May 29, 2023 by Olivia Adams
It’s been a busy month here at Sex and Psychology, but we couldn’t say goodbye to May before taking a deep dive into an important springtime topic: masturbation. Over the years, we have explored many different aspects of self-pleasure, from its role as a self-care practice to the reasons why ‘No Nut November’ campaigns may...
See Post
May 24, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
“We are the recorders and reporters of facts—not the judges of the behaviors we describe.” – Alfred Kinsey Founded in 1947 at Indiana University, the Kinsey Institute is the premier...
Media & Culture, Myth vs Fact, Sex Ed, Sex Q&A
May 4, 2023 by Olivia Adams
Heterosexual men’s difficulty in finding the clitoris has been a running gag in the popular media for quite some time. And there’s more than a hint of truth to it:...
Gender, Sex Ed
April 27, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
Ashley Madison is an infamous online dating service advertised as a means of facilitating extra-marital affairs. It has been the subject of significant media and scientific attention due to the...
Dating & Relationships
April 12, 2023 by Olivia Adams
You’ve probably heard the term gaydar before, which refers to an intuitive ability to determine whether or not someone is gay based on indirect information, such as speech patterns or...
LGBTQIA+, Psychology
March 22, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
The state of sex education in the USA is vastly different across states. As of May 2023, there are 23 states that do not require sex education for high school...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
March 1, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
The size of the sex toy market is predicted to reach $62.3 billion by 2030. In light of this, it’s surprising that so little research has explored what might be driving...
Myth vs Fact
February 15, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
The five “love languages”—words of affirmation, acts of service, gift giving, quality time, and physical touch—are meant to help individuals identify how they prefer to both give and receive love....
Dating & Relationships, Sex Tips
February 9, 2023 by Olivia Adams
AI is getting smarter. It can produce text that’s virtually indistinguishable from a human, and it has a massive knowledge base. So what will it mean for the future? What...
Media & Culture, Sex Ed
January 25, 2023 by Olivia Adams
The Pew Research Center recently published data covering Americans’ views on gender identity and issues affecting transgender people, with special attention to differences based on age, political affiliation, and other...
Gender, LGBTQIA+
January 11, 2023 by Emily Mendelson
Pornhub recently released their 2022 year-in-review detailing users’ searches and viewing habits, revealing current trends in pornography. Read on for insights into some of the data and trends that defined the...
Fantasies
January 2, 2023 by Justin Lehmiller
The start of each new year is a common time for people to make resolutions for self-improvement. And it may very well be that more people than usual are making...
Sex Tips
December 29, 2022 by Olivia Adams
2022 has been memorable for a lot of reasons—including what science taught us about sex. So here’s a quick recap of some of the many interesting things we learned about...
Sex Ed
December 21, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Believe it or not, Sex and Psychology turns 11 years old this week! When I first started blogging at the end of 2011, I had no idea where this journey would take me,...
Potpourri
December 14, 2022 by Emily Mendelson
What’s the most popular day of the year to conceive a child? According to the data, it’s Christmas Eve (at least in the United States). The third most popular? New Year’s Eve....
Dating & Relationships
December 7, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
If you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet, now’s the time! With supply chain issues and shipping delays piling up, it’s a good idea to get started a little earlier...
Books & Films, Potpourri
November 23, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
To all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don’t forget to be thankful for sex! Research suggests that sex is good for us in a lot of ways, both physically...
Potpourri
November 16, 2022 by Emily Mendelson
The season three finale of Netflix’s Love is Blind was released last week, which means we finally get to see who said “I do.” Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, the...
Media & Culture, Myth vs Fact
November 9, 2022 by Emily Mendelson
It’s “No Nut November” once again. While this annual abstinence challenge seems to pick up some new participants each year, you may want to think twice before giving up masturbation...
Myth vs Fact
October 26, 2022 by Emily Mendelson
The need to stay home and, for many, the need to find alternative means of income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a substantial rise in the...
Media & Culture
October 19, 2022 by Emily Mendelson
Sex and Psychology is expanding! I’m pleased to introduce the latest additions to the team, who will help continue our mission of bringing you science-based sex ed. Next up: Olivia...
