12/29/2016

Sex|PsychologyToday

Sex
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Atleastforhumans,thismostbasicofactsisanythingbutbasic.Asthepioneeringsexresearcher
AlfredKinseyputit,theonlyuniversalinhumansexuality(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/sex)
isvariabilityitself.Withintheuniverseofintimacyandpleasurethatsexaffords,however,there'salotof
roomforerror.Fromthebehavioritselftooursexualidentificationsandassociations,sexneverfailsto
beaprovocativetopic.Mostpeopleareaffectedbysexualproblemsatsomepointintheirlivesand
safetyofthebodyandmindisalwaysaconcern.Thoughtheglobaljurymayremainhungoversex's
moral(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/ethicsandmorality)andpoliticalimplications,wecan
allcometoatleastoneconsensus:It'swhywe'realivetodayandit'sthefirstthingfuturegenerations
dependon.

The Science of Sexual Attraction

WhyDoWeHaveSex?(/blog/insighttherapy/201204/whydowehavesex)
Wehavesexmoreforconnectionthanforprocreationorpleasure.
ByNoamShpancerPh.D.

WhichComesFirst?Desire?OrSex?(/blog/allaboutsex/201204/whichcomesfirstdesireorsex)
Effortstopiquedesiremayputtheeroticcartbeforethehorse.
ByMichaelCastlemanM.A.

DecodingSexualSatisfaction(/blog/thepowerpleasure/201311/decodingsexualsatisfaction)
Sexualsatisfactionisacomplicatedconstructofgreatimportance.
ByKristenMark,Ph.D.,M.P.H.

AreYouMakingLoveorJustHavingSex?(/blog/whatwouldaristotledo/201305/areyoumaking
loveorjusthavingsex)
Findoutwhatlovemakingreallyisandhowyoucandoit.
ByElliotD.CohenPh.D.

Sex:TheLoveLimit(/articles/201103/sexthelovelimit)
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Canyoumaxoutonsex'sbodybenefits?
ByLaurenF.Friedman

Seealso
Scent(/basics/scent)
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BodyLanguage(/basics/bodylanguage)

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Sexual Challenges
NotIntheMood?(/blog/meyouus/201506/areyouinthemood0)
Newresearchintohowpartnerscopewithmismatcheddesire.
ByEricaBSlotterPh.D.

TheConsequencesofCasualSex(/blog/loveandsexinthedigitalage/201506/whatarethe
psychologicaleffectscasualsex)
Intriguingnewresearchrevealswhobenefits,andwhodoesn't.
ByRobertWeissLCSW,CSATS

AreYouHavingEnoughSex?(/blog/loveandsexinthedigitalage/201503/areyouhavingenough
sex)
Whattheresearchhastosayaboutwhatwewant,andwhatweget.
ByRobertWeissLCSW,CSATS

Cheating,SexDrive,andSelfControl(/blog/meetcatchandkeep/201608/doeshighsexdrivemake
someonemorelikelycheat)
...andtheoneessentialpersonalitytraitthatcankeepcouplesfaithful.
ByTheresaEDiDonatoPh.D.

Seealso
LowSexualDesire(/basics/lowsexualdesire0)

Sex Along the Spectrum

FindingtheSwitch(/articles/200805/findingtheswitch)
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TheDarwinianlogicofhomosexuality
ByRobertKunzig

WhatDoesItMeantoBeMostlyHeterosexual?(/blog/thesexualcontinuum/201309/whatdoesit
meanbemostlyheterosexual)
Anewarticlereviewswhatweknowaboutpeoplewhoare"mostlyheterosexual."
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ByBrianMustanskiPh.D.
FlexAppeal(/articles/201207/sexflexappeal)
Whatturnsawomanon?Muchmorethanyouorshemightthink.
ByKatherineSchreiber

WhyWe'reHavingMoreSameSexRelationshipsThanEver(/blog/ourchanging
culture/201606/whywerehavingmoresamesexrelationshipsever)
Newresearchontheramificationsofamoreacceptingculture.
ByJeanMTwengePh.D.

