Unmasking Self-Deception in Relationships

This chapter explores the nuances of self-deception and its role in social interactions and mate value perception, highlighting how confidence affects interpersonal dynamics. It includes discussions on manipulation traits, sexual deception, and the darker aspects of relationship conflicts, drawing from the author's recent work on human mating strategies.

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Episode 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.