by Robin Hanson
human vs. animal,29f
Machiavellian,30
social challenges,26, 27–28
intentions
body language, 324–325n.60
crimes of intent,54
laughter and playful,136
romantic,85
intimate distance,323n.24
introspection illusion,8
Iodine Global Network,220, 337n.60
Iraq War,10
Islam,265
charity,271
Muslims at Mecca during Hajj,261–262, 262f
rituals of sacrifice,269, 270
Iyengar, Shanto,293
Jacobellis v. Ohio,69
Jains,271
Jefferson, Thomas,161
Jobs, Steve,45, 70, 84, 235
Johnstone, Keith,121
journalism,163–164. See alsonews
Judaism,265, 276
Kaaba,261, 262f
Kaas, Steven,99
Kahneman, Daniel,55
Kant, Immanuel,130b
Karnofsky, Holden,206, 207
Kennedy, John F.,70, 313
Kenrick, Douglas,86, 88
Keynes, John Maynard,169
Kim Jong-un,123, 265
Kim regime, North Korea,291
King, Larry,123
King, Martin Luther, Jr.,299
Kissinger, Henry,36
Kiva.org,216
knowledge,319n.10
knowledge suppression,23. See alsostrategic ignorance
koalas, mating calls,115
Kozintsev, Alexander,134, 145
Krulwich, Robert,76
Kurzban, Robert,7, 77, 79, 84, 97, 98
Lahaye, Rick,82
language
body vs. spoken language,114–115
in courtship,157–158
evolution theories,328n.8
in leadership,158
metaphorical use of,120
norms,48–49
primary function of,149–150
vs. laughter,146–147
see alsoconversation
language arts,188b
La Rochefoucauld, François de,6, 303, 310
Larry King Live (television show),123
laugh, etymology,325n.1
laughter,129–147
active communication,133
biology of,131–134
brief history of,130–131b
dark side of,138–139
deniability and,145–147
humor and,327n.34
norms and,139–142
as play signal,134–138
psychological distance and,142–145
regulatory function of,326n.12
teasing and,144–145
laugh tracks,326n.11
learning, education,226–230, 240
Lederberg, Joshua,343n.37
left hemisphere.Seesplit-brain experiments
lifestyle advertising,180–185
listening
conversation,150–160
eye contact and,124–125
preferring speaking to,153–154
see alsoconversation; language; speaking
lobster,198
Locke, John,158b
Lorenz, Konrad,316n.19
Loyalist, self-deception archetype,82–84
loyalty
apparatchik,290–292
demanding irrationality,298–299
demanding sacrifice,296–297
disdain for compromise,299
logic of political signaling,294–301
religion,270–271
see alsotrust
Lurie, Alison,202
lying.Seedeception
McGilchrist, Iain,86
Machiavelli, Niccolò,34, 36
Machiavellian behavior,9
Machiavellian intelligence hypothesis,30
Madman, self-deception archetype,81–82
Maestripieri, Dario,30
Maimonides,337n.54
Make-A-Wish Foundation,207–208, 218
manipulation, self-deception as,77–80
manufactured goods, costs of,177
Mao Zedong,45, 291
marginal charity,222–223
Marmaduke (comic strip),137
Mars, Roman,200–201
martyrdom, religious behavior,280–281
mate-guarding,118
The Mating Mind (Miller),32, 151, 188, 317n.8
mating motive, charity,216–217
mating strategies, religion as,272–273
The Matrix (movie),14
Matthew 7:1, 38
Matthew 7:3, 12
Mecca,261–262, 262f, 344n.5
Medicaid,252, 342n.31
Medicare,249–250
medicine,241–259
conspicuous caring hypothesis,242, 247–248
consumption of,1–2, 247–250
costs of,241–242
definition,241b
foragers and,243–244
health and,1–3
in history,245–247
motives for buying,2
Oregon Health Insurance Experiment,252
RAND health insurance experiment,250–254, 342n.26
regionally marginal,249
testing conspicuous care,254–259
Mehrabian, Albert,322n.1
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,247
meta-norm,53–54b
Methuselah trusts,222
microsociology,8
Miller, Geoffrey,7, 32
on art,188, 190, 191, 196, 200
on charity,210, 211, 213, 218
on consumer behavior,175, 184
on language and conversation,150, 153, 155, 157b
minor sins,70–71
Minsky, Marvin,87
mixed-motive games,77–79
Mlodinow, Leonard,112, 125
modularity of mind, self-deception,85–88
Mona Lisa (da Vinci),195
money, rituals of sacrifice,269
monkeys, play fighting,135
Morgan, J. P.,91
Mormon religion,263, 279
Morreall, John,130b
Moses, Robert,36
Mother Teresa,218
motives,4–8, 13
alignment of,308b
designing institutions,310–312
political,284–286
political incentives in daily life,292–294
pretty and ugly,6f
selfishness,56, 70, 309, 313
term,95b
thesis about,11–12b
understanding own,305–306
writing and publishing book,166–167
