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Dating in 2026 feels broken. The apps promise infinite choice, rom-coms on our screens promise “the one”, and yet frustration, ghosting, and mismatched expectations seem to be more normal than anything actually working out. This week, Tim Ash, author of Primal Dating, joins us as we explore why dating in the modern world feels so unstable and why many of today’s relationship struggles aren’t personal failures, but predictable outcomes of our ancient instincts clashing with modern environments and expectations.
[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Tim Ash
[7:52] Behavioral tendencies and evolutionary psychology
[18:09] The role of life stages in dating
[26:17] The impact of cultural norms on dating
[30:51] The economic of dating
[35:48] The role of tech in dating
[48:33] The importance of empathy in dating
[56:58] Music talk with Tim and Tim
[1:00:45] Grooving Session: Modern dating for primordial (?) minds
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
About Tim
Primal Dating by Tim Ash and Dr. Limor Gottlieb
Join us on Substack!
Join the Behavioral Grooves community
Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube
Support Behavioral Grooves
Steely Dan - FM
Chet Baker - Almost Blue
By Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan4.9
114114 ratings
Dating in 2026 feels broken. The apps promise infinite choice, rom-coms on our screens promise “the one”, and yet frustration, ghosting, and mismatched expectations seem to be more normal than anything actually working out. This week, Tim Ash, author of Primal Dating, joins us as we explore why dating in the modern world feels so unstable and why many of today’s relationship struggles aren’t personal failures, but predictable outcomes of our ancient instincts clashing with modern environments and expectations.
[0:00] Introduction and Speed Round with Tim Ash
[7:52] Behavioral tendencies and evolutionary psychology
[18:09] The role of life stages in dating
[26:17] The impact of cultural norms on dating
[30:51] The economic of dating
[35:48] The role of tech in dating
[48:33] The importance of empathy in dating
[56:58] Music talk with Tim and Tim
[1:00:45] Grooving Session: Modern dating for primordial (?) minds
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
About Tim
Primal Dating by Tim Ash and Dr. Limor Gottlieb
Join us on Substack!
Join the Behavioral Grooves community
Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube
Support Behavioral Grooves
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