Mohammad Atari
@mohammadatari.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Psychology at UMass Amherst.
Director of the Culture and Morality Lab.
Director of the Culture and Morality Lab.
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Come work with me on cognitive diversity, development & dynamics in beautiful Amherst, Massachusetts! Graduate student applications are due a week from today. cognitiveconstructionlab.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Come work with me on cognitive diversity, development & dynamics in beautiful Amherst, Massachusetts! Graduate student applications are due a week from today. cognitiveconstructionlab.com
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
It's one of my favorite times of the year! And I'm so so proud of my SLAM Lab grads who did a fantastic job presenting the cool projects they've each been working on.! @psychonomicsociety.bsky.social
FYI @stephanyrea.bsky.social is on the job market.
FYI @stephanyrea.bsky.social is on the job market.
November 22, 2025 at 12:58 AM
It's one of my favorite times of the year! And I'm so so proud of my SLAM Lab grads who did a fantastic job presenting the cool projects they've each been working on.! @psychonomicsociety.bsky.social
FYI @stephanyrea.bsky.social is on the job market.
FYI @stephanyrea.bsky.social is on the job market.
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
This—on my former university, department, and advisor—is harrowing but required reading for all social psychologists. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Oxford University Has Failed Women Over Harassment Concerns, Staff Say
The university has repeatedly been slow to act against male academics accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior, a Bloomberg investigation found.
www.bloomberg.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
This—on my former university, department, and advisor—is harrowing but required reading for all social psychologists. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Come and do a PhD at Exeter with me and Chico Camargo (Computer Science) on human-genAI coevolution
"Leveraging Natural Language Processing for Data-Driven Agent-Based Modelling of Online Cultural Dynamics"
www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/recr...
More details here:
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
"Leveraging Natural Language Processing for Data-Driven Agent-Based Modelling of Online Cultural Dynamics"
www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/recr...
More details here:
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
www.exeter.ac.uk
November 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Come and do a PhD at Exeter with me and Chico Camargo (Computer Science) on human-genAI coevolution
"Leveraging Natural Language Processing for Data-Driven Agent-Based Modelling of Online Cultural Dynamics"
www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/recr...
More details here:
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
"Leveraging Natural Language Processing for Data-Driven Agent-Based Modelling of Online Cultural Dynamics"
www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/recr...
More details here:
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Do people remember where things are relative to their body (e.g. my left side) or relative to the environment (the North/uphill side)? The answer is both at once, according to my new paper now out in Psychological Science! 🧵 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Do people remember where things are relative to their body (e.g. my left side) or relative to the environment (the North/uphill side)? The answer is both at once, according to my new paper now out in Psychological Science! 🧵 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Samani and Baumard map out trends in Romantic love in Persian literature from 10th century to 20th century CE. They find an increasing emphasis on romantic love over time, particularly during the Safavid era. This may reveal a link w economic development
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Samani and Baumard map out trends in Romantic love in Persian literature from 10th century to 20th century CE. They find an increasing emphasis on romantic love over time, particularly during the Safavid era. This may reveal a link w economic development
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Fan and Baumard reveal new evidence of rising individualism over history, which suggests that wealth rather than Protestantism contributed to individualism
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Fan and Baumard reveal new evidence of rising individualism over history, which suggests that wealth rather than Protestantism contributed to individualism
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
And last but not least, Obshonka and colleagues find that Roman rule explains puzzling variation in modern well-being differences across Germany
Ancient Roman investment in infrastructure may explain why Southwestern Germans are so happy and healthy today
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ancient Roman investment in infrastructure may explain why Southwestern Germans are so happy and healthy today
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
And last but not least, Obshonka and colleagues find that Roman rule explains puzzling variation in modern well-being differences across Germany
Ancient Roman investment in infrastructure may explain why Southwestern Germans are so happy and healthy today
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ancient Roman investment in infrastructure may explain why Southwestern Germans are so happy and healthy today
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
McClain and Kenny dig into the history of collectivism in Japan, conducting a pre-registered analysis of self-reported collectivism and tightness in the Japanese social survey and linking responses to historical subsistence patterns across Japan
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
McClain and Kenny dig into the history of collectivism in Japan, conducting a pre-registered analysis of self-reported collectivism and tightness in the Japanese social survey and linking responses to historical subsistence patterns across Japan
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