Seealso
SexualOrientation(/basics/sexualorientation)

Monogamy and Polygamy

SexfromDuskTillDawn(/blog/eyethestorm/201111/sexdusktilldawn)
Havemodernchildrearingpracticesruinedallthefun?
ByNadjaGeipert

Women,Swinging,Sex,andSeduction(/blog/theswingingparadigm/201311/womenswingingsex
andseduction)
Isswingingamaledrivenanddominatedendeavor?
ByEdwardFernandesPh.D.

DoOpenRelationshipsWork?(/articles/200903/doopenrelationshipswork)
Theprosandconsofanopenrelationship.
ByHaraEstroffMarano

TheProsandConsofPolygamy(/blog/darwineternity/201507/theprosandconspolygamy)
Wouldlegalizingpolygamyincreasepeople'sfreedom,orlimitit?
ByMichaelE.PricePh.D.

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Sex and Fantasy

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ShouldCouplesShareTheirSexualFantasies?(/blog/allaboutsex/201507/shouldcouplesshare
theirsexualfantasies)
Somethingsmaybebetterlefttotheimagination.Willyoutakethechance?
ByMichaelCastlemanM.A.

ThePornInYourHead(/articles/201003/sexedtheporninyourhead)
Whofantasizesaboutwhatandwhy
ByJayDixit

AreManyPeopleActuallyInterestedinThreesomes?(/blog/strictlycasual/201603/aremanypeople
actuallyinterestedinthreesomes)
Newresearchhassomesurprises.
ByZhanaVrangalovaPh.D.

WhyWeLiketheThingsWeLike(/blog/billionwickedthoughts/201302/sexualpediapart1whydoi
thethingsi)
Usingneuroscienceandonlinedatatoexplainpuzzlingsexualdesires.
ByOgiOgasPh.D.

WhyDoWomenHaveEroticRapeFantasies?(/blog/psyched/200805/whydowomenhaveerotic
rapefantasies)
Severalpotentialexplanationsforrapefantasies
ByMatthewHutson

Seealso
Pornography(/basics/pornography)

Recent posts on Sex

Love and Good Sex Can't Affair-Proof Your
Relationship (/blog/stronger-the-brokenplaces/201612/love-and-good-sex-cant-affair-proof-yourrelationship)
ByLindaandCharlieBloom (/experts/lindaandcharliebloom)on
December28,2016inStrongerattheBrokenPlaces(/blog/strongerthe

brokenplaces)
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brokenplaces)
Whenweholdourpartnerresponsiblefortakingawayour
lonelinessandmakingushappy,shewillbelikelytofeelturned
offbyoureffortstocoerceattentionfromher.
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Bonking Without Bones: An Evolutionary

Enigma (/blog/how-we-do-it/201612/bonking-without-

Tests

bones-evolutionary-enigma)
ByRobertD.MartinPh.D. (/experts/robertdmartinphd)onDecember
27,2016inHowWeDoIt (/blog/howwedoit)
Newstudiesclarifytheevolutionofa"penisbone"inmost
primatesexcepthumans.

The Key to a Good Sex Life "Sexual

Growth Beliefs" (/blog/nding-love/201612/the-keygood-sex-life-sexual-growth-beliefs)
ByKenPageL.C.S.W. (/experts/kenpagelcsw)onDecember26,2016in
FindingLove(/blog/findinglove)
Thereisaresearchbasedkeytobettersexandrelationships.
Butitfliesinthefaceofalmosteverythingwe'vebeentaught.

Is It OK To Automatically Hate Sex

Offenders? (/blog/love-and-sex-in-the-digitalage/201612/is-it-ok-automatically-hate-sex-offenders)
ByRobertWeissLCSW,CSATS (/experts/robertweisslcswcsats)on
December24,2016inLoveandSexintheDigitalAge(/blog/loveandsex
inthedigitalage)
Whatdoesitmeanwhenourcultureunilaterallydeemsany
particulargroupofpeopletobetheworstoftheworst?

