Bad Men: The Hidden Roots of Sexual Deception, Harassment and Assault

'Offers a wide-ranging account of the origins of human sexual behaviour and its modern manifestations, helping to make sense of so many troubling behaviours. Insightful and provocative' - Nicolas Christakis, author of Blueprint

Sexual conflict permeates ancient religions, from injunctions about thy neighbor's wife to the sexual obligations of marriage. It is etched in written laws that dictate who can and cannot have sex with whom. Its manifestations shape our sexual morality, evoking approving accolades or contemptuous condemnation. It produces sexual double standards that flourish even in the most sexually egalitarian cultures on earth. And although every person alive struggles with sexual conflict, most of us see only the tip of the iceberg: dating deception, a politician's unsavory grab, the slow crumbling of a once-happy marriage, a romantic breakup that turns nasty.

Bad Men shows that this "battle of the sexes" is deeper and far more pervasive than anyone has recognized, revealing the hidden roots of sexual conflict -- roots that originated over deep evolutionary time -- which characterise our sexual psychology. Providing novel insights into our minds and behaviours, Bad Men presents a unifying new theory of sexual conflict and offers practical advice for men and women seeking to avoid it.

David M. Buss is professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of several books, including The Evolution of Desire, The Dangerous Passion, The Murderer Next Door, and Why Women Have Sex (coauthored with Dr. Cindy Meston). He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Scientific Award for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Study at Stanford. He has been cited as one of the fifty most influential psychologists in the world.