Dr. Darcia Narvaez

Professor emerita of psychology at the University of Notre Dame and host of EvolvedNest.org

Darcia Narvaez is Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, and Fellow of the American Psychological Association, American Educational Research Association, Association for Psychological Science, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Born in Minnesota (USA), she grew up living around the world as a bilingual/bicultural Puerto Rican-German American but calls Earth her home. Her earlier careers include professional musician, business owner, classroom music teacher, classroom Spanish teacher, and seminarian, among other endeavors. She uses an interdisciplinary approach to studying evolved morality, child development and human flourishing. Her most recent books include Restoring the Kinship Worldview, and The Evolved Nest: Nature’s Way of Raising Children and Creating Connected Communities. Her book, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association and the 2017 Expanded Reason Award. Her recent short films are Breaking the Cycle, The Evolved Nest, and Reimagining Humanity. She hosts the webpage EvolvedNest.org and serves as president of KindredWorld.org.

Dr. Darcia's Presentations

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Evolved Nested Across the LifeSpan Promotes Wellbeing

In contrast to the trauma-inducing pathway humanity currently travels, our species evolved a wellness-informed pathway that meets basic needs through deep nestedness. It begins with the Communal Evolved Nest that includes Nature immersion, regular healing, social free play, responsive relationships, positive touch, welcoming social climate, multiple nurturers, soothing perinatal experiences, and child-directed breastfeeding. The millions-years-old Communal Nest promotes health and wellbeing, beginning with nurturing by mothers and others, following Nature’s gift economy of fulfilling basic needs throughout the lifespan.

Deep Nestedness also includes Intergenerational Nestedness that honors ancestral wisdom, human and nonhuman, and the wellbeing of future generations, as well Cosmic Nesting practices that maintain a sense of rootedness in Earth’s cycles and systems. Nestedness throughout life fosters an integrated self, where heartmindedness predominates and the Indigenous/kinship worldview guides behavior. Nested communities partner with the rest of the ecological community, promoting flourishing in all.

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