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Hugo Mercier

@hugoreasoning.bsky.social

2.4K followers 1.2K following 130 posts

Evolutionary and cognitive psychologist. Author, Not Born Yesterday (http://tinyurl.com/yyh929ns), The Enigma of Reason (http://tinyurl.com/6hbpn84).

Videos

Psychology 27%

Sociology 17%

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Philip N. Cohen, Richard M. Carpiano

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 8h

I have to fan-girl for a minute here. My friend @rosvall-lab.bsky.social built an app to gather data on bird behavior during the 2024 solar eclipse. 10,000+ citizen scientists contributed (including my kids), and the resulting paper was published in Science today!

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Total solar eclipse triggers dawn behavior in birds: Insights from acoustic recordings and community science

On 8 April 2024, a total solar eclipse disrupted light-dark cycles for North American birds during the lead-up to spring reproduction. Compiling more than 10,000 community observations and artificial ...

www.science.org

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Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, John R. Hutchinson, Hugo Mercier

c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 19h

The global whaling industry experienced a boom c. 1840-1950 as technology allowed whalers to hunt the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

Under standard models, we would have expected krill populations to have *exploded*.

Instead, they DROPPED exponentially.

Let's talk about the KRILL PARADOX.

Change in distribution and abundance of southern right whales. (A) Shows historical and contemporary wintering distributions (Figure 1 from Carroll et al., 2018), and (B) shows decline in abundance and subsequent recovery (solid line is the mean, dashed line shows upper and lower 95% CI). Modified Figure 1 from Jackson et al. (2008). Contemporary sightings are divided into regions where large aggregations are seen during winter: Argentina (ARG), Brazil (BZL), South Africa (SAF), southwest Australia (SWA), south central Australia (SCA), and New Zealand sub-Antarctic (NZSA) and regions where sightings are typically of small numbers of individuals per year. The large aggregations are IWC management units and correspond to historical whaling grounds, although another 5 whaling grounds show little sign of recovery. Summer feeding areas are poorly described and so not shown.

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Reposted by Meredith Broussard, Lisa W. Fazio, James Q. Wilson , and 38 more Meredith Broussard, Lisa W. Fazio, James Q. Wilson, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Dorothy Bishop, Anna Nagurney, Brigitte Nerlich, Ben Bond‐Lamberty, Gavin A. Schmidt, Jesse H. Kroll, Julie L. Lockwood, Patrick A. Jansen, Joshua S. Weitz, Nicole Dubilier, Jason Stajich, Simon J. Greenhill, Michael A. Clemens, Hugo Mercier, Megan L. Ranney, Rosemary A. Joyce, Philip N. Cohen, Michael J. Allen, Andrew Curry, Jacob Montgomery, Juan Cole, Kris Inwood, Smith, Robert C. Richards, Rebecca Tushnet, Alan Richardson, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Victor Galaz, Scott A. Imberman, Sebastian Karcher, Brian Keegan, Ann Bartow, Jack Stilgoe, Ted Temzelides, Christina Pagel, Annalee Newitz, David Darmofal

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 1d

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

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Reposted by Dani Rodrik, Marc Lynch, Ben H. Ansell , and 11 more Dani Rodrik, Marc Lynch, Ben H. Ansell, Elizabeth Saunders, Hugo Mercier, Jacob T. Levy, Bessma Momani, Samantha Brennan, Dana R. Fisher, Kate Starbird, Brian Weatherson, Leah Stokes, Aviel Roshwald, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Henry Farrell @himself.bsky.social · 1d

"It wanted to signal strength. Instead, it’s revealing its weakness. The administration’s need to break the academy is forcing it to make a desperately risky gamble." www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o...

Opinion | You Beat Trumpism by Banding Together. It’s as Hard and as Simple as That.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Richard Fletcher, Andreas Jungherr

Felix M. Simon @felixsimon.bsky.social · 3d

🚨✨ Publication alert: How do people in 6 countries (🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇦🇷 🇩🇰 🇯🇵 ) use AI 🤖 and think about it in the context of information, news, and institutions?

