Research in this group explores the evolution of cooperation in nature. In particular, we ask what mechanisms can maintain cooperation in interactions where partners may otherwise be tempted to exploit one another. In parallel, we investigate the ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of individual variation in social behaviour.
We work on a variety of model species, and use real-world and lab-based methods to tackle these questions.
We are striving to be an open science lab. We publish in open-access journals, we pre-register our experiments when we can, and we routinely post the materials, data and code to reproduce analyses online.
If you’re keen to come and work with us in the Social Evolution and Behaviour Lab at UCL, please get in touch.
Principal investigator
Nichola Raihani is PI of the Social Evolution and Behaviour Lab. She is Professor in Evolution and Behaviour, a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.
Next Weds, 1900-2030 I'm giving the @Humanists_UK Voltaire lecture. 700+ households have already signed up to attend, which is fantastic. Thanks also to @waterstones for offering a 20% discount on The Social Instinct for attendees. Hope to see you there!https://t.co/BOles9SeS5
— Prof Nichola Raihani (@nicholaraihani) September 16, 2021
Exciting! Finally got my hands on one. Thanks @wstorr - looking forward to reading. 📚 pic.twitter.com/45horKmgZX
— Prof Nichola Raihani (@nicholaraihani) September 16, 2021
Ever wondered why we grieve when people die? This paper explores a potential antecedent of grief: the tendency for primate mothers to carry their infants around, after they have died. Fascinating set of results. https://t.co/EnsUTKwRoO
— Prof Nichola Raihani (@nicholaraihani) September 15, 2021
Nichola Raihani awarded Philip Leverhulme Prize for Psychology
New paper shows that social threat causes paranoid thinking
Nichola Raihani elected to Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology