David Buss

Psychologist American Born 1953 (age 73)

American psychologist known for evolutionary psychology and mating strategies research.

381 quotes

"Our ancestors' mating decisions affect the traits we carry today."
History
"The psychology of commitment serves to deter partners from seeking alternatives."
Relationships
"We are drawn to people who display signs of good genes and good parenting."
Love
"The human capacity for strategic thinking emerged from competition among our ancestors."
Power
"Status and resources matter in mate selection because they predicted survival."
Love
"The mind evolved mechanisms for detecting and punishing cheaters in relationships."
Truth
"We must recognize that evolution is not destiny but context for understanding ourselves."
Philosophy
"The capacity for deep attachment to partners evolved because pair-bonding enhanced fitness."
Love
"Our sense of justice reflects the need to maintain reciprocal relationships."
Justice
"The human mind contains adaptations for navigating the complexities of family life."
Family
"We experience love as a powerful motivator because it served reproductive interests."
Love
"The selection of mates shapes not only our happiness but also our children's traits."
Love
"Evolution has equipped us with the capacity to love, but also to hurt those we love."
Wisdom
"Our most intimate relationships reflect systems shaped by millions of years of selection."
Relationships
"The capacity for understanding others' minds evolved in highly social ancestral groups."
Wisdom
"The psychology of human mating reveals that we are not blank slates but products of millions of years of evolution."
Science
"Jealousy is not a sign of love; it is a sign of insecurity and possessiveness."
Love
"Our desires are shaped by ancestral environments, not by modern circumstances."
Wisdom
"The capacity for strategic interference in relationships is rooted in our evolutionary past."
Relationships
"We must understand that conflict in relationships often stems from incompatible reproductive strategies."
Truth
"Human nature is not infinitely flexible; our psychology has deep historical roots."
Philosophy
"The study of infidelity reveals fundamental truths about human motivation and desire."
Knowledge
"Status and resources have always been currency in the marketplace of human attraction."
Success
"We are not prisoners of our evolutionary past, but understanding it grants us freedom."
Freedom
"The mind is a product of evolution, shaped by problems our ancestors faced."
Science
"Deception in mating is as old as sexual reproduction itself."
Truth
"Self-awareness about our own biases is the first step toward better decision-making."
Wisdom
"The patterns we see in attraction are not arbitrary but deeply patterned by evolution."
Science
"Understanding human nature means accepting uncomfortable truths about ourselves."
Philosophy
"Our preferences in mates reveal the selective pressures our ancestors endured."
Knowledge