@joannaschug.bsky.social leads a paper on gendered racial stereotypes. They show that the civil rights movement coincided with a rise in language about black men, but not black women
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
@joannaschug.bsky.social leads a paper on gendered racial stereotypes. They show that the civil rights movement coincided with a rise in language about black men, but not black women
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
@mohammadatari.bsky.social and I begin with an editorial reflecting on the origins, current trends, and future of historical psych
The future requires strong causal identification and theorizing about how institutions can cement or change historical trends
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The future requires strong causal identification and theorizing about how institutions can cement or change historical trends
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
@mohammadatari.bsky.social and I begin with an editorial reflecting on the origins, current trends, and future of historical psych
The future requires strong causal identification and theorizing about how institutions can cement or change historical trends
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The future requires strong causal identification and theorizing about how institutions can cement or change historical trends
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
On election day, I wanna announce that I am recruiting social psych PhD students for my lab at UIC. My lab focuses on racial identities (esp Asian, Latino, MENA Americans) and intra-minority conflict/ coalition. So please tell your students to pick me! All details on my website: www.pbandjlab.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
On election day, I wanna announce that I am recruiting social psych PhD students for my lab at UIC. My lab focuses on racial identities (esp Asian, Latino, MENA Americans) and intra-minority conflict/ coalition. So please tell your students to pick me! All details on my website: www.pbandjlab.com
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
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 Mohammad Atari
I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be joining the faculty at @umassamherst.bsky.social next year as an assistant professor in Psychological & Brain Sciences! 🥳
a cartoon of homer simpson says whoo-hoo in front of a stone wall
ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson says whoo-hoo in front of a stone wall
media.tenor.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:36 PM
I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be joining the faculty at @umassamherst.bsky.social next year as an assistant professor in Psychological & Brain Sciences! 🥳
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
When there is a random way to do something, there is a less random way that is better but requires more thought. In this case, regression models that make no sense don't belong in a multiverse analysis. An inferential regression without a causal justification is like an opinion without reasons.
October 23, 2025 at 4:34 PM
When there is a random way to do something, there is a less random way that is better but requires more thought. In this case, regression models that make no sense don't belong in a multiverse analysis. An inferential regression without a causal justification is like an opinion without reasons.
Amazing paper!
Can AI simulations of human research participants advance cognitive science? In @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social, @lmesseri.bsky.social & I analyze this vision. We show how “AI Surrogates” entrench practices that limit the generalizability of cognitive science while aspiring to do the opposite. 1/
AI Surrogates and illusions of generalizability in cognitive science
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have generated enthusiasm for using AI simulations of human research participants to generate new know…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Amazing paper!
We are hiring in Social Psychology!
Tenure-track position, focus on the Psychology of Peace and Violence, UMass Amherst.
Review of applications will begin on October 24th.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Link:
careers.umass.edu/en-us/job/52...
Tenure-track position, focus on the Psychology of Peace and Violence, UMass Amherst.
Review of applications will begin on October 24th.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Link:
careers.umass.edu/en-us/job/52...
Details - Assistant Professor - Psychology of Peace & Violence Program | Human Resources | UMass Amherst
careers.umass.edu
October 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
We are hiring in Social Psychology!
Tenure-track position, focus on the Psychology of Peace and Violence, UMass Amherst.
Review of applications will begin on October 24th.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Link:
careers.umass.edu/en-us/job/52...
Tenure-track position, focus on the Psychology of Peace and Violence, UMass Amherst.
Review of applications will begin on October 24th.
Let us know if you have any questions!
Link:
careers.umass.edu/en-us/job/52...
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
New paper in Synthèse. Open access.
Concepts of health and disease: insights from experimental philosophy of medicine - Synthese
Synthese - The aim of the paper is to explore how people understand the concepts of health and disease, including the factors that influence their judgments about whether a condition is a disease...
link.springer.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:28 PM
New paper in Synthèse. Open access.
A truly fascinating review paper, covering a lot of cool research and creating new directions for future work. I just put it on the syllabus for my grad-level culture seminar. Highly recommend!
Our latest work on ancestral diversity and cultural evolution is out. Co-authored with Sophie Wohltjen. For a special issue of CRESP on Historical Psychology edited by Josh Jackson and @mohammadatari.bsky.social @spspnews.bsky.social @affectscience.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
October 15, 2025 at 1:38 PM
A truly fascinating review paper, covering a lot of cool research and creating new directions for future work. I just put it on the syllabus for my grad-level culture seminar. Highly recommend!
🔔The third Historical Psychology preconference at SPSP! We particularly encourage early-career researchers to present their work.
