Lixing Sun

Lixing Sun is currently a Professor of Biology at Central Washington University. He studies, teaches, and writes about animal behavior, human nature, evolution, and behavioral economics.

Recent Posts

February 1, 2017 in Biology, Politics

Xenophobia in the Light of Evolution: On the Origins of Anti-Immigration Sentiment

Besides racial prejudice, what else are there behind xenophobia? Among the evolved human instincts, we can find at least two for the anti-immigration sentiment: territoriality and the endowment effect.

April 12, 2016 in Politics

What the peacock can teach us about trust: An evolutionary moral for politicians

What can politicians do to turn the tide around, to win back voter trust? A simple answer lies in the peacock’s tail.

March 2, 2016 in Biology, Mind, Politics

When Democracy Meets the Ghost of Evolution: Why Short Presidents Have Vanished

Size matters in politics: America hasn’t seen a president shorter than 5’7” since William McKinley. A main culprit, unbeknownst to many, comes from voters’ cognitive biases—the work of evolution. And…