Raihan Alam
@raihanalam.bsky.social
PhD student at UCSD Rady | First Generation | Interested in Morality, Punishment, and Restorative Justice
https://sites.google.com/view/raihan-alam/home
https://sites.google.com/view/raihan-alam/home
Pinned
Raihan Alam
@raihanalam.bsky.social
· Aug 19
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2508479122
t.co
I'm so jazzed to finally have this paper out with
@tagerai.bsky.social in @pnas.org! It's probably my favorite paper I've worked on so far. What happens when punishment is incentivized? 🧵
t.co/y5DUUGTdT9
@tagerai.bsky.social in @pnas.org! It's probably my favorite paper I've worked on so far. What happens when punishment is incentivized? 🧵
t.co/y5DUUGTdT9
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Problems with the so-called gender equality paradox
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/25/p...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/25/p...
Problems with the so-called gender equality paradox | Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu
November 25, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Problems with the so-called gender equality paradox
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/25/p...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/25/p...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
@brendannyhan.bsky.social is right: young people are reluctant to come to the defense of institutions that have excluded them, ignored them, and crushed their movements
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o...
November 25, 2025 at 3:37 AM
@brendannyhan.bsky.social is right: young people are reluctant to come to the defense of institutions that have excluded them, ignored them, and crushed their movements
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
The Eric Schickler essay in Larry Bartel's symposium on "What Trump Has Taught Us About Political Science" is one of the most insightful pieces I've read in 2025.
US institutions turned out to be weak, and we have to rethink conventional wisdom.
open access: academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
US institutions turned out to be weak, and we have to rethink conventional wisdom.
open access: academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
November 19, 2025 at 8:08 PM
The Eric Schickler essay in Larry Bartel's symposium on "What Trump Has Taught Us About Political Science" is one of the most insightful pieces I've read in 2025.
US institutions turned out to be weak, and we have to rethink conventional wisdom.
open access: academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
US institutions turned out to be weak, and we have to rethink conventional wisdom.
open access: academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
"The high-income admissions advantage at Ivy-Plus colleges is driven by three factors: (1) preferences for children of alumni, (2) weight placed on non-academic credentials, and (3) athletic recruitment...The three factors...are uncorrelated or negatively correlated with post-college outcomes..."
Recently accepted by #QJE, “Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges,” by Chetty (@Oppinsights), Deming, and Friedman: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges*
Abstract. We use anonymized admissions data from several colleges linked to income tax records and SAT and ACT test scores to study the determinants and ca
doi.org
November 23, 2025 at 10:51 PM
"The high-income admissions advantage at Ivy-Plus colleges is driven by three factors: (1) preferences for children of alumni, (2) weight placed on non-academic credentials, and (3) athletic recruitment...The three factors...are uncorrelated or negatively correlated with post-college outcomes..."
Reposted by Raihan Alam
New paper building a theory of stereotype negotiation. How people don't just let stereotypes happen to them; instead they constantly and actively navigate social impressions and others' evaluations by @cydneydupree.bsky.social: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A theory of stereotype negotiation
Inequality is pervasive, challenging people and organizations. Yet we lack a clear picture of how people navigate inequality in everyday social and or…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:47 PM
New paper building a theory of stereotype negotiation. How people don't just let stereotypes happen to them; instead they constantly and actively navigate social impressions and others' evaluations by @cydneydupree.bsky.social: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
November 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Very interesting set of studies about how agreement with punished acts undermines the perceived legitimacy of the punisher. Reminds me a bit of the Mullen & Nadler (2008) study that found that people were more likely to steal a borrowed pen from the researcher after being exposed to an unjust law.
Stoked to share this paper with @tagerai.bsky.social in PSPB! What happens when you see punishers punish others for acts you see as moral?
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Moral Agreement With Punished Acts Decreases Perceptions of Punisher Legitimacy and Willingness to Obey the Law - Raihan Alam, Tage S. Rai, 2025
Punishment is a critical mechanism through which society regulates behavior, yet its efficacy depends on how observers interpret the legitimacy of punishers. Ac...
journals.sagepub.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Very interesting set of studies about how agreement with punished acts undermines the perceived legitimacy of the punisher. Reminds me a bit of the Mullen & Nadler (2008) study that found that people were more likely to steal a borrowed pen from the researcher after being exposed to an unjust law.
Stoked to share this paper with @tagerai.bsky.social in PSPB! What happens when you see punishers punish others for acts you see as moral?