Our Sexual Bodies Really Do Change, Part I (/blog/sexualintelligence/201612/our-sexual-bodies-really-do-change-part-i)

ByMartyKleinPhD(/experts/martykleinphd)onDecember23,2016inSexualIntelligence (/blog/sexual
intelligence)
Unsettledbythechangesinyourman'sbodyorsexuality?Thesefactscanhelp.

Hairless = Sexy?

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Hairless = Sexy? (/blog/the-matinggame/201612/hairless-sexy)

ByRyanAnderson(/experts/ryananderson)onDecember22,2016inThe
MatingGame(/blog/thematinggame)
Home

Thereisanongoingdebateaboutwhatexactlyisconveyedby
FindaTherapist
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malebaldness.Scientificresearchsuggeststherearesome

Tests

surprisingadvantages

Modern Weddings Explode Gender Roles

(/blog/quite-queerly/201612/modern-weddings-explodegender-roles)
ByMarkO'ConnellL.C.S.W.R. (/experts/markoconnelllcswr)on
December21,2016inQuiteQueerly(/blog/quitequeerly)

Muchassamesexcoupleshavebeendoingforyears,straight
spousestobearenowcreatingweddingsthatrevealwhothey
areasindividualsandasapair.

Gay Parents and the Fight for Acceptance (/blog/media-spotlight/201612/gayparents-and-the-ght-acceptance)

ByRomeoVitelliPh.D. (/experts/romeovitelliphd)onDecember21,2016inMediaSpotlight (/blog/mediaspotlight)
Alongwiththebullyingfacedbymanysexualminoritychildreninschools,childrenraisedbyLGBT
parentscanexperiencemoresubtleharassmentaswell.

What We Cared about the Most This Year

(/blog/living-single/201612/what-we-cared-about-themost-year)
ByBellaDePauloPh.D. (/experts/belladepaulophd)onDecember21,
2016inLivingSingle(/blog/livingsingle)

Singlelifewasaphenomenonin2016.Readersaretiredof
stereotypes.Theyarelookingforscientificallygroundedinsights
aboutsinglepeople.

Maltreated Children Misbehaving (/blog/poppsych/201612/maltreated-children-misbehaving)

ByJesseMarczykPh.D. (/experts/jessemarczykphd)onDecember20,
2016inPopPsych(/blog/poppsych)
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Thinkingabouttheunique,adaptivechallengesfacesbyyoung
menandwomencaninformourunderstandingofhowthey
responsetomaltreatment

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Recovery From Indelity Part 2 (/blog/strongerthe-broken-places/201612/recovery-indelity-part-2)

ByLindaandCharlieBloom (/experts/lindaandcharliebloom)on
December19,2016inStrongerattheBrokenPlaces(/blog/strongerthe
brokenplaces)
ThisisthestoryofSimonandDavey,astoryofbrokentrustdue
toaffairsonboththeirparts.

Do Men Need to Feel Desired? (/blog/mythsdesire/201612/do-men-need-feel-desired)

BySarahHunterMurrayPh.D. (/experts/sarahhuntermurrayphd)on
December18,2016inMythsofDesire(/blog/mythsdesire)
Domenneedtofeelsexuallydesiredtoo?

Seasons of Change (/blog/collegewellness/201612/seasons-change)

ByMarciaMorrisM.D. (/experts/marciamorrismd)onDecember18,2016
inCollegeWellness(/blog/collegewellness)
Wenoticephysicalchangeswhenourchildrencomehomefrom
college,likeabutterflytattooontheirankle,butwecanbeless
awareoftheinternaltransformationtakingplace.

