Behavioral immune system methods: Surveying the present to shape the future

Abstract

In the short history of behavioral immune system (BIS) research, scholars have developed a number of empirical strategies for testing BIS hypotheses. These strategies have led to a wide variety of methods for testing (putatively) similar BIS hypotheses. The current article provides an overview of the 3 most frequent methods used in BIS research: cross-population correlations, experimental priming, and surveying individual differences. We first review and question the fundamental assumptions underlying each method. Then, we question the degree to which these methods can be used to test the same hypotheses. Finally, we use these methodological considerations to propose directions for future, theory-driven research on the BIS.