• 1991: BSc (Hons) Psychological Sciences (CNAA)
• 1992: MSc History and Philosophy of Science (London)
• 2000: PhD Evolutionary Psychology (Sheffield)

• Research Management Team (Chair of School Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee, Lab Coordinator, School Representative on the UEL Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee)

Tom is interested in the details of evolutionary theory as well as its application to behaviour. Presently, he is working on issues to do with early fertility in human populations as well as theoretical issues within evolutionary ecology and epigenetics.

• BSc Psychology
• MSc Psychology
• MPhil/PhD

• Module leader for PY3114 Evolutionary Approaches to Behaviour (level three)
• Module leader for PY2120 Animal Behaviour Field Trip (level two)
• Teaches on PY2103 and PYM151 Psychobiology (level two and M-level)
• Project and thesis supervision (level three and M-level)

Peer-reviewed Articles:

1. Brown, G., Dickins, T.E., Sear, R., & Laland, K. (2011). Evolutionary accounts of human behavioural diversity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 366, 313–324. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0267
2. Johns, S. E., Dickins, T. E., & Clegg, H. T. (2011). Teenage pregnancy and motherhood: how might evolutionary theory inform policy? Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 9(1), 3–19. doi:10.1556/JEP.9.2011.37.1
3. Nettle, D., Coall, D.A., & Dickins, T.E. (2011). Early life conditions and age at first pregnancy in British women. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 278, 1721–1727. doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.1726
4. Scott-Phillips, T. C., Dickins, T. E., & West, S. A. (2011). Evolutionary theory and the ultimate-proximate distinction in the human behavioral sciences. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(1), 38–47. doi:10.1177/1745691610393528
5. Nettle, D., Coall, D.A., & Dickins, T.E. (2010). Birthweight and paternal involvement affect the likelihood of teenage motherhood: evidence from the British National Child Development Study. American Journal of Human Biology, 22, 172–179. 10.1002/ajhb.20970
6. Dickins, T.E. (2009). Changes in art: market forces or evolution. Empirical Studies of the Arts, 27(2), 159–165. doi:10.2190/EM.27.2.g
7. Dickins, T.E. (2009). Psychology, biology and the market place. Psychology Teaching Review, 14(2), 17–20.
8. Dickins, T.E., & Dickins, B.J.A. (2008). Mother Nature’s tolerant ways: Why non-genetic inheritance has nothing to do with evolution. New Ideas in Psychology, 26, 41–54. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2007.03.004
9. Dickins, T.E., & Sergeant, M.J.T. (2008). Social dominance and sexual orientation. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 6(1), 57–71. doi:10.1556/JEP.2008.1003
10. Levene, R., & Dickins, T.E. (2008). Sex-related invariance across cultures in an online role-playing game. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 6(2), 141–148. doi:10.1556/JEP.2008.1010

Peer-reviewed Commentaries:

1. Sear, R., & Dickins, T.E. (2010). The generation game is the cooperation game: the role of grandparents in the timing of reproduction [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33, 34–35. doi:10.1017/S0140525X09991725
2. Dickins, T.E., & Sergeant, M.T. (2009). Two more things for consideration: Sexual orientation and conduct disorder [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32, 275. doi:10.1017/S0140525X09990252
3. Dickins, B.J.A., Dickins, D.W., & Dickins, T.E. (2008). Is this conjectural phenotypic dichotomy a plausible outcome of genomic imprinting? [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(3), 267–268. doi:10.1017/S0140525X08004287

Chapters:

1. Coall, D.A., Dickins, T.E., & Nettle, D. (in press). Antecedents of teenage pregnancy: using an evolutionary perspective in the search for mechanisms. In A. Poiani (Ed.), Pragmatic evolution: applications of evolutionary theory (pp. 167–187). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. Dickins, T.E. (2011). Evolutionary approaches to behaviour. In V. Swami (Ed.), Evolutionary psychology: a critical introduction (pp. 1–30). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Reviews:

1. Dickins, T.E. (2011). [Review of the book Why everyone (else) is a hypocrite, by R. Kurzban]. Times Higher Education, 54–55.
2. Dickins, T.E. (2008). Humane intelligence [Review of the book What is intelligence? Beyond the Flynn effect, by J.R. Flynn]. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 6(1), 85–88. doi:10.1556/JEP.2008.1008
3. Review of the book [The little book of thunks, by I. Gilbert]. Psychology Teaching Review, 105–106.