On Knowing the Sex of Your Unborn Child

(/blog/intense-emotions-and-strongfeelings/201612/knowing-the-sex-your-unborn-child)
ByMaryCLamiaPh.D. (/experts/maryclamiaphd)onDecember16,
2016inIntenseEmotionsandStrongFeelings(/blog/intenseemotions
andstrongfeelings)

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Thedesiretoknowthesexofourunbornchildrenismotivatedby
emotion.

Taking Care of the WE (/blog/lovingHome

bravely/201612/taking-care-the-we)
FindaTherapist
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ByAlexandraSolomonPh.D. (/experts/alexandrasolomonphd)on
December15,2016inLovingBravely(/blog/lovingbravely)

Tests

ThinkingaboutmakingaNewYear'sresolution?Hereare6
reasonswhyyoushouldprioritizethehealthofyourromantic
relationshipandringinthenewyearwithcouplestherapy.

5 Surprising Disguises That Can Mask

Controlling Behavior (/blog/friendship20/201612/5-surprising-disguises-can-mask-controllingbehavior)
ByAndreaBoniorPh.D. (/experts/andreaboniorphd)onDecember15,
2016inFriendship2.0(/blog/friendship20)

Certaincharacteristicsofnewrelationshipsaremeanttomakeus
happy.Whathappenswhentheyservetocoverupcontrolling
behavior?

Sex Addiction's Diversity Problem

(/blog/women-who-stray/201612/sex-addictions-diversityproblem)
ByDavidJLeyPh.D. (/experts/davidjleyphd)onDecember15,2016in
WomenWhoStray(/blog/womenwhostray)

Anoverwhelmingmajorityofthepeoplereceiving,treatingor
arguingaboutsexaddictionarewhite.Whatdoesthislackof
diversitymean?

Poly for the Holidays (/blog/the-polyamorists-nextdoor/201612/poly-the-holidays)

ByElisabethA.SheffPh.D.,CASA,CSE (/experts/elisabethsheffphd
casacse)onDecember15,2016inThePolyamoristsNextDoor(/blog/the
polyamoristsnextdoor)

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Thisblogofferstipsforpolypeopleandtheirnonpolylovedones
onhowtohaveahappyholidayseasontogether.

Recovery from Betrayal and Indelity Part I

Home

(/blog/stronger-the-broken-places/201612/recoveryFindaTherapist
Topics
GetHelp
Magazine
betrayal-and-indelity-part-i)
ByLindaandCharlieBloom (/experts/lindaandcharliebloom)on
December14,2016inStrongerattheBrokenPlaces(/blog/strongerthe
brokenplaces)

Tests

Wevelostcountofthenumberoftimesthatwehaveheardfrom
thosewhohavebeenunfaithfulintheirpartnerships,thatifId
knownthenwhatIknownow..."

Hypnosis And Sexual Health (/blog/in-excess/201612/hypnosis-and-sexual-health)

ByMarkD.GriffithsPh.D. (/experts/markdgriffithsphd)onDecember14,2016inInExcess(/blog/inexcess)

Seductionthroughmindcontrol(i.e.,erotichypnosis)hasalonghistoryinWesternculturebutwhatdo
weknowabouthypnosisandsexualhealthfromapsychologicalperspective?

Tips for Holiday Dating (/blog/love-and-sex-in-thedigital-age/201612/tips-holiday-dating)

ByRobertWeissLCSW,CSATS (/experts/robertweisslcswcsats)on
December13,2016inLoveandSexintheDigitalAge(/blog/loveandsex
inthedigitalage)
Formostpeople,mostofthetime,datingisalotoffun
especiallyifyouredatingsomeonenewthatyoureallylike.Butit
canalsobestressful...

Why Teens Opt Not to Have Sex (/blog/sexsexuality-and-romance/201612/why-teens-opt-not-havesex)

ByRitchCSavinWilliamsPh.D. (/experts/ritchcsavinwilliamsphd)on
December13,2016inSex,Sexuality,andRomance(/blog/sexsexuality

andromance)

Parentalrulesandsexeducationprogramsaren'tresonatingwith
todaysteens.Theyhavetheirownmotivationsforskippingsex.

