Dr. David M. Buss is a pioneering scholar widely recognized as one of the founders of evolutionary psychology, a discipline examining human behavior through the lens of evolutionary principles. He currently serves as Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin where he teaches courses in evolutionary psychology and human mating strategies. After earning his PhD from the University of California Berkeley in 1981 he established his academic career with an assistant professorship at Harvard University for four years followed by eleven years as a professor at the University of Michigan. His early work established him as a leading voice in applying evolutionary theory to psychological phenomena particularly in understanding human mating behavior across diverse cultures.
Dr. Buss's groundbreaking research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of human mating strategies with his seminal 1994 book The Evolution of Desire Strategies of Human Mating becoming a cornerstone text in evolutionary psychology that has withstood decades of scientific scrutiny. His extensive cross cultural studies across 37 cultures demonstrated remarkable universality in mate preferences while revealing nuanced sex differences in attraction and relationship dynamics challenging prevailing social science theories of his time. His theoretical contributions including the development of evolutionary explanations for jealousy mate selection infidelity and relationship conflicts have generated over 300 scientific publications and significantly influenced multiple disciplines beyond psychology. His work has established evolutionary psychology as a rigorous scientific framework for understanding fundamental aspects of human behavior that were previously examined through purely sociocultural lenses.
Beyond his research contributions Dr. Buss has been instrumental in establishing evolutionary psychology as a legitimate academic discipline through his influential textbooks particularly Evolutionary Psychology The New Science of the Mind which has educated generations of students worldwide. He continues to expand his research into the dark side of human nature investigating contemporary issues such as sexual deception harassment stalking intimate partner violence and homicide from an evolutionary perspective as evidenced by his 2021 book When Men Behave Badly. His leadership in the field is reflected in his extensive collaborations numerous invited lectures and frequent appearances as an expert in media discussions about human behavior. Dr. Buss remains actively engaged in advancing the field through ongoing research that bridges evolutionary theory with contemporary social issues ensuring his work continues to provide valuable insights into the complexities of human nature.
