Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Overview
Can Singapore get its citizens to marry earlier and have more children? The Psychology and
Public Policy Workshop-Conference has been set up to examine this question. Declining fertility
has become a serious concern over the last few decades in developed countries but especially in
Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and urban China. Although this issue has
been described and examined from economic and sociological perspectives and has received
some policy attention, the issue persists and the associated challenges remain. An untapped and
potentially useful resource is the wealth of relevant research that has been emerging from the
laboratories of social and evolutionary psychological scientists. The workshop-conference will
bring together top scholars from these areas to discuss a potential research programme for
empirically investigating and addressing this issue from novel angles.
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Core Participants
Organiser and Chair
Norman P. Li
Associate Professor of Psychology
Singapore Management University
BA, economics, Northwestern University
MBA, finance, University of Michigan
MA and PhD, social psychology, Arizona State University
Prior to his academic career in psychology, Dr. Li worked in the financial industry and taught economics
and finance in Chicago. He was an Assistant Professor in the psychology department at the University of
Texas at Austin before joining Singapore Management University, where he was awarded the Lee Kuan
Yew Fellowship for Research Excellence in 2011. Dr. Li adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to the
study of human behavior, integrating economic concepts and tools, evolutionary theory, and social
psychological experimental methodology. His research focuses on mate selection and mating strategies,
and on problems at the individual, organizational, and societal level caused by the mismatch between
evolved psychological mechanisms and modern living, social, and work environments.
Website: http://www.smu.edu.sg/faculty/profile/9730/Norman-LI
Participant-Speakers
Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Singapore Management University
BA, English, Chulalongkorn University
MA, Sociology, University of Washington
PhD, Sociology, University of Washington
Bussarawan (Puk) Teerawichitchainan is Assistant Professor of Sociology, School of Social Sciences,
Singapore Management University. She is also affiliated with the Changing Family in Asia Cluster, Asia
Research Institute, National University of Singapore and the Center for Silver Security at Sim Kee Boon
Institute for Financial Economics, SMU. Her research interests include social demography, the life course
and aging, population health, social inequality, and sociology of family. She conducts research on these
topics in the context of Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, Thailand, and more recently Myanmar. She
received a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Washington, Seattle, USA and a B.A. (First-Class
Honors) from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. She was a past recipient of the Fulbright fellowship,
Social Science Research Council International Pre-Dissertation fellowship, Population Council’s
dissertation and post-doctoral fellowships, RAND Summer Institute scholarship, and Della Suantio
(SMU) fellowship.
Website: http://socsc.smu.edu.sg/faculty/profile/56574/Bussarawan-Puk-TEERAWICHITCHAINAN
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Bruce J. Ellis
John & Doris Norton Endowed Chair Professor in Fathers, Parenting, and Families
University of Arizona
BA, social science, California Polytechnic State University
PhD, psychology, University of Michigan
Dr. Ellis has published extensive theoretical and empirical work integrating evolutionary and
developmental perspectives on the role of family environments in regulating child stress reactivity,
pubertal development, and adolescent sexual behavior. He is particularly interested in mapping key
dimensions of the environment that children’s brains detect and respond to, how these dimensions
become embedded in the physiological parameters—set points and reactivity patterns—of stress response
systems, and the role of different stress response profiles in mediating and moderating the development of
life history strategies (e.g., timing sexual maturation, intrasexual competitive behaviors and risk-taking,
patterns of mating and parenting). Dr. Ellis’ work has been recognized by major awards from the
American Psychological Association, the Human Behavior and Evolution Society, and the John F.
Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development. Dr. Ellis leads the Frances McClelland Institute
initiative on Fathers, Parenting, and Families at the University of Arizona.
Website: http://ag.arizona.edu/fcs/faculty/bruce_ellis
Steven L. Neuberg
Foundation Professor, Psychology
Arizona State University
AB, psychology, Cornell University
MA, psychology, Carnegie Mellon University
PhD, psychology, Carnegie Mellon University
Dr. Steven Neuberg is an expert on utilizing social-cognitive, ecological, and evolutionary approaches to
unpack the fundamental principles and complexities of social motivation, perception, decision making,
and behavior. He leads the Arizona State University Global Group Relations Project, a multidisciplinary
and global study of factors that shape intergroup conflict. Dr. Neuberg’s research has consistently been
published in the top scientific journals of social psychology. He is a named Fellow of multiple scientific
societies, including the Association for Psychological Science and the Society for the Psychological
Study of Social Issues, and he is the recipient of several teaching awards, including ASU’s 2012
Outstanding Doctoral Mentor Award. Dr. Neuberg has also served on numerous grant review panels and
has received several large federal grants for his research.
