Showing papers in "Journal of Sex Research in 2019"
TL;DR: Evidence that moral incongruence about IPU is a common phenomenon and that it is associated with outcomes relevant to current debates about pornography addiction is reviewed, with a focus on how variables other than pornography use might contribute to self-perceived problems around pornography use.
Abstract: Internet pornography use (IPU) remains a controversial topic within sexual behavior research fields. Whereas some people report feeling dysregulated in their use of pornography, mental health and medical communities are divided as to whether IPU can be addictive. The present review sought to examine this issue more closely, with a focus on how variables other than pornography use, such as moral disapproval and moral incongruence (i.e., feeling as if one's behaviors and one's values about those behaviors are misaligned), might specifically contribute to self-perceived problems around pornography use. Through an examination of recent literature, the present work reviews evidence that moral incongruence about IPU is a common phenomenon and that it is associated with outcomes relevant to current debates about pornography addiction. Specifically, moral incongruence regarding IPU appears to be associated with greater distress about IPU, greater psychological distress in general, greater reports of problems related to IPU, and greater reports of perceived addiction to IPU. The implications of this body of evidence for both clinical and research communities are discussed, and future directions for research are considered.
141 citations
TL;DR: Results indicated that impulsivity and compulsivity were weakly related to problematic pornography use among men and women, respectively, and impulsivity might have a more prominent role in hypersexuality than in problematic porn use.
Abstract: Impulsivity and compulsivity are transdiagnostic features associated with clinically relevant aspects of psychiatric disorders, including addictions. However, little research has investigated how impulsivity and compulsivity relate to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use. Thus, the aims of the present study were to investigate (a) self-reported impulsivity and compulsivity with respect to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use and (b) the similarities and possible differences between hypersexuality and problematic pornography use in these domains. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) in a large community sample (N = 13,778 participants; female = 4,151, 30.1%), results indicated that impulsivity (β = .28, β = .26) and compulsivity (β = .23, β = .14) were weakly related to problematic pornography use among men and women, respectively. Impulsivity had a stronger relationship (β = .41, β = .42) with hypersexuality than did compulsivity (β = .21, β = .16) among men and women, respectively. Consequently, impulsivity and compulsivity may not contribute as substantially to problematic pornography use as some scholars have proposed. On the other hand, impulsivity might have a more prominent role in hypersexuality than in problematic pornography use. Future research should examine further social and situational factors associated with problematic pornography use.
131 citations
TL;DR: This review of theoretical and empirical approaches to the development of gender/sex and sexual orientation (SO) looks at both identities as deeply embodied, and considers how thinking about embodied cognition helps to address intersubjectivity and the emergence of subjective identity.
Abstract: In this review, I explore theoretical and empirical approaches to the development of gender/sex and sexual orientation (SO). Leaving behind the nature versus nurture opposition, I look at both identities as deeply embodied. My approach intertwines sex, gender, orientation, bodies, and cultures without a demand to choose one over the other. First, I introduce basic definitions, focusing on how intertwined the concepts of sex and gender really are. I affirm recent trends to consider a new term-gender/sex-as the best way to think about these deeply interwoven bodily traits. I introduce several literatures, each of which considers the processes by which traits become embodied. These points of view offer a basis for future work on identity development. Specifically, and selectively, I provide insights from the fields of phenomenology, dyadic interaction and the formation of presymbolic representations in infancy, and dynamic systems in infant development. I consider how thinking about embodied cognition helps to address intersubjectivity and the emergence of subjective identity. Next, I review what we currently know about the development of complex sexual systems in infancy and toddlerhood. Finally, I discuss the few existing theories of SO development that consider the events of infancy and childhood.
97 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that a queer paradigm shifts the dominant scientific conception of relationships away from the confines of normativity toward an embrace of diversity, fluidity, and possibility.