Interviews
October 12, 2022 by Olivia Adams
Sex and Psychology is expanding! I’m pleased to introduce the latest additions to the team this week and next, who will help continue our mission of bringing you science-based sex...
Interviews
October 5, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
I am pleased to announce the tenth annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference! It will be held next February prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology....
Psychology
September 21, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Generally speaking, sexual activity is good for our mental health. Sex (however you like to do it) has the potential to enhance our psychological well-being, as well as the connection...
Dating & Relationships, Media & Culture, Sex Tips
September 5, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
I’m excited to announce a unique study abroad program in conjunction with the Sexual Health Alliance. We are offering study abroad courses in both Amsterdam and Berlin focused on sex...
Media & Culture, Potpourri
August 25, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
**Note: This post is sponsored by Lorals In recent years, oral sex has become one of the most common sexual behaviors that people engage in. In fact, aside from intercourse,...
Safe Sex
August 11, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Monkeypox has recently become one of the dominant topics of conversations in the sexual health community and in the media more broadly. Case counts are increasing quickly and vaccines are...
Safe Sex, Videos
August 3, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
BDSM (which stands for bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism) is one of the most popular sexual fantasies. It’s also a relatively common sexual behavior, with nationally representative US surveys finding that as many...
Kink & BDSM
July 18, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people say that their ideal relationship would be monogamous. Despite this, however, a lot of people seem to have a really hard time maintaining monogamy. So if monogamy is...
Dating & Relationships, Psychology
July 4, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
According to Gallup’s 2022 Moral Issues Survey, American adults’ views on sexual morality have become more liberal since the turn of the century. In fact, for some of the issues on this...
Sex Ed
June 27, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
HIV prevention and treatment have taken great strides over the last few decades, but there is still much to be done. In the United States alone, there are currently more...
Safe Sex
June 20, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
[September 14, 2022 Update: Applications are closed because this position has been filled. However, please keep an eye out for future postings!] Sex and Psychology was founded with the goal...
Uncategorized
June 15, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s June, and that means it’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month. At this time of year, we often hear a lot about Stonewall and the night of June 27, 1969. The stories...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
June 6, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Twenty-seven years ago this week, something unusual took place in the Netherlands: an observational study of the world’s first known case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck. Yes, you...
Potpourri, Videos
May 30, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Research finds that nearly half of American adults (46%) have used marijuana in some way at least once before. People use it for all kinds of purposes, from pain relief...
Sex Ed
May 23, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
**Note: This post is sponsored by The Handy More than 4 in 10 men report having experienced at least one sexual difficulty in the past year. Experiencing difficulties during sex...
Potpourri, Sex Tips
May 9, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual fantasy, pornography use, and in-person sexual behavior each tell us something unique about our sexuality, which means we can’t just assume that sexual interests in one context, transcend other...
Interviews, LGBTQIA+, Psychology
May 2, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s May, and that means it’s Masturbation Month yet again! So let’s talk about self-pleasure. The origins of Masturbation Month date back to 1995, when US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders...
Sex Ed, Videos
April 25, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a famous scene in the film 9 and 1/2 Weeks in which Mickey Rourke erotically feeds Kim Basinger a variety of foods including Jell-O, cherries, and tomatoes in front...
Fantasies
April 11, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
One reason some partners have sex early on in a relationship is because they want to know whether they’re sexually compatible. Sex is an important part of most (but not...
Sex Tips
April 4, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve heard from many readers over the years who think they have a sex drive that is “too high.” So when does a high sex drive become a problem? It’s...
Sex Q&A, Uncategorized
March 28, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
The new season of Bridgerton is out and it already has people hot and bothered. The first season was famous for its steamy sex scenes, which helped it to become...
Books & Films, Fantasies
March 21, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
At a broad level, exercise is defined as any activity requiring physical effort that either helps you maintain or enhance your overall health. Through this lens, sex certainly counts as...
Potpourri
March 14, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
I have been studying and writing about sexual orientation and sexual identity for the better part of the last two decades. One of the most interesting things I have seen...
LGBTQIA+
March 9, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Decades of psychological research on attraction has revealed which traits people tend to desire in a romantic partner. Intelligence, honesty, and sense of humor pretty reliably come in toward the...