see alsohidden motives
Motley Fool,207
Muhammad (prophet),141–142, 278
Muslims,261–262, 262f
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),226
natural selection,31–32, 41, 187, 198b
Navarro, Joe,120
Neanderthals,341n.3
nervous energy, laughter,130b
New Atheists,344n.14, 344n.9
news
as conversation,161–164, 330n.39
in politics,289
Newton, Isaac,134, 150
New York Times (newspaper),139, 205
Nisbett, Richard,102
Nixon, Richard,82
norms,43–57
against bragging,54–55
against currying favor,55–56
egalitarianism,47–48
enforcement,44–45, 51, 64–65
evasion scenarios,60–61
gossip and,51–53
laughter and,139–142
meta-norm,53–54b
purpose of,48–49, 51
reputation and,51–53
against selfish motives,56
skirting,65, 69–70
against subgroup politics,56
subtle but important,54–56
Obama, Barack,10, 96
Obliviation (thought experiment),175–178
One Thousand and One Nights (Scheheraza
de),192
orangutans, laughter,133
Oregon Health Insurance Experiment,252
Our Inner Ape (de Waal),35
parochialism, charity,215
Patek Philippe watch,170
patriotism,265, 292, 301
Pavlov, Ivan,180
Pavlovian training,180, 183, 184
peer pressure, charity,214–215
Pentland, Alex,113
perceptions,322n.18
performing arts,188b, 197
personal distance,323n.24
personal health, self-deception,74–75
pheromones, communication,118–119b, 323n.30
philanthropy.Seecharity
photography,200
Pinker, Steven,30, 189b, 350n.45
Plato,130b, 142
Plato’s Academy,236–237
plausible deniability,85, 126, 139, 145–147
play,326n.22
play signal, laughter,134–138, 326–327n.32
pleasure, rituals of sacrifice,269
political realignments,300
politics
apparatchik,290–292
body language and,119–121
coalition,35–36
competition,34–37
conversation,155–157
definition,283
democracy,285–286, 296, 299
disdain for compromise,299
expressive voting,294–296
extreme activists,300–301
ideologies,292
norm against,56
one-dimensional,299–300
parties,292
political Do-Right,284–286
political incentives in daily life,292–294
prestige in language of,160–161
puzzles,286–290
self-interest vs. group interest,294
similarities with sex and status,37–38
uninformed voters,287–288
vote decisiveness,286–287
Politics (Aristotle),283
Popper, Karl,4, 315n.1
Porsche Carrera,170
potty training, rationalization in,103
Press Secretary (mental module),96–100, 103, 113, 127
prestige,317n.15
academic,164–166, 330n.39, 340n.31
in Arabian babblers,22
body language,123–125
in conversation,160–161
vs. dominance,33–34
see alsosocial status
pretexts,61, 65–66, 103
primatology,9, 34
The Prince (Machiavelli),36
Prinz, Jesse,195
Prius, Toyota,171–172
products
advertising,179–185
costs of,178
environmentally friendly (“green”),170–171
variety,176–178
Pronin, Emily,8
propaganda,84, 181, 236–238, 347n.53
prosocial attitude, consumption,172
prosocial norms, religion,271–273
prosocial orientation, charity,219–220
Provine, Robert,132–133, 139, 145
Prussian education system,237, 340n.24
psychological distance, laughter,142–145
public distance,323n.24
puns,136–137, 327n.33
Putin, Vladimir,123
Radiolab (podcast),76
Ramachandran, V. S.,95
RAND health insurance experiment,250–254, 342n.26
rationalization,94–105. See alsocounterfeit reasons
Rational Ritual (Chwe),62
realignments.Seepolitical realignments
realism, art,198
reasons,95b.See alsocounterfeit reasons
reciprocal-exchange theory, conversation,152–155
The Red Queen (Ridley),30, 317n.8
redwoods,28–31, 41, 316n.1
Reinga, Tei,44–45
relevance, criterion of,154–155, 159
relief theory, laughter,130b
religion,10, 261–263
atheists,264–266, 271, 278, 344n.14, 344n.9
badges,275–276, 278–279
belief-first model of,264f, 264–266
celibacy and martyrdom,280–281
communal model of,267f
community,267–268, 272–273
definitions,345n.27
mystery of,263–264
prosocial norms,271–273
public acceptance of,265
rituals of synchrony,273–274
sacrifice, loyalty and trust,268–271
sermons,274–275, 347n.52
as social systems,267–268
supernatural beliefs,277–280
Republic (Plato),142
Republicans,292, 293, 349n.29, 349–350n.32
reputation, norms,51–53
research.See academic research
reverse dominance hierarchy,49
Ridley, Matt,30, 31
The Righteous Mind (Haidt),97, 284–285
right hemisphere.Seesplit-brain experiments