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Moral Agreement With Punished Acts Decreases Perceptions of Punisher Legitimacy and Willingness to Obey the Law - Raihan Alam, Tage S. Rai, 2025
Punishment is a critical mechanism through which society regulates behavior, yet its efficacy depends on how observers interpret the legitimacy of punishers. Ac...
journals.sagepub.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Stoked to share this paper with @tagerai.bsky.social in PSPB! What happens when you see punishers punish others for acts you see as moral?
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
"I knew that Yale would try to normalize the situation, escape being in the press, urge us to see the fascists as just politically different, and talk about polarization, which is just fascism. All the people talking about polarization are just fascism enablers." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
I study fascism. I’ve already fled America.
On this week’s “More To The Story,” former Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley explains his recent move to Canada and calls the Trump administration’s takeover of the US government a “coup.”
www.motherjones.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:54 PM
"I knew that Yale would try to normalize the situation, escape being in the press, urge us to see the fascists as just politically different, and talk about polarization, which is just fascism. All the people talking about polarization are just fascism enablers." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
My wife was sexually harassed by Miles Hewstone as a phd student. He was still asked to review her (and other women he harassed) for jobs and promotions. This is so fucked up.
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
November 20, 2025 at 3:55 PM
My wife was sexually harassed by Miles Hewstone as a phd student. He was still asked to review her (and other women he harassed) for jobs and promotions. This is so fucked up.
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Checkout @tagerai.bsky.social's awesome thread on our recent paper!
A thread on our recent paper (w/Raihan Alam @raihanalam) in PNAS on why punishment often fails and what it means for crime, cooperation, democracy, and the rule of law. I’m super excited for it, it’s the lab’s most extensive experimental work to date. Check it out! 1/
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Checkout @tagerai.bsky.social's awesome thread on our recent paper!
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Our "Historical Psychology" special issue is now out in CRESP!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Our "Historical Psychology" special issue is now out in CRESP!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Co-edited with @mohammadatari.bsky.social and featuring historical perspectives on love, racial identity, emotion expression, well-being, collectivism, religion, and more!
Brief 🧵
Reposted by Raihan Alam
I'm struck by this clip of former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz saying Holocaust education has backfired in part because people Palestinians as victims: "They think the lesson of the Holocaust is…you fight the big powerful people hurting the weak people."
www.reddit.com/r/JewsOfCons...
www.reddit.com/r/JewsOfCons...
From the JewsOfConscience community on Reddit: Former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz speaking to the Jewish Federation and lamenting that young people are learning the wrong lessons from Holocaust e...
Explore this post and more from the JewsOfConscience community
www.reddit.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I'm struck by this clip of former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz saying Holocaust education has backfired in part because people Palestinians as victims: "They think the lesson of the Holocaust is…you fight the big powerful people hurting the weak people."
www.reddit.com/r/JewsOfCons...
www.reddit.com/r/JewsOfCons...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Just so that we're on the same page: This paper tells us what is *possible* not what is *true*
This is definitely a concern, but (FWIW) I am highly skeptical that typical survey respondents have the technical skills (let alone the inclination) to do all of this.
This is definitely a concern, but (FWIW) I am highly skeptical that typical survey respondents have the technical skills (let alone the inclination) to do all of this.
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Just so that we're on the same page: This paper tells us what is *possible* not what is *true*
This is definitely a concern, but (FWIW) I am highly skeptical that typical survey respondents have the technical skills (let alone the inclination) to do all of this.
This is definitely a concern, but (FWIW) I am highly skeptical that typical survey respondents have the technical skills (let alone the inclination) to do all of this.
Reposted by Raihan Alam
This is an important paper at @apsrjournal.bsky.social. It's not exactly surprising that racism undermines effective representation, but it is well and carefully done. Congrats to @markarianga.bsky.social, @jacobhacker.bsky.social, @maclockhart.bsky.social, and Hajnal
doi.org/10.1017/S000...
doi.org/10.1017/S000...