Dating & Relationships
February 28, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Same-sex marriage has been legal throughout the United States since 2015. So what percentage of the LGBT population is currently married now that marriage is no longer restricted based on...
Dating & Relationships, LGBTQIA+
February 21, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) recognizes February as National Condom Month. Condom awareness and education are always important, but it seems especially timely right now given that rates of...
Safe Sex
February 14, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people seem to believe in the idea of “love at first sight.” For example, in studies of people who are currently in relationships, as many as 1...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
February 7, 2022 by Katie Adams
In the famous movie When Harry Met Sally, there’s a scene where Harry claims that “men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.”...
Dating & Relationships
January 31, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Teens across the United States have wildly inconsistent experiences with sex education. As of January 2022, there are 21 states that do not require sex ed, and even in those...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
January 24, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual initiation is something that seems challenging to navigate for many people. Over the years, I’ve heard from a lot of readers who want tips on initiation, with some saying...
Fantasies, Sex Tips
January 17, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which an argument takes place over whether a woman has a “big vagina” or her ex-partner has a “small penis.” While this...
Sex Ed, Sex Tips
January 12, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
In my previous post, I offered a guide on how to start a podcast. Today, I’ll be sharing some of the pro-tips I’ve learned from running the Sex and Psychology...
Interviews, Potpourri
January 10, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Since launching the Sex and Psychology Podcast, I’ve received a number of queries from folks who are interested in starting their own shows. Podcasts can be a fantastic educational tool...
Interviews, Potpourri
January 3, 2022 by Justin Lehmiller
Each time a new year rolls around, a lot of us start making resolutions for self-improvement. I suspect more people than usual might be making New Year’s resolutions right now...
Sex Tips
December 30, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
2021 has been memorable for a lot of reasons—including what science taught us about sex. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most interesting things we learned about sex...
Sex Ed
December 27, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
2021 was an interesting year to say the least! Our lives and behaviors continued to be altered in a number of ways by the pandemic—one of which was that many...
Potpourri
December 24, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Unlike many animal species, humans don’t really have a mating season. We can have sex any time of year. However, there do appear to be some peaks and valleys in...
Videos
December 20, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What was the most popular porn search term of 2021? According to Pornhub’s latest report, it was hentai. This term has been near the top of the list for a...
Fantasies, Media & Culture
December 15, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Believe it or not, Sex and Psychology turns 10 years old this week! When I first started blogging at the end of 2011, I had no idea where this journey would take me,...
Potpourri, Uncategorized
December 13, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex therapist Dr. Shirley Zussman passed away on December 4, 2021 at the age of 107. She had a remarkably long career in the field, having earned her doctorate in...
Sex Ed, Videos
December 8, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When you fantasize about sex, who do you usually think about? I’ve previously written about the various characters who appear in our fantasies and, most commonly, people mention current partners,...
Fantasies
December 6, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex toys can be a great addition to just about anyone’s sex life because they can add an element of novelty, while also introducing you to new sensations. Sex toys...
Interviews, Potpourri
November 29, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
If you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet, now’s the time! With supply chain issues and shipping delays piling up, it’s a good idea to get started a little earlier...
Potpourri
November 25, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
To all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don’t forget to be thankful for sex! Research suggests that sex is good for us in a lot of ways, both physically and...
Potpourri
November 22, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
College hookup culture serves the interests of some, but not others. So who is it helping, and who is it hurting? To explore this question, I interviewed Dr. Lisa Wade...
Dating & Relationships, Psychology
November 15, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual fantasies can be a multi-sensory experience. They’re not just about what we can see—but also what we can feel, smell, taste, and hear. In this post, we’re going to...
Fantasies, Psychology
November 10, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When you have a sexual fantasy, where does it take place? For some people, the setting doesn’t matter at all, whereas for others, the setting is crucial to establishing a...
Fantasies
November 8, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When you fantasize about sex, do you ever imagine your partner(s) wearing a specific uniform? If so, you’re not alone. In the survey of 4,175 Americans I conducted for my...
Fantasies, Kink & BDSM
November 3, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Infidelity is common. Saying exactly how many people have ever cheated is a little dicey, though, because the numbers vary a lot depending on how you ask the question (e.g.,...
Dating & Relationships
November 1, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question: “How many people are into DP [double penetration]?” Double penetration is a popular theme in the world of porn and often appears in threesome...
