bims-chumac 2021-10-03 papers

Issue of 2021–10–03
six papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

J Am Coll Health. 2021 Sep 30. 1-5

Long-distance romantic relationships among college students: Prevalence, correlates, and dynamics in a campus probability survey.

Jonathon J Beckmeyer, Debby Herbenick, Heather Eastman-Mueller.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of long-distance relationships (LDRs) among college students and explore how relationship dynamics differed between LDRs and geographically close relationships (GCRs).
PARTICIPANTS: Data were from romantically involved students (N = 2075) who participated in the 2020 College Sexual Health Survey.
METHODS: Students completed an online survey in which they reported their current romantic relationship status, if they were in a long-distance relationship, and relationship dynamics (happiness, commitment, and conflict).
RESULTS: Overall, 34.2% of romantically involved students were in LDRs, which were more common for first-year students, students in longer duration relationships, dating relationships, and Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. LDRs were less common for older students. Based on χ2 tests, relationship happiness, commitment, and conflict did not differ based on LDR status.
CONCLUSIONS: As LDRs are common, providing students with resources focused on navigating LDRs may help them manage their romantic relationships.

Keywords: Long-distance relationships; college; romantic development; romantic relationships

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1978464

Arch Sex Behav. 2021 Sep 27.

Blue Eyes Help Men Reduce the Cost of Cuckoldry.

Paola Bressan.

Men with light eyes lack the dominant gene allele that codes for dark-brown eyes. Pairing with a woman who lacks the same allele must increase paternity confidence in these men, because any children with dark eyes would be extremely unlikely to have been fathered by them. This notion implies that men with light (blue or green) eyes should (1) prefer light-eyed women, especially in a long-term context, and (2) feel more threatened by light-eyed than by dark-eyed rivals. Yet because choosiness is costly and paternity concerns are entirely driven by the prospect of paternal investment, any such inclinations would be adaptive only in men who expect to invest in their children. Here I test these ideas using the data of over 1000 men who rated the facial attractiveness of potential partners, and the threat of potential rivals, whose eye color had been manipulated. Light-eyed men liked light-eyed women better (particularly as long-term companions), and feared light-eyed rivals more, than did dark-eyed men. An exploratory analysis showed that these large, robust effects disappeared in men who had felt rejected by their fathers while growing up-suggesting that such men are not expecting to invest in their own children either.

Keywords: Assortative mating; Eye color; Mate choice; Paternal rejection; Paternity confidence

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02120-7

Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2021 Sep 28. 1461672211048291

Appearance Reveals Music Preferences.

Laura Tian, Ravin Alaei, Nicholas O Rule.

Disclosing idiosyncratic preferences can help to broker new social interactions. For instance, strangers exchange music preferences to signal their identities, values, and preferences. Recognizing that people's physical appearances guide their decisions about social engagement, we examined whether cues to people's music preferences in their physical appearance and expressive poses help to guide social interaction. We found that perceivers could detect targets' music preferences from photos of their bodies, heads, faces, eyes, and mouths (but not hair) and that the targets' apparent traits (e.g., submissiveness, neatness) undergirded these judgments. Perceivers also desired to meet individuals who appeared to match their music preferences versus those who did not. Music preferences therefore seem to manifest in appearance, regulating interest in others and suggesting that one's identity redundantly emerges across different types of cues. People may thus infer others' music preferences to identify candidates for social bonding.

Keywords: accuracy; face perception; music; person perception; preferences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211048291

Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2021 Sep 27.

Sexual and romantic relationships among people experiencing homelessness: A scoping review.

Konrad Czechowski, Kimberly A Turner, Patrick R Labelle, John Sylvestre.

Homelessness is widely recognized as a pervasive issue. Despite increasing research on factors affecting the health and well-being of people who are homeless, one that remains relatively understudied is the role of romantic and sexual relationships. Given that this population has the same needs for intimacy and closeness as anyone else, it is important to understand how these relationships occur, what barriers exist in developing and maintaining them, and what is their impact. This scoping review aimed to (a) characterize the nature of research that has examined sexual and romantic relationships among people who are homeless and (b) identify and synthesize the findings of studies that examined romantic and sexual relationships among people who are homeless. Of 539 studies that examined sexual or romantic relationships among people who are homeless, 88.87% examined sexual health risk, 11.13% examined sexual victimization, 5.57% examined survival sex, and 2.41% examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships. Of the studies that examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships substantially (n = 13) all used qualitative methods and identified common themes such as love, romance, and emotional support; partner relationships as transactional; barriers to partner relationships; and casual sex and pleasure. Despite the possible benefits of sexual and romantic relationships in the context of homelessness, researchers instead have primarily focused on possible risks associated with sex. We introduce how sexual citizenship can be applied to understand how current practices and policies limit people's civic participation when homeless. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000583

J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Oct 01.

Perception of smell of a perfume applied to the women skin in course of menstrual cycle.

Natalia Chróst, Patrycja Mościcka, Klaudia Pliszka, Wiktoria Monika Piskorz, Robert Terlikowski, Jacek Jamiołkowski, Andrzej Przylipiak.

INTRODUCTION: Perfumes are the cosmetics applied to the skin. Body odor has been shown to be attractive in the fertile days in non-user of contraception. However, contraception pill intake destroy cyclic attractiveness of odors.
AIM: The aim was to test attractiveness and intensiveness of perfume applied to the female skin in course of menstrual cycle.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Diluted vanilla extract was applied on forearm of 18 women (9 women users of contraception and 9 non-users of contraception). Thirty minutes occlusion samples were collected and judged for its attractiveness and intensity by 25 men. Samples were collected at 1st, 8th, 14th, and 22nd day of cyclus.
RESULTS: Attractiveness of smell of perfume in women, which use contraceptive was statistically significantly higher than in non-user. Furthermore, attractiveness of smell at 15th day of menstrual cycle was second best when perfume was applied in women, which use contraceptive.
CONCLUSIONS: Perfume on the skin of women, which apply contraceptive, smell better than on non-contraceptive-user skin. Moreover, women body odor together with perfume is highly attractive in contraceptive-user in the middle of the cyclus.

Keywords: attractiveness; menstrual cycle; perfume; skin odor; smell

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.14463

J Women Aging. 2021 Sep 28. 1-17

Self-perceptions of older never-married women in a fluid and changing Asian society: a narrative inquiry.

Maria Tamara Isabelle M Manalo, Allyson Tracey R Ng, Gianna Paige A Yu, Emerald Jay D Ilac.

As one of the strongly devout Catholic countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines recognizes marriage as a paramount social institution, where unmarried women face negative perceptions and social consequences. With the increasing populace of elderly people in the country, this study focused on the conditions of middle-aged (ages 45 to 65) never-married women and how the family-oriented society construes their self-perceptions. By interviewing 24 older never-married women over the age of 45, four key aspects were identified behind their lived experiences: interest in marriage, engagement in relationships, societal change, and ending in acceptance. Results open the discussion for social and individual implications.

Keywords: Philippines; marriage; self-perception; stigma; unmarried women

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08952841.2021.1978804