Public letters:

1. Hardman, D., Dickins, Tom, & Sergeant, Mark. (2008). Evolving theories, explaining facts. The Psychologist, 21(10), 894.

Peer-reviewed Publications:

1. Dickins, T.E., Sear, R., & Wells, A.J. (2007). Mind the gap(s) ... in theory mind and data: re-examining Kanazawa (2006). British Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 167–178. doi:10.1348/135910707X174339
2. Sear, R., Lawson, D., & Dickins, T.E. (2007). Synthesis in the human evolutionary behavioural sciences. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 5, 3–28. doi:10.1556/JEP.2007.1019
3. Sergeant, M.J.T., Dickins, T.E., Davies, M.N.O., & Griffiths, M.D. (2007). Women’s hedonic ratings of body odour of heterosexual and homosexual men. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 36(3), 395–401. doi:10.1007/s10508-006-9126-3
4. Dickins, T.E. (2006). Evolutionary health psychology. Health Psychology Update, 15(1), 4–10.
5. Sergeant, M.J.T., Dickins, T.E., Davies, M.N.O., & Griffiths, M.D. (2006). Aggression, empathy and sexual orientation in males. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 475–486. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.07.002
6. Dickins, T.E. (2005). Can there ever be a non-specific adaptation? A response to Hampton. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 35(3), 329–340. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5914.2005.00275.x
7. Sergeant, M.J.T., Davies, M.N.O., Dickins, T.E., & Griffiths, M.D. (2005). The self-reported importance of olfaction during human mate choice. Sexualities, Evolution and Gender, 7, 199–213. doi:10.1080/14616660500173685
8. Dickins, T.E. (2004). Social constructionism as cognitive science. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 34(4), 333–352. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5914.2004.00253.x
9. Dickins, T.E., & Law, K.R. (2004). Cognitive science: The state of the art. History and Philosophy of Psychology, 6(1), 1–3.
10. Dickins, T.E. (2003). General symbol machines: The first stage in the evolution of symbolic communication. Evolutionary Psychology, 1, 192–209.
11. Dickins, T.E. (2003). What can evolutionary psychology tell us about cognitive architecture?. History and Philosophy of Psychology, 5(1), 1–16.
12. Dickins, T.E. (2002). A behaviourist’s perspective on the origins of language. History and Philosophy of Psychology, 4(1), 31–42.
13. Dickins, T.E., & Dickins, D.W. (2001). Symbols, stimulus equivalence and the origins of language. Behavior and Philosophy, 29, 221–244.
14. Dickins, T.E. (2000). A non-modular suggestion about the origin of symbols. In: Desalles, J-L & Ghadakpour, L. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 3rd International Evolution of Language Conference, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications.
15. Dickins, T.E. (2000). A ‘considered’ evolutionary perspective on the ‘glass ceiling’. Psychology, Evolution and Gender, 2 (2) 161–166. doi:10.1080/14616660050200940
16. Norton, L., Scantlebury, E., & Dickins, T.E. (1999). Helping undergraduates to become more effective learners: an evaluation of two learning interventions. Innovations in Education and Training International. 36 (4) 273–284.
17. Norton, L.S., Thomas, S., Morgan, K., Tilley, A., & Dickins, T.E. (1998). Full-time studying and long-term relationships: make or break for mature students? British Journal of Guidance and Counselling. 26 (1) 75–88.
18. Norton, L.S., Dickins, T.E., & McLaughlin Cook, N. (1996) ‘Rules of the game’ in essay writing. Psychology Teaching Review. 5 (1) 1–13.
19. Norton, L. S., Dickins, T.E., & McLaughlin Cook, N. (1996). Coursework assessment: What tutors are really looking for? In: G. Gibbs [Ed.] Improving Student Learning: Using Research to Improve Student Learning. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff Development.
20. Norton, L .S., & Dickins, T.E. (1995). Do approaches to learning courses improve students’ learning strategies? In: G. Gibbs [Ed.] Improving Student Learning: Through Assessment and Evaluation. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff Development.

