About this episode
What actually makes us feel drawn to someone—and what makes us cling to situationships long after we can see the glaring red flags of emotional unavailability? In today's episode, I’m joined by my first-ever guest (!!) and one of my favorite podcasters of all time, Jemma Sbeg—host of the wildly popular Psychology of Your 20s podcast and the author of Person in Progress . If you’ve ever screamed-cried in your car after someone you weren’t even officially dating ghosted you, this one’s for you. A few things we dive into: A research-backed formula for attraction (and how to use it without playing games) The role of the “spark” in attraction The psychology behind common dating pitfalls in your 20s The stigma of being single The commitment-readiness scale (and why it can land you in situationship after situationship) Jemma also shares insights from PERSON IN PROGRESS —a roadmap for surviving the chaotic, confusing, deeply transitional decade that is your twenties—and offers advice to her younger self that made me tear up a little. Whether you’re trying to understand your patterns, make sense of someone else's, or just feel a little less alone in the dating trenches, this one will stick with you. EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00 Intro 02:51 The formula for attraction 04:21 1. Proximity 07:10 2. Similarity 11:43 3. Familiarity 14:03 The 3 month rule 16:55 The curse of comfort 19:31 The sunk cost fallacy 21:06 The fear of starting over 22:37 4. Reciprocity 23:13 The harm of playing games 26:36 5. A spark 27:19 The psychology of common relationship pitfalls 27:31 1. Repetition compulsion 31:04 2. The stigma of being single 36:45 3. Situationships 38:23 The commitment-readiness scale 40:21 Permission slip to grieve your situationship <3 42:09 Lightning round recap 43:26 Last question: what would you tell past you? PERSON IN PROGRESS If you liked this episode, you will love PERSON IN PROGRESS. Out now and available everywhere you buy books. Get your copy today! PERSON IN PROGRESS BY JEMMA SBEG PERSON IN PROGRESS BY JEMMA SBEG PERSON IN PROGRESS BY JEMMA SBEG MY LINKS • MAKE BELIEVE is out everywhere now • Get a signed copy of MAKE BELIEVE from Blue Willow Bookshop • Find me @thedailyvictorian on Instagram • Find me @thedailyvictorian on TikTok PS - This is the study I mentioned that found that single women are one of the happiest demographics on Earth. And an article about it here !