Fantasies, Sex Q&A
October 27, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
If you’re a long-time reader of the blog, you’ve probably seen articles I’ve posted about seasonal variations in sexual behavior. According to the research, one of the biggest peaks occurs...
Sex Ed
October 25, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
How many in-person dates would you want to have with a new partner before having sex with that person? We often hear about the so-called “three-date rule,” or the idea...
Dating & Relationships
October 20, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A friend of mine told me about a recent discussion he had with friends where everyone talked about having had a similar experience: whenever they were away on a trip,...
Fantasies, Psychology
October 18, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader recently asked the following question: “I often have a hard time orgasming. I have heard that having trouble orgasming can be related to having ADHD. To be clear, the orgasmic...
Sex Q&A
October 13, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
While writing an article on the health effects of sex and masturbation a while back, I came across a paper titled “Ejaculation as a Potential Treatment of Nasal Congestion in...
Myth vs Fact
October 11, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I launched Sex and Psychology nearly ten years ago. The site—and its purpose—have grown considerably since then. Initially, this was a fun side project I did while I was a...
Potpourri
October 6, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Is marriage harder now than it was in the past? Are we expecting too much from our spouses today? I recently interviewed Dr. Eli Finkel for the Sex and Psychology...
Dating & Relationships, Psychology
October 4, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When people think about orgasms, they usually think about sex and masturbation. Orgasms arise from sexual stimulation, right? That’s certainly the most common route to orgasm for most people, but...
Sex Ed, Uncategorized
September 29, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our sexual interests and behaviors in many ways, which I’ve covered extensively on the blog (see here for a recap). But something that hasn’t really been explored...
Potpourri, Sex Tips
September 27, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it sound like when you have sex? Is there any dirty talk? What about panting, moaning, and/or grunting? While people vary in their personal preferences for erotic sounds...
Videos
September 22, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
“I felt disgusted, but also very satisfied.” I just heard this line on an NPR podcast that had absolutely nothing to do with sex—but it really got me thinking because...
Kink & BDSM, Psychology
September 20, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
In long-term relationships, partners’ sex drives are bound to get out of sync from time to time. That’s normal and not a cause for concern unless it becomes a persistent...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Tips
September 13, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the topics that we explore extensively in my sex and culture course in Amsterdam is sex work. As part of this course, I give my students the opportunity...
Interviews, Media & Culture
September 6, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
In my study abroad course on sex and culture in the Netherlands, one of the things we have been discussing is cross-cultural differences in sexual health and sex education. Teens’ sexual...
Media & Culture, Sex Ed
September 1, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Today in my study abroad course on sex and culture in the Netherlands, we’re focusing on sex work, particularly the link between sex work and mental health. Many studies have...
Media & Culture, Sex Ed
August 30, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Greetings from Amsterdam! Today is the first day of a class I’m teaching on sex and culture in the Netherlands through the Sexual Health Alliance. Amsterdam is an awesome city—and...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
August 25, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The very first sex study that I ever published appeared in the Journal of Sex Research in 2011, and it explored similarities and differences in how men and women approach friends with...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
August 23, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When vibrators are mentioned in pop culture, they’re usually discussed as masturbation aides—something people (particularly women) use to pleasure themselves. You don’t typically see people whipping them out during couple’s...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Tips
August 18, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Sixty-eight years ago this week (August 20, 1953), the media first reported on some of the major findings from Alfred Kinsey’s classic book Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. This...
Books & Films, Media & Culture
August 16, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
BDSM (which stands for bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism) is one of the most popular sexual fantasies and a significant number of people report having engaged in BDSM acts before. Interest in BDSM appears...
Fantasies, Kink & BDSM
August 11, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Why does monogamy work for some people but not for others? Research suggests that it might have something to do with the way our brains are ‘wired.’ Consider a study...
Dating & Relationships, Psychology
August 9, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What is the oldest sex toy in existence? Why were butt plugs once marketed as a cure for asthma? Why is it still illegal to sell sex toys in some...
Interviews
August 4, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Somnophilia refers to a sexual interest in which someone is turned on by the idea of having sex with a person who is sleeping—or being asleep and receiving sexual attention...