Peer-reviewed Commentaries:

1. Dickins, T.E., & Dickins, B.J.A. (2007). Designed calibration: Naturally selected flexibility, not non-genetic inheritance [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 30(4), 368–369. doi:10.1017/S0140525X07002269
2. Dickins, T.E. (2006). The phylogeny and ontogeny of adaptations [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 29(3), 283–284. doi:10.1017/S0140525X06279068
3. Dickins, T.E. (2003). Possible phylogenies: The role of hypotheses, weak inferences, and falsification [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 26(2), 219–220. doi:10.1017/S0140525X03340063
4. Dickins, T.E., & Dickins, D.W. (2002). Is empirical imagination a constraint on adaptationist theory construction? [Commentary]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 25(4), 515–516. doi:10.1017/S0140525X02320090

Chapters:

1. Sergeant, M., Dickins, T.E., & Davies, M.N.O. (2004). The de-scent of man: The case for and against human pheromones. In P. Hills (Ed.), Aspects of Human Communication (Vol. 1, p. 70–86): Peter Francis Publishers.
2. Dickins, T.E., & Levy, J.P. (2001). Evolution, development and learning - a nested hierarchy? In R.M. French & J.P. Sougné (Eds.), Connectionist Models of Learning, Development and Evolution: Proceedings of the Sixth Neural Computation and Psychology Workshop. London: Springer-Verlag.
3. Dickins, T.E. (1998). Words, Protolanguage and Mind. In: M.C. Chung [Ed.] Current Trends in the History and Philosophy of Psychology: Volume I. Leicester: The British Psychological Society Press.
4. Chung, M.C., & Dickins, T.E. (1997). Similarities between Kierkegaard’s Despairing Self and Higgins’s Self Discrepancy. In: M.C. Chung [Ed.] Psychological Concepts from Philosophical and Historical Perspectives. Leicester: The British Psychological Society Press.

Reviews:

1. Dickins, T.E. (2005). Challenging the rational choice theorist perspective: A review of Evans, D., & Cruse, P. (2004) Emotion, Evolution and Rationality. Oxford University Press. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 19, 1–3.
2. Dickins, T.E. (2005). On the aims of evolutionary theory: A review of Odling-Smee, J.J., Laland, K.N., & Feldman, M.W. (2003) Niche Construction: The Neglected Process in Evolution. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.. Evolutionary Psychology, 3, 79–84.
3. Dickins, T.E. (2005). A necessary pain in the heart [Review of the book Why we lie: the evolutionary roots of deception and the unconscious mind, by D.L. Smith]. Evolutionary Psychology, 3, 175–178.
4. Dickins, T.E. (2003). Review of Evolutionary Interpretations of World Politics edited by William R. Thompson.. Human Nature Review, 3, 111–113.
5. Dickins, T.E. (2002). Review of The Imagined World Made Real: Towards a Natural Science of Culture by Henry Plotkin. Human Nature Review, 2, 392–397.
6. Dickins, T.E. (2000). A review of S. Pinker (1997) How the Mind Works Allen Lane: The Penguin Press. Applied Psycholinguistics, 21(1), 155–157. doi:10.1017/S014271640023107X
7. Dickins, T.E. (2000). A sophisticated determinism: A review essay of J. McKnight (1997) Straight Science? Homosexuality, Evolution and Adaptation. Psychology, Evolution and Gender, 2(2), 174–184.
8. Dickins, T.E. (1999). A review of H. Hendriks-Jansen (1996) Catching Ourselves in the Act MIT Press and P.S. Churchland and P.M. Churchland (1998) On the Contrary MIT Press. History and Philosophy of Psychology. 1 (1) 91–96.
9. Dickins, T.E. (1998). A review of M. Hauser (1997) The Evolution of Communication MIT Press. Applied Psycholinguistics, 19 (2) 333–335. doi:10.1017/S0142716400010092
10. Grant, C.M., & Dickins, T.E. (1998). A review of S. Baron-Cohen (1995) Mindblindness: An essay on autism and theory of mind MIT Press, British Psychological Society, Developmental Psychology Section Newsletter. 48, 26–31.
11. Dickins, T.E. (1998). Conference Report: The British Psychological Society 1997 Book Award Lecture. The Psychologist. 11 (3) 99–100.
12. Grant, C.M., & Dickins, T.E. (1998). A review of S. Baron-Cohen (1995) Mindblindness: An essay on autism and theory of mind MIT Press, British Psychological Society, Developmental Psychology Section Newsletter. 48, 26–31.
13. Dickins, T.E. (1997). A review of D. Bickerton (1996) Language and Human Behaviour UCL Press. Applied Psycholinguistics. 18 (3) 378–389. doi:10.1017/S0142716400010535
14. Dickins, T.E. (1997). A review of W. Noble & I. Davidson (1996) Human Evolution, Language and Mind Cambridge University Press. British Psychological Society, History and Philosophy of Psychology Newsletter. 25, 31–34.
15. Dickins, T.E. (1997). A review of J. Aitchison (1996) The Seeds of Speech: Language Origin and Evolution. Cambridge University Press. Applied Psycholinguistics. 18 (2) 237–242. doi:10.1017/S0142716400009991
16. Dickins, T.E., & Frankish, K. (1997). A review of D.C. Dennett (1996) Kinds of Minds. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. British Psychological Society, History and Philosophy of Psychology Newsletter. 24, 36–40.
17. Dickins, T.E., & Grant, C.M. (1997). Conference report: The British Psychological Society Annual Conference 1997. British Psychological Society, Developmental Psychology Section Newsletter. 47, 16–19.
18. Dickins, T.E. (1996). A review of R. Dunbar (1996) Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language. Faber and Faber. British Psychological Society, History and Philosophy of Psychology Newsletter. 23, 38–43.
19. Dickins, T.E. (1996). A review of: M. Killen & D. Hart [Eds.] (1995) Morality in everyday life: Developmental perspectives. Cambridge University Press. British Psychological Society, History and Philosophy of Psychology Newsletter. 22, 29–31.