Why Do Women Risk Pain and Injury Wearing High Heels?

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Why Do Women Risk Pain and Injury Wearing High Heels? (/blog/allabout-sex/201612/why-do-women-risk-pain-and-injury-wearing-high-heels)
ByMichaelCastlemanM.A. (/experts/michaelcastlemanma)onDecember13,2016inAllAboutSex(/blog/all
aboutsex)
Onereasonwomenchooseheels:Asheightincreases,menfindthemincreasinglyattractive.
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Afterplay and the Importance of the

Research "Outsider" (/blog/real-men-dont-writeblogs/201612/afterplay-and-the-importance-the-researchoutsider)
ByMarkShermanPh.D. (/experts/markshermanphd)onDecember13,
2016inRealMenDon'tWriteBlogs(/blog/realmendontwriteblogs)

Themostrewardingideasandfindingsmaycomenotfrom
peopleimmersedinafieldorthosewhoarethemselvessubject
toaparticularphenomenon,butratherfromtheoutsider.

Conversations With Yourself: Put-Downs or Pats on the Back (/blog/sexsociability/201612/conversations-yourself-put-downs-or-pats-the-back)

ByIsadoraAlmanMFT,CST(/experts/isadoraalmanmftcst)onDecember12,2016inSex&Sociability(/blog/sex
sociability)
Whenyoutalktoyourselfdoyousay"Youcandoit,kiddo"or"Youbetternotfailagain,youloser."Do
youhabituallyusethecarrotorthestick,encouragementorinsults?

How Important Is Sex? Part 2 (/blog/strongerthe-broken-places/201612/how-important-is-sex-part-2)

ByLindaandCharlieBloom (/experts/lindaandcharliebloom)on
December12,2016inStrongerattheBrokenPlaces(/blog/strongerthe
brokenplaces)
Therecancomeatimewhenthereisrecognitionthatthesexual
aspectofourrelationshipneedsaboost.

Pro Choice? Pro Life Except for Rape &

Incest? Come On (/blog/patient-power/201612/prochoice-pro-life-except-rape-incest-come)
ByPeterEdelsteinM.D. (/experts/peteredelsteinmd)onDecember11,
2016inPatientPower(/blog/patientpower)
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Howcansomeonebe"ProLife"exceptinthecaseofrapeand
incest?Andabortionisnotreallyabout"Choice."Whatroledo
medicalfactsplayinanhonestdebateaboutabortion?

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10 Ways to Make a Long-Distance

Relationship Work (/blog/life-refracted/201612/10ways-make-long-distance-relationship-work)
ByRoniBethTowerPh.D.,ABPP (/experts/ronibethtowerphdabpp)
onDecember11,2016inLife,Refracted(/blog/liferefracted)
Thetrialsofalongdistanceloverelationshipcanbetransformed
intobenefitsthroughawarenessofeachpartner'semotions,
desires,reactionstyles,andcommunicationhabits.

How Important is Sex? Part 1 (/blog/strongerthe-broken-places/201612/how-important-is-sex-part-1)

ByLindaandCharlieBloom (/experts/lindaandcharliebloom)on
December09,2016inStrongerattheBrokenPlaces(/blog/strongerthe
brokenplaces)
Keepingsexualpassionaliveandhealthyiscriticaltosustaining
anenduringandfulfillingpartnership.

Predatory Portals: Need and Trust

(/blog/shadow-boxing/201612/predatory-portals-needand-trust)
ByKatherineRamslandPh.D. (/experts/katherineramslandphd)on
December09,2016inShadowBoxing(/blog/shadowboxing)

Peoplewhointendharm,whethertheftorworse,exploitarenas
oftrust.Classifiedadsofferingromanceormutualinterest
activitiesareaneasywaytoconcealtrueintentions.

ReadMore(/taxonomy/term/8?page=1)

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