Human behavior, especially in romantic contexts, is shaped by a dense web of influences—personality, upbringing, culture, education, age, values, and lived experience. Yet despite this complexity, people routinely reach for shortcuts when interpreting others. Assumptions are made quickly, often confidently, and frequently incorrectly. Nowhere is this more obvious than in dating, where surface-level traits are treated as evidence of a person’s emotional history or supposed romantic past.
The problem is not curiosity; it’s reduction. People are flattened into stereotypes, and ordinary human qualities are misread as “signs” of something deeper, usually something judgmental. In reality, most behaviors say far more about personal development and social learning than they do about relationship history. Letting go of these myths is not just more accurate—it’s essential for building healthier, more respectful connections. Continue reading…
