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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Aug 4

Earlier today I saw @robinince.bsky.social at Fringe. Such a nice change of pace to see a show focused on awe and joy and celebrating wonderful people. And, of course, books!

www.edfringe.com/tickets/what...

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Aug 4

Ah, what a lovely thing to say, thank you. The feeling is mutual! @tombrychevalier.bsky.social

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Aug 4

Recent interview on Knowing Animals w @joshmilburn.bsky.social. We discuss my new paper on children's moral circles, coauthored w @juliamarshall.bsky.social @karrineldner.bsky.social @luciuscaviola.bsky.social

Podcast: knowinganimals.libsyn.com/episode-240-...
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jul 25

I was very sad we missed you, too. Hopefully we will see you at phair2027!

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jul 25

Then some much needed post conference hiking in the highlands 😃

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jul 25

Very late to the party but 3 weeks ago we hosted the @phair-society.bsky.social conference here in Edinburgh. What an amazing few days catching up with colleagues, learning about new research, and talking all things animal advocacy 🐷🐶 #phair2025

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

The Mind & Morality Lab @ Brown University @mindandmoralitylab.bsky.social · Jun 30

🚨We're hiring! The Mind & Morality Lab is seeking a Lab Manager to start this September. Excited about research on social cognitive development? Apply here: forms.gle/4rKXD2x1vmkD.... Learn more about us: sites.brown.edu/mindmorality....
⏳ We’re reviewing applications on a rolling basis—apply early!

docs.google.com

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jun 27

Fascinating and important findings!

Reposted by Matti Wilks

Nick Byrd, Ph.D. @byrdnick.com · Jun 26

What beings are in your #moralCircle?

The 1st keynote by @mattiwilks.bsky.social reported that
- kids, effective altruists (EAs), and vegetarians showed less #speciesism, #anthropocentrism
- EAs performed better on cognitive tests

Follow Dr. Wilks on #gScholar: scholar.google.com/citations?us...

"Children Prioritize Humans Over Animals Less Than Adults Do"
Matti Wilks, Lucius Caviola, Guy Kahane, and Paul Bloom
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620960398

"Does Distance Matter? How Physical and Social Distance Shape Our Perceived Obligations to Others"
Julia Marshall, Matti Wilks
Open Mind (2024) 8: 511–534.
https://doi.org/10.1162/opmi_a_00138

Recap: The moral circle across development
Children appear to be more morally expansive than adults
Non-human animals, physically and socially distant others artificial intelligence
Why are children's moral circles more expansive?
What drives the contraction?

Recap: Unusually altruistic groups
Differences in moral judgements for GWWC and vegetarians
GWWC pledgers also differ on thinking style
Few other differences for vegetarians (non-moral)
What drives these differences?
Where else might we find them?

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jun 2

It's just one month until the @phair-society.bsky.social Animal Advocacy Conference in Edinburgh! I caught up with @marikasbell.bsky.social and Luke McGuire to talk all things conference on the Deal with Animals Podcast!

www.thedealwithanimals.com/post/what-sp...

phair2025.co.uk

What Sparks Change in Our View of Animals? PHAIR 2025 with Dr. Matti Wilks and Dr Luke McGuire

This discussion reiterates the critical intersection where psychology meets animal advocacy. This knowledge is not just for academics but for anyone eager to contribute to a world where compassion ext...

www.thedealwithanimals.com

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · May 28

Very excited to finally have this in print! @juliamarshall.bsky.social @karrineldner.bsky.social @nathumbehav.nature.com

Julia Marshall @juliamarshall.bsky.social · May 28

🥳🥳 New paper in @nathumbehav.nature.com: “When development constricts our moral circle." Contrary to popular belief, younger kids may start out with broader moral circles than older ones. Check it out here 👉 rdcu.be/eoaSe
w/ @mattiwilks.bsky.social @karrineldner.bsky.social & Lucius Caviola

When development constricts our moral circle

Nature Human Behaviour - Although many believe our moral circles expand with age, this Perspective discusses an early-emerging tendency to care for others.

rdcu.be

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · May 23

My student @jmepedersen.bsky.social is launching a new project and we are looking for pilot participants for a couple of short surveys. If you have a few minutes free:
s1917169.ppls.ed.ac.uk/Pilot_1A/mai...
s1917169.ppls.ed.ac.uk/Pilot_1B/mai...

