Dangerous Passion [Print on Demand (Paperback)]

David Buss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2001

David Buss proposes that, while jealousy in excess can of course be damaging, it may be an effective coping strategy to deal with real threats to our closest relationships. He raises provocative questions, covering the differences between men and women and their attitudes towards infidelity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Steven Pinker professor of psychology, MIT, and author of Words and Rules and How the Mind Works Not so long ago jealousy was considered a pointless, archaic institution in need of reform. But like other denials of human nature from the 1960s, this bromide has not aged well. David Buss applies his usual combination of insight, humor, and indefatigable experimentation to shed light on this most fascinating and horrifying of human emotions. Find out why the rock musician who wrote "If you love somebody set them free" also wrote "Every breath you take, I'll be watching you."

Helen Fisher author of The First Sex: The Natural Talents of Women and How They Are Changing the World Jealousy, infidelity, sexual desire: psychologist David Buss offers a compelling evolutionary perspective on these powerful and universal human emotions. It's a fascinating read. And along the way we are treated to an array of intriguing scientific data about other creatures, other cultures, Americans of all ages, and the differences between the sexes. This book goes a long way toward explaining the primordial underpinnings of the human heart. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

David M. Buss, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and previously taught at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. He is the author of the highly praised The Evolution of Desire and is internationally known for his expertise on sex, emotions, and the strategies of human mating. He lives in Austin, Texas. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Print on Demand (Paperback): 272 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Pod (May 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747553602
• ISBN-13: 978-0747553601
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,573,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After completing his doctorate in 1981 at the University of California, Berkeley, David Buss spent four years as Assistant Professor at Harvard University. In 1985, he migrated to the University of Michigan, where he taught for 11 years before accepting his current position at the University of Texas in 1996. His primary interests include the evolutionary psychology of human mating strategies; conflict between the sexes; prestige, status, and social reputation; the emotion of jealousy; homicide; anti-homicide defenses; and stalking.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Provocative.... and very engaging, May 1, 2006

By 

Patrick D. Goonan "see profile for URL" (Livermore, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dangerous Passion (Print on Demand (Paperback))

David Buss is an excellent author and scholar in the area of evolutionary biology. This book takes a lot of work he has already done and presents it in a way that explains jealousy that is plausible in terms of evolutionary logic.

The heart of this author's theory is a model of human sexuality where each sex pursues both a long term and short term mating strategy. In general, males are looking to maximize mating opportunities because they don't have much risk if they participate in short term mating. This behavior increases their chances of passing their genes on.

According to Buss, women also pursue a short term strategy, but this involves coupling with higher status males more selectively. This is because a possible pregnancy represents more risk to a primitive woman. Her long term strategy involves an ongoing relationship with a male who will provide steady resources, but may not have genes that are top notch.

In short, women can maximize their chances of passing on their genes, procuring the best genes and surviving by having a steady partner and cheating with a higher status male. This male would be available to provide resources in the event her lover got killed on a hunt or possibly during times of famine.

Because a woman always knows that a baby is her own, she is more concerned with emotional infidelity because it represents a risk that she might be abandoned or resources might be diverted to another woman. In the case of a man, he can not be sure he is the father, so he is more concerned with sexual fidelity. This dynamic sets up a scenario where jealousy plays a complex role at increasing attraction, longing, etc.

A lot of the material in this book is the same as in the "Evolution of Desire." That is partly why I rated this book a four. I also think it isn't as well thought out or presented as the "Evolution of Desire."

I would definitely buy this book again, but I don't think it takes the full complexity of the phenomenon of jealousy into account. For this, I would complement this book with "Your Erotic Mind" by Jack Morin. From there, I would see where you wanted to branch out to get a more integral view.

I don't think Evolutionary Biology fully explains the phenomenon of jealousy, but it certainly sheds light on some important human tendencies. "Your Erotic Mind" starts where this book leaves off and gives a more well-rounded view.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love Everything Buss Writes, March 3, 2009

By 

Bernard Chapin "Ora Et Labora!" (CHICAGO! USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dangerous Passion (Print on Demand (Paperback))

For my money, Dr. David Buss is one of the most important psychologists in the world. The Evolution of Desire is quoted constantly by authorities of all different stripes in regards to human sexuality. I first read it in 1999 but did not get around to opening The Dangerous Passion until last month. It was written with laymen in mind and explains numerous politically incorrect facts about jealousy (although, aren't most facts politically incorrect?). Indeed, he even has a subchapter entitled "Is Domestic Violence Adaptive" which is not a question you'll ever hear the mainstream media pose. Some tenets of evolutionary psych are presented here such as "Mommy's baby, daddy's maybe," and the Concorde Fallacy. As expected, Buss's narration is a strength as he's a clever writer. Also, excelsior is the research. He examines trends in places as diverse as America, Korea, the Netherlands, and Jamaica. The Dangerous Passion was dangerous to put down. I highly recommend it.