Abstract: Recognition of sexual and gender diversity in the 21st century challenges normative assumptions of intimacy that privilege heterosexual monogamy and the biological family unit, presume binary cisgender identities, essentialize binary sexual identities, and view sexual or romantic desire as necessary. We propose a queer paradigm to study relationship diversity grounded in seven axioms: intimacy may occur (1) within relationships featuring any combination of cisgender, transgender, or nonbinary identities; (2) with people of multiple gender identities across the life course; (3) in multiple relationships simultaneously with consent; (4) within relationships characterized by consensual asymmetry, power exchange, or role-play; (5) in the absence or limited experience of sexual or romantic desire; (6) in the context of a chosen rather than biological family; and (7) in other possible forms yet unknown. We review research on queer relational forms, including same-sex relationships; relationships in which one or more partners identify as transgender, gender nonbinary, bisexual, pansexual, sexually fluid, "mostly" straight, asexual, or aromantic; polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy; kink/fetish relationships; and chosen families. We argue that a queer paradigm shifts the dominant scientific conception of relationships away from the confines of normativity toward an embrace of diversity, fluidity, and possibility.
83 citations
TL;DR: This article introduces a novel interpersonal emotion regulation model of women’s sexual dysfunction, using genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD) as an example, and describes the theoretical model and considers relevant pain and sex-related research on emotion regulation processes in the context of GPPPD.
Abstract: Researchers and clinicians alike widely acknowledge the inherently interpersonal nature of women's sexual dysfunctions given that both partners impact and are impacted by these difficulties. Yet theoretical models for understanding the role of interpersonal factors in women's sexual dysfunctions are severely lacking and have the potential to guide future research and inform more effective interventions. The most widely studied sexual dysfunction in women that has espoused a dyadic approach by including both members of affected couples is genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD). In this article we use the example of GPPPD to introduce a novel interpersonal emotion regulation model of women's sexual dysfunction. We first review current knowledge regarding distal and proximal interpersonal factors in GPPPD. Then, we describe our theoretical model and consider relevant pain and sex-related research on emotion regulation processes-emotional awareness, expression, and experience-in the context of GPPPD, including sexual function, satisfaction, and distress. Next, we review how existing theories from the fields of chronic pain and sex and relationships research have informed our model and how our model further builds on them. Finally, we discuss the implications of our model and its applications, including to other sexual dysfunctions in women.
62 citations
TL;DR: Recommendations concerning health care communication, the importance of taking time for emotion, and the process of building supportive relationships are offered, indicating how psychosocial professionals can contribute to health care and well-being in the context of dsd when appropriately resourced and trained.
Abstract: Intersex or diverse sex development (dsd) can be conceptualized as an aspect of bodily diversity that has particular psychosocial implications. This is a review of psychosocial health care literature, published from 2007 to 2017, focusing on the well-being of people with a diagnosis relating to sex development. The analysis I offer here takes a critical psychological approach, questioning norms and taken-for-granted assumptions. This approach works from the understanding that how we know and how we talk about a phenomenon affects people in material and life-changing ways. This article offers recommendations concerning health care communication, the importance of taking time for emotion, and the process of building supportive relationships. The research reviewed provides clear evidence of psychosocial harm that is done through genital intervention and evidence that parents do not routinely give fully informed consent before their children undergo treatment. Finally, I highlight key points and recommendations for health professionals, indicating how psychosocial professionals can contribute to health care and well-being in the context of dsd when appropriately resourced and trained.
61 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that while pornography use was negatively associated with sexual satisfaction for American men, among men who rarely attended religious services or held a low opinion of the Bible this negative association essentially disappeared and the negative association was more pronounced for men with stronger ties to conventional religion.
Abstract: Research has often demonstrated a negative association between pornography use and various intrapersonal and relationship outcomes, particularly for men. Several recent studies, however, have sugge...
61 citations
TL;DR: The findings underscore the need for survey methods that facilitate candid reporting and suggest that approaches to encourage counting rather than estimating may be helpful, as a range of potential explanations within the same nationally representative data set are interrogated.
