Journal of Sex ResearchPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2023-04-26DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2023.2198500
Achim Hildebrandt, Sebastian Jäckle
{"title":"Particularly in Highly Developed and More Gender Egalitarian Societies: Sex Differences in Attitudes Towards Homosexuality.","authors":"Achim Hildebrandt, Sebastian Jäckle","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2023.2198500","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00224499.2023.2198500","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Time and again, research has shown that men are less accepting of homosexuality than women. Studies on such attitudinal sex differences have been overwhelmingly conducted in Western democracies, however, with a special focus on the U.S. Whether the sex difference in attitudes towards homosexuality is a worldwide phenomenon has not yet been investigated. Using data from the seventh wave of the World Values Survey (2017-2021), this article provides evidence that the sex difference is not universal, but limited almost exclusively to Europe and the Americas, indicating the need to replicate studies conducted in these societies in global cross-country comparisons. Contrary to predictions of the social role theory or biosocial construction theory, but in line with predictions from evolutionary psychology and a growing number of empirical studies in this field, the sex difference in attitudes towards homosexuality widens with rising gender equality and development, especially when the two coincide.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1400-1413"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9367069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Sex ResearchPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2024-08-22DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2390671
Marieke Dewitte
{"title":"Sexual Synchrony During Partnered Sex.","authors":"Marieke Dewitte","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2390671","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2390671","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is growing interest in understanding how sexual arousal unfolds between partners, and how this may change over the course of a relationship and in the face of sexual distress. To capture the variable, dynamic, and dyadic nature of sexual responding, this paper introduces the concept of sexual synchrony, defined as the temporal, reciprocal, and coordinated interchange between partners' subjective and genital sexual arousal. Sexual synchrony is a key mechanism for understanding how partners experience and adapt their sexual arousal responses as they evolve over time. Its relevance lies in examining the mechanisms that may disrupt and facilitate synchrony and exploring how it may contribute to sexual well-being by enabling partners to mutually regulate their sexual arousal within and across sexual interactions. The paper also discusses how sexual synchrony may evolve throughout relationship development and its potential role in sexual problems, offering valuable insights into improving sexual relationships. Suggestions are provided for future research, together with a discussion of the methodological and statistical issues involved when examining sexual dynamics. Understanding how partners jointly regulate their sexual responses allows the development of dyadic models of sexual arousal which will inform treatments for improving couples' (sexual) well-being. The study of sexual synchrony also exemplifies the importance of translational research that is relevant across disciplinary borders.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1316-1327"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142019497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dakota Brandenburg, Corey Tatz, Christopher Owens, Randolph D Hubach, Debby Herbenick
{"title":"Generational Differences in Sexual Health Education Experiences Among LGBTQ+ Adolescents and Adults: Findings from a U.S. National Probability Sample.","authors":"Dakota Brandenburg, Corey Tatz, Christopher Owens, Randolph D Hubach, Debby Herbenick","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2420312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2420312","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Few U.S. states require school-based sex education to be representative or inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. Data suggests that adolescents' receipt of necessary topics in sex education has declined in the past 25 years, yet the literature on LGBTQ+ people's sex education experiences in the United States is largely limited to non-probability samples. Data were from a national probability sample of adolescents and adults in the United States. Individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ (<i>N</i> = 818) were asked an open-ended item about the type of sex education they would have liked to have received. Participants were classified into four generational cohorts: Boomer+, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Inductive content analyses and chi-square tests of independence were used. Having sex education that normalized LGBTQ+ identities was the most reported topic, with Boomer+ being more likely to report this and Generation X being least likely. About one-quarter of respondents indicated they would have liked any type of sex education. Millennials were more likely to report wanting more information on sexual orientation and gender identity and safe sexual practices compared to other cohorts. Nearly one-fourth of respondents indicated their sex education did not need improvement/was unnecessary. Older generations wished their sex education normalized their identities, while Generation Z and Millennials reported wanting more information on safe sex and/or sexual violence prevention. Findings from this study can inform the development of tailored sexual health education programs for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly considering that current programming may not be different compared to the sex education received by earlier generations.