Eric Schniter

Dr. Eric Schniter is a Visiting Professor and Research Faculty at Chapman University, affiliated with the Economic Science Institute, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences (Psychology), and the George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a B.A./M.S. from the University of Oregon.

His research bridges evolutionary anthropology and behavioral economics, focusing on skill/knowledge development across the lifespan, relationship maintenance (communication, trust, cooperation), and emotional regulation of behavior. Recent work examines cultural transmission among Tsimane Amerindians, human-robot trust dynamics, and social determinants of depression in small-scale societies.

Scientific contributions include publications in Nature Human Behaviour, Evolution and Human Behavior, and Current Anthropology. Collaborations span multiple institutions, with datasets archived in Zenodo and Mendeley. His experimental studies explore trust games, emotional calibration, and age-related behavioral shifts.