What William Costello has said about Female coalitional psychology

Costello explained women's indirect competition style as an adaptation to the high ancestral cost of making enemies while caring for offspring.

“It's very costly for women to make enemies. Throughout ancestral history, they are responsible for the well-being of their offspring”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 14:36

Costello cited research from Sarah Hill's lab finding that women mistrust women described as having more male than female friends.

“when you describe a girl as being a guy's gal, having more male friends than female friends, women mistrust her”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 37:21

Costello argued that modern social settings such as corporate workplaces reward the female style of indirect aggression more than the male style.

“It actually kind of rewards the female style of aggression way more than the male style”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:02:57