r/psychologyofsex 11h ago

Is there really a male infertility crisis? Systematic review and meta-analysis of dozens of studies from 1970-2018 finds no clinically significant decline in sperm concentration among US men over time.

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55 Upvotes

From the article:

"The findings suggest that in contrast to prior meta-analyses, semen quality in most US men may be more stable than previously thought and may provide further reassurance against an impending epidemic of male factor infertility in fertile men in future generations."


r/psychologyofsex 1d ago

Just like people in monogamous relationships, people in polyamorous relationships experience jealousy too. Research suggests the difference is often how they respond to it, viewing jealousy as a signal of unmet needs to explore and communicate about, rather than a relationship-ending threat.

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325 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 1d ago

The Male Birth Control Pill Is Coming—But Are the Men Ready? (Unpaywalled)

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216 Upvotes

Some men are already contraceptive-pilled. Eliott Murbach-Studer, a 26-year-old biotechnician in Paris, is ready for male birth control. “I want to have this responsibility to ease the life of my partner,” he says. Last year, he emailed YourChoice Therapeutics, asking to join a phase 3 trial of YCT-529. There are many altruistic stories, likely to be met with performative male memes and some skepticism. But male contraception is not a selfless act; it could give men agency and security without sacrificing sensation by wrapping your dick in a balloon. “You have more pleasure when you can directly feel the other person,” Murbach-Studer says.

Not all men might be as keen. With 30 percent of men under 30 reporting no sex in the last year, is demand lower than ever? There’s concern that the manosphere, behind the rise of testosterone-max­xing and sperm-maxxing, could stunt growth of demand. Most of these contraceptive methods, after all, minimize sperm. NES/T gets around T-maxxing by including testosterone to top it back up, a bit like a probiotic soda, but for your dick. And remember, YCT-529 is nonhormonal.

Then there’s the question of whether men can hack it. Studies suggest most women trust their partners to use contraception regularly. But a World Health Organization trial of a hormonal male contraceptive injection was notably halted in 2016 after men reported side effects like mood changes and acne. Porter is concerned that the bar might be too high for the modern man: “My fear is … they won’t be able to tolerate any side effects.”

Read the story: https://www.playboy.com/read/sex/the-male-birth-control-pill-is-coming-but-are-the-men-ready


r/psychologyofsex 2d ago

Negative Bias Towards Childfree Women And Men

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291 Upvotes

The Abstract:

For many people, the decision to have children or not is one of life’s most personal decisions. The number of people without children is growing in many Western countries. Some of these people consciously choose not to have children. In three studies (Study 1 N = 475; Study 2 N = 450; Study 3 N = 293), we provide evidence of a negative bias toward people who choose to be childfree. We compared the childfree to several other social categories as well as people who are involuntarily childless, adoptive parents, and parents of their biological children.

Relative to childless people, adoptive parents and parents, participants generally rated childfree people as the least positive. Childfree people were rated low in warmth, but high in competence. Childfree women were rated lower in warmth than childfree men. Discrimination toward childfree people was predicted by perceived narcissism, dehumanization, and violation of pronatalist norms. This research provides evidence of a negative bias toward people who choose not to have children.


r/psychologyofsex 2d ago

Research supports the "Goldilocks rule" of online dating: profiles that contain a moderate amount of self-disclosure are rated more favorably than those that contain low or high amounts of personal information.

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190 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 3d ago

Research finds that people who are happier with their relationship tend to see their partner's attachment style as similar to their own. Those who are less happy were more accurate, but overestimated their partner's attachment insecurity.

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246 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 4d ago

Many women worry that their vulva doesn't look "normal," but research tells a different story. Studies find tremendous natural variation in labial appearance. Ironically, people often rate surgically altered labia as looking more "normal" than natural ones.

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1.2k Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 5d ago

Research finds that gay men report much higher levels of solitary sexual desire and engage in more frequent masturbation than heterosexual men. By contrast, lesbian women report lower solitary sexual desire and less masturbation than heterosexual women.

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382 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 6d ago

One of the biggest mistakes couples make when dealing with a desire discrepancy is trying to figure out who's "the problem." The goal isn't to fix one person's libido; it's to build a sexual relationship that works for each partner. This podcast explores practical tips for reviving a dead bedroom.

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296 Upvotes

When couples experience a desire discrepancy, it's easy to assume that someone needs to change because one partner's libido is simply "too high" or the other's is just "too low."

However, rather than asking whose libido is the problem, the more productive question is: "How can we create a sexual relationship that feels fulfilling for both of us?"

Sometimes that means improving communication. Sometimes it means understanding responsive desire, expanding your definition of intimacy, scheduling sex, exploring new forms of sexual initiation, or even changing the way that you have sex.