Our new @reutersinstitute.bsky.social survey research (n ≈ 12,000) with @richardfletcher.bsky.social & @rasmuskleis.bsky.social explores this.

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Bill Thompson, Todd M. Gureckis

Mark Ho @markkho.bsky.social · 3d

I'm recruiting grad students!! 🎓

The CoDec Lab @ NYU (codec-lab.github.io) is looking for PhD students (Fall 2026) interested in computational approaches to social cognition & problem solving 🧠

Applications through Psych (tinyurl.com/nyucp) are due Dec 1. Reach out with Qs & please repost! 🙏

codec lab

codec-lab.github.io

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Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 7 more Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Hugo Mercier, Efrén O. Pérez, Melissa R. Michelson, Jacob Montgomery, Markus Appel, Matt Grossmann, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Thomas J Wood @thomasjwood.bsky.social · 7d

The last time I posted the income relationship to presidential vote among White respondents to the @electionstudies.bsky.social ANES, people asked for additional estimates among all voters.

Updated estimates here:

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Mark J. Brandt, David Darmofal

Joe Noonan @joenoonan.se · 9d

My department is hiring a PhD student in Political Science with an orientation towards Politics & AI.

This is part of WASP-HS, an interdisciplinary research cluster on AI’s impact on people and society.

Come and be my colleague!

Submission date: 15 Nov. 2025

su.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

PhD student in Political Science with an orientation towards Politics & AI

The Department of Political Science is a dynamic and strong education and research department at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Stockholm University. The Department aims to be nationally leading an

su.varbi.com

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Wim De Neys @wimdeneys.bsky.social · 10d

Paper is now published: www.nature.com/articles/s44...

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Reposted by Ruth Dassonneville, Hugo Mercier, Simon Otjes , and 5 more Ruth Dassonneville, Hugo Mercier, Simon Otjes, Robert Huber, Damien Bol, Robert C. Richards, David R. Miller, Alessandro Nai

Anne Rasmussen @annerasmussen.bsky.social · 11d

🚨 New paper in @thejop.bsky.social

Why do politicians often misperceive what citizens' policy positions are?

@simonotjes.bsky.social and I study ~10,000 estimates of public opinion by politicians in Denmark & the Netherlands to uncover the sources of these (mis)perceptions

Thread 🧵1/10

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Jean-Baptiste André @jbaptistandre.bsky.social · 15d

Ever wanted to read about an old problem almost nobody cares about anymore?

Well, I wrote about it.

🧵

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Vincent Tiberj, Patrick Präg , and 4 more Hugo Mercier, Vincent Tiberj, Patrick Präg, Baptiste Coulmont, Samuel Coavoux, Christophe Benavent, Nicolas Hervé

Étienne Ollion @eollion.bsky.social · 16d

Come work with us @crestsociology.bsky.social

We are looking for a post-doc with a background in social sciences, interested in NLP and in media & journalism studies.

Details here: www.css.cnrs.fr/post-doctora...

Post-Doctoral Position – Media / Journalism – CSS @ IP-Paris

Site web de l'axe sciences sociales computationnelles du CREST-CNRS. Cours et tutoriels pour l'analyse des données numériques en sciences sociales.

www.css.cnrs.fr

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Reposted by Diane Coyle, Robert W. Wallace, Hugo Mercier , and 4 more Diane Coyle, Robert W. Wallace, Hugo Mercier, Johannes Haushofer, Juan Ramón, Dietmar Fehr, Elisa Freschi

Zoe Drayson @zoedrayson.bsky.social · 17d

When a typo in your Google search leads to new and exciting philosophical positions

AI Overview: "Dental realism"refers to the philosophical debate about whether teeth exist independently of human perception, a concept rooted in metaphysical realism. While realism asserts an objective reality for teeth, idealist philosophies contend that teeth's existence is tied to our consciousness and perception. Philosophers use this idea, for example, to discuss the ethics of tooth extraction, examining whether a procedure impacts a real entity or merely a subjective experience.

