World Expert on Fatherhood & Love: The Truth About Monogamy, Breakups & The Science of Love! Dr. Anna Machin

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Thursday, 3 July 2025 - 2 hours 22 minutes

World Renowned Fatherhood Expert Dr Anna Machin reveals the #1 lie about monogamy, how cheating hijacks human brains, and the evolutionary truth behind love, trust, and fatherhood!

Dr Anna Machin is an evolutionary anthropologist and relationship scientist known for her groundbreaking research on human connection, love, fatherhood, and attachment. She is also the author of books such as, 'Why We Love: The New Science Behind Our Closest Relationships'.

She explains:

How cheating activates your brain’s reward system like an addiction.
Why modern men are in emotional crisis and how society is breaking them.
The hormonal reason you fall for the wrong person again and again.
How your DNA, oxytocin, and dopamine shape who you love and trust.

00:00 Intro

02:31 Why Love Is the Core of Being Human

07:29 The Forgotten Role of Fathers

09:26 Individualism and the Current State of Love

15:00 Women Find Their Right Partner by Smelling Them

20:37 Testosterone Is Linked to Success in Men

22:07 How to Increase Your Attractiveness (Backed by Science)

26:39 Never Say This on a Date

27:52 Are “Icks” Red Flags We Should Listen To?

30:14 We’ve Got Too Many Dating Options

34:01 Monogamy and Polyamory

40:23 Why People in Polyamorous Relationships Hide It

42:05 Are We All Pretending to Be Monogamous?

43:25 Why the First 1000 Days Are Critical for a Baby

49:10 Rough and Tumble: The Parenting Technique Everyone Should Teach

52:06 How Your Brain and Body Change When Becoming a Dad

54:41 Why Some Dads Don’t Instantly Bond With Their Kids

58:38 Mental Health Issues From Lacking a Father Figure Early On

1:02:16 Implications of an Absent Mother

1:11:24 Biological Fathers vs. Father Figures

1:12:57 Father Figures in Lesbian Couples

1:15:04 Are Parents Needed in the First Two Years?

1:21:27 The Optimal Scenario to Raise a Child

1:26:19 How Dads Can Bond With Their Newborns

1:30:02 Love Drugs

1:38:51 Understanding Attachment Styles

1:43:14 Is Modern Society Pushing Us Toward a Specific Attachment Style?

1:44:36 Doomscrolling on Dating Apps? This Is Your Attachment Style

1:47:43 How to Change Your Attachment Style

1:51:41 How ADHD May Impact Your Love Life

1:57:48 Do People With ADHD Cheat More Often?

2:01:59 How to Contain Your Impulses

2:03:18 Sex Life and Neurodivergence

2:04:04 Relationships as the Biggest Factor in Health and Longevity

2:10:20 What Happens to the Brain When It's in Love

2:14:23 When Did You Feel Like You’d Made It?