Dating decoded: Evolutionary insights on attraction
Welcome to my collection of articles exploring the timeless dance of dating and mating. Drawing from evolutionary psychology, cultural history, and real-world wisdom, these pieces decode the costly signals that shape attraction, reveal hidden patterns in modern romance, and offer practical insights to navigate love’s complexities. Whether you’re curious about biology’s role in courtship or seeking strategies for deeper connections, start reading and uncover what really drives human desire.
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The twin brothers throuple: why polyandry goes viral in Thailand’s polygamy-tolerant culture
Exploring Thailand’s infidelity paradox through evolutionary psychology An interesting story by Chattarin Siradakul in The Thaiger reports on a TikTok video from Nakhon Phanom showing 24-year-old Fah announcing her relationship…
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The strangest dating advice from the 1980s
The pre-romantic me, back in the decade of flux Ah, the late 1980s—when I was just hitting my teenage years, navigating the awkward thrill of first crushes amid a whirlwind…
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Concealed polygamy: what a 1914 book reveals about situationships
Over 100 years of hidden harems Our monogamy is constantly varied by polygyny, or pseudo-polygamy, lacking the sanctions and responsibilities of Mohammedan plurality. That’s not a hot take from a…
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Earned security: how to overcome a difficult childhood and date well
Overcoming early wounds to build lasting, secure relationships In 2022, a viral TikTok trend called “traumacore” saw millions of young adults creating videos that aestheticized their childhood wounds—absent fathers, emotionally…
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The gold digger: archetype, empowerment, or rooted in victimhood?
Unpacking the Gold Digger from Betty Van Deventer to 90 Day Fiancé The “gold digger” remains a potent cultural archetype—a figure, often a woman, who leverages charm, romance, or seduction…
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Dating TV shows: today’s relationship porn
Note: This piece was originally written around 2015, during the peak of the dating TV show and the rise of relationship-focused formats like The Bachelor. A decade later, the genre…
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Why “Be Yourself” is the worst dating advice
This insight comes from my book Costly Signals: The Evolution of Dating Advice, where I dive deeper into how evolutionary principles can transform modern dating. The problem isn’t authenticity. It’s…
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5 Books that predicted the modern loneliness crisis
Long before dating apps and “situationships,” these authors saw exactly where we were headed. We talk about loneliness as if it’s new—a product of smartphones and pandemic isolation. But authors…
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The quirky world of 1950s dating advice: beyond the viral laughs
A few years ago, the internet erupted with laughter over a 1958 McCall’s magazine article titled “129 Ways to Get a Husband.” Sparked by a Wisconsin woman’s Facebook post of…
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3 Signs you’re getting bad dating advice
Red flags to watch for before you take anyone’s relationship guidance The dating advice industry is enormous. Books, podcasts, YouTube channels, TikTok creators, and Reddit threads—everyone has opinions about how…
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Dating apps didn’t kill dating advice—they made it essential
Why the genre thrives in an era of Tinder swipes and algorithmic matches When Tinder launched in 2012, many predicted the death of dating advice books. Why read about approaching…
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Sexual Behavior in the 1970s
Attitudes, practices and data from the “Me Generation” Our very liberal attitudes toward sex have their origins in the “swinging sixties,” but it was during the 1970s that a more…
© 2026, Andrew King