Episode
#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
1:42:41
Published: Thu Sep 01 2022
Description
Robin Dunbar is an anthropologist, evolutionary psychologist, head of the Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience Research Group at the University of Oxford and an author. Love is something that people have been trying to describe for thousands of years. Beyond asking what love is, is the question of why humans feel something so strange in the first place. Why would evolution have exposed us to this extreme sensation with huge potential for catastrophe and pain? Expect to learn how love is adaptive, why humans need to have more sex than almost all other animals to get pregnant, why ancestral men who hunted big animals were only doing it to get laid, how the length of your fingers can tell you how promiscuous you are, whether Robin thinks humans were ancestrally monogamous and much more... Sponsors: Get over 47% discount on all products site-wide from MyProtein at https://bit.ly/proteinwisdom (use code: MODERNWISDOM) Get £150 discount on Eight Sleep products at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Get the Whoop 4.0 for free and get your first month for free at http://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Buy The Science Of Love - https://amzn.to/3wyJsW6 Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/
Chapters
This podcast explores the evolutionary reasons behind love, sex and promiscuity, discussing topics such as why we need to have sex more than other animals to get pregnant and how ancestral men hunted big animals to attract mates.
00:00 - 02:01 (02:01)
Summary
This podcast explores the evolutionary reasons behind love, sex and promiscuity, discussing topics such as why we need to have sex more than other animals to get pregnant and how ancestral men hunted big animals to attract mates. There is an advertisement for protein foods and clear whey but also other products.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
The 8 Sleep technology can monitor a variety of vital signs and provide information on an individual's sleep quality and physical recovery, leading to overall improved well-being.
02:01 - 06:03 (04:02)
Summary
The 8 Sleep technology can monitor a variety of vital signs and provide information on an individual's sleep quality and physical recovery, leading to overall improved well-being. The Sleep Pod Pro, which can dynamically adjust the temperature of the bed to match the user's needs, is currently on offer on eight sleep dot com, until September 11th.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
This episode explores the appearance of someone in love and how it is portrayed in literature and culture, as well as the idea of falling in love before marriage through personal experiences and societal norms.
06:03 - 14:40 (08:36)
Summary
This episode explores the appearance of someone in love and how it is portrayed in literature and culture, as well as the idea of falling in love before marriage through personal experiences and societal norms.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
Finger length, specifically the length of the index and ring fingers, are determined by the testosterone load in the womb during development.
14:40 - 19:58 (05:18)
Summary
Finger length, specifically the length of the index and ring fingers, are determined by the testosterone load in the womb during development. This could be an indication of a promiscuous society, as shown by some historical figures with hundreds or thousands of wives and concubines.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
The choice between being the second wife of a wealthy man or the first wife of a poor man is an age-old issue faced by women all over the world, resulting in a societal divide between the rich and poor that still exists today.
19:58 - 33:20 (13:22)
Summary
The choice between being the second wife of a wealthy man or the first wife of a poor man is an age-old issue faced by women all over the world, resulting in a societal divide between the rich and poor that still exists today.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
Living in big social groups provides protection against predators but also leads to a decline in fertility, which can cause groups to split.
33:20 - 53:40 (20:19)
Summary
Living in big social groups provides protection against predators but also leads to a decline in fertility, which can cause groups to split. Women, in particular, may feel overwhelmed and pressured, leading to the need for smaller groups.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
The podcast episode covers the topics of perception of attraction and the evolutionary reasons behind men's inclination to go hunting.
53:41 - 1:02:26 (08:45)
Summary
The podcast episode covers the topics of perception of attraction and the evolutionary reasons behind men's inclination to go hunting.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
Nunneries served as a source of social welfare in medieval Europe, allowing families with many sons to send the excess to the church.
1:02:26 - 1:11:50 (09:23)
Summary
Nunneries served as a source of social welfare in medieval Europe, allowing families with many sons to send the excess to the church. Additionally, some nunneries incentivized young women into joining by allowing them to claim their sister's dowry and replace them if their sibling had not produced an heir before passing away.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
When choosing a mate, people often look for similarities with the potential partner.
1:11:50 - 1:20:42 (08:52)
Summary
When choosing a mate, people often look for similarities with the potential partner. However, the immune system should not be one of those things as a diverse immune system can provide better protection against pathogens.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
Endorphins, triggered through social activities like laughter, singing, and dancing, play a crucial role in the formation of strong pair bonds between humans.
1:20:42 - 1:27:01 (06:18)
Summary
Endorphins, triggered through social activities like laughter, singing, and dancing, play a crucial role in the formation of strong pair bonds between humans. Evolution made it rare for a woman to get pregnant on her first sexual encounter to encourage more sex and further strengthen the bond.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
The optimal endorphin response is achieved with slow rubbing.
1:27:01 - 1:31:41 (04:40)
Summary
The optimal endorphin response is achieved with slow rubbing. Newborn babies can be soothed with a specific rate of touch.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
The importance of male friendships can be traced back to the evolutionary function of young men specializing in defense, leading to the formation of tight-knit groups based on similarity in views and needs.
1:31:41 - 1:36:41 (04:59)
Summary
The importance of male friendships can be traced back to the evolutionary function of young men specializing in defense, leading to the formation of tight-knit groups based on similarity in views and needs.
Episode#520 - Robin Dunbar - The Evolutionary Psychology Of Love
PodcastModern Wisdom
Studies comparing oxytocin genetics across different vole species have failed to find a correlation between monogamy and promiscuity, while endorphin genes have been found to explain the difference in mating habits.
1:36:41 - 1:42:37 (05:56)
Summary
Studies comparing oxytocin genetics across different vole species have failed to find a correlation between monogamy and promiscuity, while endorphin genes have been found to explain the difference in mating habits.