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Davis Today
By the People, for the People
UC Davis Professor Debunks Dating App Myths About Attraction
Eastwick's new book "Bonded by Evolution" challenges the notion of a universal hierarchy of desirability.
Published on Feb. 14, 2026
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In a Valentine's Day special, UC Davis professor Paul Eastwick discusses his new book "Bonded by Evolution" which takes aim at the "old science" that treated romance like a competitive market where everyone gets assigned a number. Eastwick explains that when people look at the same photograph, they only agree about 65% of the time on a person's attractiveness, and that agreement drops to barely better than a coin flip after they've known the person for months. He says this "quirky disagreement" explains most of what happens in the science of attraction, and that dating apps make everything feel like a market, thereby filtering out the "slow burn" people who need time to grow on you. Eastwick's advice is to forget swiping and instead reboot your social networks and throw candle lit dinner parties where nobody knows each other.
Why it matters
Eastwick's research challenges the common perception that there is a universal hierarchy of physical attractiveness, which has fueled the incel movement's paranoia about the opposite sex. His findings suggest a more democratic and nuanced view of attraction that takes into account the "slow burn" of getting to know someone over time.
The details
Eastwick's new book "Bonded by Evolution" argues that the "old science" of attraction treated romance like a competitive market where everyone gets assigned a number, which the incel movement then used to compound their paranoia about the opposite sex. However, Eastwick's research shows that when two people look at the same photograph, they only agree about 65% of the time on a person's attractiveness, and that agreement drops to barely better than a coin flip after they've known the person for months. This "quirky disagreement" explains most of what happens in the science of attraction, and Eastwick says dating apps make everything feel like a market, thereby filtering out the "slow burn" people who need time to grow on you.
- The book "Bonded by Evolution" was published in 2026.
The players
Paul Eastwick
A professor at UC Davis who studies attraction and relationships, and is the author of the new book "Bonded by Evolution".
UC Davis
The university where Eastwick is a professor and conducts his research on attraction and relationships.
What they’re saying
“She's a ten to me and that's the part that matters.”
— Paul Eastwick (substack.com)
What’s next
Eastwick's book "Bonded by Evolution" is expected to spark further discussion and research into the science of attraction and relationships.
The takeaway
Eastwick's research suggests a more nuanced and democratic view of attraction, challenging the notion of a universal hierarchy of physical desirability that has fueled the incel movement's paranoia. His advice to forget swiping and instead reboot social networks and host intimate gatherings could help people find meaningful connections beyond the confines of dating apps.
