After wondering what happened to her date after a few weeks, Deb realized she had been “ghosted”.

She synthesized 20 years of research on dating and human behavior, realizing that it’s very easy to be “disposable” because of others' flaky behavior.

The result is that relationships are sub par. We become less decisive and less satisfied in relationships.

"Unconscientious objectors" are social hazards and need to be avoided. Deb talks about new behaviors such as “ghosting”, “icing”, and “simmering” before appealing for a greater level of respect in relationships.

Dr. Debra Laino is a clinical sex therapist, sex educator, relationship therapist and life coach. She holds a Doctorate in Human Sexuality, a Master's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Education. She is in private practice, a University professor, published author and a major media contributor.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx