Department of Psychology
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203
Phone: 781-283-3008
Email: mlucas@wellesley.edu
Office: Science Center 492

Curriculum Vitae

I joined the faculty of the psychology department at Wellesley College in 1984. I came to Wellesley from the University of Rochester where I trained in psycholinguistics and received a Ph.D in cognitive psychology. After studying the psychology of language for over 20 years, my research interests shifted to the study of the evolutionary bases for human behavior with a particular emphasis on economic decision-making. I am broadly interested in aspects of decision-making that involve fairness, cooperation, competition, and altruism. I am also interested in the evolution of language and cognition. My current research focus is on gender differences in economic behavior. In the psychology department I teach The Psychology of Language, Research Methods in Evolution and Behavior and a seminar in Cooperation and Competition. The last course is cross-listed with Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences.

I am also Director of the Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences interdepartmental major. Students with questions about the major should send email to request an appointment.