Tue September 8, 2026
The Science Behind Finding (and Keeping) Love in Today's Chaotic World
at The Commonwealth Club
(5:30pm - 7:00pm)
Dating and relationships can be messy. The apps, the expectations, the endless options -- it's a lot. But there's real science behind how people connect, commit, and build a relationship with someone who will "be there when you need them the most."
So how to find such a person, especially in such a world?
Fortunately we have a guide! Dr. Justin Garcia is the Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, the premier research center on human sexuality and relationships, where he leads a team that has been delving into precisely those questions for almost 80 years. He'll discuss how people have evolved to need relationships, what we need in a relationship (sometimes not what we think we need!), and how people are negotiating the desires for intimacy and committed relationship in a landscape characterized by casual sex, casual dating, and rapidly-changing technologies.
In addition, Dr. Garcia will discuss what science has found about the realities of modern relationships, including why some last while others end, the shifting patterns of dating and marriage, and maybe even the discovery that one in three Gen Z single adults said they have used AI as a romantic partner.
Join us September 8th for this fascinating discussion, and ask your questions about how the world of dating and relationships has changed. This will also be a great opportunity to get out of the house, meet some people in real life, and maybe even have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.
SPEAKER: Dr. Justin Garcia, an evolutionary biologist, is Executive Director of the renowned Kinsey Institute and Chief Scientific Advisor to dating app Match, where he provides expertise for the annual Singles in America study. He has co-authored over 100 academic articles and the book "Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior." His latest book is "The Intimate Animal," which explores the science behind how we date, mate and navigate our love lives.
show less
So how to find such a person, especially in such a world?
Fortunately we have a guide! Dr. Justin Garcia is the Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, the premier research center on human sexuality and relationships, where he leads a team that has been delving into precisely those questions for almost 80 years. He'll discuss how people have evolved to need relationships, what we need in a relationship (sometimes not what we think we need!), and how people are negotiating the desires for intimacy and committed relationship in a landscape characterized by casual sex, casual dating, and rapidly-changing technologies.
In addition, Dr. Garcia will discuss what science has found about the realities of modern relationships, including why some last while others end, the shifting patterns of dating and marriage, and maybe even the discovery that one in three Gen Z single adults said they have used AI as a romantic partner.
Join us September 8th for this fascinating discussion, and ask your questions about how the world of dating and relationships has changed. This will also be a great opportunity to get out of the house, meet some people in real life, and maybe even have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.
SPEAKER: Dr. Justin Garcia, an evolutionary biologist, is Executive Director of the renowned Kinsey Institute and Chief Scientific Advisor to dating app Match, where he provides expertise for the annual Singles in America study. He has co-authored over 100 academic articles and the book "Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior." His latest book is "The Intimate Animal," which explores the science behind how we date, mate and navigate our love lives.
Dating and relationships can be messy. The apps, the expectations, the endless options -- it's a lot. But there's real science behind how people connect, commit, and build a relationship with someone who will "be there when you need them the most."
So how to find such a person, especially in such a world?
Fortunately we have a guide! Dr. Justin Garcia is the Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, the premier research center on human sexuality and relationships, where he leads a team that has been delving into precisely those questions for almost 80 years. He'll discuss how people have evolved to need relationships, what we need in a relationship (sometimes not what we think we need!), and how people are negotiating the desires for intimacy and committed relationship in a landscape characterized by casual sex, casual dating, and rapidly-changing technologies.
In addition, Dr. Garcia will discuss what science has found about the realities of modern relationships, including why some last while others end, the shifting patterns of dating and marriage, and maybe even the discovery that one in three Gen Z single adults said they have used AI as a romantic partner.
Join us September 8th for this fascinating discussion, and ask your questions about how the world of dating and relationships has changed. This will also be a great opportunity to get out of the house, meet some people in real life, and maybe even have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.
SPEAKER: Dr. Justin Garcia, an evolutionary biologist, is Executive Director of the renowned Kinsey Institute and Chief Scientific Advisor to dating app Match, where he provides expertise for the annual Singles in America study. He has co-authored over 100 academic articles and the book "Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior." His latest book is "The Intimate Animal," which explores the science behind how we date, mate and navigate our love lives.
read more
So how to find such a person, especially in such a world?
Fortunately we have a guide! Dr. Justin Garcia is the Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, the premier research center on human sexuality and relationships, where he leads a team that has been delving into precisely those questions for almost 80 years. He'll discuss how people have evolved to need relationships, what we need in a relationship (sometimes not what we think we need!), and how people are negotiating the desires for intimacy and committed relationship in a landscape characterized by casual sex, casual dating, and rapidly-changing technologies.
In addition, Dr. Garcia will discuss what science has found about the realities of modern relationships, including why some last while others end, the shifting patterns of dating and marriage, and maybe even the discovery that one in three Gen Z single adults said they have used AI as a romantic partner.
Join us September 8th for this fascinating discussion, and ask your questions about how the world of dating and relationships has changed. This will also be a great opportunity to get out of the house, meet some people in real life, and maybe even have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.
SPEAKER: Dr. Justin Garcia, an evolutionary biologist, is Executive Director of the renowned Kinsey Institute and Chief Scientific Advisor to dating app Match, where he provides expertise for the annual Singles in America study. He has co-authored over 100 academic articles and the book "Evolution and Human Sexual Behavior." His latest book is "The Intimate Animal," which explores the science behind how we date, mate and navigate our love lives.
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