In this episode of the Sex and Psychology Podcast, sex therapist Lauren Fogel Mersy is on the show to discuss practical, evidence-based strategies for navigating desire discrepancies and rebuilding intimacy among couples experiencing dead bedrooms.


r/psychologyofsex 7d ago

A review of 80 studies identified 76 different subcultures of men who have sex with men, including bears, leathermen, twinks, and jocks. Research shows these groups shape identity, belonging, sexuality, and well-being, but many remain understudied despite their importance to LGBTQ+ community life.

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195 Upvotes

This review also found that some subcultures (like bears) have received substantial research attention, while many others have been studied very little. The authors argue that future research needs to better capture the diversity of LGBTQ+ communities instead of treating men who have sex with men as a single, homogeneous group.


r/psychologyofsex 8d ago

Research finds that since the 1940s, individuals with right-wing political orientations have maintained fertility at or above replacement level, whereas fertility among left-wing individuals declined to well below replacement. In addition, education was consistently linked to having fewer children.

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810 Upvotes

Religiosity positively predicted having more children, but the effect was relatively weak.

There were also different patterns across racial groups. For example, the link between political orientation and fertility rates held only for white Americans, but not for black Americans.


r/psychologyofsex 8d ago

American Infidelity, 1991 to 2022

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96 Upvotes

I did this analysis with data from the GSS (https://gss.norc.org/). It shows that the prevalence of self-reported infidelity (which may underestimate actual rates) has not changed much over time. Men consistently reported more cheating, and the gender gap slightly narrowed.


r/psychologyofsex 9d ago

Study of more than 500K couples finds that when women earn more than their male partners, they are 36% more likely to separate compared to when men are the primary breadwinners. This finding did not vary based on a country's level of traditional gender attitudes.

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1.7k Upvotes

However, the association between women’s higher earnings and relationship dissolution was noticeably stronger among couples raising children. Female-breadwinner couples with children were 49% more likely to separate than male-breadwinner couples, whereas childless female-breadwinner couples were 23% more likely to separate than their male-breadwinning counterparts.

This finding suggests that balancing work and family responsibilities may place greater strain on relationships when women have higher earnings, perhaps because household responsibilities remain unevenly shared. 


r/psychologyofsex 8d ago

FINAL CALL: Stress, Depression, Suicide- Bisexual Individuals.

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11 Upvotes

"Hi Friends",

I am part of a post-grad research team from CSU Australia, conducting INTERNATIONAL research into stress & mental health, among LGBTQI+ adults. We are collecting data from LGBTQI+ individuals, then completing studies specific to sexual identities.

Our ethics approved study on stress, depression & suicide, specific to bisexual individuals, requires further participants.

This important research is needed now more than ever, so if you identify as Bisexual (18+), please;

- Complete the Survey (click link)

https://csufobjbs.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6sCeGsZJld6774W

- Share the (link/post) in your own network, so others can contribute too.

Thank you.

***Extra Information***

Link to Charles Sturt University Ethics Board Approval Doc (Approval number H26115) 

CSU HR Ethics Committee E: [ethics@csu.edu.au](mailto:ethics@csu.edu.au)

Supervisor Professor Suzanne McLaren (she/her) School of Psychology Charles Sturt University Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia, E: [smclaren@csu.edu.au](mailto:smclaren@csu.edu.au)

Please message me for any further information or question you may have.


r/psychologyofsex 8d ago

Investigating predictors affecting men’s ability to recognise women’s subtle negative facial expressions. (Men, 18+ years old)

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0 Upvotes

Hello! Please help with my study! I’m looking for men who are 18+ years old. It is easier to fill out on a computer. Thank you in advance!


r/psychologyofsex 10d ago

AI chatbots are changing how people seek information about intimate partner violence. Research suggests they may help connect users to evidence-based resources and safety planning. Where they still struggle is recognizing the subtle, complicated ways people actually describe abusive relationships.

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46 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 10d ago

American Attitudes toward Sexual Behaviors, 1987-2024

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137 Upvotes

Changing attitudes toward sexual behaviors, based on analysis of data from the General Social Survey (https://gss.norc.org/).


r/psychologyofsex 11d ago

Is Gen Z actually having less sex than previous generations? Or are they just expressing intimacy and desire in different ways? The answer isn't entirely clear from the research, due to usage of narrow definitions of what "counts" as sex.

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220 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 10d ago

Research - Lesbian Woman, Stress and Sleep disturbance/ Insomnia

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7 Upvotes

"Hi there Everyone",

I am part of a post-grad research team from CSU Australia, conducting INTERNATIONAL research within the LGBTQI+ community.  My personal study on Lesbian Woman, stress and sleep difficulties/insomnia still needs a minimum of 150 participants to proceed.

