Tamsin German

Tamsin German is a Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), within the College of Letters & Science. Her research focuses on developmental and evolutionary psychology, exploring how core cognitive systems underpin understanding of supernatural concepts, guard against unreliable information, and influence social behavior through group membership. She directs the Cognition and Development Laboratory and collaborates on studies of LGBTQ+ mate choice.

Education: B.A. Experimental Psychology (University of Oxford, 1991), Ph.D. Psychology (University College London, 1995). Previous positions include a visiting fellowship at Rutgers University (1995) and faculty roles at the University of Essex (1996-2001).

Research interests include cognitive mechanisms behind religious beliefs, social cognition, and cultural influences on attention. Her work bridges developmental psychology with evolutionary perspectives, addressing topics like pseudoscientific belief propagation and moral reasoning in children. Collaborative projects examine romantic/sexual preferences among LGBTQ+ populations using intersectional frameworks.

Her advising and grants include leadership in interdisciplinary studies on autism treatment (PRISM model) and social cognition. The lab’s work has been published in Cognition, Cognitive Science, and Psychological Science. She maintains active collaborations with neuroscientists and behavioral researchers to advance understanding of human cognitive architecture.