(Laptops/tablets preferable for formatting)

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Feb 26

Last month I was lucky enough to join @briancoxtalks.bsky.social @robinince.bsky.social Jo Brand and Prof Steve Jones on the Infinite Monkey Cage to chat about altruism. Definitely a career highlight! Link below:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

hannah @hannahkateboast.bsky.social · Feb 25

Worth reading this alongside @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social's analysis of our finances, which paints a rather different picture, highlighting financial mismanagement: www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/3fzpaa5...

No Compulsory Redundancies at The University Of Edinburgh! — UCU Edinburgh

Management Is Manufacturing a ‘Financial Crisis’ to Impose Staff Cuts

www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

School of PPLS at The University of Edinburgh @schoolofppls.bsky.social · Feb 25

How selfish are we really? Why organisms help one another? How has society necessitated altruism? Listen as PPLS Psychology lecturer @mattiwilks.bsky.social joins @profbriancox.bsky.social,
@robinince.bsky.social, Jo Brand and Steve Jones from University College London. Listen here: edin.ac/4kc8txo

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 32 - How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones - BBC Sounds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on their best behaviour as they explore altruism.

edin.ac

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

B&W Thornton of Stratford-upon-Avon @bwthornton.bsky.social · Feb 25

The Infinite Monkey Cage
How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, @mattiwilks.bsky.social and Steve Jones
Thursday 11:00
BBC Radio 4
@profbriancox.bsky.social and @robinince.bsky.social are on their best behaviour as they explore altruism.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - The Infinite Monkey Cage, Series 32, How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on their best behaviour as they explore altruism.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

Stanford CISAC @stanfordcisac.bsky.social · Jan 30

Next week: "What Have Survey Experiments Taught Us About Decisions to Use Nuclear Weapons?" with Rose McDermott, @pslovic.bsky.social and Sharon Weiner.

RSVP here⤵️
cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/events/what-...

What Have Survey Experiments Taught Us About Decisions to Use Nuclear

cisac.fsi.stanford.edu

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

Brian D. Earp, PhD @briandavidearp.bsky.social · Jan 21

Reminder of the call for abstracts! Deadline approaching: Basel-Oxford-NUS Experimental Philosophical Bioethics (BioXPhi) Summit 2025 | hosted at the University of Basel, keynotes by Edmond Awad and Matti Wilks

Basel-Oxford-NUS BioXPhi Summit 2025 | Institute for Biomedical Ethics | University of Basel

Institute for Biomedical Ethics

buff.ly

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jan 29

We've extended submissions until February 6, just over a week left to submit to the @phair-society.bsky.social conference. Come and join us in Edinburgh, July 2-5. phair2025.co.uk

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jan 23

That sounds like a fantastic idea, lets discuss?

Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Jan 22

Just over a week left to submit to the 2025 PHAIR animal advocacy conference. Come hang out with us in Edinburgh! @phair-society.bsky.social
Phair2025.co.uk

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

PHAIR @phair-society.bsky.social · Jan 21

Welcome to the Society for the Psychology of Human Animal Intergroup Relations (PHAIR) BlueSky page! 💙

Here we aim to advance and promote scientific research on moral and social psychology, diet and health, human-animal relationships, sustainability and environmental psychology. 🌱

phairsociety.org

Animal Advocacy Conference

blogs.kent.ac.uk

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Matti Wilks @mattiwilks.bsky.social · Dec 8

As always, can strongly recommend applying for a postdoc with @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social 👇

Paul Bloom @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social · Dec 4

Moral psychology postdoc opportunity at the University of Toronto! Please repost, and pass on to anyone you think might be interested.

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

Not that other guy, that's for sure @neogliberal.bsky.social · Nov 26

Happy to release a pre-print 5 years in the making!

"A two-wave longitudinal study of children’s prosocial behavior during Christmas."

It's currently under review at Current Research in Behavioral Sciences. Watch this space.

osf.io/preprints/os...

OSF

osf.io

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Reposted by Matti Wilks

Geetanjali Basarkod🔸 @gbasarkod.bsky.social · Nov 24

Excited to share our new preprint!

In a meta-analysis of 66 randomised controlled trials (9,978 students), we found that education is effective in improving students' ethical and moral outcomes.

osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/xv536

Abstract of paper that is available through the shared link.

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