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Kirstan Brodie @kirstanbrodie.bsky.social · 17d

Can reasoned arguments shift moral behavior? In a new preprint, @eschwitz.bsky.social, Jason Nemirow, @fierycushman.bsky.social and I explore this question in the context of charitable donation. (1/10)

Title: Philosophical Arguments Can Boost Charitable Giving
Authors: Kirstan Brodie, Eric Schwitzgebel, Jason Nemirow, and Fiery Cushman

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

HBES2026 @hbes2026.bsky.social · 17d

We’re delighted to share that the 37th annual Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference (HBES2026) website is now live!

#HBES2026

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Mark J. Brandt, Lesley A. Hall , and 1 more Hugo Mercier, Mark J. Brandt, Lesley A. Hall, Rebecca Sear

Jean-François Bonnefon @jfbonnefon.bsky.social · 19d

It's hiring season at @iast.fr!

- 2y research postdoc contract
- Full autonomy, you are your own PI
- Awesome multidisciplinary environment
- All social and behavioral sciences welcome
- Seed funding for projects and workshops
- Gorgeous city in the south of France

www.iast.fr/research-fel...

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Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Hugo Mercier, Lesley A. Hall , and 2 more Dave O’Brien, Hugo Mercier, Lesley A. Hall, Alexandra Cirone, Maria Sobolewska

Jennifer Aston @drjenniferaston.bsky.social · 20d

A real, honest to goodness, entry-level, permanent, academic job in Economic History! #Economic #history #ecr #academic

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT480/a...

Assistant Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science

An opportunity for an academic position as a Assistant Professor is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.

www.jobs.ac.uk

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Yang Xiang @yangxiang.bsky.social · 21d

Now out in Cognition, work with the great @gershbrain.bsky.social @tobigerstenberg.bsky.social on formalizing self-handicapping as rational signaling!
📃 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lo8f2Hx2-...

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Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings , and 11 more Ben H. Ansell, Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings, Hugo Mercier, Catherine E. De Vries, Lucas Leemann, Robert Huber, Cameron Campbell, Maria Abreu, Evert Meijers, Stuart J. Turnbull‐Dugarte, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Francesco Nicoli, Björn Bremer

Ala Alrababah @aalrababah.bsky.social · 23d

🚨 New working paper alert 🚨
Missing summer — and the Tour de France? Don’t worry, we got you covered. 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️
In this paper, we show that being on the route of Tour de France reduces far-right voting. osf.io/preprints/so...

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Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Hugo Mercier, Rebecca Sear

Alex Mesoudi @alexmesoudi.com · 24d

Abstract submission now open for the next Cultural Evolution Society conference in Rabat, Morocco next May @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social @ces2026.bsky.social

Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · 27d

We are delighted to announce that the CES2026 conference website is now live! We invite you to submit your presentation proposals using the link on the webpage, deadline November 16th:
airess.fgses-um6p.ma/ces2026

Cultural Evolution Society 2026 Conference | Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique - FGSES

airess.fgses-um6p.ma

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Cognition ENS @cognitionens.bsky.social · 24d

MEDIAS I Très belle chronique de « Histoire naturelle de la fiction» de @edgardubourg.bsky.social @normalesup.bsky.social paru le 03/09 aux éditions Humensciences 👉 bit.ly/4nvYP9C

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier

Daniel Nettle @danielnettle.bsky.social · 25d

Delighted to announce the publication of 'From Questions to Knowledge', my new and updated statistics and data analysis handbook.
www.danielnettle.eu/2025/09/14/f...

From Questions to Knowledge

I am delighted to announce the publications of my statistics and data analysis book, ‘From Questions to Knowledge: Data Analysis for Psychology and Behavioural Science Using R’. This b…

www.danielnettle.eu

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Reposted by Joanna Bryson, David Lazer, Graeme S. Cumming , and 4 more Joanna Bryson, David Lazer, Graeme S. Cumming, Hugo Mercier, Paul E. Smaldino, Miranda J. Lubbers, Eric Schniter

Haneul Jang @haneuljang.bsky.social · 26d

💙New paper!💙

How is knowledge transmitted across generations in a foraging society?