November 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM
This is an important paper at @apsrjournal.bsky.social. It's not exactly surprising that racism undermines effective representation, but it is well and carefully done. Congrats to @markarianga.bsky.social, @jacobhacker.bsky.social, @maclockhart.bsky.social, and Hajnal
doi.org/10.1017/S000...
doi.org/10.1017/S000...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
In 2008, after killing many of their neighbors, Ngogo chimpanzees expanded their territory. Female fertility then doubled, and infant mortality plummeted. Adaptive violence in our ape cousins, documented in this new paper. www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
Female fertility and infant survivorship increase following lethal intergroup aggression and territorial expansion in wild chimpanzees | PNAS
Lethal coalitionary intergroup aggression is a conspicuous aspect of wild chimpanzee
behavior. Evidence indicates that such violence can lead to te...
www.pnas.org
November 18, 2025 at 4:20 AM
In 2008, after killing many of their neighbors, Ngogo chimpanzees expanded their territory. Female fertility then doubled, and infant mortality plummeted. Adaptive violence in our ape cousins, documented in this new paper. www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Dee & Pyne find that having mental-health first responders accompany police on certain emergency calls reduces the number of individuals placed in involuntary psychiatric detentions.
#MentalHealth, #Law, #Police, #Reform
#MentalHealth, #Law, #Police, #Reform
Emergency mental health co-responders reduce involuntary psychiatric detentions in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour
In a quasi-experimental analysis of emergency calls in California communities, Dee and Pyne find that having mental health first responders accompany police on qualified calls reduces the number of individuals placed in involuntary psychiatric detentions.
www.nature.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Dee & Pyne find that having mental-health first responders accompany police on certain emergency calls reduces the number of individuals placed in involuntary psychiatric detentions.
#MentalHealth, #Law, #Police, #Reform
#MentalHealth, #Law, #Police, #Reform
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Lots of discussion of the cross-sectional, retrospective survey showing evidence for metaphysical belief change after psychedelic experiences...
(picture on left)
But few know of the better quality prospective longitudinal study showing NO evidence for belief change!
(picture on right)
(picture on left)
But few know of the better quality prospective longitudinal study showing NO evidence for belief change!
(picture on right)
November 13, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Lots of discussion of the cross-sectional, retrospective survey showing evidence for metaphysical belief change after psychedelic experiences...
(picture on left)
But few know of the better quality prospective longitudinal study showing NO evidence for belief change!
(picture on right)
(picture on left)
But few know of the better quality prospective longitudinal study showing NO evidence for belief change!
(picture on right)
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
Reposted by Raihan Alam
Americans are growing more socially isolated and politically divided.
Our new paper in Applied Network Science suggests these two forms of disconnection may be linked. People with denser, more connected social networks often feel less partisan animosity.
🧵
Our new paper in Applied Network Science suggests these two forms of disconnection may be linked. People with denser, more connected social networks often feel less partisan animosity.
🧵
November 13, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Americans are growing more socially isolated and politically divided.
Our new paper in Applied Network Science suggests these two forms of disconnection may be linked. People with denser, more connected social networks often feel less partisan animosity.
🧵
Our new paper in Applied Network Science suggests these two forms of disconnection may be linked. People with denser, more connected social networks often feel less partisan animosity.
🧵
Reposted by Raihan Alam
How do we succeed at self-control? In a new paper in @pnas.org with James Wilson, David Kalkstein, and Melissa Ferguson, we use mouse-tracking of ~47,000 decisions of long-term over short-term to show that 'willpower' is too narrow a conception of self-control www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
How do we succeed at self-control? In a new paper in @pnas.org with James Wilson, David Kalkstein, and Melissa Ferguson, we use mouse-tracking of ~47,000 decisions of long-term over short-term to show that 'willpower' is too narrow a conception of self-control www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Raihan Alam
I'm back! In this experiment we had 39 participants choose between 8 different PhD programs which varied in terms of region, application materials, prestige, and fees. Importantly, two of the programs had a GRE requirement and two were equivalent but did not:
November 11, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I'm back! In this experiment we had 39 participants choose between 8 different PhD programs which varied in terms of region, application materials, prestige, and fees. Importantly, two of the programs had a GRE requirement and two were equivalent but did not:
Reposted by Raihan Alam
✨New preprint! Why do people express outrage online? In 4 studies we develop a taxonomy of online outrage motives, test what motives people report, what they infer for in- vs. out-partisans, and how motive inferences shape downstream intergroup consequences. Led by @felix-chenwei.bsky.social 🧵👇
November 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
✨New preprint! Why do people express outrage online? In 4 studies we develop a taxonomy of online outrage motives, test what motives people report, what they infer for in- vs. out-partisans, and how motive inferences shape downstream intergroup consequences. Led by @felix-chenwei.bsky.social 🧵👇
Reposted by Raihan Alam
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Raihan Alam
