April Bleske-Rechek

Featured Publications

Scholarly Work

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2025). The pursuit of equity and excellence: Advanced Placement participation and performance by sex and by race/ethnicity, 1996-2022. Intelligence. [DOI] [Publisher]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Dobson, R. T., Lay, P. S., Witthun, K. B., Johnson, W. N., & Bernstein, M. H. (2024). Women and men, harm and censoriousness: Sex-differentiated reactions to information about sex differences. Journal of Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences. [DOI]

Clark, C. J., Jussim, L., Frey, K., Stevens, S. T., al-Gharbi, M., Aquino, K., Bailey, J. M., Barbaro, N., Baumeister, R. F., Bleske-Rechek, A., Buss, D., Ceci, S., Del Giudice, M., Ditto, P. H., Forgas, J. P., Geary, D. C., Geher, G., Haider, S., Honeycutt, N., Joshi, H., Krylov, A. I., Loftus, E., Loury, G., Lu, L., Macy, M., Martin, C. C., McWhorter, J., Miller, G., Paresky, P., Pinker, S., Reilly, W., Salmon, C., Stewart-Williams, S., Tetlock, P. E., Williams, W. M., Wilson, A. E., Winegard, B. M., Yancey, G., & von Hippel, W. (2023). Prosocial motives underlie scientific censorship by scientists: A perspective and research agenda. PNAS, 120(48), e2301642120. [DOI]

Abbot, D., Bikfalvi, A., Bleske-Rechek, A. L., Bodmer, W., Boghossian, P., Carvalho, C. M., Ciccolini, J., Coyne, J. A., Gauss, J., Gill, P. M. W., Jitomirskaya, S., Jussim, L., Krylov, A. I., Loury, G. C., Maroja, L., McWhorter, J. H., Moosavi, S., Nanya Schwerdtle, P., Pearl, J., Quintanilla-Tornel, M. A., Schaefer III, H. F., Schreiner, P. R., Schwerdtfeger, P., Shechtman, D., Shifman, M., Tanzman, J., Trout, B. L., Warshel, A., & West, J. D. (2023). In defense of merit in science. Journal of Controversial Ideas, 3(1). [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Gunseor, M., & Nguyen, K. (2023). I “knew” they wouldn’t last: Hindsight bias in judgments of a dating couple. Social Psychological Bulletin, 18, e9967. [DOI]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Deaner, R. O., Paulich, K. N., Axelrod, M., Badenhorst, S., Nguyen, K., Seyoum, E., & Lay, P. S. (2023). In the eye of the beholder: Situational and dispositional predictors of perceiving harm in others’ words. Personality and Individual Differences, 200, 111902. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Deaner, R. (2022). Societies also prioritize female survival [Comment]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 45, e128: 29-30. [Article]

Deaner, R. O., Dunlap, L. C., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2022). Sex differences in competitiveness in massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). Evolutionary Psychology, 20(2). [Article]

BeBeau, H., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2021). The influence of outcome knowledge: Hindsight bias in the context of suicide. Academia Letters, Article 2649. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Nuck, G., & Gunseor, M. M. (2021). Individual differences in romantic attachment: Shared environment does not predict shared attachment style. Journal of Individual Differences. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Gunseor, M. M. (2021). Gendered perspectives on sharing the load: Men’s and women’s attitudes toward family roles and household and childcare tasks. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Paulich, K., & Jorgensen, K. (2019). Therapeutic touch redux: Twenty years after the “Emily Event,” energy therapies live on via bad science. Skeptic, 24, 24-31. [Preview]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Paulich, K., Shafer, P., & Kofman, C. (2019). Grammar matters: The tainting effect of grammar usage errors on judgments of competence and character. Personality and Individual Differences, 141, 47-50. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Gunseor, M. M., & Maly, J. R. (2018). Does the language fit the evidence? Unwarranted causal language in psychological scientists’ scholarly work. The Behavior Therapist, 41, 341-352. [PDF]

Andrews, T. M., Lukaszewski, A. W., Simmons, Z. L., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2017). Cue-based estimates of reproductive value explain women’s body attractiveness. Evolution and Human Behavior, 38, 461-467. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Joseph, W. E., Williquette, H., & Donovan, B. (2016). Sex differences in young adults’ attraction to opposite-sex friends: Natural sampling versus mental concepts. Evolutionary Psychological Science, 2, 214-219. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Donovan, B. A. (2015). Scientifically adrift: Limited change in scientific literacy, and no change in knowledge and acceptance of evolution, over three years of college. EvoS Journal, 7, 21-43. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Morrison, K., & Heidtke, L. (2015). Causal inference from descriptions of experimental and non-experimental research: Public understanding of correlation-versus-causation. Journal of General Psychology, 142, 48-70. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Ryan, D. E. (2015). Continuity and change in emerging adults’ mate preferences and mating orientations. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, 90-95. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Browne, K. (2014). Trends in GRE scores and graduate enrollments by gender and ethnicity. Intelligence, 46, 25-34. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Kolb, C., Stern, A. S., Quigley, K., & Nelson, L. A. (2014). Face and body: Independent predictors of women’s attractiveness. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43, 1355-1365. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Kelley, J. A. (2014). Birth order and personality: A within-family test using independent self-reports from both firstborn and laterborn siblings. Personality and Individual Differences, 56, 15-18. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Somers, E., Micke, C., Erickson, L., Matteson, L., Schumacher, B., Stocco, C., & Ritchie, L. (2012). Benefit or burden? Attraction in cross-sex friendship. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Fuerstenberg, E. A., Harris, H. D., & Ryan, D. E. (2011). Men and women, work and family: A test of competing perspectives. Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology, 5, 275-292. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Fritsch, A. (2011). Student consensus on RateMyProfessors.com. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 16. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Harris, H. D., Denkinker, K., Webb, R. M., Erickson, L., & Nelson, L. A. (2011). Physical cues of ovulatory status: A failure to replicate enhanced facial attractiveness and reduced waist-to-hip ratio at high fertility. Evolutionary Psychology, 9, 336-353. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Nelson, L. A., Baker, J. P., Remiker, M. W., & Brandt, S. J. (2010). Moral decisions in the Trolley Problem: People save five over one unless the one is young, genetically related, or a romantic partner. Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology, 4, 115-127. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Lighthall, M. (2010). Attractiveness and rivalry in women’s friendships with women. Human Nature, 21, 82-97. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Michels, K. (2010). RateMyProfessors.com: Testing assumptions about student use and misuse. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 15. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Remiker, M. W., & Baker, J. P. (2009). Similar from the start: Assortment in young adult dating couples and its link to relationship stability over time. Individual Differences Research, 7, 142-158. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., VandenHeuvel, B., & Vander Wyst, M. (2009). Age variation in mating strategies and mate preferences: Beliefs versus reality. Evolutionary Psychology, 7, 179-205. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Remiker, M. W., & Baker, J. P. (2008). Narcissistic men and women think they are so hot…but they are not. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 420-424. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Zeug, N., & Webb, R. M. (2007). Discrepant performance on multiple-choice and short answer assessments and the relation of performance to general scholastic aptitude. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 32, 89-105. [PDF]

