The Great RomCon?

The Great RomCon?

by Jim Clark
RelationshipsTechnology
Season 2
Hot or Not? The Psychology of Attraction on Dating Apps
Human attraction, the elusive spark or personal chemistry you have with some people (but not others), has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. We assess available metrics in person: body language, eye contact, confidence - all these tiny signals that help us work out whether someone is attractive, trustworthy, dangerous, charismatic, boorish, pompous, intelligent or completely insufferable. Then, in the space of about fifteen years, we collectively decided to move dating onto apps where most of that information disappeared. Now attraction often begins with six photos, a vaguely ironic reference to Hawaiian pizza, and the strategy of delayed replies. So, how are we actually navigating this strange new environment? Are dating apps helping us identify compatible partners more efficiently, or are they distorting this natural in-person attraction process entirely? Looking to explore this with me is today’s guest, Dr Claire Hart, an Associate Professor at the University of Southampton whose work explores attraction, relationships and the psychology of human connection in digital environments. Dr Hart’s research is in quantitative social and personality psychology, such as looking at: narcissism, empathy and bullying. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E20
Jun 22, 2026
51:18
Read Receipts and Misread Signals: How Is Technology Changing Human Communication?
Communication has been going through a revolution. Originally, humans evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to communicate face-to-face: tone of voice, eye contact, body language, nervous laughter, pheromones: all the cues and signals that will be read by our subconscious to help us understand one another. Then, within the past twenty years, we collectively decided to move large parts of our social and romantic lives onto glowing rectangles in our hands: the original iPhone was launched in January 2007. Now we flirt through text messages, argue via WhatsApp, dump each other over email and fall in love through curated online profiles. Entire relationships can rise and collapse because of misunderstanding caused by punctuation - is that passive-aggressive full stop? So what exactly is technology doing to the way we communicate? Are dating apps and social media helping us express ourselves better to more people, or flattening human interaction into something more performative and transactional? To discuss this, I speak to Prof Sophie Scott, a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL. Sophie studies the neurobiology of speech perception: how our brains process the information in speech and voices, and how our brains control the production of our voice. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E19
Jun 15, 2026
42:20
Cammin’. Cammin’. And I hope you like Cammin’, Too?: What Are Platforms Doing to Intimacy?
Innovation and technology have reshaped almost every aspect of our romantic and sexual lives: from how we flirt, to how we perform desirability (even male strippers wear tool belts), to how we understand what counts as “normal” intimacy. If you watch the film Kinsey, about his famous US sex study in the 1948 and 1953 in America, all anyone wants to know of the researchers is, “Am I normal?” We are 'On Tech and Sexual Politics' here on this podcast, but as platforms tighten their rules around sexual content, and governments introduce sweeping legislation like the Online Safety Act, the politics of pleasure have become more visible than ever. I discuss this with Dr Hanne Stegeman, a researcher at the University of Exeter whose work examines how people navigate sexuality in digital spaces. Dr Stegeman is especially interested in how people experience intimacy on the internet. Her work is concerned with the digital spaces people use to express intimate feelings, share sexual content, or learn about sexuality. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E18
Jun 9, 2026
46:59
The Therapist Is Online Now: How is technology changing the way we view ourselves?
"Why don’t you like me?" No, not the beginning line of a progressive one-woman show, but one of many questions that we may ask ourselves about our friends, colleagues and lovers. If we have the time (and money), we may even pay someone to listen to us, in the form of talking therapy, in an effort to better understand ourselves and other people. Therapy has now gone mainstream - but what does that actually mean for how we understand ourselves, our relationships, and the digital world we now live in? In this episode, we are speaking to Dr Aaron Balick, a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, author, psychological consultant, honorary senior lecturer at The Department for Psychoanalytic and Psychosocial Studies at the University of Essex, and cultural theorist and one of the UK’s most thoughtful voices on how psychological ideas shape everyday life. Aaron’s work has long examined what happens when therapy leaves the consulting room and enters the public sphere: from the rise of therapy-speak, to the boom in online counselling, to the way digital culture reshapes our expectations of intimacy. He is a speaker, writes for GQ, and has written three books: ‘The Psychodynamics of Social Networking’ in 2013 and 'The Little Book of Calm' in 2018. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E7
Apr 16, 2026
54:11
Botocracy: Is AI going to take over all aspects of public life?
Artificial intelligence has moved from a niche technical field to a force shaping how we work, communicate and even participate in democracy. As governments and organisations increasingly rely on automated systems in the name of efficiency and convenience, questions about trust, transparency and public understanding have become impossible to ignore. What does it mean for everyday life when decisions that affect us are mediated by technologies most people (including the people who created them) don’t fully understand? In this episode, I speak to Dr Susan Oman, Senior Lecturer in Data, AI and Society at the University of Sheffield. Susan’s research explores how data and evidence operate in practice, and what this means for policy areas such as well‑being, loneliness, inequality and class. Together we unpack the public’s uneasy relationship with AI, and the democratic implications of experiments like the AI avatar launched by Mark Sewards MP. From dystopian parallels to the realities of digital public engagement, Susan offers a grounded and nuanced perspective on what happens when technology starts to stand in for human judgement and understanding. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E6
Jan 26, 2026
54:48
Love is Blind: How is tech helping when dating with a disability?
