Hookup culture is one of the most visible, debated, and misunderstood parts of gay male culture, but what does psychology actually tell us about it?

In this episode, we explore the psychology of gay hookup culture, including how it developed, why gay male hookup culture is unique, and the psychological processes that can shape our experiences with casual sex. We look at sexual motivation, dopamine and novelty, reinforcement learning, attachment, minority stress, and the lasting influence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

We also separate popular assumptions from what the research actually says: Are hookups bad for your mental health? Does casual sex make relationships harder? Are people hooking up because they're afraid of commitment? And is everyone really having as much sex as it seems?

Rather than deciding whether hookup culture is good or bad, this episode takes a research-informed look at why it exists, how it works, and why the same experience can mean something very different from one person to another.

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Created and Produced by Dustin Oliver