Abstract: In a closed population and defined time period, the mean number of opposite-sex partners reported by men and women should be equal. However, in all surveys, men report more partners. This inconsistency is pivotal to debate about the reliability of self-reported sexual behavior. We used data from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), a probability sample survey of the British population, to investigate the extent to which survey sampling, accounting strategies (e.g., estimating versus counting), and (mis)reporting due to social norms might explain the inconsistency. Men reported a mean of 14.14 lifetime partners; women reported 7.12. The gender gap of 7.02 reduced to 5.47 after capping the lifetime partner number at the 99th percentile. In addition, adjusting for counting versus estimation reduced the gender gap to 3.24, and further adjusting for sexual attitudes narrowed it to 2.63. Together, these may account for almost two-thirds of the gender disparity. Sampling explanations (e.g., non-U.K.-resident partners included in counts; sex workers underrepresented) had modest effects. The findings underscore the need for survey methods that facilitate candid reporting and suggest that approaches to encourage counting rather than estimating may be helpful. This study is novel in interrogating a range of potential explanations within the same nationally representative data set.
53 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of the reliability and the generalizability of HBI and to determine a cutoff score on a large, diverse, online, nonclinical sample found seven classes emerged, but they could not be reliably distinguished by objective sexuality-related characteristics.
Abstract: The conceptualization of hypersexuality has begun to converge as a result of proposed diagnostic criteria. However, its measurement is still diverse. The Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) is one of the most appropriate scales used to assess hypersexuality, but further examination is needed to test its psychometric properties among different clinical and nonclinical groups, including samples outside of the United States. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and the generalizability of HBI and to determine a cutoff score on a large, diverse, online, nonclinical sample (N = 18,034 participants; females = 6132; 34.0%; Mage = 33.6 years, SDage = 11.1). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability indices provided support for the structure of the HBI and demonstrated excellent reliability. Employing latent profile analysis (LPA), seven classes emerged, but they could not be reliably distinguished by objective sexuality-related characteristics. Moreover, it was not possible to determine an adequate cutoff score, most likely due to the low prevalence rate of hypersexuality in the population. HBI can be reliably used to measure the extent of hypersexual urges, fantasies, and behavior; however, objective indicators and a clinical interview are essential to claim that a given individual may exhibit features of problematic sexual behavior.
51 citations
TL;DR: Two related claims are tested: (1) aggressive content in videos is on the rise and (2) viewers prefer such content, reflected in both the number of views and the rankings for videos containing aggression.
Abstract: It is a common notion among many scholars and pundits that the pornography industry becomes "harder and harder" with every passing year. Some have suggested that porn viewers, who are mostly men, become desensitized to "soft" pornography, and producers are happy to generate videos that are more hard core, resulting in a growing demand for and supply of violent and degrading acts against women in mainstream pornographic videos. We examined this accepted wisdom by utilizing a sample of 269 popular videos uploaded to PornHub over the past decade. More specifically, we tested two related claims: (1) aggressive content in videos is on the rise and (2) viewers prefer such content, reflected in both the number of views and the rankings for videos containing aggression. Our results offer no support for these contentions. First, we did not find any consistent uptick in aggressive content over the past decade; in fact, the average video today contains shorter segments showing aggression. Second, videos containing aggressive acts are both less likely to receive views and less likely to be ranked favorably by viewers, who prefer videos where women clearly perform pleasure.
49 citations
TL;DR: A meta-analysis examines the correlation between couples’ sexual communication and dimension of sexual function across 48 studies and concludes that sexual communication was positively associated with sexual desire, lubrication, and overall sexual function.
Abstract: Research and clinical data have shown that couples with sexual problems report a lack of sexual communication. However, no published meta-analyses have evaluated the relationship between sexual com...
TL;DR: It is argued that the dominant perspective of sexual agency as an outward performance of an internal attribute both underestimates its presence and overestimates its potency, insinuating that individual will is enough to fend off sexual vulnerability forged by social injustice.
Abstract: Through a conceptual analysis of sexual agency, I consider the limitations and distortions of what we typically recognize as agency and whom we recognize as agents. I argue that the dominant perspe...
TL;DR: Examination of how race, gender, and religion intersect to influence trends in pornography viewership over 43 years revealed that Black Americans in general were more likely to view pornography than Whites, and they were increasing in their pornography viewership at a higher rate than Whites.