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142548816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"I'll Be That One Cockblocking Friend\": Understanding Student Experiences of Bystander Intervention in Alcohol-Related Sexual Assault.","authors":"Jasmine Temple, Gabrielle Haley, Anna Yoder, Annelise Mennicke, Jessamyn Moxie, Erin Meehan, Erika Montanaro","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2417026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2417026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The prevalence of sexual assault (SA) among college students (13%) is unacceptable, underreported, and alcohol use by the perpetrator or victim is reported in 50% of SA cases. Bystander intervention (BI) programs, which use prosocial behaviors to prevent or stop a harmful situation from occurring, have been implemented across college campuses to reduce SA. There are several known barriers (e.g. self-intoxication) and facilitators (e.g. peer support) to BI for SA; however, less is known about barriers and facilitators to BI for alcohol-related SA. Alcohol-<i>related</i> SA includes situations in which the perpetrator and/or victim are intoxicated, whereas alcohol-<i>facilitated</i> SA includes situations in which individuals intentionally use alcohol as a perpetration strategy. The current study examined student perspectives of BI for SA opportunities, actions taken in response to opportunities, and barriers and facilitators to action. The team conducted content and deductive thematic analysis of data from focus groups and interviews with diverse undergraduate students (<i>N</i> = 79). Opportunities included perpetrator-focused, victim-focused, and sexual risk opportunities. Actions taken included staying vigilant, monitoring friends, communicating with friends, and removing friends. Barriers included self-intoxication, feeling helpless, peer pressure, not feeling personally responsible, and fearing the consequences of helping. Finally, facilitators included knowing friends' concerning signals and drinking motives, feeling like some intervention strategies are easy, understanding sex-related risks, acknowledging consent and personal boundaries, and feeling personally responsible for friends. Understanding these situations' nuances can help to inform more effective and comprehensive BI programs to reduce SA.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142480404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
James P Ravenhill,Jason Preston,Richard O de Visser,Júlio Molica
{"title":"\"I Feel More Masculine Having Sex with a Woman Than Being Fucked by a Man\": Masculinity and Bisexual Men's Experiences of Sex with Women and Men.","authors":"James P Ravenhill,Jason Preston,Richard O de Visser,Júlio Molica","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2413695","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2413695","url":null,"abstract":"Prior research with heterosexual and gay men suggests that heteronormative, hegemonic masculine norms influence sexual behaviors, including in relation to sexual health, and in sex between men, positioning in anal intercourse. This qualitative study offers an in-depth account of how bisexual men's beliefs about masculinity and about the gendered nature of certain sexual behaviors may influence their experiences of sex with women and men, and the sexual practices they engage in. Twenty-two bisexual men participated in one-to-one, semi-structured interviews, where they were asked about their experiences of sex with women and men in relation to their beliefs about masculinity. A reflexive thematic analysis identified the influence of prevailing discourses of heteronormativity and hegemonic masculinity on sexual experiences and behaviors. Participants' beliefs about masculinity and the gendered nature of certain aspects of sex influenced experiences relating to sexual performance, sexual assertiveness, positions adopted, practices engaged in, and how gender was enacted in sexual encounters. Sex with women was experienced as more masculine than sex with men: Participants described feeling more sexually assertive than their sexual partners, in control of the encounter, and responsible for facilitating their partners' sexual pleasure. Sex with men was experienced as more egalitarian and provided favorable opportunities to relinquish sexual control and responsibilities around facilitating pleasure, and to feel less masculine, including by engaging in receptive anal intercourse. Findings therefore indicate that, for some bisexual men, masculinity is highly salient, influencing a range of sexual behaviors and experiences in sex with women and with men.","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":"33 1","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142451391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the Role of Social Support and Sexual Functioning: A Study of Chemsex and Sober Sex in Men Who Have Sex with Men.","authors":"Alejandro Sánchez-Ocaña,Javier Fenollar-Cortés,Sergio Fernández-Artamendi,Laura Esteban","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2415997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2415997","url":null,"abstract":"Research on chemsex, the intentional use of certain drugs in sexual contexts by gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), has been growing in recent years although, even today, much of it focuses on drug use and its consequences, rather than on the sexual and social experiences of users. This study aimed to explore the influence of social support and sexual functioning on the frequency of chemsex and sober sex. A sample of 160 MSM WAS recruited through social media and NGOs. Through regression analysis, it was found that lower perceived social support and greater number of routes of drug administration predicted a higher frequency of chemsex practice. On the other hand, higher perceived social support, higher levels of desire and arousal, and fewer routes of drug administration predicted a higher frequency of engaging in sober sex. This study provides empirical evidence that both social support and sexual functioning are key elements in chemsex and have an impact on both the frequency of chemsex and sober sex. Given the importance of these elements, we suggest that interventions should be framed holistically. Nevertheless, not all chemsex is problematic and it is a free choice in sexuality.","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":"32 1","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142448080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Young People's Reasons for and Emotional Reactions to Sexting in Intimate Relationships.","authors":"Anu Isotalo,Jan Antfolk","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2410335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2410335","url":null,"abstract":"Although sexting is a widespread phenomenon among today's youth, little is known about their experiences of sexting with their intimate partners. This study addresses this gap by examining young people's reasons for sexting and emotional reactions to sending and receiving sexts in their intimate relationships, as reported by 764 (48.7% girls) 15-20-year-olds in Finland. Both younger and older