Dr. David Buss: How Humans Select & Keep Romantic Partners in Short & Long Term
from Huberman Lab
by Scicomm Media
Published: Mon Nov 29 2021
Show Notes
In this episode, my guest is Dr. David Buss, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and one of the founding members of the field of evolutionary psychology.
Dr. Buss describes his work on how people select mates for short and long-term relationships, the dynamics of human courtship, and mate value assessment — meaning how people measure up as potential partners. We also discuss the causes of infidelity and differences for infidelity in men and women. He explains how people evaluate and try to alter other people’s mate value as a means to secure and even poach mates. We discuss monogamous and non-monogamous relationships in humans. And we discuss what Dr. Buss calls “the dark triad” — features common in stalkers and narcissists that relate to sexual and psychological violence in relationships.
This episode is sure to be of interest to anyone single or in a relationship who seeks to know how people select mates and anyone who is interested in forming and maintaining healthy romantic partnerships.
Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
Introducing Dr. David Buss
Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up
Choosing a Mate
Long Term Mates: Universal Desires
What Women & Men Seek in Long-Term Mates
Age Differences & Mating History
Deception in Courtship
Emotional Stability
Lying About Long-Term Interest
Short-Term Mating Criteria, Sliding Standards & Context Effects
Sexual Infidelity: Variety Seeking & (Un)happiness & Mate Switching
Genetic Cuckolds, How Ovulation Impacts Mate Preference
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Cheating, Concealment
Emotional & Financial Infidelity
Contraception
Status & Mating Success
Jealousy, Mate Value Discrepancies, Vigilance, Violence
Specificity of Intimate Partner Violence
Mate Retention Tactics: Denigration, Guilt, Etc.
Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy
Stalking
Influence of Children on Mate Value Assessments
Attachment Styles, Mate Choice & Infidelity
Non-Monogamy, Unconventional Relationships
Mate Value Self Evaluation, Anxiety About the Truth
Self Deception
The Future of Evolutionary Psychology & Neuroscience
Books: When Men Behave Badly, The Evolution of Desire, Textbooks
Concluding Statements, Zero-Cost Support: Subscribe, Sponsors, Supplements