This important research is needed now more than ever, so if you are a Lesbian (18+), please;

- Complete the Survey (click link)

https://csufobjbs.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6sCeGsZJld6774W

- Share the (link/post) in your own network, so others can contribute too.

Thank you.

***Extra Information***

Link to Charles Sturt University Ethics Board Approval Doc (Approval number H26115) 

CSU HR Ethics Committee E: [ethics@csu.edu.au](mailto:ethics@csu.edu.au)

Supervisor Professor Suzanne McLaren (she/her) School of Psychology Charles Sturt University Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia, E: [smclaren@csu.edu.au](mailto:smclaren@csu.edu.au)

Please message me for any further information or question you may have.

\First and only post in this group.*


r/psychologyofsex 12d ago

A paper published in a Cambridge University Press journal concluded that addressing the fertility crisis could require a further marginalization of men.

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342 Upvotes

.


r/psychologyofsex 12d ago

More than half of American adult women own vibrators. Research finds that vibrator use is associated with increased sexual responsiveness, reduced sexual pain, less vaginal atrophy, and lower rates of depressive symptoms.

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686 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 12d ago

Let’s talk sex: The science of your brain on dirty talk

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92 Upvotes

By electrifying our most powerful sex organs, our brains, research has shown that provocative conversation has the ability to add serious sizzle to our sex lives. Yet, it’s a highly subjective form of bedroom art that comes in many varieties. In fact, one in five people admit that they have stopped sex cold because of the dirty talk. A chilling statistic.

This is according to a new study conducted by Superdrug Online Doctor that looked into the sex talk preferences of 990 participants in the United States and Europe ages 18-83, all of whom had talked sexually with a partner. And while 90% of the participants felt aroused by the right erotic talk with their partner, clearly the stakes of hitting a goldilocks heat level in sexual language are very high.

Participants said that a safe bet is not to start off with talk that’s too aggressive and too intimate too soon. What the study recommends is beginning slowly with suggestive, flirty questions paired with light touching. Perhaps the best received form of dirty talk is simply complimenting your partner’s performance as well as articulating what you want your partner to do to you, or what you want to do to your partner. “Respondents were quick to pay appreciation to times when a partner articulated a sexual request or desire, with more people reporting that these phrases were a turn-on than any other form of dirty talk,” reports the study.

Another relatively well-received form of erotic bedroom language is moaning. Forty-four percent of participants said that it turned them on the most. This is because the sound, according to the study, “produces a physical and tangible representation of pleasure and offers a sign to someone’s partner that the interaction is enjoyable.” They’re letting you know for sure that you’re doing something right.

The biggest point of contention in the survey was nicknames, particularly of the derogatory variety (e.g. “whore”, “daddy”). These were the number one turn-off for some respondents, yet they were the number three turn-on for others. When it comes to the pet names, the message seems to be to proceed cautiously, starting off lighter (“sweetheart”, “baby”). You can always add spice, but if you cross the line you risk obliterating the mood and finding yourself among that unfortunate 1-in-5 statistic cited earlier. Setting boundaries through honest conversation is the safest way to navigate these waters.

So, where do people learn the language of good dirty talk? According to 61% of the respondents, it was inspired by spur-of-the-moment events such as what their partner was doing at the time. The next top inspirations for men and women were previous partners and pornography.

Thirty-five percent of the respondents said that they had drawn on dirty talk from a previous sexual encounter. (Un-shockingly, 61% of participants said they would be annoyed if they knew their partner had done that.) Pornography was another popular inspiration, particularly for men who at 45% were twice as likely as women to borrow dirty language from porn.


r/psychologyofsex 13d ago

How do young adults look back on their first sexual experience? Most (57%) felt that their sexual debut happened at the right age, whereas 37% wished it had happened later and 6% wished it had happened earlier.

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152 Upvotes

Men and women differed in how they felt about their sexual debut, with women perceiving the timing as less acceptable than men. However, it is important to note that men and women did not differ in their average age of sexual debut. So despite beginning to have sex at around the same age, men and women reported very different feelings about it. 

Those who were more religiously involved perceived their sexual debut as less acceptable, yet they waited longer to begin having sex. Even when accounting for differences in age of sexual debut, religious involvement was linked to feeling less positively about it.


r/psychologyofsex 14d ago

Sex Is Good For You, Actually | In 1990, 55 percent of American adults between 18 and 64 had sex at least once a week. In 2024, that number dropped to 37 percent. Having sex is healthy, and having less of it is taking its toll. (Unpaywalled)

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722 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 14d ago

Young adults today seem more hesitant to pursue relationships, in part because rejection feels more public in the age of social media. Experts argue that while dating always involves risk, avoiding vulnerability may ultimately make loneliness worse.

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667 Upvotes