With @danielredhead.bsky.social
we found: In BaYaka foragers, long-term skills pass in smaller, sparser networks, while short-term food info circulates broadly & reciprocally

academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

Transmission networks of long-term and short-term knowledge in a foraging society

Abstract. Cultural transmission across generations is key to cumulative cultural evolution. While several mechanisms—such as vertical, horizontal, and obli

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill, Hugo Mercier, Nathan Nunn , and 1 more Simon J. Greenhill, Hugo Mercier, Nathan Nunn, Alex Mesoudi

Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · 27d

Cultural Evolution Society 2026 Conference | Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique - FGSES

airess.fgses-um6p.ma

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Alberto Acerbi, Olivier Morin

Jean-Baptiste Camps @jbcamps.bsky.social · 27d

We're officially launching the new PSL CultureLab in 10 days !
If you're interested in the research of a collective bridging Computational Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Evolution, you can check our programme (and come to our event, if you're in Paris 22 September):
psl.eu/agenda/collo...

Colloque inaugural du Grand programme de recherche CultureLab | PSL

Recherche, CultureLab inaugure ses travaux le 22 septembre 2025 au Campus Condorcet avec une journée consacrée aux sciences humaines et sociales computationnelles et à l’évolution culturelle. , Le Gra...

psl.eu

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Nathan Nunn

Amitai Shenhav @ashenhav.bsky.social · 28d

Update: the deadline for the Biological Basis of Behavior has been extended to Sept 18th! ✨

aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05054

Please reach out to Linda Wilbrecht if you have any questions about the position.

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Wim Van Lancker, Xavier Molénat

Laudine Carbuccia @laudine.bsky.social · 28d

1/ Thrilled to share that my main PhD article has just been published in Nature Human Behaviour! 🎉

👉 “A randomised controlled trial on the effect of administrative burden and information costs on social inequalities in early childcare access in France” rdcu.be/eFAEA

A randomized controlled trial on the effect of administrative burden and information costs on social inequalities in early childcare access in France

Nature Human Behaviour - This RCT finds that providing information and support to target cognitive and behavioural barriers eliminates early childcare application gaps for low-income and immigrant...

rdcu.be

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Reposted by Hugo Mercier, Rebecca Sear, Paul E. Smaldino , and 2 more Hugo Mercier, Rebecca Sear, Paul E. Smaldino, Alex Mesoudi, Lusine Grigoryan

Sheina Lew-Levy @sheinalew.bsky.social · 28d

@durhampsych.bsky.social current has 5 (FIVE!!) PhD studentships being advertised!

3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution

2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions.

Please share and apply!

www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

Fees and Funding - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

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Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Hugo Mercier

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 29d

Unsurprisingly, the thing Noah Smith is saying is obviously not true.

Look at reports on the reaction to the assassination of MLK... "glee, satisfaction and weeping in equal parts" (www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/r...) as the Smithsonian notes "some actually celebrated" (nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stor...).

A tweet, in which Noah Smith asserts, "Remember: Before social media, you would never have seen people saying things like this, or seen people approving of it. It would all be official condemnations and condolences.

Social media is what unleashed the hate and chaos from the lowest depths of our society." in response to a tweet which says, "Maybe Charlie Kirk shouldn’t have spent years being a hateful demagogic fascist and this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe he should take some personal responsibility."

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Hugo Mercier @hugoreasoning.bsky.social · 29d

Our new study: a large-scale RCT showing that standard pedagogical techniques, but also a chatbot (an old school, LLM-less, scripted one!) can help high school students better understand vaccination and develop more positive attitudes.

Noëmon Baudouin @noemonbls.bsky.social · 29d

My very first paper has just been published in Nature Human Behaviour!

In it, we demonstrate that both a chatbot and a more traditional pedagogical intervention can help improve adolescents' knowledge of vaccines and their attitudes towards vaccination.

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