are in their 50s and 60s, while the average age is around 26 (32m53s).
• Using the Pew Center's political ideology measure, incels tend to pick left-wing statements more than 50% of the time, describing themselves as politically centrist and slightly left-leaning (33m38s).
• This centrist and left-leaning tendency makes sense, as incels often have low status and low income, which are characteristics associated with pro-left-wing policies (33m59s).
• However, a small proportion of incels, around 6-10%, who justify violence in the name of incel ideology, tend to have right-wing views (34m20s).
• Views on violence and sexual entitlement are not universal across incels, and people should avoid overgeneralizing and instead recognize the diversity of voices and views within the community (34m49s).
• While there are some individuals with extreme and hostile views, many incels use online forums as a form of escapism, seeking to connect with others who share their feelings of hopelessness and despair about their relationship prospects (35m44s).
• The incel forums can act as a mirror, reflecting and reinforcing the negative emotions of some individuals, rather than informing their opinions of women or promoting violent ideologies (36m31s).

Does EvPsych Neglect Incels? (36m43s)

• The accusation that evolutionary psychology has a body count associated with its neglect of the incel topic has been a point of contention, with Daniel Connory Bean's article in the Boston Globe citing this issue (36m43s).
• There is a lot of sloppy communication in evolutionary psychology, particularly around sex differences, where researchers may cut corners or not fully spell out the evolutionary logic of their ideas, assuming their audience will fill in the gaps (37m11s).
• This sloppy writing can lead to misinterpretation, especially when research is made publicly available through open-access journals and pre-prints, and is then digested by online communities such as the black pill Wiki (38m0s).
• Researchers have a responsibility to tighten up their writing and present their ideas accurately, considering their audience and the potential impact of their work (38m19s).
• However, it is not clear that there is a direct body count associated with evolutionary psychology research, as individuals who commit violent acts often have a pre-existing disposition towards violence and may cherry-pick evidence to support their views (38m27s).
• It is unlikely that someone would go from having no violent tendencies to committing an act of violence solely due to reading evolutionary psychology research, and giving ultimate responsibility to the research is far-fetched (39m14s).
• Accusations that researchers are being paid by shadowy anti-extremist task forces are unfounded and annoying, as they shift the burden of proof to the accused and can be used to levy baseless claims (39m56s).
• Researchers like Jeffrey Miller, Will, and the speaker himself are working to correct misinterpretations of evolutionary psychology research and promote an accurate understanding of its application to real-world mating (39m34s).
• The British Psychological Society has a code that researchers must adhere to, and violating it can result in job loss and loss of livelihood (40m43s).
• A research study on incels was funded by the Centre for Countering Extremism, an arm's length body of the UK Home Office, but the Centre had no impact on the study and did not have access to the data (40m53s).
• The researchers took steps to ensure the study's integrity, including keeping the data private and not allowing the Centre to influence the results (41m11s).
• The study paid incels for their participation, which was a point of contention with some people who felt that it was wrong to pay them, while others felt that it was necessary to treat them with respect and compensate them for their time (41m37s).
• The researcher believes that it is essential to treat incels like people and pay them for their participation in studies, just like anyone else, while also acknowledging that there are diverse voices within the incel community (41m53s).
• The researcher faced criticism from both incels and non-incels for paying participants, with some accusing them of selling personal data and others objecting to the payment itself (42m13s).
• The researcher's approach is to describe incel views accurately, without overstating or understating them, and to focus on reducing harm (42m42s).
• Some incels personally disagree with the researcher's perspective, but they know where the researcher stands and that they aim to call things as they are (43m3s).

Current State of Incel Research (43m21s)

• Incel research has grown significantly, but it still lacks depth, with many researchers scraping forums instead of directly engaging with individuals from the incel community to understand their beliefs (43m23s).
• There is a need to move beyond descriptive research and focus on developing interventions to address the harm caused by incel ideology, including self-harm within the community and harm directed outwards (44m11s).
• Researchers are working to categorize subgroups within the incel community, as they may require different approaches and interventions (44m28s).
• A pre-print study found two statistical clusters of incels: one with high autism traits, low mate value, and bullying, and another with dark Triad, right-wing beliefs (44m54s).
• These two clusters have distinct characteristics and may require different interventions, with one group potentially benefiting from addressing poor social skills and bullying, and the other group requiring a counter-terrorism approach due to their right-wing ideology and dark Triad traits (45m1s).
• The NHS and Prevent in the UK have different perspectives on how to address incel violence, with the NHS seeing it as a healthcare issue and Prevent viewing it as a counter-terrorism issue (45m51s).
• Researchers need to identify the specific needs of each subgroup and develop targeted interventions to address these needs (46m16s).
• The current taxonomy of incel labels can be problematic, as it can lead to people being lumped together and oversimplifying the complexity of the issue (46m31s).
• Further research is needed to break down the incel community into more specific subgroups and develop effective interventions to address the harm caused by incel ideology (46m43s).

