Why all evolutionary psychological theories must be tested in WEIRD societies

Henrich et al. (Behavioral and Brain Science 33:61–135, 2010), with their call to increase the number of samples from non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) societies, represented a major roadblock in the steady progress of the science of evolutionary psychology and caused a significant detour. Whatever merit Henrich et al.’s (Behavioral and Brain Science 33:61–135, 2010) article might have had for social and behavioral sciences in general, it is the wrong call for evolutionary psychology. In this essay, I explain why evolutionary psychologists must continue to test their general theories about evolved human nature mainly in WEIRD societies.