High population density seems to shift us into a future-oriented mindset

By Christian Jarrett In the UK we’re familiar with the practical implications of increasing population density: traffic jams, longer waits to see a doctor, a lack of available housing. What many of us probably hadn’t realised is how living in crowded environment could be affecting us at a deep psychological level, fostering in us a more future-oriented mindset or what evolutionary psychologists call a “slow life history” strategy. In their paper in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Oliver Sng at the University of Michigan and his colleagues present a range of evidence that shows how this strategy plays out in the more patient ways that we approach our relationships, parenting and economic decisions. In essence, the researchers are proposing that the presence of greater numbers of other people in close proximity prompts us to invest in the future as way to compete more effectively. The idea behind life history theory comes from observing variations in behaviour between and across species, mainly in terms of how they approach reproduction. Species with longer life-spans that live in greater population densities tend to favour more investment in fewer offspring who take more time to develop. In contrast, species living in lower densities and at great risk of predators tend to favour a short-term strategy, for example having as many offspring as early as possible in the hope that at least some will survive. There’s also evid...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Cognition Decision making Social Thought Source Type: blogs