Is Misogyny Increasing in Wider Society? (47m6s)

• There is a growing concern about the state of misogyny research outside of the incel world, with shifting dynamics in the modern world, including women outperforming men in education and employment, and poor mental health for men with increasing levels of depression, self-harm, and male sedation hypothesis (47m8s).
• The wider red pill manosphere is a bigger movement that is more concerning in terms of risk of harm, particularly the perpetuation of misogyny, as it informs some sort of action, unlike incels who use it to form some sort of inaction (47m45s).
• The red pill ideology posits that men are hard done by, there's a broken mating market, and women want one thing when they say they want another, which can lead to feelings of hopelessness and inaction among incels (48m26s).
• In contrast, manosphere communities use the red pill ideology to inform some sort of action, such as opting out of mating or trying to gain an advantage in the system, which can be more concerning in terms of risk of harm (48m17s).
• The focus on incels might be misplaced, and it's necessary to broaden the scope to online misogynistic ideology, which encompasses a wider range of communities and ideologies (49m26s).
• The incel movement might be mitigating some of the violence that could occur by encouraging people to stay in the house and not engage with the outside world, but this is not a sustainable or healthy solution (50m13s).
• People who are part of online misogynistic ecosystems might be more likely to engage in violent behavior, but they also tend to have wider support groups, friends, and pursuits, which can act as a buffer against violent tendencies (50m36s).
• The concept of "red pill killings" is not directly associated with incel violence, as individuals who commit such acts may not identify as incels despite sharing similar female-hating content (51m5s).
• There are similarities between the ideologies of MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way) and incels, as both groups may choose to avoid interacting with women, with MGTOW doing so voluntarily and incels feeling forced into it due to past experiences or perceived rejection (51m24s).
• The involuntary nature of incel behavior can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, as individuals may predict rejection and therefore avoid social interactions, leading to a lack of evidence to contradict their beliefs (51m44s).
• In the therapy space, people's perceptions of reality can be influenced by the evidence they are exposed to, and a lack of real-life interactions can lead to internalized rejection and a distorted view of reality (51m59s).
• Internalized rejection can lead to a cycle of self-rejection, where individuals may reject themselves hundreds of times a second, and this cycle can be difficult to break without a reality check (52m42s).
• The human reaction to rejection is often negative, and this can compound the problem, making it essential to address the root causes of rejection and focus on acceptance (53m5s).
• Some individuals may genuinely feel like they have no romantic prospects, and it's essential to acknowledge this, but the root of the issue lies in acceptance and finding ways to move forward beyond frustration and grief (53m28s).
• There may be a data problem in understanding incel behavior, as assumptions are often made without being challenged, and individuals may opt out of the mating market due to perceived physical shortcomings, despite being objectively attractive (54m3s).

Men’s Experiences With Female Therapists (54m20s)

