Feature Channels: Sex and Relationships

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Researchers from Binghamton University and The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, collaborated on a comprehensive academic review of the sexual hookup culture. Their finding concluded that these encounters, which are increasingly becoming the ‘norm,’ mark a shift in the openness and acceptance of uncommitted sex among U.S. “emerging adults” during the transitional developmental period between adolescence and young adulthood.

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Hindus and Muslims are less likely than Christians and Jews to have premarital sex, and Muslims are the least likely among people of these religious groups to have extramarital sex, according to a new study that analyzed data on premarital and extramarital sexual behaviors in over 30 developing countries around the world.

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Young women who start using hormonal contraceptives for birth control often stop using condoms, but a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds that if they later discontinue using hormonal contraceptives, they tend not to resume using condoms, increasing their risk of both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

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Flirtatiousness, female friendliness, or the more diplomatic description “feminine charm” is an effective way for women to gain negotiating mileage, according to a new negotiaion study by Haas School of Business Professor Laura Kray.

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Although mothers are usually the ones who have “the birds and the bees” talks with their children, with targeted prompting and guidance, fathers will also step up to the plate, finds a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

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Parents of teen girls are more ready to accept their daughters being offered birth control pills and condoms during doctor visits than other, more effective and long-acting contraceptive methods, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

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Indiana University has released Kinsey Reporter, a global mobile survey platform for collecting and reporting anonymous data about sexual and other intimate behaviors. The pilot project allows citizen observers around the world to use free applications now available for Apple and Android mobile platforms to not only report on sexual behavior and experiences, but also to share, explore and visualize the accumulated data.

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The purpose of the Princeton III meeting was to find an approach for optimizing sexual function and preserving cardiovascular health in men with known cardiovascular disease and to develop a primary approach to cardiovascular risk assessment in younger men with erectile dysfunction and no cardiovascular disease. The conference updated findings from the Princeton I and Princeton II meetings, held in 2000 and 2005, respectively.

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An international team of scientists led by Gregg Adams at the University of Saskatchewan has discovered that a protein in semen acts on the female brain to prompt ovulation, and is the same molecule that regulates the growth, maintenance, and survival of nerve cells.

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Married couples who undergo long-term separations appear to be those who can’t afford to divorce, a new nationwide study suggests.

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Married couples who undergo long-term separations generally appear to be those who can’t afford to divorce, a new nationwide study suggests.

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New research examining relationships and the use of alcohol finds that while a long-term marriage appears to curb men’s drinking, it’s associated with a slightly higher level of alcohol use among women.

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Almost half of college students judge men and women with similar sexual histories by the same standard and hold equally negative attitudes towards both their male and female peers who they believe hook up “too much,” suggests new research.

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More and more adults age 50 and over are choosing to live with their significant other instead of marrying them. According to a new study from researchers at the National Center for Family and Marriage Research (NCFMR) at Bowling Green State University, during later life, cohabitation appears to operate as a long-term alternative to marriage, rather than a first step down the aisle. The study is in featured in August’s Journal of Marriage and Family.

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Physiologists have identified the biological mechanism that could be responsible for cold feet, the bane of existence for singles and couples alike.

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Stowers scientists make a surprising find in study of sex- and aggression-triggering vomeronasal organ.

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Women with diabetes are just as likely to be interested in, and engage in, sexual activity as non-diabetic women, but they are much more likely to report low overall sexual satisfaction, according to a UCSF study.

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Professors look at what happens when neat freaks and slobs are paired, either romantically or as roommates.

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If you’re meeting an ex lover plan on coffee instead of lunch if you’d like to keep the peace at home: When it comes to consuming calories with a person of the opposite sex, sharing meals sparks significantly more jealousy than meeting that same person for coffee.

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Hot, sexy bestsellers like “50 Shades of Grey” offer teaching opportunities, but also challenges, says Robin Poedel, clinical assistant professor of nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). The books provoke discussion, but lack of attention to safe sex concerns her. Poedel’s teaching and research focus on sexual behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

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Male hormonal contraceptives applied daily to the skin reduce sperm production, finds a new study to be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society’s 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

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Results of a new study are based on in-depth interviews with couples in heterosexual marriages as well as gay and lesbian partnerships.

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Way more than fun and games, sexual reproduction appears to give an evolutionary advantage, a Michigan Tech biologist has discovered.

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A study by Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeks to determine if periodic check-ups can keep relationships strong and healthy for a lifetime by increasing intimacy, improving communication and promoting greater acceptance of each partner, among other outcomes.

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A University of Tennessee study reveals how females chose their mates played a critical role in human evolution by leading to monogamous relationships, which laid the foundation for the institution of the modern family.

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An Indiana U. study that focused on the health issues and behaviors specific to behaviorally bisexual men and women, found tremendous variety and that labels can do more harm than good.

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Little research has examined couple-level substance abuse within young adult romantic relationships. Jacquelyn Wiersma of the University of Arkansas is available to discuss her research into mate selection and risky behaviors.