Fantasies, Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
August 2, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When a couple starts kissing intensely in public, it tends to capture your attention—you can’t pull your eyes away. And when you see this, it’s possible to experience a wide...
Dating & Relationships
July 28, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
You all know that I’m an advocate for sex toys. The data are clear that most people who use them report benefits and overwhelmingly positive effects. For example, sex toys are an...
Sex Ed
July 26, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
How do you make a relationship work for the long haul? Research has identified several key factors, many of which have to do with the relationship mindset we hold. I...
Dating & Relationships
July 21, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Some people are turned on by the idea of having sex with a partner who is sleeping—or being asleep and receiving sexual attention from someone else. This sexual interest is...
Fantasies, Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
July 19, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What are the keys to having good casual sex? This question is at the forefront of Dr. Zhana Vrangalova’s program of research. I recently interviewed Zhana for the Sex and...
Sex Ed
July 14, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people’s sex lives in a number of ways, which I’ve written about extensively on the blog (see here for a video recap of some of...
Videos
July 7, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
According to Gallup’s 2021 Moral Issues Survey, Americans’ views on sexual morality continue to become more liberal overall. In fact, for some of the issues on this survey, Gallup recorded the...
Sex Ed
July 7, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Many people view pornography as a public health hazard, arguing that it’s inherently bad for our sex lives, relationships, and mental health. Embedded in a lot of arguments about the...
Sex Ed
July 5, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The number of American adults identifying as LGBTQ+ is growing. As I reported earlier this year, LGBTQ+ identification in national polls has increased by about 60% from 2012 to 2020, going...
LGBTQIA+
June 30, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
How do you keep passion alive in a long-term relationship and sustain sexual satisfaction over time? This question is at the forefront of Dr. Amy Muise’s program of research. I...
Interviews
June 28, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Do the sex lives of men in relationships differ based on their sexual orientation? This question is difficult to answer because there’s not a lot of research out there on...
LGBTQIA+
June 23, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
“We are the recorders and reporters of facts—not the judges of the behaviors we describe.” – Alfred Kinsey Today (June 23) marks the birthday of Dr. Alfred Kinsey, one of...
Sex Ed
June 21, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When people describe the traits they want in a partner, honesty usually comes in near the top of the list. However, despite the fact that we say we want partners who will...
Sex Ed
June 16, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What do you do after sex? Some people like to spoon or cuddle, others like to sleep, and yet others like to grab something to eat or drink. But does...
Videos
June 14, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Virtual reality (VR) pornography is a small but growing market in the adult industry. As the cost of this technology comes down in price and becomes more accessible to a...
Sex Ed
June 9, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Bisexuality is one of the most misunderstood sexual orientations. So for LGBT Pride Month, let’s take a look at some of the key things scientists have discovered about bisexuality that...
LGBTQIA+
June 7, 2021 by Katie Adams
Guest post by Katie Adams “I’ve been really tryin’, baby / Tryin’ to hold back this feeling for so long / And if you feel like I feel, baby /...
Sex Ed
June 2, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
After a breakup, some ex-partners avoid each other entirely. However, others continue to be in each other’s lives by remaining friends. So what motivates people to stay friends after a...
Dating & Relationships
May 31, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Consensual nonmonogamy is a relationship style in which all partners openly agree to the possibility of having more than one sexual and/or romantic relationship at a time. These relationships are...
Sex Ed
May 26, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, much was said and written about sex and masturbation in the popular media. The implication of many stories was that people were going...
Sex Ed
May 24, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I get asked about the future of sex a lot, and one of the topics that often comes up is how robots are going to change our intimate lives and...
Gender, Sex Ed
May 19, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of research has examined how men and women respond to proposals for casual sex; however, the bulk of this research has focused on people who are heterosexual. This...
Gender, LGBTQIA+, Sex Ed
May 17, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
In recent years, Americans’ sexual attitudes have become more liberal. For example, public opinion polls have found that the number of American adults who think that things like sex outside...
Sex Ed
May 12, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the questions I’m asked most often by journalists these days is what sex and relationships will look like after the pandemic. As a result, I’ve spent quite a...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
May 10, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
How do you look back on your first sexual experience? For some people, it’s remembered positively, whereas for others, it is a source of regret and shame because they feel...
