bims-chumac 2019-12-01 papers

Issue of 2019–12–01
five papers selected by
Jay Dixit, Storytelling.NYC

Horm Behav. 2019 Nov 24. pii: S0018-506X(19)30442-8. [Epub ahead of print]118 104635

Androstadienone resulted in a rightward shift of women's preference for sexually dimorphic male faces across the continuum of femininity-masculinity.

Caoyuan Niu, Lijun Zheng.

As a derivative of testosterone, androstadienone (AND) can influence human psychological and physiological states. To explore the influence of AND on women's preferences for male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context, we asked 52 females in the luteal phase to choose one from four sexual dimorphic male faces in a long-term and short-term context while inhaling 250 μm of AND or a placebo odor on two consecutive days. Results revealed that participants had a greater and lesser preference for the +30% masculinized and 60% feminized faces, respectively, while inhaling AND, as compared to when inhaling the placebo. The AND intervention resulted in a rightward shift of the women's preference for male sexual dimorphic faces across the continuum of femininity-masculinity. The current findings highlight that AND may influence women's preference for male sexually dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.

Keywords: Androstadienone; Face preference; Masculinity; Mate-choice; Sexual dimorphism; Testosterone

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104635

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Nov 13. pii: E4447. [Epub ahead of print]16(22):

Selected Predictors of the Sense of Intimacy in Relationships of Young Adults.

Dorota Czyżowska, Ewa Gurba, Natalia Czyżowska, Alicja Kalus, Katarzyna Sitnik-Warchulska, Bernadetta Izydorczyk.

The main research objective of this study was seeking the predictive role of closeness to parents, attachment, identity style, identity commitment, type of relationship, and having children in intimacy among young women and men. Many studies indicate differences in the level of engagement, communication, and satisfaction in relationships. The study group comprised 227 people, including 114 women (M = 29.99; SD = 4.36), and 113 men (M = 30.00; SD = 4.33). A total of 40% of the subjects were married, and the remaining 60% subjects were in informal relationships; 101 people had children and the other individuals were childless. The following instruments were used: The Miller Social Intimacy Scale, questionnaires to assess closeness and attachment, and the Identity Style Inventory. The significance of the differences and the stepwise regression analysis were performed. The results of the study demonstrated a higher level of intimacy in a relationship with a partner among women than men. The nature of a relationship does not matter to the sense of intimacy. However, closeness to parents during childhood and adolescence, the model of interpersonal relations, and the identity style are predictors of intimacy in a relationship. The study results can be used in creating preventive and educational programs focused on family life and satisfied relationships.

Keywords: closeness; communication; engagement; intimacy; satisfaction in relationships

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224447

J Marriage Fam. 2019 Aug;81(4): 847-862

Health Status and Transitions in Cohabiting Relationships of American Young Adults.

Brandon Wagner.

Objective: This study examines whether individual health predicts cohabitors' union transitions to marriage in American young adults.
Background: Associations between health and subsequent marital transitions are well documented, but less is known about how health influences transitions of cohabiting relationships. As cohabitation has become a common relationship experience, understanding how health may influence cohabitors' union transitions is an important component of how health shapes relationship exposures more broadly.
Method: Data were taken from Waves III and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth), including the supplemental collection of relationship partners conducted during Wave III. Competing risk regressions for the transition of cohabiting unions to marriage were estimated in two samples: one of individuals and a smaller one of cohabiting couples with information from both partners.
Results: Healthier cohabiters are more likely to marry than are their less healthy counterparts, but only women's health is significantly associated with the transition to marriage. In the dyadic sample with information from both partners, the significant association between the female partner's health and the transition to marriage is robust to male partner characteristics, including health.
Conclusion: Health is an important predictor of cohabitation transitions in early adulthood, but these transitions may only be sensitive to the female partner's health.

Keywords: cohabitation; demography; health; marriage; transitions; young adulthood

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12572

J Sex Med. 2019 Nov 20. pii: S1743-6095(19)31470-5. [Epub ahead of print]

Relationship Between Masturbation and Partnered Sex in Women: Does the Former Facilitate, Inhibit, or Not Affect the Latter?

David L Rowland, Krisztina Hevesi, Gabrielle R Conway, Tiffany N Kolba.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between masturbation activities and their effect on partnered sex is understudied.
AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the alignment of activities between masturbation and partnered sex, and to determine whether different levels of alignment affect orgasmic parameters during partnered sex.
METHODS: 2,215 women completed an online survey about activities during masturbation and reasons for orgasmic difficulty during masturbation, and these were compared with activities and reasons for orgasmic difficulty during partnered sex.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Degree of alignment between masturbation activities and partnered sex activities was used to predict sexual arousal difficulty, orgasmic probability, orgasmic pleasure, orgasmic latency, and orgasmic difficulty during partnered sex.
RESULTS: Women showed only moderate alignment regarding masturbation and partnered sex activities, as well as reasons for masturbation orgasmic difficulty and reasons for partnered sex orgasmic difficulty. However, those that showed greater alignment of activities showed better orgasmic response during partnered sex and were more likely to prefer partnered sex over masturbation.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Women tend to use less conventional techniques for arousal during masturbation compared with partnered sex. Increasing alignment between masturbation and partnered sexual activities may lead to better arousal and orgasmic response, and lower orgasmic difficulty.
STRENGTH & LIMITATIONS: The study was well-powered and drew from a multinational population, providing perspective on a long-standing unanswered question. Major limitations were the younger age and self-selection of the sample.
CONCLUSION: Women that align masturbation stimulation activities with partnered sex activities are more likely to experience orgasm and enhanced orgasmic pleasure, with sexual relationship satisfaction playing an important role in this process. Rowland DL, Hevesi K, Conway GR, et al. Relationship Between Masturbation and Partnered Sex in Women: Does the Former Facilitate, Inhibit, or Not Affect the Latter? J Sex Med 2019;XX:XXX-XXX.

Keywords: Masturbation; Orgasm; Orgasmic Difficulty; Orgasmic Pleasure; Partnered Sex; Women

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.10.012

J Sex Marital Ther. 2019 Nov 28. 1-13

Positive Communication and Partner Appraisals Among Mothers and Their Long-Term Male Partners: Impact on Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction.

Christine E Leistner, Kristen P Mark.

Parents in the USA struggle to maintain their sexual and relational health over time. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of positive communication and partner appraisals on sexual and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 93 mixed sex couples (N = 186) with children living in the home on a full-time basis. Results indicated that for men and women, positive communication scores predicted higher levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction and more positive partner appraisals predicted higher levels of relationship satisfaction. Significant results were also found at the couple-level. Findings have clinical and educational implications for parents.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1692980