girls and boys reported mostly positive reactions to both sending and receiving sexts. However, girls reported more negative reactions than boys did. Girls' reasons for sending sexts were more frequently related to their own desire to feel sexy or flirtatious, their need for validation from their partner, or the pressure that their partner put on them to sext, whereas boys' reasons more often indicated normative ideas of sexting as a typical component in a romantic relationship and responding to sexts sent to them by their partners. The results suggest that although it is mostly consensual and reciprocal, sexting within intimate relationships may carry different meanings for boys and girls, reflecting gendered heterosexual norms.","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":"11 1","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142443668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Why Did You Stop? Reasons for Stopping Faking Orgasms and Its Association with Sexual, Relationship, and Life Satisfaction in Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, and the UK.","authors":"Silvia Pavan,Camilla S Øverup,Gert Martin Hald","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2401019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2401019","url":null,"abstract":"The current study investigated the phenomenon of faking orgasms, including the reasons why people stop faking orgasms, sociodemographic predictors of faking orgasms, its association with sex toy use, and its association with sexual, relationship, and life satisfaction. A cross-country convenience sample of 11,541 respondents from six European countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, and the UK) was collected in May and June 2022 through respondent panels by Cint, a market research software platform. Participants completed an online self-report survey. The study's main findings showed that around 51% of men and women in the study had never faked orgasms, around 28% had faked orgasms but stopped faking and around 13% currently faked orgasms. Further, the reasons for men and women to stop faking orgasms included becoming more comfortable with not having an orgasm, improving sexual communication with their sexual partner, and the partner paying more attention to the respondents' desires and preferences. Finally, it was shown that faking orgasms was associated with lower sexual, relationship, and life satisfaction. The current study represents one of the few research projects focusing on the phenomenon of stopping faking orgasms and reasons for it, with the added strength of including a large male sample.","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":"40 1","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142436380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Laboratory Sex Research: Perceptions of the Ace Community.","authors":"Maryna Kostiukova, Danai Tselenti, Joana Carvalho","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2412097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2412097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Asexuality is a sexual orientation centered around low or absent sexual attraction. Despite the growth of empirical scholarship on asexuality, laboratory sex research with asexual individuals remains significantly underutilized. As such, we conducted a qualitative survey aimed at examining asexual individuals' perceptions of laboratory sex research as well as their perspectives/experiences on participation. Reflexive thematic analysis of 412 responses revealed 4 themes and 10 sub-themes focused on mapping the domain of asexuality, participants' trust, distrust and ambivalence toward laboratory sex research, and developing best practices for overcoming challenges with asexual individuals. A large proportion of asexual individuals emphasized concerns related to the potential medicalization and pathologization of asexuality, with 34.6% exhibiting their unwillingness to participate. Nonetheless, 41.7% of asexual individuals expressed a desire to take part in laboratory sexuality studies. These findings indicate a strong interest in laboratory sex research, driven by the lack of knowledge about ace sexual functioning. To further improve ace individuals´ engagement and experience in such studies, a set of participant-driven recommendations was presented. As such, this study highlights the importance of grounding future laboratory sex research with asexual individuals in ethical and reliable procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tara Shahrvini, Thomas W Gaither, Nathan W Vincent, Kristen C Williams, Eduardo Piqueiras, Allen E Siapno, Marcia M Russell, Mark S Litwin
{"title":"The Impact of Pleasure and Pain on Frequent Substance Use During Receptive Anal Intercourse.","authors":"Tara Shahrvini, Thomas W Gaither, Nathan W Vincent, Kristen C Williams, Eduardo Piqueiras, Allen E Siapno, Marcia M Russell, Mark S Litwin","doi":"10.1080/00224499.2024.2408648","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2408648","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexualized drug use (SDU) describes use of any psychoactive substance before or during planned sexual activity to facilitate, intensify, or prolong intercourse. The impact of pain, pleasure, and other mediators on SDU is not well characterized. This study aimed to distinguish the motivations behind different classes and frequencies of substance use during receptive anal intercourse (RAI). Data were from an internet-based survey conducted between July 2022-January 2023. We measured the frequency of SDU for five substances: poppers, alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamine, and nicotine. Satisfaction with pleasurable sensations during RAI and any type of pain bother during RAI were assessed on a 5-point scale. Multivariable logistic regression was performed for 1,119 respondents. Our results showed a strong association between bothersome pain during RAI and frequent alcohol (aOR 2.1), marijuana (aOR 2.4), nicotine (aOR 3.1), and meth (aOR 5.9) use. None of the five substance classes studied was correlated with dissatisfaction with pleasure during RAI. Frequent popper use was associated with increasing lifetime RAI experience and number of sexual partners. The mechanism behind SDU during RAI is substance-specific and multifactorial. Bothersome pain during RAI is highly associated with frequent SDU. Inquiring about pain during RAI may offer avenues for intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":51361,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sex Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142382351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}