Gender, Sex Ed
May 5, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Google trends have shown an uptick in searches related to polyamory in recent years, which suggests growing interest in the idea of consensual non-monogamy (or at least growing curiosity about...
Dating & Relationships
May 3, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
It wasn’t that long ago that virginity was a highly coveted trait in a romantic partner. Sexual inexperience was valued, whereas being sexually experienced was often considered a dealbreaker, especially...
Sex Ed
April 28, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
One reason that many couples have sex early on in a relationship—and well before the prospect of marriage might ever come to mind—is because they want to know whether they’re...
Sex Tips
April 26, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When people are surveyed about which behaviors count as “having sex,” it’s nearly impossible to find 100% agreement on anything. For example, studies of college students find that, while most...
Sex Ed
April 21, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When asked to describe a memorable regret, the things people mention most often involve love, sex, and romance [1]. For example, common regrets include lost opportunities (like “the one that...
Sex Ed
April 19, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
April 20th is known by many as 4/20 Day and it’s an unofficial holiday that celebrates all things marijuana (to read up on the history of 4/20 Day, check out...
Sex Ed
April 14, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
People tend to think of personality as a relatively stable characteristic of the self that doesn’t usually change much over the course of our lives. However, this way of thinking...
Sex Ed
April 12, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Our perception of time is inconsistent—and a lot of different factors can affect whether time feels like it’s flying by versus standing still. For example, watching water boil on a...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
April 7, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader recently asked the following question:“My wife and I have been discussing fantasies. She believes fantasies are something that may turn you on but you don’t want to actually...
Sex Q&A
April 5, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
In the last couple of years, I seem to have become the go-to person for journalists and sex therapists who want to know how common a given sexual fantasy is....
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
March 31, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
When I look at studies examining what people say they want in a romantic partner, people tend to report a lot of positive traits. For example, kindness, honesty, and dependability...
Dating & Relationships
March 29, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Rebound sex is generally defined as sexual activity that someone seeks out in order get over an ex or move on after a breakup [1]. In other words, rebound sex...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
March 24, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
“Once a cheater, always a cheater” is how the saying goes. But is this true? Is history bound to repeat itself when it comes to infidelity?According to the research, people...
Dating & Relationships
March 22, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it mean to be a “hopeless romantic?” You can find countless media articles talking about people’s opinions on this, but from a scientific perspective, what it really refers...
Dating & Relationships
March 17, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Most of the time that you see BDSM discussed or mentioned in the popular media, it is referenced as a sexual activity. In other words, it’s largely seen as something...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
March 15, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the things people find appealing about the idea of online dating is that you can potentially meet a much larger number of people online than you can in...
Dating & Relationships
March 10, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Our professional biographies tend to serve as a “highlight reel”—they only say the great things we’ve accomplished and don’t reveal the struggles, challenges, and uncertainties that went into building a...
Psychology
March 8, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator, I’ve been asked many times over the years why men often wake up with erections (or “morning wood,” as they’re known colloquially). In this post, I’ll...
Sex Ed
March 3, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
It is well known that depression—and certain drug treatments for depression, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—can lower sexual interest, desire, and activity levels. However, it turns out that...
Sex Ed
March 1, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve been studying and writing about sexual orientation and sexual identity for the better part of the last two decades, and one of the most interesting things I’ve seen in...
LGBTQIA+
February 24, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Earlier this week, I wrote an article about how infectious organisms transmitted through sex can potentially alter the sexual behavior patterns of the host. By encouraging the host to engage...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
February 22, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Most of us like to think of ourselves as having free will. We engage in behaviors—sexually and otherwise—because we choose to do so, right? But what if this wasn't entirely...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed, Videos
February 17, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
In my previous post, I discussed results from a recent study exploring how young adults define “rough sex” and their enjoyment of this activity. Today, I’m going to be discussing...
Sex Ed
February 15, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Rough sex is one of the most popular sexual fantasies. In fact, when I surveyed 4,175 Americans about their fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want, I found...
Sex Ed
February 10, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) recognizes February as National Condom Month. Condom awareness and education is always important, but it seems especially timely right now given that rates of...
Safe Sex
February 4, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Teens across the United States have wildly inconsistent experiences with sex education. Currently, 20 states do not require sex ed, and even in those states that mandate it, the information...