Abstract: While some research has uncovered racial differences in patterns of pornography viewership, no studies to date have considered how these patterns may be changing over time or how these trends may be moderated by other key predictors of pornography viewership-specifically, gender and religion. Using nationally representative data from the 1973-2016 General Social Survey (GSS; N = 20,620), and taking into account different ethnoreligious histories with pornography as a moral issue, we examined how race, gender, and religion intersect to influence trends in pornography viewership over 43 years. Analyses revealed that Black Americans in general were more likely to view pornography than Whites, and they were increasing in their pornography viewership at a higher rate than Whites. Moreover, Black men were more likely to consume pornography than all other race/gender combinations, but differed only from White women in their increasing rate of pornography viewership. Lastly, frequent worship attendance moderated trends in pornography viewership only for White men. By contrast, regardless of attendance frequency, Black men and women showed increasing rates of pornography use, while White women showed flat rates. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for research on the intersections of race, gender, religion, and sexuality.
TL;DR: Interest in open relationships is higher, particularly among younger adults, and open appears to be a viable and important relationship type, and relationship satisfaction did not differ significantly between monogamous and open relationships.
Abstract: Open relationships are those in which individuals agree to participate in sexual and/or emotional and romantic interactions with more than one partner. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of open relationships, based on representative, unbiased samples, are few, and there are none from outside of the United States. We present findings from a nationally representative sample of 2,003 Canadian adults, administered in 2017 via an online questionnaire. Overall, 2.4% of all participants, and 4.0% of those currently in a relationship, reported currently being in an open relationship. One-fifth of participants reported prior engagement in an open relationship, and 12% reported open as their ideal relationship type. Men, compared with women, were more likely to report prior open relationship engagement and to identify open as their ideal relationship type. Younger participants were more likely both to engage in and to prefer open relationships. Relationship satisfaction did not differ significantly between monog...
TL;DR: Analysis of relationships between bisexual-specific stigma and sexual violence, as well as other sexual health outcomes, across a sexually diverse group of plurisexual participants indicates that bisexual stigma is a significant predictor of lifetime sexual violence and verbal coercion, but not other outcomes.
Abstract: Bisexual women experience higher rates of sexual victimization relative to heterosexual and lesbian women, and worse sexual health outcomes. Though these health disparities are well documented in t...
TL;DR: Investigating the suppression of thoughts and its possible importance in the cognitive model of predicted compulsive sexual behavior among Israeli Jewish religious and secular adolescents indicated that religious adolescents are higher in CSB than secular ones, and that sexual suppression and CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being.
Abstract: The rebound effect of thought suppression refers to attempts to suppress thoughts that result in an increase of those thoughts. The aim of this three-study research was to investigate the suppression of thoughts and its possible importance in the cognitive model of predicted compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among Israeli Jewish religious and secular adolescents. Study 1 (N = 661): Do religious and secular adolescents differ in CSB and related psychopathology? Study 2 (N = 522): Does CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being? Study 3 (N = 317): Does religiosity relate to suppression of sexual thoughts, which relates to higher CSB and lower well-being? The analyses indicated that religious adolescents are higher in CSB than secular ones, and that sexual suppression and CSB mediate the link between religiosity and well-being. Results are discussed and address the need for a broader understanding of CSB and the function of thought suppression.
TL;DR: If an effects perspective was adopted, these results would suggest that low rates of pornography consumption have no impact on sexual satisfaction and that adverse effects initiate only after consumption reaches a certain frequency.
Abstract: Several studies using different methods have found that pornography consumption is associated with lower sexual satisfaction. The language used by media-effects scholars in discussions of this association implies an expectation that lowered satisfaction is primarily due to frequent-but not infrequent-consumption. Actual analyses, however, have assumed linearity. Linear analyses presuppose that for each increase in the frequency of pornography consumption there is a correspondingly equivalent decrease in sexual satisfaction. The present brief report explored the possibility that the association is curvilinear. Survey data from two studies of heterosexual adults, one conducted in England and the other in Germany, were employed. Results were parallel in each country and were not moderated by gender. Quadratic analysis indicated a curvilinear relationship, in the form of a predominantly negative, concave downward curve. Simple slope analyses suggested that when the frequency of consumption reaches once a month, sexual satisfaction begins to decrease, and that the magnitude of the decrease becomes larger with each increase in the frequency of consumption. The observational nature of the data employed precludes any causal inferences. However, if an effects perspective was adopted, these results would suggest that low rates of pornography consumption have no impact on sexual satisfaction and that adverse effects initiate only after consumption reaches a certain frequency.