Website: https://psychology.clas.asu.edu/neuberg/bio
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Mark van Vugt
Professor of Psychology
VU University Amsterdam
BSc, social psychology, University of Groningen
MSc, organizational psychology University of Groningen
PhD, applied social psychology, University of Maastricht
Dr. van Vugt holds a Professorship in Group and Organizational Psychology at the VU University (Vrije
Universiteit) Amsterdam, and affiliate positions at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary
Anthropology at University of Oxford and the University of Kent. He has brought evolutionary and
Darwinian thinking into the field of social psychology and organisational psychology. His research covers
all areas of evolutionary psychology as applied to topics such as altruism, leadership, group dynamics,
business, management, intergroup conflict and warfare, social dilemma, organisational psychology,
volunteering, and environmental protection. He is the lead author of Naturally Selected (translated in over
10 languages) and co-author of books on social dilemma and the evolution of cooperation and a textbook
on applying social psychology. He is currently leading, together with Robin Dunbar of Oxford University,
a series of lectures for the Economic and Social Research Council highlighting the role of evolutionary
psychology in solving societal problems such as poverty, environmental protection, charity, business,
management, and leadership.
Website: http://www.professormarkvanvugt.com
Participants
James T. H. Tang
Dean, School of Social Sciences
Professor of Political Science
Special Advisor to the President on Greater China
Singapore Management University
BA, University of Hong Kong
MPhil, international relations, Cambridge University
PhD, London School of Economics and Political Science
Website: http://socsc.smu.edu.sg/faculty/profile/56572/James-T-H-TANG
Ann Florini
Professor of Public Policy
Singapore Management University
BA, international relations, Syracuse University
MPA, public affairs, Princeton University
PhD, political science, University of California - Los Angeles
Website: http://socsc.smu.edu.sg/faculty/profile/77402/Ann-FLORINI
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Christie N. Scollon
Associate Professor of Psychology
Associate Dean for Research and Program Development, School of Social Sciences
Singapore Management University
BA, psychology, Southern Methodist University
MA, experimental psychology, Southern Methodist University
PhD, social-personality psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Website: http://socsc.smu.edu.sg/faculty/profile/56485/Christie-Napa-SCOLLON
Michelle Y. See
Assistant Professor of Psychology
National University of Singapore
BA, psychology, University of Arizona
MA, social psychology Ohio State University
PhD, social psychology, Ohio State University
Website: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/psy/_people/see_m.htm
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Conference Schedule: Tuesday, 10 February, 2015
Morning Session: SMU, School of Social Sciences, Seminar Room 5.2, Level 5
9:00 - 9:30
Registration
Coffee and Tea will be served
9:30 - 9:40
Welcome Address
James T. H. Tang
Dean, School of Social Sciences,
Special Advisor to the President on Greater China
Singapore Management University
9:40 - 10:00
Introduction
Norman P. Li
Associate Professor of Psychology
Singapore Management University
10:00 - 11:00
Plenary 1 – “Demographic Challenges in Singapore and ASEAN Countries”
Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Singapore Management University
11:00 - 12:00
Plenary 2 – “Applying Darwinian Psychology to Public Policy: On Evolutionary
Mismatches, Nudges, and Behavior Changes”
Mark van Vugt
Professor of Psychology
VU University Amsterdam
12:00 - 14:00
Lunch
Afternoon Session: SMU, Administration Building, Function Room 4.1, Level 4
14:00 - 14:15
Afternoon Address – "Achieving deeper integration across Social Science, Management
and Technololgy at SMU"
Steven Miller
Dean, School of Information Systems
Professor of Information Systems (Practice)
Vice Provost (Research)
Singapore Management University
14:15 - 15:15
Plenary 3
Bruce J. Ellis – “Development of Reproductive Strategies: A Life History Approach”
John & Doris Norton Endowed Chair Professor in Fathers, Parenting, and Families
University of Arizona
15:15 - 15:30
Coffee Break
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Conference Schedule: Tuesday, 10 February, 2015
Morning Session: SMU, School of Social Sciences, Seminar Room 5.2, Level 5
Afternoon Session: SMU, Administration Building, Function Room 4.1, Level 4
15:30 - 16:30
Plenary 4 – “The Paradox of Increasing Fertility Rates in a ‘Slow’ Reproductive
Environment: Insights from Life History Theory”
Steven L. Neuberg
Foundation Professor, Psychology
Arizona State University
16:30 - 16.35
Closing
Norman P. Li
Associate Professor of Psychology
Singapore Management University
16:35 - 17:30
Informal discussions and Networking
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Conference Abstracts
Plenary 1
Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan
Assistant Professor, Sociology
Singapore Management University
Demographic Challenges in Singapore and ASEAN Countries
Southeast Asia’s population growth has slowed significantly and is projected to decline even further in
coming decades. The changing population structure is emerging as an issue of critical importance. In this
presentation, I will discuss major demographic challenges in Singapore and ASEAN countries,
particularly issues related to low fertility and population aging. Drawing on past research and secondary
data sources including the United Nations population database, I will describe demographic transitions
taking place in Southeast Asia over the last 60 years and examine their social and economic impacts. I
will also review past population policies and examine recent policy changes in selected Southeast Asian
countries, including Singapore.