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GW Professor, Dr. Michael Irwig, author of a 2011 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, titled, “Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss,” is available to speak with media about the recent changes required by the FDA to include a warning about possible persistent sexual side effects on packaging of the drug, Propecia. Dr. Irwig continues to study men with long-term effects of this drug.

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Conventional wisdom, backed by years of research, suggests that healthy marriages equals a healthy society. And politicians and government officials have taken note, investing hundreds of millions of dollars each year in education programs designed to promote healthy marriages, focusing specifically on poor couples and couples of color. Is it working? No, says a Binghamton University researcher in a new study published in the current issue of American Psychologist, the flagship journal of the American Psychological Association. And it’s because many of these programs were based on research data gathered from White and middle-class marriages, and when applied to poor couples or couples of color, just don’t work.

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How good are married couples at recognizing each other’s emotions during conflicts? In general, pretty good, according to a study by a Baylor University researcher. But if your partner is angry, that might tell more about the overall climate of your marriage than about what your partner is feeling at the moment of the dispute.

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Perfume ads, beer billboards, movie posters: everywhere you look, women’s sexualized bodies are on display. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that both men and women see images of sexy women’s bodies as objects, while they see sexy-looking men as people.

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A diet high in saturated fat might make arguments with your spouse more stressful. That's what researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are theorizing in their recently launched study of married couples. Conducted by the husband and wife team of Ron Glaser, director of The Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research; and Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, the study will evaluate the change in couples' blood cholesterol and stress hormone levels following discussions of stressful topics such as finances, relatives, or annoying habits.

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International surveys about the depth of people’s belief in God reveal vast differences among nations, ranging from 94 percent of people in the Philippines who said they always believed in God, compared to only 13 percent of people in the former East Germany. Belief in God is higher among older people, regardless of where they live.

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Employee assistance programs (EAPs), a standard benefit offered to employees at most large companies, are failing to identify individuals who abuse or have the potential to abuse their intimate partner, despite well-known risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration. This is the first study to examine the involvement of EAPs in screening and offering treatment to persons who perpetrate violence against their partners

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Valerie Reyna, professor of human development at Cornell University and an expert on risky teen behavior, comments on a new study finding that six percent of eighth grade children had participated in the choking game, in which blood flow to the brain is cut to experience a simulated high.

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What should be a fairy-tale day — a woman’s wedding — could turn into a nightmare for a bride-to-be who goes on a new feeding-tube diet to lose 20 pounds fast, says a Baylor University professor and a former chair of a public policy committee for the American Dietetic Association.

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Caring for a wife with breast cancer can have a measurable negative effect on men’s health, even years after the cancer diagnosis and completion of treatment, according to recent research.

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Human nature has deep evolutionary roots and is manifested in relationships with family members, friends, romantic and business partners, competitors, and strangers more than in any other aspects of behavior or intellectual activity. It is in party genetically controlled and evolves by natural selection, contends a behavioral biologist.

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Men like to know when their wife or girlfriend is happy while women really want the man in their life to know when they are upset, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.

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When one friend admits they are “into” the other but the feeling isn't mutual, the relationship can indeed be in jeopardy. Friendships often dissolve under these circumstances, but not always, says Heidi Reeder, associate professor of communication at Boise State University.

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There are six "lenses" through which people view sexuality in our pluralistic society. Thus there are few shared understandings or "rules of engagement." This leads to pain and disappointment for many people.

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A study on couples who broke up and then got back together revealed that the couple had a lower level of happiness and self-esteem; were less satisfied with their partner and the relationship; had worse communication; and were more uncertain about their future together.

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Love is in the air on Valentine's Day, and Gettysburg College philosophy professor Steve Gimbel is offering some ethical and practical advice on flirting to those of the faint of heart.

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Online daters intent on fudging their personal information have a big advantage: most people are terrible at identifying a liar. But new research is turning the tables on deceivers using their own words.

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Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Julie Damp, M.D. “There are a couple of different theories behind why that might be,” Damp said. People who are married or who are in close, healthy relationships tend to be less likely to smoke, are more physically active and are more likely to have a well-developed social structure, she said. They are also more likely to have lower levels of stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives.

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Young adults who easily engage in rewarding conversations with their partners are less likely to hold onto anger and stress and more likely to be satisfied with the relationship, according to research from Kansas State University. Researchers are also looking at factors that relate to positive dating relationships or problematic relationships.

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Beauty is more than skin deep, at least for fruit flies studied in new research that demonstrates how age-related changes in pheromone production can reduce sexual attractiveness.

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When low-income cohabiting couples with children decide to no longer live together, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their romantic relationship, a new study suggests.

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For those with few social advantages, college is a prime pathway to financial stability, but it also unexpectedly lowers their odds of ever marrying, according to a study by Cornell University sociologist Kelly Musick being published in the February issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

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When it comes to the well-being of married versus cohabitating Valentines, wedded couples experience few advantages in psychological well-being and social ties, according to a new study at Cornell University.