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Gurit E. Birnbaum, Ph.D.

About

Gurit Birnbaum, Ph.D., works at Reichman University (IDC, Herzliya), Israel. She has published dozens of articles and book chapters focusing on the convoluted role played by sexuality in the broader context of close relationships that have been cited in leading media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Times, and TIME magazine. She served/serves as a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, European Journal of Social Psychology, and Archives of Sexual Behavior, and was an associate editor of Personal Relationships. You may watch Prof. Gurit Birnbaum's TEDx talk on why humans make sex so complicated here.

Recent Posts

The Flirting Paradox

Trying to make a partner jealous is likely to backfire.

Does Power Corrupt the Heart?

Power dynamics don’t just shape boardrooms, they infiltrate our most intimate bonds. A new study reveals how and why feeling powerful might increase vulnerability to infidelity.

Can Couples With Different Sexual Desires Survive?

Differing sexual needs don't necessarily doom a relationship. Here's how to navigate them.

Why Foreplay Begins Outside the Bedroom

How to create a relational ambiance that will unleash sexual desire.

How to "Inoculate" Partners Against Infidelity

For the first time, a study shows how virtual reality affects real-world relationships.

For the first time, a study shows how virtual reality affects real-world relationships.

How to Make a Relationship More Infidelity-Proof

A thought exercise that fortifies resolve.

A thought exercise that fortifies resolve.

What Makes Someone More Likely to Cheat?

Are you living in an environment where cheating is common? Beware—it's contagious!

Are you living in an environment where cheating is common? Beware—it's contagious!

What Happens After an Attempted Mate Poaching

If someone’s flirting with you online, beware: It could ruin your relationship.

If someone’s flirting with you online, beware: It could ruin your relationship.

Why Sexual Desire Is So Important to a Relationship

Sexual desire functions as a psychological mechanism encouraging investment in partners.

Sexual desire functions as a psychological mechanism encouraging investment in partners.

What Sexual Fantasies Can Do for a Relationship

What are the broader implications of having certain sexual fantasies?

What are the broader implications of having certain sexual fantasies?

November 2024 magazine cover

The Perfectionism Trap

When we fall prey to perfectionism, we think we’re honorably aspiring to be our very best, but often we’re really just setting ourselves up for failure, as perfection is impossible and its pursuit inevitably backfires.

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