In new relationships, feelings of sexual desire for a partner come relatively easily. But, over time, partners’ sexual interests often change and it can be difficult for couples to keep the spark alive. In the beginning stages of relationships when partners are getting to know each other sexual desire tends to peak (Baumeister & Bratlavsky, 1999), and then often declines over time as partners become comfortable and committed in their relationship (see review by Impett, Muise, & Peragine, 2013). Given this, most romantic couples will encounter times when their sexual interests differ (...
Admit it: We have crushes, we have sexual fantasies, and sometimes we want to act on them—even when those crushes and fantasies aren’t about our current romantic partner. Most of the time, we ignore these crushes and our fantasies go unfulfilled. For some, cheating seems like an option. However, for others, it is totally okay to pursue these crushes and fantasies outside a relationship. Welcome to the emerging movement to rewrite the rules of romance: consensual non-monogamy. Consensual Non-monogawhhhaattt? Most of us desire (and have) a “one and only”—that one person who “completes” us in...
Have you ever thought about the criteria used for being recognized as an official couple on social media? Maybe you felt annoyed when your partner’s new profile picture had been liked by his/her ex? Maybe you used social media after a break-up to snoop on someone you suspected to be your successor? If the answer is yes at least once, you certainly accept the importance of investigating these questions empirically. Today our relationships are strongly connected to social media platforms therefore it is useful to get a deeper insight into the answers science can offer to these questions...
The ease of access to pornography via the Internet has sparked a renewed interest in the effects of porn on consumers, with much of the public debate on the topic highlighting potential harms. We see everyone from the media (1) , to high-profile academics, to politicians weighing-in on the issue. One accusation that’s frequently levied against porn is that it harms romantic relationships. For example, notable social psychologist, Phillip Zimbardo, has claimed that porn “is creating a generation of risk-averse guys who are unable (and unwilling) to navigate the complexities and risks inherent...
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What if every argument could bring new understanding and growth in your relationship? Explore how conflicts, when handled constructively, can strengthen your bond. Backed by research and filled with actionable insights, this article shows you how to turn tension into trust and disagreements into deeper understanding.
In this post I review research showing that women do not care about partner’s income as much as people may think. In fact, the research suggests that both men and women overestimate the degree to which the other gender cares about money in relationships. These findings are particularly relevant given that some opponents of the 2014 U.S. Paycheck Fairness Act have stated that women prefer to make less money than their romantic partners.
In this blog post, I review a number of studies that suggest that telling women to focus on their MRS degree (aka getting married) while in college can make women less interested in earning a STEM degree (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). Why does this matter? Because the STEM fields are in desperate need of women. Luckily, research also suggests that women in STEM are more desirable than women may realize.