The image of the unfaithful man splurging on lavish gifts for his mistress while neglecting his wife is a tale as old as time—or at least as old as Hollywood.

Think Love Actually, where the affair partner gets the expensive necklace, leaving the wife with… well, not much.

But what if this stereotype isn’t true?

According to new research published in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, men don’t actually spend more on gifts for their affair partners.

In fact, both men and women invest more in their long-term relationships, reserving fewer resources for extramarital or casual connections.

This revelation turns a common trope upside down and offers fascinating insights into how we show love and commitment.

When we think of family dynamics, the "gay uncle" often appears as the fun-loving, wise, and endlessly entertaining relative who brings both humor and heart to family gatherings.

While pop culture and social media have popularized the term, there’s more to the "gay uncle" identity than meets the eye.

From evolutionary psychology to cultural sociology, this phenomenon provides a fascinating glimpse into how LGBTQ+ individuals enrich family systems in unique and impactful ways.

Love, it turns out, is a never-ending parade of peculiarities.

As a couples therapist, I’ve seen it all—from synchronized sneezing contests to debates over imaginary scenarios. Here are 22 more examples of how couples let their quirky flags fly.

If love is a circus, then weird couple habits are the main act.

As your friendly neighborhood couples therapist, I’ve cataloged a second set of quirks—proof that love is as much about playful absurdity as it is about intimacy.

And yes, science backs these up, so let’s celebrate the delightful oddities.

As a couples therapist, I’ve witnessed the bizarre mating rituals of humanity up close and personal. If aliens ever wanted to study our species, I’d tell them to skip Area 51 and come to my office instead.

Because here’s the thing: love is weird. Delightfully, hilariously, heartwarmingly weird.

Every couple has quirks—some adorable, some… well, let’s just call them “special.”

But what’s fascinating is how these quirks are not random acts of oddity; they’re rooted in psychology, biology, and the strange beauty of love. Let me introduce you to some couples whose eccentricities are as endearing as they are research-backed.

Narcissism—a word that’s become synonymous with self-centeredness and entitlement in today’s world. But in psychology, narcissism represents a specific set of personality traits that researchers study to understand individual behavior and social dynamics.

The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) has been one of the most widely used tools for assessing these traits in a non-clinical setting. And now, the NPI-13 provides a faster yet reliable way to evaluate narcissism.

There’s a new twist on why students (and professors!) are collapsing under the weight of academic burnout. A recent study published in Acta Psychologica has revealed an intriguing—if slightly chilling—insight: personality traits from the infamous “dark triad” (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) might be setting up certain students for a crash course in exhaustion, thanks to their intense focus on appearing flawless. Let’s unpack this twisted love triangle of burnout, manipulation, and academic life.

Gestalt Couples Therapy offers a refreshing approach for couples who want to build stronger, more authentic connections.

Developed from the pioneering work of Fritz Perls and further shaped by contemporary thought leaders, Gestalt therapy emphasizes the power of being present in the here-and-now and focuses on each person’s immediate thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

This model encourages each partner to understand and accept responsibility for their individual experience within the relationship, making it especially effective for couples who want a deeper, more genuine connection.

What is Gestalt Couples Therapy?

Part of human experience is investing our time, energy, and love into building a meaningful connection with our partner.

This investment is part of what makes long-term relationships so precious, but it can also create a trap known as the "Sunk Cost Fallacy."

This psychological concept explains why people sometimes stick with decisions, behaviors, or relationships simply because they’ve already put so much effort into them — even if they’re no longer beneficial.

In couples therapy, exploring the Sunk Cost Fallacy can help partners see when past investments might be preventing them from making positive changes.

In some neurodiverse relationships, building emotional intimacy can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain. We want to be close to our partner, sharing dreams, fears, and everything in between.

But expecting deep emotional closeness all at once can feel overwhelming, especially if one or both partners aren’t used to regularly opening up on that level.

Here’s where psychology’s “Foot-in-the-Door Technique” can help couples ease into a deeper connection without pressure.

The Foot-in-the-Door Technique, originally described in social psychology, suggests that people are more likely to agree to larger requests if they’ve first agreed to smaller ones.

This principle can be a helpful approach in relationships, too, where it can create a gradual path toward greater intimacy. Here’s how it works in couples therapy, along with some tips for using this technique to grow closer in a supportive, low-pressure way.

In relationships, even the most loving intentions can sometimes lead to surprising results.

One partner may try to “fix” a problem or help their spouse in a way that feels supportive, only to see the effort create new challenges. This phenomenon is sometimes called the "Cobra Effect," named after an unintended consequence that famously occurred in colonial India.

It’s a reminder that sometimes, when we try to resolve one issue, we accidentally make things worse.

In couples therapy, the "Cobra Effect" becomes a helpful concept to discuss because it can open up conversations about how intentions, actions, and outcomes may not always align in the ways we expect.

By exploring this effect, couples can discover how to channel their good intentions into actions that truly support their relationship. Let’s take a closer look at how this happens and what couples can do to avoid some common relationship “cobra traps.”

Aging gracefully has become a more nuanced concept with the work of pioneering geriatric psychiatrist Dr. Gene Cohen. Known for his research on creativity, wisdom, and growth throughout the aging process,

Dr. Cohen offered groundbreaking insights into how our cognitive abilities evolve as we age. His work emphasizes that aging isn't merely a process of physical decline; rather, it can be a time of profound wisdom growth, creativity, and personal expansion.