This month, The Psychology of Attractiveness Podcast bows out with a special from the European Human Behavior and Evolution Association Conference in Toulouse! Thanks for listening, everyone: it's been real. I speak to Ayten Yeşim Semchenko about how men and women choose partners when they have limited information about their romantic prospects; to Linda Lidborg about the possible links between a father's testosterone levels and the sexual behaviour of his adolescent offspring; and to Lucie Kuncová about whether we 'imprint' on our parents' odour and later find people with a similar odour more ..read more

This month, we interrogate the psychology of the faithful and the faithless. Why do some people pass up the opportunity to cheat on their partners? And, when people do cheat, how do they justify their behaviour? Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! 8 Reasons Not to Cheat “It Didn’t Mean Anything.” It's never the right time to leave. Freestocks. The Psychology of Attractiveness Podcast: 2009-2019 This month's episode marks the 10th anniversary of the podcast, and will also be th ..read more

This month, we investigate faking orgasm. Who fakes orgasms, and why? We also find out how men and women weigh up the relative importance of facial and bodily attractiveness in a partner. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! Faking Orgasm: Who Fakes and Why? Face or Body: Which Traits Attract a Partner for Committed or Brief Relationships? Look like they're having fun. But are they just faking it? Flickr/Jessica Wüst The articles covered in the show: Jonason, P. K. (2019). Reasons t ..read more

In this month's episode we look at how men and women's partner preferences are affected by a dose of oxytocin, aka "the love hormone". We'll also find out whether germophobes are more or less likely to pursue short-term relationships. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! Disgust and Short-Term Relationships Oxytocin and Mate-Choice How does oxytocin affect men and women's partner preferences? Freestocks The articles covered in the show: Al-Shawaf, L., Lewis, D. M. G., Ghossainy, M ..read more

I'm back after a holiday break to look at the psychology of appearance enhancement: what does our use of cosmetics say about us to other people? This episode also features an interview with Matthew Vazquez of California State University San Bernardino, who presented his research exploring the complexities of mate attraction at the 2018 HBES conference. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! What do People Think of Women Who Use Cosmetics and Cosmetic Surgery? Does the use of make up ..read more

Why are we attracted to attractive people? Perhaps because evolution has shaped us to seek healthy and fertile partners. But is beauty really linked to biological fitness? We find out. This episode also features an interview with Kai Hiraishi of Keio University, who presented his research on men's over-perception of women's sexual intent at this summer's HBES conference. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! Does an Hourglass Figure Really Signal Fertility? Does Beauty Signal Health ..read more

This month, is pursuing sex with an ex likely to help or hinder your recovery from a breakup? And we find out why a team of psychologists from Michigan brought volunteers to their lab to look at a rabbit and a snake. This episode also features an interview with Vicky Leigh of Glasgow University, who presented her research on sexual imprinting at the recent HBES conference. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! Sex with an Ex: Good or Bad for Breakup Recovery? The Snake and the Rabbit ..read more

This month we sniff out the link between sex and a sense of smell, and we'll ask: how much should a engagement ring really cost? Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! How Much to Spend on an Engagement Ring? Sex Smells If you need to get this close to sniff out a partner, you should get your nose tested. Freestocks The articles covered in the show: Bendas, J., Hummel, T., & Croy, I. (in press). Olfactory function relates to sexual experience in adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior ..read more

In this month's episode we look at sexuality: why do people who identify as straight sometimes hookup with partners of the same gender? We'll also find out if straight men prefer women who are attracted to other women. This episode also features an interview with Sydni Huxman of Kansas State University, who presented her research on backup partners at the recent HBES conference. Download the MP3 Subscribe! Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Read the transcript! Straight Man Seeks… Who? Can men and women identify as straight but ..read more

This month I tell some dirty and clean jokes: whether or not you laugh may say something about the kind of relationship that suits you best. We'll also find out why some of us are uneasy with relationships between people with a big age difference. And, in the first of my interviews from the recent Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference in Amsterdam, I speak with Dr. Anthony Lee of Glasgow University about his research on internet dating. Download the MP3 Support me! Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 and get access to the patron-only feed, including bonus podcasts and ..read more