India, Nov. 20 -- Dating in today's times requires navigating an extra layer of complexity, with countless trends, tests, and terms circulating online. One such term capturing major attention is the 'bird theory,' a relationship concept that has gone viral on social media.

With nearly 20 million views on posts and reels tagged #birdtheory on Instagram alone, the trend is being hailed as a simple emotional check-in disguised as a playful experiment. Interestingly, the term isn't new at its core-it's rooted in the psychological concept of 'bids of connection,' coined by American psychologist John Gottman in the 1990s.

According to the Gottmans' research, relationships thrive when partners respond positively to these small, everyday "bids"...