Episode 449: Dr. Sarah Hill: How Birth Control Changes Your Brain, Dating Choices, and Evolutionary Psychology

May 13, 2025

01:17:41

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Is hormonal birth control affecting more than just pregnancy prevention? In this Habits and Hustle podcast episode, I am joined by Dr. Sarah Hill, an evolutionary psychologist and author who explains the surprising ways birth control pills influence women's brains, behavior, and mate selection.

We discuss how synthetic hormones alter women's natural cycles, changing partner preferences and affecting emotional responses. We also explore the fascinating science behind mate selection through an evolutionary lens, why men are attracted to women at peak fertility, and how birth control can disrupt the pheromonal cues that influence attraction.

Dr. Sarah Hill is an evolutionary psychologist, author, and researcher who earned her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin working with Dr. David Buss. Her research focuses on understanding behavior and motivation through the lens of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, with particular emphasis on women's psychology, hormones, and sexual motivation.

What We Discuss:

(00:00) Birth Control & Women's Psychological States

(04:14) Effects of Birth Control on Emotions

(15:26) Relationship Changes After Birth Control

(19:22) Hormonal Birth Control and Pheromones

(27:05) Partner Preferences and Attraction Triggers

(34:43) Modern Dating Challenges and Hormones

(39:01) Modern Dating Delays Marriage

(42:51) Women's Relationship Choices and Evolution

(48:07) Competition, Jealousy, and Marriage Threats

(55:27) Divorce, Dating, and Female Friendship

(01:04:43) Hormonal Birth Control and Side Effects