10/08/2026
“A culture that trusts ambiguity more than clarity.” — Scott Stanley, Ph.D.
In a recent episode of the Untold podcast, Dr. Scott Stanley sits down with host Nicholas Vaca for a thoughtful conversation about commitment, cohabitation, marriage, and the importance of clarity in relationships.
What makes the conversation especially engaging is the exchange between decades of relationship research and the perspective of a young adult navigating these questions today. At 23, Nicholas reflects on how relevant these questions are for his generation—where navigating commitment, defining relationships, and finding clarity can be challenging.
In “Sliding vs. Deciding: Why Moving In Should Come After Marriage,” Dr. Stanley discusses with Nicholas what real commitment looks like, why commitment can feel harder today, and how the choices couples make as relationships develop can have lasting implications.
Dr. Stanley, a research professor at the University of Denver and one of the founders of PREP, has spent decades studying commitment and relationship development. Their conversation brings that research into dialogue with the experiences and questions of a younger generation.
It’s an engaging discussion about sliding vs. deciding—and the value of greater clarity and intentionality in relationships.
Thank you to Nicholas Vaca and Untold for the conversation.
🎧 Listen to the full episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7k2X0wmIxCqfnHYIMZvzye