TL;DR: A new typology of longitudinal latent classes describes dynamic multidimensional processes continuing from late adolescence through the late 20s, indicating that sexual orientation development continues throughout emerging adulthood.
Abstract: Defining sexual minority status longitudinally over critical developmental periods is essential for understanding the roots of health disparities. Theory supports multidimensional continuums, but c...
TL;DR: Findings reflect that midlife and older adults provide multifaceted definitions inclusive of various behavioral experiences, including disengaging from sex, and are keenly aware of physical and psychological limitations and strengths, and emphasize mutual experiences and synchronicity.
Abstract: Sexual wellness is integral to quality of life across the life span, despite ageist stereotypes suggesting sexual expression ends at midlife. However, conceptualizing sexual wellness in mid- and la...
TL;DR: There was a significant decrease in sexual anxiety during times before initiating PrEP and after, within adjusted multilevel models, but no significant changes in sexual esteem or satisfaction.
Abstract: Gay and bisexual men (GBM) with heightened fears of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition have reported high levels of sexual anxiety and low sexual self-esteem. Similarly, sexual satisfac...
TL;DR: This review examines the relationship between alcohol and outcomes related to sexual health and concludes that acute alcohol intoxication is capable of exerting a causal impact on multiple constituent components of sexual responding related toSexual health.
Abstract: Alcohol, despite salutary associations with sexuality, has been implicated in sexual health problems. This review examines the relationship between alcohol and outcomes related to sexual health. Methodological considerations limiting causal assertions permissible with nonexperimental data are discussed, as are advantages of experimental methods. Findings from laboratory experiments are reviewed evaluating causal effects of acute alcohol intoxication on a variety of outcomes, including sexual arousal, sexual desire, orgasm, and sexual risk behaviors related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several variables exerting mediating and moderating influences are identified. It is concluded that acute alcohol intoxication is capable of exerting a causal impact on multiple constituent components of sexual responding related to sexual health. Both alcohol expectancy and alcohol myopia theories have been supported as explanations for these causal effects. Furthermore, for sexual risk behavior, noteworthy recent developments include research highlighting the importance of women's sexual victimization history and men's condom use resistance. Limitations and implications associated with this body of research are also discussed.
TL;DR: This article discusses each of these analyses, providing conceptual and historical overviews, and describes current best practices when using each analysis, providing reproducible coding examples and interpretations along the way in an attempt to reduce barriers to the uptake ofThese analyses.
Abstract: Sexual scientists must choose from among myriad methodological and analytical approaches when investigating their research questions. How can scholars learn whether sexualities are discrete or cont...
TL;DR: Findings shed light on the complexity inherent within the dynamic association between sexual and marital satisfaction over the early years of marriage in the Chinese cultural context.
Abstract: Sexuality is an integral component of many intimate relationships, and research has consistently demonstrated a positive association between sexual and marital satisfaction. However, the temporal dynamics of this association remain controversial and understudied with rigorous longitudinal dyadic approaches, and empirical efforts examining this association in non-Western samples remain sparse. Based on three annual waves of data from 268 Chinese couples during the early years of marriage, this study tested a cross-lagged, actor-partner interdependence model examining the association between sexual and marital satisfaction. Results indicated that (a) across three waves, husbands' earlier sexual satisfaction predicted their later marital satisfaction, rather than the reverse; (b) from Wave 1 to Wave 2, wives' earlier marital satisfaction predicted their later sexual satisfaction, rather than the reverse, but no association between wives' sexual and marital satisfaction was found from Wave 2 to Wave 3; and (c) four longitudinal indirect associations linking sexual and marital satisfaction were identified, including three actor associations and one partner association. Such findings shed light on the complexity inherent within the dynamic association between sexual and marital satisfaction over the early years of marriage in the Chinese cultural context.
