Nicholas Grebe

Nicholas Grebe is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Occidental College, appointed in 2024. His academic journey began with a B.A. in Psychology & Neuroscience from the University of Colorado, Boulder, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of New Mexico (2016).

Dr. Grebe's research spans interdisciplinary fields at the intersection of psychology, evolutionary biology, and anthropology. His work focuses on how behavioral and hormonal mechanisms have evolved to support social diversity in humans and non-human primates. He employs both laboratory and field research methodologies to investigate the evolution of social and mating behavior, with particular emphasis on hormonal mechanisms. As a strong advocate for interdisciplinary approaches, he integrates theory and methods from behavioral ecology, comparative neuroscience, social psychology, and evolutionary biology.

His research portfolio reveals a clear trajectory examining hormonal influences on primate social behavior across diverse contexts. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in wildlife endocrinology, particularly regarding non-invasive hormone measurement techniques in gorillas and lemurs. A significant thread throughout his work involves testing evolutionary hypotheses about social behavior, including the Challenge Hypothesis and Dual Hormone Hypothesis, while also critically examining research methodologies in endocrinology and promoting open science practices.

Dr. Grebe is actively involved in collaborative research initiatives, most notably contributing to the ManyPrimates project which aims to address limitations in primate cognition research through large-scale collaboration. His NSF-funded postdoctoral research focused on using Eulemur as a model for understanding oxytocin system evolution and function in relation to social bonding.

His laboratory work encompasses both human and non-human primate studies, with ongoing projects examining gorilla social relationships, human pair-bonding dynamics, and lemur social behavior. His research has significant implications for understanding the biological bases of social behavior across primate species, including humans.