• In the UK, it's common for patients to see a different GP each time they visit a practice, leading to a realization that there's significant variation in the quality of GPs, and this variation is even more pronounced among therapists, with some being unqualified or unaccredited (54m49s).
• The UK has unregulated counseling and therapy industries, allowing anyone to set up shop as a counselor or therapist, and while there are accreditation bodies, many practitioners lack education or accreditation (55m19s).
• The variation in education levels and quality among accredited therapists is also significant, leading to a message to viewers that if they have a bad experience with a therapist, they should not write off therapy altogether, but rather try a different therapist (56m8s).
• Most counselors and therapists in the UK are women, which can lead to a higher likelihood of men having a bad experience with a female counselor, although this is not a guaranteed pattern (56m20s).
• Some common complaints from male clients about female counselors include a perception that the counselor is siding with the female partner in couples therapy, a lack of empathy, particularly in the context of relationships and dating, and the introduction of ideology into the therapy space (57m3s).
• Male clients may feel that female therapists are unable to understand their struggles with relationships and dating, and may even be told that they should be fine and that there's something wrong with them, leading to feelings of distress and frustration (57m45s).
• The introduction of ideology into the therapy space can be particularly problematic, as it can lead to therapists imposing their own beliefs and values on clients rather than providing neutral and supportive guidance (57m55s).
• Many men struggle with the idea of seeking therapy due to concerns that their therapist will not empathize with them, often citing their conservative or Christian backgrounds, or working-class upbringing as reasons for this perception (58m0s).
• Research in counseling and psychotherapy literature suggests that the qualities of the counselor, such as their personal experiences or background, do not significantly impact the effectiveness of therapy (58m41s).
• Some clients believe that a therapist who has experienced similar issues, such as addiction, is better equipped to understand them, but the literature shows that this is not necessarily the case (58m51s).
• The perception that therapists will not empathize with them can be a barrier for men seeking therapy, and in some cases, ideology entering the therapy space can exacerbate this issue (59m30s).
• Men are often socialized to view opening up as a sign of weakness, making it difficult for them to seek help and be vulnerable, and when they do, their experiences may be invalidated (1h0m4s).
• Invalidation can be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship, which relies on mutual trust and understanding (1h0m26s).
• Men often come to therapy because they feel they cannot have open and honest conversations with anyone else, including friends and family, which can be a sad and isolating experience (1h1m8s).
• The stigma surrounding emotional openness and vulnerability for men can be significant, with many levels of judgment and criticism that they may face (1h1m41s).
• Men are often discouraged from expressing their emotions, with a fear of abandonment by the world if they're not stoic and strong, leading to a disheartening reality where people may abandon them if they show vulnerability (1h2m11s).
• This fear of abandonment can be seen in the incel movement, where people share worst-case scenarios online, creating a narrative that showing emotions or vulnerability can lead to negative consequences (1h2m59s).
• The reality is that if someone chooses a decent partner, being selective in partners is half the battle, and being vulnerable around them can lead to constructive conversations (1h3m34s).
• In therapy settings, male clients have reported feeling comfortable being vulnerable around another guy, and this vulnerability can lead to constructive conversations with friends as well (1h3m49s).
• Being vulnerable with others can create a sense of mutual understanding and trust, allowing people to open up and share their emotions without fear of judgment or abandonment (1h4m14s).
• If someone is around people who don't allow them to express their emotions, they may not have true friends, but rather acquaintances, and it's essential to surround oneself with people who support and accept vulnerability (1h4m39s).
• Learning to be vulnerable and open with emotions is a process, similar to learning to fight, where one must learn to take the "punch" and respond accordingly, rather than shattering or becoming defensive (1h5m7s).
• Learning that the world won't reject you if you express your emotions is an important step in personal growth, and recognizing that others' inability to handle your emotions is their problem, not yours (1h5m34s).
• People who undergo rehabilitation for addiction, such as alcohol, often have to change their social circle to maintain sobriety, as their old friend group may be centered around the addictive behavior (1h5m54s).
• Similarly, making changes to one's social circle can be beneficial for mental health, and it's essential to surround oneself with people who support and encourage emotional expression (1h6m20s).
• However, it's also important to acknowledge that some people are naturally stoic and may not need to express their emotions in the same way, and it's not necessary to encourage them to do so if it's not their natural inclination (1h6m32s).
• The idea that people who are stoic are repressing their emotions and need to express them may be a misconception, and it's possible that this idea is influenced by the emotional intelligence and capacity of people in the therapy profession (1h6m52s).
• Ultimately, if someone feels like they want to open up and share their emotions but feels unable to do so, it may be beneficial for them to make changes to their social circle or seek out a more supportive environment (1h7m12s).

How Population Density Impacts Family Size (1h7m18s)

• Research was conducted using data from a dating website service, which owns multiple dating websites worldwide, including niche sites, to analyze characteristics of about 4 million dating profiles, including income, occupation, and message frequency (1h7m41s).
• A study found that a combination of income and occupation predicted the number of hits on dating websites, particularly for males (1h8m16s).
• A follow-up study used the same data set to predict who is having kids and found that income generally predicts a greater number of children, as it is easier to provide for more kids with more money (1h8m33s).
• However, people living in cities tend to have smaller families, which is believed to be due to the dense population sending a signal that resources are tight, making it a better strategy to have fewer children that can be better provided for (1h9m15s).
• The study found that population density and income are predictors of family size, with people in densely populated areas tend to have fewer kids, but income can counteract this effect in highly densely populated areas (1h10m15s).
• The interaction between income and population density suggests that having more money can offset the negative effects of living in a densely populated area on family size (1h10m46s).
• The study's findings are consistent with evolution theory, which suggests that in environments with limited resources, it is a better strategy to invest in fewer children to increase their chances of survival and success (1h9m24s).
• A study found that high-income individuals who live in cities with large families tend to have more children, referred to as the "Musk effect," which could be attributed to the perception of a less dense environment despite being in a city (1h11m15s).
• To address population decline, researchers suggest making cities feel less dense by implementing design tweaks such as nicer walkways and more green spaces, which could encourage people to have more children (1h11m59s).
• The idea is that even small changes in urban planning, such as the configuration of a space, can affect people's perception of density and make them feel more comfortable, as seen in the example of two identical cruise ships with different layouts (1h12m16s).
• As population decline occurs, it is unlikely that there will be an even removal of humans across a country, but rather entire towns will be abandoned while big cities remain densely populated (1h13m29s).
• This is because people tend to congregate around cities with the best infrastructure, amenities, and services, making it unlikely for them to move to smaller towns (1h13m51s).
• To encourage people to move out of cities, incentives may be necessary, as people often prioritize the instant gratification and convenience that cities provide (1h14m34s).
• Researcher Stephen J. Shaw suggests that population decline will not result in half-full school classes or half-empty towns, but rather entire towns being abandoned while cities remain densely populated (1h12m59s).
• Research suggests that people's everyday life can be influenced by subtle cues, and there are ways to diminish feelings of discomfort without necessarily reducing the number of people in a city (1h14m39s).
• Income inequality may impact family size, but this specific study does not provide information on that topic, and it would be interesting to explore this question further (1h15m6s).
• Income inequality has been linked to various effects on female beautification and self-objectification, such as the tendency to take "sexy selfies" (1h15m20s).
• Incel chatter tends to occur more frequently in areas with high income inequality (1h15m38s).
• The relationship between income inequality and family size may be complex, and in some cultures, such as the Igbo in Africa, large families are necessary for economic support, suggesting that absolute poverty may be a more relevant factor to consider (1h15m50s).
• In some cultures, such as the Igbo, having more children can actually increase maternal mental health and relationship satisfaction, as additional children provide extra pairs of hands to help the family and community (1h16m11s).
• The Igbo culture is an example where the typical Western pattern of decreased marital satisfaction after having a child does not apply, and instead, relationship satisfaction increases with additional children (1h16m13s).