Haselton, M. G., Mortezaie, M., Pillsworth, E. G., Bleske-Rechek, A., & Frederick, D. A. (2007). Ovulatory shifts in human female ornamentation: Near ovulation, women dress to impress. Hormones and Behavior, 51, 40-45. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Remiker, M. W., Swanson, M. R., & Zeug, N. M. (2006). Women more than men attend to indicators of good character: Two experimental demonstrations. Evolutionary Psychology, 4, 341-354. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Buss, D. M. (2006). Sexual strategies pursued and mate attraction tactics deployed. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1299-1311.

Lubinski, D., Benbow, C. P., Webb, R. M., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2006). Tracking exceptional human capital over two decades. Psychological Science, 17, 194-199. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2004). Meeting the educational needs of special populations: Advanced Placement’s role in developing exceptional human capital. Psychological Science, 15, 217-224. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Webb, R. M. (2002). Neglected aspects and unsupported claims [Comment]. American Psychologist, 57, 1132-1133.

Shackelford, T. K., LeBlanc, G. J., Weekes-Shackelford, V. A., Bleske-Rechek, A. L., Euler, H. A., & Hoier, S. (2002). Psychological adaptations to human sperm competition. Evolution and Human Behavior, 23, 123-138.

Bleske, A. L. (2001). Obedience, conformity, and social roles: Active learning in a large introductory psychology class. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 260-262.

Bleske, A. L., & Buss, D. M. (2001). A comprehensive theory of human mating must explain between-group and within-group differences [Comment]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23, 593-594.

Bleske, A. L., & Shackelford, T. K. (2001). Poaching, promiscuity, and deceit: Combating mating rivalry in same-sex friendships. Personal Relationships, 8, 407-424. [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A. L., & Buss, D. M. (2001). Opposite-sex friendship: Sex differences and similarities in initiation, selection, and dissolution. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1310-1323. [PDF]

Bleske, A. L., & Buss, D. B. (2000). Can men and women be just friends? Personal Relationships, 21, 131-151. [PDF]

Friedman, B. X., Bleske, A. L., & Scheyd, G. J. (2000). Incompatible with evolutionary theorizing [Comment]. American Psychologist, 55, 1059-1060.

Shackelford, T. K., Weekes, V. A., LeBlanc, G. J., Bleske, A. L., Euler, H. A., & Hoier, S. (2000). Female coital orgasm and male attractiveness. Human Nature, 11, 299-306.

Buss, D. M., Haselton, M. G., Shackelford, T. K., Bleske, A. L., & Wakefield, J. C. (1999). Interactionism, flexibility, and inferences about the past [Reply]. American Psychologist, 54, 443-445.

Buss, D. M., Haselton, M. G., Shackelford, T. K., Bleske, A. L., & Wakefield, J. C. (1998). Adaptations, exaptations, and spandrels. American Psychologist, 53, 533-548.

Krueger, R. F., Moffitt, T. E., Caspi, A., Bleske, A., & Silva, P. A. (1998). Assortative mating for antisocial behavior: Developmental and methodological implications. Behavior Genetics, 28, 173-186.

Reports and White Papers

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2024). Promoting students’ engagement in civil dialogue: A pilot study and randomized controlled trial. SNF Ithaca Research Scholar Project White Paper (and report to the chancellor, UWEC). [PDF]

Bleske-Rechek, A., Giordano, E., Kasper, E., Peterson, G., & Shiell, T. (2023). Student views on freedom of speech: Summary of student responses. Report for University of Wisconsin System. [PDF]

Public Writing and Commentary

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2023, Sept. 27). Advanced Placement: The next target in the assault on merit? [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Robinson, D. (2023). Standardized admission tests are not biased. In fact, they’re fairer than other measures. Skeptic Magazine, 28, 16-22. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A., & Bernstein, M. (2023, July 8). Some sex differences are more problematic than others. Unsafe Science Substack. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2023, May 1). Offense=harm=violence: Consequences of concept creep for free speech on campus. Heterodox STEM Substack. [Article]

Bernstein, M., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2023, April 16). Who agrees with Hitler? Unsafe Science Substack. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2022, January 11). Equal, not identical: In sharing family tasks, consider the preferences of men and women. The Institute for Family Studies Blog. [Article]

Bleske-Rechek, A. (2019, July 30). The other crisis in psychology. Quillette. [Article]