Q: My husband and I have been together for 10 years. Even in the days when we were dating and living separately, we had different sleep schedules, and we still do. He’s an early riser; I’m a night owl through and through. He doesn’t understand how I do it, and…
In monogamous relationships, sexual and emotional faithfulness is often an unspoken but implied rule. Many cultures worldwide share similar beliefs about the significance of and commitment to monogamy. However, men and women with dark personality traits (being prone to manipulation, lying, violence, sadism, Machiavellianism) are more likely to cheat on…
Trauma bonding is an intense emotional connection that is formed between an abused individual and their abuser. Abuse in a traumatic bond can be either physical or emotional. While traumatic bonding can occur in all types of relationships (friends and family included) the strongest are typically romantic. Traumatic bonds are…
The sweet, charming, handsome ex-Marine you’ve been emailing and texting with for eight months has a family emergency and can’t make his flight to meet you for the first time. You’re crushed. You’d let yourself fall hard for this guy, and now it might be another few months before you…
We’ve already shown how destructive cults and manipulative marketing tactics can weaponize extreme psychological influence. But what about a form of “mind control” that doesn’t have an industry or a social scaffolding behind it? Manipulation by an intimate partner can feel even more insidious because it’s perpetrated by someone you…