Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch
Associate Professor

Brendan Zietsch

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 56230

Background

Brendan's PhD studies were based in the Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, where he investigated the genetics of sexual behaviour. He joined UQ in 2010 on a UQ Postdoctoral Fellowship, followed by an ARC DECRA and then an ARC Future Fellowship.

His work focuses on understanding the evolutionary and genetic underpinnings of human behaviour, in terms of what humans are like in general and what makes individuals differ from one another. Topics include personality, sexual and romantic preferences and choices, mental and physical determinants of attractiveness, sex differences and masculinity/femininity, and evolutionary modelling.

Availability

Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Psychological Science, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Search Professor Brendan Zietsch’s works on UQ eSpace

129 works between 2005 and 2025
All (129) Journal Article (104) Book Chapter (6) Conference Publication (16) Other Outputs (3)

121 - 129 of 129 works

2009

Journal Article

Shared aetiology of risky sexual behaviour and adolescent misconduct : Genetic and environmental influences

Verweij, K. J. H., Zietsch, B. P., Bailey, J. M. and Martin, N. G. (2009). Shared aetiology of risky sexual behaviour and adolescent misconduct : Genetic and environmental influences. Genes, Brain And Behavior, 8 (1), 107-113. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2008.00456.x

Shared aetiology of risky sexual behaviour and adolescent misconduct : Genetic and environmental influences

2008

Journal Article

Genetic factors predisposing to homosexuality may increase mating success in heterosexuals

Zietsch, Brendan P., Morley, Katherine I., Shekar, Sri N., Verweij, Karin J. H., Keller, Matthew C., Macgregor, Stuart, Wright, Margaret J., Bailey, J. Michael and Martin, Nicholas G. (2008). Genetic factors predisposing to homosexuality may increase mating success in heterosexuals. Evolution and Human Behavior, 29 (6), 424-433. doi: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2009.07.002

Genetic factors predisposing to homosexuality may increase mating success in heterosexuals

2008

Journal Article

Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in attidues toward homosexuality: An Australian twin study

Verweji, Karin J. H., Shekar, Sri N., Zietsch, Brendan P., Eaves, Lindon J., Bailey, J. Michael, Boomsma, Dorret I. and Martin, Nicholas G. (2008). Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in attidues toward homosexuality: An Australian twin study. Behavior Genetics, 38 (3), 257-265. doi: 10.1007/s10519-008-9200-9

Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in attidues toward homosexuality: An Australian twin study

2007

Journal Article

Common and specific genetic influences on EEG power bands delta, theta, alpha, and beta

Zietsch, Brendan P., Hansen, Jonathan L., Hansell, Narelle K, Geffen, Gina M., Martin, Nicholas G. and Wright, Margaret J. (2007). Common and specific genetic influences on EEG power bands delta, theta, alpha, and beta. Biological Psychology, 75 (2), 154-164. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2007.01.004

Common and specific genetic influences on EEG power bands delta, theta, alpha, and beta

2006

Journal Article

Specializations of the granular prefrontal cortex of primates: Implications for cognitive processing

Elston, Guy N., Benavides-Piccione, Ruth, Elston, Alejandra, Zietsch, Bendan, DeFelipe, Javier, Manger, Paul, Casagrande, Vivien and Kaas, Jon H. (2006). Specializations of the granular prefrontal cortex of primates: Implications for cognitive processing. Anatomical Record Part A-Discoveries In Molecular Cellular And Evolutionary Biology, 288A (1), 26-35. doi: 10.1002/ar.a.20278

Specializations of the granular prefrontal cortex of primates: Implications for cognitive processing

2005

Journal Article

Fractal analysis as a tool for studying specialization in neuronal structure: The study of the evolution of the primate cerebral cortex and human intellect

Elston, G.N. and Zietsch, B. (2005). Fractal analysis as a tool for studying specialization in neuronal structure: The study of the evolution of the primate cerebral cortex and human intellect. Advances in Complex Systems, 8 (2&3), 217-227. doi: 10.1142/S0219525905000476

Fractal analysis as a tool for studying specialization in neuronal structure: The study of the evolution of the primate cerebral cortex and human intellect

2005

Conference Publication

Fractal analysis: Pitfalls and revelations in neuroscience

Jelinek, HF, Elston, N and Zietsch, B (2005). Fractal analysis: Pitfalls and revelations in neuroscience. 4th International Symposium on Fractals in Biology and Medicine, Ascona Switzerland, Mar 10-13, 2004. BASEL: BIRKHAUSER VERLAG AG. doi: 10.1007/3-7643-7412-8_8

Fractal analysis: Pitfalls and revelations in neuroscience

2005

Journal Article

Fractal analysis of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex of the galago (Otolemur garnetti): Regional variation in dendritic branching patterns between visual areas

Zietsch, B and Elston, GN (2005). Fractal analysis of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex of the galago (Otolemur garnetti): Regional variation in dendritic branching patterns between visual areas. Fractals-complex Geometry Patterns And Scaling In Nature And Society, 13 (2), 83-90. doi: 10.1142/S0218348X05002829

Fractal analysis of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex of the galago (Otolemur garnetti): Regional variation in dendritic branching patterns between visual areas

2005

Book Chapter

Fractal Analysis: Pitfalls and Revelations in Neuroscience

Jelinek, H. F., Elston, G.N. and Zietsch, B.P. (2005). Fractal Analysis: Pitfalls and Revelations in Neuroscience. Fractals in Biology and Medicine. (pp. 85-94) edited by Gabriele A. Losa, Danilo Merlini and Theo F. Nonnenmacher. Basel: Birkhauser.

Fractal Analysis: Pitfalls and Revelations in Neuroscience

Past funding

  • 2017 - 2023
    Analysis of the drivers and constraints of romantic partner choice
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Developing novel individual-difference measures of human brain structure: Masculinity/femininity and deviation-from-average
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Investigating the evolution of human traits and the maintenance of heritable individual differences
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    ResTeach 2011 0.1 FTE School of Psychology
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    The evolutionary behaviour genetics of human mate preferences, mate choices, and mating strategies
    UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Evolution of Beneficial Misperceptions of Objective Reality Within Social Environments

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jonathan Redshaw

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Applying Advanced Statistical and Computational Methods to Attractiveness Research

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Bulmer

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Predictors of perceived versus actual sexual interest

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Sewell

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Desirable Dad Hypothesis: An Ultimate Evolutionary Account of Male Same-Sex Attraction

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Smerdon

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Applying advanced statistical and computational methods to attractiveness research

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Bulmer

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Evolutionary Psychology and Mate Choice: Advanced Methodological Approaches

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Sewell

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Norm Maintenance Behaviour: Strong Reciprocity as a Maintenance Mechanism

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Smerdon

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Applying Advanced Statistical and Computational Methods to Attractiveness Research

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Bulmer

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Impact of Intergroup Violence on the Evolution of Human Psychology

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Thomas Suddendorf

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Brendan Zietsch directly for media enquiries about:

  • disgust sensitivity
  • female orgasm
  • mate choice
  • mate preferences
  • Personality
  • sexual dimorphism

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