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

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?




Follow Dr Anna:

Instagram - https://bit.ly/45ElU4p

Website - https://bit.ly/3GcTT9S



You can purchase Dr Anna’s book, ‘Why We Love: The New Science Behind Our Closest Relationships’, here: https://bit.ly/3GjfOfo

You can purchase Dr Anna’s book ‘The Life of Dad: The Making of a Modern Father’, here: https://bit.ly/4lbtE2A



Get your hands on the Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards here: https://bit.ly/conversationcards-mp



Get email updates: https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt

Follow Steven: https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb



Sponsors:

KetoneIQ - Visit https://ketone.com/STEVEN for 30% off your subscription order

Shopify - https://shopify.com/bartlett
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett is a podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett, the CEO of the social media management company, Social Chain. The podcast features Bartlett's reflections on his experiences as a CEO, as well as interviews with other business leaders and entrepreneurs. The show provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of running a successful business, as well as the personal journeys of its guests. The Diary of a CEO is known for its honest and candid discussions on the realities of being a CEO, and is aimed at helping listeners understand the inner workings of successful businesses.

Irish Podcasts

I was a broke, university dropout, at 18 I built an industry leading social media marketing company, and at 27 I resigned as CEO. At 28 I co-founded Flight Story – a marketing and communications company, and thirdweb - a software platform, making it easy to build web3 applications. I then launched private equity fund, Flight Fund, to accelerate the next generation of European unicorns. During this time I decided to launch 'The Diary Of A CEO' podcast with the simple mission of providing an unfiltered journey into the remarkable stories and untold dimensions of the world’s most influential people, experts and thinkers.

If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow button! That's a small way you can help us carry on doing this, thank you for listening.

My New Book: https://g2ul0.app.link/DOAC
IG: https://www.instagram.com/steven
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenbartlett-123

• No. of episodes: 701
• Latest episode: 2025-07-14
• Business Society & Culture

Where can you listen?