Topics include cultural change, cultural evolution, history+AI, temporal text analysis, historical+geographical psych, ethnohistorical record, history as context, etc.
Topics include cultural change, cultural evolution, history+AI, temporal text analysis, historical+geographical psych, ethnohistorical record, history as context, etc.
🚨Historical Psych Pre-Conference🚨
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
We have a great lineup of speakers for the #SPSP2026 edition!
Submit your poster or data blitz abstract by Oct. 23 (link below!). Open to folks from any career stage
Any research on psychological change or historical context of social psych is welcome!
October 15, 2025 at 5:03 AM
🔔The third Historical Psychology preconference at SPSP! We particularly encourage early-career researchers to present their work.
Topics include cultural change, cultural evolution, history+AI, temporal text analysis, historical+geographical psych, ethnohistorical record, history as context, etc.
Topics include cultural change, cultural evolution, history+AI, temporal text analysis, historical+geographical psych, ethnohistorical record, history as context, etc.
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
“The idea that humans evolved to be protective & sensitive to harm directed towards women appears increasingly popular in evolutionary psych [but] ethnographic evidence conflict with this perspective, [which seems] rooted in contemporary WEIRD values rather than an evolved psychological mechanism”
Did humans evolve to 'protect' women?
Ethnography complicates a convenient narrative
open.substack.com
October 8, 2025 at 7:53 AM
“The idea that humans evolved to be protective & sensitive to harm directed towards women appears increasingly popular in evolutionary psych [but] ethnographic evidence conflict with this perspective, [which seems] rooted in contemporary WEIRD values rather than an evolved psychological mechanism”
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
‼️ Recent work by Setayesh Radkani, Joshua Tenenbaum & Rebecca Saxe:
What people learn from punishment: A cognitive model
What people learn from punishment: A cognitive model
What people learn from punishment: A cognitive model | PNAS
Authorities, from parents of toddlers to leaders of formal institutions, use punishment
to communicate disapproval and enforce social norms. Ideall...
www.pnas.org
October 8, 2025 at 5:19 AM
‼️ Recent work by Setayesh Radkani, Joshua Tenenbaum & Rebecca Saxe:
What people learn from punishment: A cognitive model
What people learn from punishment: A cognitive model
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
I am hoping to recruit a Ph.D. student to join the SPARC (Social Psychology of Activism, Resistance, & Change) Lab at @UVAPsyc in Fall 2026! You can find more info about my research on my website (ericshuman.com), and the program here (psychology.as.virginia.edu/social-psych...).
Home
ericshuman.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I am hoping to recruit a Ph.D. student to join the SPARC (Social Psychology of Activism, Resistance, & Change) Lab at @UVAPsyc in Fall 2026! You can find more info about my research on my website (ericshuman.com), and the program here (psychology.as.virginia.edu/social-psych...).
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Hi all! Having recently moved to @uh.edu, I’ll be reviewing graduate applications to join the newly minted Worldviews in Motion lab for Fall 2026! Please share with anyone who might be interested 😊
For lab info, check out our (though it’s mostly me atm) website: www.abdoelnakouri.com
For lab info, check out our (though it’s mostly me atm) website: www.abdoelnakouri.com
WIM Lab
www.abdoelnakouri.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Hi all! Having recently moved to @uh.edu, I’ll be reviewing graduate applications to join the newly minted Worldviews in Motion lab for Fall 2026! Please share with anyone who might be interested 😊
For lab info, check out our (though it’s mostly me atm) website: www.abdoelnakouri.com
For lab info, check out our (though it’s mostly me atm) website: www.abdoelnakouri.com
Reposted by Mohammad Atari
Join us tomorrow, Tuesday October 7th at 12PM EDT for a talk with former fellow Michael Tomasello!
"Agency and the Organization of Human Experience."
More info and abstract here: ow.ly/usIc50X4wS7
Zoom Link: pitt.zoom.us/j/96906545761
"Agency and the Organization of Human Experience."
More info and abstract here: ow.ly/usIc50X4wS7
Zoom Link: pitt.zoom.us/j/96906545761
October 6, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Join us tomorrow, Tuesday October 7th at 12PM EDT for a talk with former fellow Michael Tomasello!
"Agency and the Organization of Human Experience."
More info and abstract here: ow.ly/usIc50X4wS7
Zoom Link: pitt.zoom.us/j/96906545761
"Agency and the Organization of Human Experience."
More info and abstract here: ow.ly/usIc50X4wS7
Zoom Link: pitt.zoom.us/j/96906545761