The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos How to Find “The One”: The Science of Dating with Tim Molnar

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Modern dating can feel exhausting. On one hand, there’s the seemingly endless swiping that leads to dating app burnout; on the other, there’s what can feel like the insurmountable challenge of meeting someone in real life.

But what if finding love is less about fate — and more about strategy? Dr. Laurie sits down with behavioral scientist and dating coach Tim Molnar, author of Date Smarter: A Strategic Guide to Navigating Modern Romance, to explore what the research really says about how to meet the right person, build genuine connection, and avoid common dating mistakes.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Date Smarter: A Strategic Guide to Navigating Modern Romance

Receptivity to Sexual Invitations from Strangers of the Opposite Gender

How to Bounce Back from Life’s Curveballs (with Dr. Maya Shankar)

Computations of Uncertainty Mediate Acute Stress Responses in Humans

Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Effects and Processes

Forbes Health Survey: 78% Of All Users Report Dating App Burnout

Foot-in-the-Door Technique Using a Courtship Request

Getting Beyond Small Talk: Study Finds People Enjoy Deep Conversations with Strangers

Grammar Is Super Important to Online Dating Sites, So Try to Speak English Good

Swipe-based dating applications use and its association with mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional study

(00:02:17) Date Smarter: A Strategic Guide to Navigating Modern Romance

The Host

Dr. Laurie Santos

Dr. Laurie Santos is Professor of Psychology and Head of Silliman College at Yale University. Professor and podcast host Dr. Laurie Santos is an expert on human cognition and the…