Robert Trivers
ScientistProfessor
United States1943–2026
Robert Trivers was an American evolutionary scientist and professor whose theories of reciprocal altruism, parental investment and parent-offspring conflict became foundational to the study of social evolution. In 2007, he received the Crafoord Prize in Biosciences for his analysis of social evolution, conflict and cooperation. [2][3]
Career and work
Trivers earned a PhD in biology from Harvard University and later taught at Harvard, the University of California, Santa Cruz and Rutgers University. His work helped establish major theories in evolutionary biology, including reciprocal altruism, parental investment and parent-offspring conflict. [2][1]
In 2007, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded him the Crafoord Prize in Biosciences for his fundamental analysis of social evolution, conflict and cooperation. [3]
What has been publicly discussed
Sources and other resourcesExpand to view the sources used in this profile and resources to learn more.
Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
Psychology Today“Trivers' Pursuit” Long-form profile and interview covering Trivers's bipolar disorder diagnosis, first manic episode, hospitalization, education and scientific career.
Rutgers University“Rutgers Anthropologist to Receive Crafoord Prize” Institutional profile documenting Trivers's academic career and major contributions to evolutionary science.
The Crafoord Prize in Biosciences 2007 — Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Official record of Trivers's Crafoord Prize and its citation.
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Robert TriversWild Life: Adventures of an Evolutionary Biologist Trivers's memoir, used for his first-person accounts of mania, psychosis, hospitalization, medication and the depressive periods following episodes.
Science“Sharp Insights and a Sharp Tongue” Profile and interview in which Trivers discusses multiple breakdowns, his 1972 episode and his view that later episodes were harmful rather than creatively beneficial.
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Recommended books and other resources about Robert Trivers and their experiences.
- “Robert Trivers (1943–2026) Reflects on His Life and Work”Skeptic
A retrospective first-person account in which Trivers reflects on his scientific career and experiences with mania, psychosis and psychiatric hospitalization.
- “Deceit and Self-Deception”Edge
Long-form conversation with Trivers about his theory that self-deception evolved partly to make deception of others more effective.