Technology has transformed almost every aspect of modern romance, but for many disabled people, the digital world can be both a gateway to connection and a barrier to it. Dating apps promise opportunity, yet often overlook the needs of those who rely on them most. At the same time, our online lives have reshaped how we think about infidelity, financial imbalance, and even the boundaries of flirting. To explore these questions, I speak to writer and broadcaster Rob Crossan, who has spent over two decades covering travel, culture and disability affairs. Drawing on his personal experiences as a visually impaired man navigating the dating world, Rob offers a candid and funny account of how technology can help, and hinder, the search for intimacy. They discuss everything from accessibility failures in app design, to the emotional politics of digital temptation, to why going analogue sometimes feels like the only option when looking for love. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E5
Jan 22, 2026
53:41
Spill the Tea: Are online spaces affecting men and women differently?
Gossip, since our pre-tribal dawn, has been a useful way of regulating social standings and ensuring community cohesion. In the online social media and dating app sphere, however, all this has changed, with men and women responding to this new age differently. Some women are finding online spaces becoming increasingly misogynistic and threatening, with some men finding themselves excluded and frustrated. Today’s guest, Dr Jenny van Hooff, is a sociologist at Manchester University specialising in personal life and contemporary intimacies. Dr van Hooff’s research explores the dynamics of couple relationships, love, commitment, infidelity, and break-ups across different stages of life, including examining the significance of friendships and the experiences of dating app users. She co-directs the Contemporary Intimacies, Sexualities, and Genders Research Group, an interdisciplinary network that investigates the evolving landscape of personal relationships and intimacies. The Research Group challenges how we think about intimate relationships, gender relations, eroticism and sexuality to advance social justice. Jenny’s current projects focus on midlife intimacy, relationship breakdown, and digital dating practices. Dr van Hooff wrote a 2013 book entitled: Modern Couples?: Continuity and Change in Heterosexual. In the episode we reference the books The Value of Others and Cold Intimacies: The Making of Emotional Capitalism. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E4
Oct 28, 2025
52:20
AI Demystified: What will the next technological revolution mean for our relationships?
‘There is undoubtedly a huge amount of hype that surrounds this latest development in AI. The remarkable ambition of Sam Altman and others to create artificial general intelligence may or may not come to pass. Depending on who you listen to, it is either going to destroy the world, take your job or be your best friend (or even lover).’ That was a quote from the book ‘AI Demystified’. Today’s guest, Dr Antonio Weiss, helpfully wrote that book and is here to talk about it. Antonio is an award-winning technology expert and best-selling author. He has advised the Office for Artificial Intelligence, the UK Space Agency and NHS AI Lab, the Government Digital Service, and other pioneering organisations on AI adoption and digital transformation. He was previously Senior Advisor on Digital, Data & Technology to the Office of the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Antonio is the author of four other books: Key Business Solution (2023), The Practical Guide to Digital Transformation (2022), Management Consultancy and the British State (2019), 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work (2013). He is also an Affiliated Researcher at the University of Cambridge's Digital State programme and the co-founder of Thomas Clipper, which has featured in GQ, The Guardian and The Telegraph. He holds a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E3
Sep 29, 2025
48:55
Anxious Generation: What impact is technology having on young people?
What effect are devices and platforms having on children and young people? The American social scientist, Jonathan Haidt, published his seminal 2024 study on the cohort effect of the use of technology, particularly on girls. I am hoping today’s guest, Nina Moyano, will be able to shed some light on this from her experience of working with children and parents. She is an ICF and EMCC-Accredited Coach - founding Life Coach London. Nina’s work focuses on digital wellbeing, confidence and mindset. In particular, she supports individuals and organisations in navigating the challenges of digital overload and screen addiction to create healthier, more intentional relationships with technology - such as managing screen time, improving focus and attention, or creating a culture that values disconnection and balance. You can see more of Nina's work on LinkedIn and Instagram. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E2
Sep 22, 2025
56:07
Silver Vixen: How can you find love later in life?
The traditional romantic story has a couple in puberty, not their pension. However, finding love later in life has become more and more prevalent due to increased divorce rates and longer life expectancies. Using tech platforms and dating apps can feel daunting, however. Can a leopard change its spots, and have fun being single at 60? That's what I will be asking Fiona Lambert, an author and entrepreneur. After a successful career in fashion, including working in senior positions at brands at Asda, M&S, River Island and Next, she took to the pen and the punchbag to get fit. Her 2024 book, ‘Invincible not Invisible - Change Your Body and Mindset in 90 days’, I hope, she has left the boxing gloves at home, as we are here to discuss her new book: ‘SAS: Sexy and Single - Your Survival Guide to Dating’. Produced by the Bloomsbury Institute London.
S2 · E1
Aug 18, 2025
54:05
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