TL;DR: Compared to participants in monogamous relationships, those in polyamorous relationships were more likely to report minority sexual identities and to select “other” options for most demographic characteristics, suggesting that they tend to choose less traditional response options in general.
Abstract: Research on polyamorous relationships has increased substantially over the past decade. This work has documented how polyamory is practiced and why individuals might pursue such arrangements. Howev...
TL;DR: Not all women need to experience high levels of arousal throughout the sexual experience or to have desire at the outset in order to have positive sexual experiences and sexual outcomes.
Abstract: Research has suggested women’s sexual response cycle may vary more than previously thought. We asked 769 sexually active women between the ages of 18–70 to report on their sexual desire and arousal...
TL;DR: The importance of conceptualising sexual wellbeing as individually experienced but socially and structurally influenced is discussed, including assessing sexual wellbeing freedom: a person’s freedom to achieve sexual wellbeing, or their real opportunities and liberties.
Abstract: An increasing number of studies refer to sexual wellbeing and/or seek to measure it, and the term appears across various policy documents, including sexual health frameworks in the UK. We conducted a rapid review to determine how sexual wellbeing has been defined, qualitatively explored and quantitatively measured. Eligible studies selected for inclusion from OVID Medline, PsychInfo, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL were: in English language, published after 2007, were peer-reviewed full articles, focused on sexual wellbeing (or proxies for, e.g. satisfaction, function), and quantitatively or qualitatively assessed sexual wellbeing. We included studies with participants aged 16-65. Given study heterogeneity, our synthesis and findings are reported using a narrative approach. We identified 162 papers, of which 10 offered a definition of sexual wellbeing. Drawing upon a socio-ecological model, we categorised the 59 dimensions we identified from studies under three main domains: cognitive-affect (31 dimensions); inter-personal (22 dimensions); and socio-cultural (6 dimensions). Only 11 papers were categorised under the socio-cultural domain, commonly focusing on gender inequalities or stigma. We discuss the importance of conceptualising sexual wellbeing as individually experienced but socially and structurally influenced, including assessing sexual wellbeing freedom: a person's freedom to achieve sexual wellbeing, or their real opportunities and liberties.
TL;DR: The purpose of this review is to link three aspects of trust to sexual health: the role of trust in sexual relationships; the role in sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, particularly condom use; and the relevance of trustIn sexual relationships outside of the traditional model of monogamy.
Abstract: Trust is experienced almost constantly in all forms of social and interpersonal relationships, including sexual relationships, and may contribute both directly and indirectly to sexual health. The ...
TL;DR: Investigating sexual motives in the second half of life can improve the understanding of older adults’ sexual behavior, function, and satisfaction.
Abstract: Although many older adults reportedly maintain an active sex life, limited research has focused on the reasons they engage in sex. The present study identified and described sexual motives in the s...
TL;DR: It is found that pansexual participants were younger, more likely to be gender diverse (transgender or nonbinary), and morelikely to be from the indigenous Māori ethnic group than bisexual participants.
Abstract: Pansexuality, characterized by attraction to people regardless of their gender, is an emerging sexual identity. Research has started to explore the differences between those who identify as pansexual and those who identify as bisexual, typically defined as being attracted to both men and women. This article extends past research by testing for differences between those who identify as pansexual (n = 52) and bisexual (n = 497) in a nationally representative sample. We used the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) to test for differences in demographic variables, psychological well-being, and political ideology. We found that pansexual participants were younger, more likely to be gender diverse (transgender or nonbinary), and more likely to be from the indigenous Māori ethnic group than bisexual participants. Pansexual participants also reported higher psychological distress and were more politically liberal than bisexual participants. These results suggest that people who identify as pansexual are, on average, quantifiably different from those who identify as bisexual; this study adds to a new but growing body of research on emerging plurisexual identities.
TL;DR: The results suggest that films may further normalize nonverbal or implicit consent cues, and this study examines contextual factors that influence consent and refusal communication, such as gender, relationship status, location, and types of sexual behaviors.
Abstract: Young adults have limited access to comprehensive sex education. As such, they may seek sexuality information through such alternative sources, such as mass media. Previous research suggests that m...