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Welcome to the Evolutionary Social Psychology (ESP) Lab at Michigan! We conduct research on a variety of psychological topics that are informed by evolutionary thinking. In doing so, we ask not only what people do, but why and how our ancestral histories might have influenced such behaviors. We investigate questions such as:

  • What are the psychological mechanisms that protect us from, and help us manage, infectious disease? What relevant beliefs do we hold? How do we detect disease in the world? When are we right and when are we wrong? How do we control signals of sickness to further our goals?
  • How do threats and opportunities linked to other ecological features (like sex ratios, resource scarcity, and environmental unpredictability) shape how we think about others and ourselves?
  • How do people respond when evolved psychological mechanisms are mismatched to current environments?
  • What aspects of consumer decisions (e.g., food choice) are affected by these types of factors?

Interested in joining our lab?

  • Graduates — I currently do not plan to take new students for 2026. If this changes, I will update this page.
  • Undergraduates — We are recruiting research assistants to start in Fall 2026. If you’re interested, learn more about how to apply below.

When should I apply?

For Fall 2026, the application portal will open on February 23rd and close on March 30th at 11:59 PM.

Who can apply?

New undergraduate research assistants enroll in PSYCH 326 (3 credits). Please note that PSYCH 326 lists certain prerequisites. When appropriate, we can provide prerequisite overrides to allow motivated students to join the lab.

What should I know before applying?

1. Lab meetings

You will be required to attend weekly lab meetings. The timing will be announced in March. If you cannot make the meeting time, we encourage you to apply in a future semester.

2. Weekly commitment

RAs are expected to contribute approximately 9 hours per week. Six hours will be in-person, during two 3-hour time timeslots recurring on weekdays. If your class schedule does not allow for two weekday 3-hour timeslots, we encourage you to apply in a future semester.

How do I apply?

Please complete the Google Form. The form will open on February 23rd and close on March 30th at 11:59 PM. You’ll be asked to briefly respond to the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in joining the ESP Lab?

2. Do you have experience with evolutionary psychology theories?

3. What are your career goals?

4. What prior research experience do you have?

5. What prior work experience do you have outside of research? Please include all types of jobs (e.g., fast food, retail, internships, volunteer work).

6. How do you handle challenges? Tell us about a time you overcame a challenge in your academic or extracurricular activities.

Questions?

Feel free to reach out to lab manager Nicole Li at [email protected]. We look forward to learning more about you!