Andrew W. Delton

Andrew W. Delton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University, affiliated with the College of Business and the Center for Behavioral Political Economy. He holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with minors in Quantitative Methods, Cognitive Science, and Human Development. His research integrates evolutionary psychology with political behavior, focusing on how evolved cognitive systems shape cooperation, morality, and political decision-making. Key areas include climate change policy, social dilemmas, and emotions such as anger and gratitude in partisan dynamics. Delton employs experimental methods, including economic games, to study welfare trade-offs and institutional design. He teaches courses on research design, experimental methods, and political decision-making. His work emphasizes the application of evolutionary principles to understand contemporary political challenges, such as climate mitigation and redistribution.

Education:

• PhD, Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara (2010)
• MA, Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara (2006)
• BS, Psychology, Arizona State University (2003)

Research Interests: Delton explores the intersection of evolution, psychology, and politics. His work examines how evolved mechanisms drive cooperative behavior, moral reasoning, and political preferences. Recent projects include a book on climate change mitigation strategies (Climate Games) and studies on the psychological foundations of political behavior, including partisanship and public goods.

Labs/Teams: He contributes to the Political Psychology Lab and Behavioral Political Economy Lab at Stony Brook, focusing on experimental research and behavioral policy analysis. His collaborations span across disciplines, including experimental economics and environmental policy.