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Love Factually

Love Factually

Written by: Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel
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We're just two professors standing in front of a rom-com, asking it to be the subject of our podcast. Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel explain what your favorite romantic films get right -- and wrong -- about the science of romance. Because it's time for scientists to take Ryan Gosling as seriously as you do.2024 Relationships Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Romeo + Juliet (1996) with Donovan Sherman
    Feb 9 2026

    Should we wear rose-colored glasses? What happens when we feel like we're being pressured to marry someone? Why are words sometimes not enough? Paul and Eli—joined by Shakespearian scholar Donovan Sherman—take a psychedelic and operatic mystery tour through Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann's utterly gonzo adaptation of the timeless classic.

    For show notes, click here.

    Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel.

    Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons

    Artwork by Katie Keil

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    56 mins
  • Love & Basketball (2000)
    Jan 26 2026

    Why is it important to understand a loved-one's identity? Which sorts of people are likely to hold grudges? Is having a "jacked-up" attitude worse if you're a woman? Paul and Eli contemplate Love & Basketball, Gina Prince-Bythewood's exploration of ambition, attachment, and gender at a time when the world sadly lacked the WNBA.

    For show notes, click here.

    Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel.

    Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons

    Artwork by Katie Keil

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    53 mins
  • Deep Dive: Evolutionary Mythbusting
    Jan 19 2026

    Eli and Paul dial up the controversy as they discuss Paul's upcoming book, Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection. They pick apart two central concepts in evolutionary psychology: gender differences and mate value. Paul and Eli discuss how men and women don't actually differ in what they want in a partner, where gender differences in the sex drive appear larger vs. smaller, and why mate value matters a lot less than you think. Plus: Can evolutionary psychologists - and their critics - find better ways of talking the practical implications of a biological discovery?

    Pre-order your copy today, submit your receipt here, and receive a "book plate" that turns your book into a signed copy!

    Book plate gift with preorder: US Residents, 18+. Ends February 10, 2025. See terms at prh.com/lovefactually

    Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel

    Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons

    Artwork by Katie Keil

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    50 mins
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