Evolutionary Biologist Explains Why People Cheat

In this episode of Getting Open, Andrea Miller sits down with Dr. Justin Garcia, evolutionary biologist and Director of the Kinsey Institute, to unpack the science behind modern love, sex, and relationships. Dr. Garcia breaks down monogamy versus fidelity, why infidelity hurts more as a trust violation than a sexual act, and how dating apps, social media, and AI are reshaping desire and intimacy. This conversation explores hookup culture, long-term attraction, cheating myths, and what research actually says about building connection in today’s world.

Chapters:
00:00 Young people are more romantic than we think
02:15 Hookup culture, social media & modern intimacy
05:30 What is monogamy? Social vs sexual monogamy
10:45 Emotional vs sexual infidelity — what hurts more?
15:40 How common is cheating, really? What the data says
20:30 Is there a “cheating gene”?
26:10 Can novelty prevent infidelity in long-term relationships?
30:45 Reconnecting with exes & the danger of romantic nostalgia
35:20 How dating apps & Snapchat changed desire and access
40:15 Are dating apps empowering women — or increasing pressure?
45:55 Loneliness, being single & the changing dating landscape
50:30 Would you have sex with a robot? The shocking statistics
55:40 AI partners, chatbots & the future of intimacy
1:07:00 Hookup culture: what’s healthy, what’s harmful
1:12:45 Do hookups help people learn sexual compatibility?
1:24:10 Why sex often gets better over time in relationships
1:29:45 What truly builds long-term intimacy and trust
1:35:30 Final thoughts on love, fidelity & modern relationships

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