Public letters:

1. Dickins, Tom. (2006). Letter to The Guardian (a comment on teenage pregnancy). The Guardian, 11 January 2006, 29.
2. Hardman, D., Dickins, Tom, & Sergeant, Mark. (2006). Falling into the prejudice trap. The Psychologist, 19(1), 13.
3. Dickins, Tom, Hardman, David & Sergeant, Mark. (2005). Nothing to be sniffy about. The Psychologist, 18(9), 532.
4. Dickins, Tom, Hardman, David & Sergeant, Mark. (2005). Olfaction and sexual orientation, 8 July, The Psychologist Online Discussion Forum.
5. Dickins, Tom. (2004). Sex and orientation. Times Higher Education Supplement, 1644(11 June), 19.
6. Dickins, Tom, & Sergeant, Mark. (2004). Encouraging open debate. The Psychologist, 17(4) 184.
7. Dickins, Tom. (2001). Hypotheses and Hyperbole. The Psychologist, 14(9) 458.
8. Dickins, Tom (1999). Lesbians, gays and social constructionism. The Psychologist. 12 (3) 113.

Membership:

• Founder member of the European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association
• Fellow and Council Member of the Galton Institute
• Associate of the Behavioral and Brain Sciences
• Fellow of the Zoological Society of London
• Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology, British Psychological Society
• Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
• Chartered Psychologists, British Psychological Society

Editorships:

• Editor-in-chief, Journal of Evolutionary Psychology

Birthweight and paternal involvement predict early reproduction in British women: evidence from the National Child Development Study

Daniel Nettle, David A. Coall and Thomas E. Dickins

There is considerable interest in the mechanisms maintaining early reproduction in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in developed countries. Previous research has suggested that differential exposure to early-life factors such as low birthweight and lack of paternal involvement during childhood may be relevant. Here, we used longitudinal data on the female cohort members from the UK National Child Development Study (n=3014–5230 depending upon variables analysed) to investigate predictors of early reproduction. Our main outcome measures were having a child by age 20, and stating at age 16 an intended age of reproduction of 20 years or lower. Low paternal involvement during childhood was associated with increased likelihood of early reproduction (O.R. 1.79–2.25) and increased likelihood of early intended reproduction (O.R. 1.38–2.50). Low birthweight for gestational age also increased the odds of early reproduction (O.R. for each s.d. of birthweight 0.88) and early intended reproduction (O.R. for each additional s.d. of birtweight 0.81). Intended early reproduction strongly predicted actual early reproduction (O.R. 5.39, 95% CI 3.71–7.83). The results suggest that early-life factors such as low birthweight for gestational age, and low paternal involvement during childhood, affect women’s reproductive development, leading to earlier target and achieved ages for reproduction. Differential exposure to these factors is part of the reason that early fertility persists in socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. We discuss our results with respect to the kinds of interventions likely to affect the rate of teen pregnancy.

• Dickins Hub
• The Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES)
• The European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association (EHBEA)