Mating Straight Talk …
Mating Straight Talk is an informational resource, blog, and community conversation that explains and explores how evolutionary psychology and mate selection science operate in contemporary heterosexual relationships and dating. Mating Straight Talk provides foundational information to guide this conversation and . . .
reveals who we desire as mates and why we desire them, drawing primarily from scientific research;
raises awareness of what may be denied or hidden between men and women, exposing the “shadow self” of biological imperatives in romantic-sexual relating and mate choice;
describes long-term and short-term mating strategies and gives cogency to the concepts of “mating economy,” “mate value,” and the “marketplace” of mate choice;
asserts that heterosexual relating does not exist as a separate expression of biology or socialization, but operates as a relational system of bargaining (especially the “erotic-economic” bargain), trade-offs, expectations, and collusion;
reveals the false dichotomy of the nature–nurture debate congruent with the discipline of evolutionary psychology;
highlights differences between men and women related to brain functioning, hormones, motivation, sexuality, and goals for mate selection and relationship maintenance;
explores and brings clarity to issues of “gender politics” and tensions between men and women related to roles, power, and sexual strategies with a focus on honesty, mutual understanding, and complementarity;
bridges the best of couples’ psychotherapy and sexual psychology to address pressing and recurrent problems and opportunities in mate selection and ongoing relationship satisfaction;
legitimizes, clarifies, and honors heterosexual male sexuality in this particular ‘cultural moment’;
uncovers the complexity and context for female sexual desire and arousal;
recognizes overlapping distribution of male and female traits at ends of the distribution curve, including diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity, and forms of non-monogamous relationship agreement.
About Steven
Steven Fearing has studied mate selection science and evolutionary psychology for over thirty-five years with a special interest in the biological imperatives operating inside of romantic-sexual relating and mate choice. Steven explores the science of evolved behavioral sex differences and the tensions between men and women related to role, power, and sexual strategies that manifest in personal relationships and “gender politics.”
Trained as a psychotherapist, mediator, master facilitator, organizational development consultant, and personal coach, Steven facilitates workshops in relationship psychology including:
- Listening to Each Other – The Fishbowl Experience. Men and Women Sharing About Romance, Sex and Relationships
- What Men and Women Want from Each Other …and Why. Experiments in Listening, Disclosure and Unmasking.
For over 30 years, Steven provided training, meeting facilitation, agenda/group process design, coaching, management and leadership development, process improvement, team building, dialogue and deliberation methods and conflict resolution interventions for the State of Texas. Among the many people-skills curricula Steven authored, he recently wrote and facilitated a curriculum on happiness and positive psychology titled Exploring the Science of Happiness – the Seven Domains of Well-being and a manual on facilitation titled Leading and Facilitating Successful Meetings – A Guidebook for Internal Leaders Using Consultative Practices.
Steven received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Kansas and Master in Humanistic Psychology from West Georgia College. Based in Austin, Texas, he offers one-on-one and couples’ relationship coaching and workshops.
Website Structure
Mating Straight Talk reveals a complex picture of mate selection science and human sexuality using the following structure:
Mate Selection Science and Straight Talk Fundamentals menus offer cornerstone theory and data. They are "static" pages, yet subject to infrequent updates that capture new and foundational scientific discoveries. Other important insights and research will be addressed in the Blog.
The Blog menu items are categories of general discussion commonly linked or related to static page content. Check out the Resources menu for terms and definitions, books, journal articles, videos and podcasts, blogs and websites.
Dig in and enjoy!