Prof Gillian Brown

Professor

Researcher profile

Phone

+44 (0)1334 46 3041

Email

grb4@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Biography

I was born in Manchester and was educated at a state/comprehensive secondary school in the north-east of England, then attended the University of Cambridge for my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Following a postdoc position in Cambridge, I moved to the University of St Andrews, progressing from being a Lecturer to Reader and Professor.

Research areas

I study gender/sex differences and similarities in behaviour and cognition, and evolutionary perspectives on human behaviour. My research has previously investigated the role of gonadal hormones in the development of sex differences in behaviour in non-human animals. My current research focuses on humans, specifically topics such as gender role attitudes, partner preferences and gender-based microaggressions. More information can be found here: http://gillianbrown.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/.

Prospective postgraduate students are welcome to get in touch with me to discuss potential projects, and I am willing to supervise undergraduate research interns.

Latest edition of book: Brown, G. R. & Lala, K. N. (2024). Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour (third edition). Oxford University Press.

PhD supervision

• Yihua Chen
• Phoebe Sadler
• Jinwen Xie

Selected publications

• Open access

  Cross-cultural variation in partner preferences: are gender gaps larger in countries with more restrictive gender norms?

  Xie, J. & Brown, G., 16 Jul 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Evolutionary Human Sciences. Accepted/in press

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Scientific racism

  Lala, K. & Brown, G., 2026, Evolution, culture and human behaviour: a comprehensive introduction for psychology and anthropology students. Boothroyd, L., Rawlings, B., Lew-Levy, S., Birch, Y., Kapitany, R. & Lidborg, L. (eds.). Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

• Sexual selection and mating strategies

  Brown, G., Wareham, N. & Borgerhoff Mulder, M., 2026, (Accepted/In press) Understanding human behaviour, evolution, and culture. Boothroyd, L., Lidborg, L. H., Birch, Y., Kapitany, R., Lew-Levy, S. & Rawlings, B. (eds.). Open Book Publishers

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

• Open access

  Gender difference in self-reported empathy: effects of task instructions and exposure to gender essentialism primes

  Rajasekhar, N., Redly, A., Nanda, S. & Brown, G. R., 12 Dec 2025, In: PLoS One. 20, 12, e0337211.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Impediments to countering racist pseudoscience

  Lala, K., Brown, G. R., Twyman, K. Z. & Feldman, M., 22 Jul 2025, In: Evolutionary Human Sciences. 7, 17 p., e24.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Relationship between height preferences and endorsement of gender norms

  Dial, A. & Brown, G., 7 Oct 2025, In: Human Nature. 36, 3, p. 403-423

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Revisiting the human sociobiology debate: what have we learned 50 years on?

  Brown, G. R., Barrett, H. C. & Lala, K. N., 7 Aug 2025, In: Science (New York, N.Y.). 389, 6760, p. 580-581 2 p.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review › peer-review

• The pitfalls of an impoverished approach to culture: commentary on Baumard and André

  Brown, G., 1 Nov 2025, In: Evolution and Human Behavior. 46, 6, 106746.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

• Open access

  Comparability of personality facets between men and women: a test of measurement invariance in IPIP-NEO facets in 49 countries

  Temizyürek, T., Richardson, G. & Brown, G. R., 1 Dec 2024, In: Journal of Research in Personality. 113, 5 p., 104551.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Feminist beliefs, not gender equality primes, shape self-reported partner preferences

  Wareham, N. V., Pakozdy, C. & Brown, G. R., 1 Dec 2024, In: Sex Roles. 90, 12, p. 1751-1765 15 p.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

 

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