"...excellent: accurate, entertaining and thought-provoking..." - American Scientist
"Virtually anyone interested in gender studies, human sexuality, the application of evolutionary theory to behavior, or psychology in general should consider this fascinating book must reading." - Booklist
"In this work on how evolution affects how we behave in the romantic and sexual realms, the author . . . kicks away Cupid in favor of Darwin and the result is fascinating . . . . Barber is seemingly inexhaustible when it comes to diversity of thought . . . . His accessible and lively writing keeps the book from feeling too wide-ranging and scholarly. . . . those who don't mind considering that romantic inclinations may be in one's genes and not in one's heart will find much to chew on in this weighty addition to the field of evolutionary psychology." -ForeWord Magazine
"Nigel Barber is one of the most innovative and intriguing investigators currently writing in the field of evolutionary psychology. His insights are always novel and provocative, challenging our preconceptions and encouraging us to consider alternative perspectives on gender differences and romantic and sexual behavior. His observations are certain to generate discussion from scientists, and from anyone who has ever been mystified by love." - Michael Cunningham, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of Louisville, and President, International Network on Personal Relationships
"Recent advances in evolutionary psychology and biology have revolutionized the understanding of human courtship, marriage, and relationships. The Science of Romance provides an accessible and entertaining look at this new research and explores many of the implications for sexual and romantic relationships. The book is a pleasure to read and is highly recommended to the reader who wishes to better understand human relationships or wants an introduction to evolutionary psychology." - David C. Geary, Ph.D., Middlebush Professor of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri at Columbia, and author of Male, Female: The Evolution of Human Sex Differences
"A gripping book throughout--scientifically sound and wonderfully illustrated with real life examples; must reading for everyone concerned with human mating, which is just about everyone." - David M. Buss, author of The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating
Have you ever wondered why divorce is so much more common now than a century ago? Why the sex appeal of certain body types and clothing styles changes so dramatically over time? Why so many liberated young women today prefer emotional commitment from men while their male counterparts seem always more interested in "sowing their wild oats"?
According to evolutionary psychologist Nigel Barber, each of these aspects of modern life reflects two million years of hominid evolution. In The Science of Romance he explains that much of our present behavior can be traced back to the ancient evolved motives of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. In short, we exhibit the behaviors that have evolved over millennia to increase the reproductive success of the species. Also drawing on the mating behavior of various animals, Barber finds illuminating comparisons that help to explain human actions and reactions.
Barber delves into a host of interesting topics: dating competition and aggression; female courtship signals that subtly manipulate male behavior; how exposure to different sex hormones shapes the evolving brain in utero, which may account for the different behaviors of men and women; and much more.
This absorbing book educates and entertains, while showing that many seemingly irrational aspects of our intimate romantic behavior make sense when understood in terms of our prehistoric ancestors and evolution.
Nigel Barber, Ph.D. (Portland, ME), formerly an assistant professor of psychology at Birmingham-Southern College, is now a freelance writer and researcher, and the author of Why Parents Matter: Parental Investment and Child Outcomes.