New Research Nuances on Body Counts (1h16m48s)

• Research has been conducted on the number of past partners people have and how it affects their desirability in a relationship, but a new study focuses on the timing of these past relationships, not just the number (1h17m17s).
• The study found that having 12 past partners, but having 11 of them at a young age and only one in the last 20 years, says something different about a person than having one partner at a young age and 11 in the last six months (1h17m47s).
• The study consisted of 5,000 people across three studies with 15 subsamples, 11 of which were from different countries, and presented participants with a pictorial representation of someone's sexual history (1h18m10s).
• The study manipulated the number of past partners (4, 12, and 36) and the timing of these relationships, and found that the effect of the number of past partners on desirability varied depending on the timing (1h18m39s).
• The study found that four past partners was considered optimal, 12 was in the middle, and 36 was considered too many, but the timing of these relationships also played a role in desirability (1h18m48s).
• The study found that the arc of desirability was longer for men than for women, and that the differences in desirability were more about whether the context was short-term or long-term (1h19m17s).
• The study found that, across all countries, four past partners scored higher in desirability than 12, which scored higher than 36, in a long-term relationship context (1h20m27s).
• Research has been conducted across various countries, including Brazil, Poland, Australia, Norway, the UK, the US, Greece, and Slovakia, to study the concept of body count and its significance in relationships, revealing that it is a human constant with some small relative differences between cultures (1h20m59s).
• The study found an interaction between the frequency of new partners and the number of past partners, indicating that the number of past partners becomes more important when the frequency of new partners is increasing (1h21m13s).
• The data showed that people become more forgiving of past partners if they were confined to the past and the individual has since slowed down their sexual activity, with this pattern being consistent across all cultures and subsamples (1h21m56s).
• The research found almost no sex differences in how men and women appraise someone for a long-term relationship, contradicting the predicted sexual double standard (1h22m13s).
• The concept of a sexual double standard refers to the societal expectation that men and women will have different standards for judging someone's past sexual behavior, but research has shown that when individuals are asked to respond from their personal perspective, they do not exhibit this double standard (1h23m12s).
• Studies have consistently found that people predict others will hold a sexual double standard, but when asked to make personal judgments, they do not, suggesting a discrepancy between societal expectations and individual behavior (1h23m49s).
• A "Keynesian beauty contest" is a concept that describes how people make decisions based on what they think others will think, rather than their own personal opinions, similar to how financial markets work where people invest in companies they think others will think are the best, not necessarily the best companies themselves (1h24m29s).
• This concept can be scaled up multiple levels, with people considering what others think others will think, and so on, but often people do not connect their "Keynesian answer" with their personal answer (1h25m1s).
• This concept is relevant to understanding social behavior, particularly in the context of relationships and dating, where people may make decisions based on what they think others expect or want (1h25m11s).
• However, constantly reinforcing the idea of a sexual double standard, where men are overly critical of women's sexual history and women let men get away with things, can be harmful if it does not reflect reality (1h25m26s).
• Research suggests that people's actual behavior may not align with societal expectations, and highlighting this discrepancy can be important for understanding social dynamics (1h25m45s).

Where to Find Andrew (1h25m49s)

• To read Dr. Andrew Thomas' written work, including columns and tweets, people can visit his Twitter account, @DrThomasAG (1h25m59s).
• For more information about Dr. Andrew Thomas' therapeutic work and how to reach out to him, people can visit his website, AndrewThomas.org (1h26m7s).
• A selection of the best clips from the podcast is available, covering the last couple of months (1h26m15s).