rituals
greeting,120–121
initiation,269
medical,2–3, 242–243, 245
religious,261, 263, 265, 268–271, 273–275
sermons as,274–275
of sacrifice,268–271
of synchrony,273–274
rivals,19, 41, 47
Robertson, Jeanne,242–243, 255, 340–341n.2
Rounders (movie),114b
Rubik’s Cube,172
Runner’s World (magazine),173
Russell, Bertrand,221
Sackeim, Harold,76
sacrifice
extreme activists,301
political loyalty demanding,296–297
rituals of,268–271
see also handicap principle; honest signals; waste
Salvation Army,207
scalping tickets,63–64
Schelling, Thomas,77–79, 216
The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative,207
Schopenhauer, Arthur,130b, 318n.30
scope insensitivity,210
scope neglect,210
Seidel, Angelika,195
Seinfeld (television show),69, 146
self-deception,5, 13–14, 73–75, 304
Cheater archetype,84–85
Cheerleader archetype,84
as defense,75–77
Loyalist archetype,82–84
Madman archetype,81–82
as manipulation,77–80
modularity and,85–88
personal health,74–75
in practice,81–85
purpose of,80–81
rewarding loyalty,298
sources of,315n.4
split-brain experiment,92–94
supernatural beliefs,277
self-discretion,88–89
self-esteem, as sociometer,320n.16
self-interest, enlightened,308–310
The Selfish Gene (Dawkins), 316n.19
selfishness
enlightened self-interest,308–310
minor sins,70
norms against,56, 309, 313
Sequoia sempervirens.Seeredwoods
sermons, religion,268, 270, 274–275, 347n.52
sex
body language and,116–118
competition,31–32
conversation and,155–157
mating motives in charity,216–217
pheromones,118–119b
similarities with status and politics,37–38
Shakespeare, William,158b
shame,60, 89, 289
Shaw, George Bernard,218
sheepskin effect, education,227, 233. See also credentials
Shintoism,265
showing off
art,193
consumption,175
conversation,155
education,230
human motives,306–307
institutional reform,312
see alsobragging
signaling model,
education,232–234
signals and signaling
advertising, 332–333n.31
body language,114b
in competition,38–40
consumption,172–173, 331n.11
countersignaling,40
definition,317n.25
education,230–232
overview,38–40
pheromones,118–119b
political loyalty,294–301
see also honest signals
Simpson, O. J.,70
Singer, Peter,205, 207, 215, 216, 223
sins, minor,70–71
situational awareness,11, 304–305
Smith, Adam,310
social brain hypothesis,30, 31
social-climbing motive, charity,219
social distance,323n.24
social grooming,17–20, 315n.2
social impressions, managing,87
social institutions,10–11
social psychology,8–9, 101
social status,4, 32–34
body language,121–125
competition,32–34
conspicuous consumption,172–174
dominance,33
prestige,22, 33–34
rituals of sacrifice,270
similarities with politics and sex,37–38
see alsodominance; prestige
social systems, religions as,267–268
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr,290
South Park (television show),143
Soviet Union, apparatchik,290–292
speaking
conversation,150–160
eye contact and,124–125
see alsoconversation; language; listening
Spence, Michael,230
Spencer, Herbert,130b
Spent (Miller),175
Sperry, Roger,92–94
split-brain experiments,92–94, 98, 100
Stalin, Joseph,33, 216, 290, 291
Stanford University,226
Stephens, Mitchell,161–162
Stewart, Potter (Supreme Court Justice),69
Strange Medicine (Belofsky),245
Strangers to Ourselves (Wilson),99
strategic ignorance,23, 78, 98–99, 127, 139, 304. See alsoknowledge suppression
The Strategy of Conflict (Schelling),77
Streep, Meryl,33, 123
subgroup politics, norm against,56
Subliminal (Mlodinow),112, 125
subtlety, discreet communication,67–68
superiority theory, laughter,130b
supernatural beliefs,266, 277–280
Survivor (television show),36
symbolism, discreet communication,67–68
synchrony,117, 273–274
Szymanska, Ewa,215
Tabarrok, Alex,257, 258
teasing,144–145
tells, body language,114b
terrorists,301
test, cheating on,60
The Theory of the Leisure Class (Veblen),169–170, 199
Thiel, Peter,234, 235
third-person effect,181–183, 184, 305
thumbs-up gesture,323n.14
tie-signs, body language,118
Tooby, John,59
Toyota,171–172
transubstantiation,347n.57
Trivers, Robert,7, 8, 12b, 30, 73, 79–80, 91, 164
trivia, conversation,155
Truman, Harry,99
trust,82–83, 116, 121, 268–271, 276. See alsoloyalty