Hirotaka Imada

Dr. Hirotaka Imada is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. He holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Kent. Additionally, he serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Research Institute for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology. His research focuses on social and evolutionary psychology, particularly examining how reputation influences cooperation, aggression, and intergroup dynamics. He investigates topics such as power's role in reputational concerns, group-bound indirect reciprocity, and the prosocial functions of gossip.

His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing education and social cohesion. Dr. Imada collaborates internationally, with recent projects spanning eight countries to explore crime perception, institutional trust, and civic honesty. His publications analyze mechanisms underlying ingroup favoritism, group-bounded cooperation, and the psychological foundations of intergroup gossip.

Key themes in his research include cross-cultural studies of social behavior, evolutionary game theory approaches to cooperation, and the societal implications of trust in institutions. His findings bridge theoretical models with applied insights into fostering prosociality in diverse contexts.