Dr Gil Greengross

BS in Behavioral Sciences (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel) MS Statistics (University of New Mexico) MS Evolutionary Anthropology (University of New Mexico) PhD Evolutionary Anthropology (University of New Mexico).

I am originally from Israel, where I received my undergraduate degree in psychology, anthropology and sociology. I earned my Master's degree in statistics and a PhD in evolutionary anthropology from the University of New Mexico.

I am an evolutionary psychologist, studying the evolutionary roots of everyday behaviours and emotions. My main area of research focuses on the evolution of humour and laughter, what makes people laugh, and how humour is used in mating and mate choice. My work is largely interdisciplinary and is drawn from psychology, anthropology, biology and consumer behaviour. I also have a strong interest in studying people with extreme creative abilities, such as stand-up comedians and other artists. I look forward to engaging students in teaching and research on these subjects.

Module Coordinator

• PS21620 - Psychology of Humour
• PS21020 - Evolutionary Psychology

Coordinator

• PS21020 - Evolutionary Psychology
• PS21620 - Psychology of Humour

Tutor

• PS21020 - Evolutionary Psychology
• PS21620 - Psychology of Humour

Lecturer

• PS21020 - Evolutionary Psychology
• PS21620 - Psychology of Humour

Moderator

• PS11110 - Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice in Counselling
• PS11320 - Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
• PS11420 - Introduction to core topics in Social and Individual Behaviour
• PS21220 - Forensic Psychology
• PS21410 - Qualitative Research Methods
• PS33140 - Psychology Research Project for Single Honours
• PS33240 - Counselling Research Project
• PSS0360 - Work Placement
• SA30140 - Social Science Dissertation
• SC34120 - Prosiect ymchwil Seicoleg ar gyfer cyd-anrhydedd
• BR37020 - Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology
• PS11710 - Personal Development and Organisational Behaviour
• PS12120 - Foundations of Counselling: Skills & Theory 1
• PS34120 - Psychology Research Project for Joint Honours
• PS20220 - Social Psychology
• PS20720 - Health Psychology
• PS21020 - Evolutionary Psychology
• PS21620 - Psychology of Humour
• PS21720 - Issues in Clinical Psychology
• SC33140 - Prosiect ymchwil Seicoleg ar gyfer anrhydedd sengl
• PS11610 - Designing Psychological Research Projects
• PS21310 - Quantitative Research Methods
• PS30820 - Drugs and Behaviour
• PS31720 - 21st Century Self: Critical and Constructionist Approaches to Contemporary Personhood
• PS34220 - Cognitive Psychology
• PS11220 - Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
• PS21520 - Gender and the Media
• PS22120 - Foundations of Counselling II: Further Skills and Theory
• PS34320 - Developmental Psychology
• PS11820 - Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology
• PS21820 - Cognitive Psychology
• PS31920 - The Psychology of Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring
• PSS0260 - Work Placement
• PS32020 - The Psychology of Language
• PS32120 - Behavioural Neuroscience
• PS31520 - Psychology Critical Review
• PS31620 - The Social Psychology of Music
• SA30100 - Social Science Dissertation
• SC11320 - Cyflwyniad i ddulliau ymchwil mewn seicoleg

Additional Lecturer

• PS11520 - Applications of Psychology

My main areas of research are evolutionary psychology and psychology of humour and laughter. I take an interdisciplinary approach to understand humour and other everyday behaviours using established theories within the evolutionary paradigm, such as sexual selection and life history.

In my humour research, I study why people use and enjoy humour, individual and sex difference in humour production and appreciation, and specifically the importance of humour to mating and mate choice. I also study people with extreme humour abilities, such as stand-up comedians and improv artists, further aiming to understand the roots of sense of humour and the creative mind.

Other research interests include creativity and intelligence, positive psychology, marketing and consumer behaviour, quantitative methods and statistics, and philosophy of science.