Plenary 2
Mark van Vugt
Professor of Psychology
VU University Amsterdam
Applying Darwinian Psychology to Public Policy: On Evolutionary Mismatches, Nudges, and Behavior
Changes
I propose that an improved understanding of evolved human psychology can help to improve public
policies and interventions to address various societal problems such as health, poverty, security,
environmental degradation, and declining fertility. Combining insights from evolutionary theory, social
psychology, and behavioral economics I argue that many societal challenges are caused, or exacerbated,
by at least five evolutionarily adaptive psychological biases: Humans tend to (1) value personal over
collective outcomes (self-interest), (2) prefer immediate over delayed rewards (shortsightedness), (3)
value relative over absolute status (status), (4) copy the behaviors of others (social imitation), and (5)
ignore problems that we cannot see or feel (sensing). By considering how and why these five evolved
psychological tendencies continue to influence modern behavioral practices – sometimes resulting in
evolutionary mismatches -- I present novel ways that human nature can be harnessed to develop clever
behavioral strategies (“nudges”) to tackle various societal challenges such as health, environment, and
fertility issues.
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Singapore Management University
Psychology and Public Policy Conference
Plenary 3
Bruce J. Ellis
John & Doris Norton Endowed Chair Professor in Fathers, Parenting, and Families
University of Arizona
Development of Reproductive Strategies: A Life History Approach.
Life history theory is a sophisticated evolutionary model of individual differences and developmental
programming. The theory is used to explain how individuals adapt their physiology, behavior, and
reproductive strategies (e.g., fertility) to different ecological conditions. In this talk I will provide an
overview of life history theory and its applications to human sexual and reproductive development. I will
discuss my research on the major dimensions of the environment that guide development of reproductive
strategies, on the effects of mothers versus fathers on sexual development and behavior, on sex
differences in the effects of social and ecological contexts on reproductive strategies, on mediating
mechanisms through which environmental conditions shape reproductive strategies, and on differential
susceptibility to environmental influence.
Plenary 4
Steven L. Neuberg
Foundation Professor, Psychology
Arizona State University
The Paradox of Increasing Fertility Rates in a "Slow" Reproductive Environment: Insights from Life
History Theory
There has been a dramatic decrease in fertility rates in many parts of the world, including Singapore. This
poses a host of challenges for modern societies seeking economic growth, as decreasing fertility rates
mean insufficient numbers of educated and productive younger adults to spark and nourish that desired
growth, and to support the demands of an increasingly aging population. In societies such as Singapore,
in which culture and the local resource ecology encourages individuals to adopt "slow" reproductive
strategies--life courses in which individuals invest much effort and time in the growth of their human and
social capital prior to engaging in mating and then parenting--there exists a paradox: Straightforward
incentives by institutions (e.g., governments) to increase fertility--even if affordable--conflict with the
evolved psychology of individuals responding to cues in their physical and social environments to
decrease fertility. Integrating the principles of Life History Theory with a consideration of human
fundamental motives may provide important insights into resolving this paradox. In this presentation, I
briefly report research that illustrates the value of integrating the life history and fundamental goals
frameworks for understanding other domains, and then focus on how this integrative approach may
suggest public policy solutions and interventions to increase fertility rates.
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