I work as a Senior Lecturer at the programme group Developmental Psychology at the University of Amsterdam.
I am an evolutionary developmental psychologist. I teach for the Bachelor and Master of Psychology, the Bachelor of Psychobiology and the Master of Biological Sciences. I am the co-founder and coordinator of the minor Evolutionary Psychobiology and the master track Evolution of Behaviour and Mind.
My research provides an evolutionary perspective on mental disorders, with the focus on depression. The main topic I study is the mismatch hypothesis: the mismatch between our current modern environment and the one in which we evolved makes us vulnerable to diseases and disorders. I am the co-founder and board member of the Cognition, Behavior & Evolution Network (CBEN).
I have been elected in the Works Council of the Faculty representing De Amsterdamse Academie (DAA) in 2021. I am the co-founder and board member of DAA.
Minor Evolutionary Psychobiology: https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/minors/evolutionary-psychobiology/evolutionary-psychobiology.html
Master track Evolution of Behaviour and Mind: https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/masters/biological-sciences-evolution-and-behaviour-and-mind/evolution-of-behaviour-and-mind.html
Cognition, Behavior & Evolution Network (CBEN): https://www.cognitionbehaviorevolution.nl/
De Amsterdamse Academie (DAA): http://www.deamsterdamseacademie.nl/
The evolution of depression: Exploring the mismatch hypothesis using self-report measures
Prof. dr. Mariska Kret (Leiden University)
Prof. dr. Karline Janmaat (Biology, UvA and Leiden University)
Prof. dr. Liesbeth Sterck (Utrecht University)
I am the co-founder and coordinator of the minor Evolutionary Psychobiology and the master track Evolution of Behaviour and Mind.
Courses I coordinate and teach:
PhD student Dajo Boog on “The attractiveness of altruism: Partner choice and the evolution of cooperation”, together with dr. Martijn Egas (Biology) and prof. dr. Matthijs van Veelen (Economics)