Safe Sex
February 3, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The way we meet our romantic partners has evolved several times throughout history, with online dating being the latest frontier. However, it’s interesting to note that, despite its increasing popularity,...
Dating & Relationships
February 1, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people report having dreams about sex at least occasionally. In fact, research has found that the vast majority of both men (93%) and women (86%) say they have had...
Sex Ed
January 27, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator, I receive questions almost every day from people who are facing some type of difficulty in their sex life and don’t know what to do about...
Sex Tips
January 25, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
We know that there have been multiple changes in sexual behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, which I’ve blogged extensively about before (for a summary of some of the main findings,...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
January 22, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Earlier this week, I wrote about a new study that explores what people who are having affairs do, say, and feel. The results of this research tell us that there...
Dating & Relationships
January 18, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a lot of research out there on infidelity. Most of it has examined topics such as how many people have ever cheated and the main reasons people step out...
Dating & Relationships
January 11, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I went to graduate school to study the psychology of romantic relationships. Relationships are one of the most significant and consequential things in our lives, with the quality of our...
Dating & Relationships, Psychology
January 8, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently received a long letter from a reader who asked, “Can I (or should I) try to change my sexual fantasies in order to reduce conflict in my marriage?”...
Sex Ed, Sex Q&A
January 7, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader submitted the following question:“It is known that having sex has positive effects on both our mental and physical health. But what do we know about the consequences of...
Sex Q&A
January 6, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve written a lot about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people’s sex lives and relationships; however, most of the research that has been conducted on this topic so far...
Dating & Relationships
January 4, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
The rise of online dating has given us a new way to connect with other people—and to meet people we probably wouldn’t otherwise encounter in our everyday lives. It has...
Videos
January 1, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Each time a new year rolls around, a lot of us start making resolutions for self-improvement. I suspect more people than usual may be making New Year’s resolutions right now...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
December 30, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
2020 has been memorable for a lot of reasons—including what science taught us about sex. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most interesting things we learned about sex...
Sex Ed
December 28, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What. A. Year.2020 was unusual, to say the least. Our lives and behaviors were altered in a number of ways due to the pandemic—one of which was that many of...
Potpourri
December 25, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Our sexual behaviors ebb and flow throughout the year—and so do our porn searches. It turns out that what people look for on adult sites is, in part, a function...
Sex Ed
December 25, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Porn searches are seasonal. According to Pornhub, the content that people look for seems to vary significantly over the course of the year in relation to different holidays and events....
Sex Ed
December 21, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Throughout this pandemic, I’ve been interviewed by dozens of journalists about the impact COVID-19 has had on our intimate lives. One question that keeps coming up in these interviews is:...
Sex Ed
December 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s hard for me to believe, but Sex and Psychology is officially nine years old! When I started blogging in 2011, I had no idea where this journey would take...
Potpourri
December 14, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s not uncommon for people in monogamous relationships to step out on their partners. Studies have reliably found that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 married individuals say...
Videos
December 14, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
If you aren’t quite finished with your holiday shopping or (like me) haven’t even started yet, allow me to make your job a little easier this year. If you're in...
Potpourri
December 9, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A question I often get asked in interviews about my book Tell Me What You Want is whether I learned about any new kinks in the process of studying more...
Sex Ed
December 7, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Where I live, winter is almost here, and that means “cuffing season” is about to get underway. Just in case you aren’t familiar, cuffing season describes the tendency for people...
Dating & Relationships
December 4, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What do people want to know about sex?Here's are the ten most read question-and-answer features of all time on the blog. These questions (all submitted by readers of Sex and...
Sex Q&A
November 30, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people seem to be under the impression that divorce is on the rise—and that a larger and larger proportion of marriages dissolve each year. This is why...
Dating & Relationships
November 27, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Can’t decide what to buy the sexy people in your life this holiday season? I have you covered. Check out the brand new Sex and Psychology Store, where you’ll find...
Potpourri
November 26, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
To all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don't forget to be thankful for sex! Research suggests that sex is good for us in a lot of ways, both physically...
Potpourri
November 23, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Porn searches are seasonal.If you look at trends in porn searches throughout the year, you’ll see that they follow a predictable pattern of changes that reflect seasonal events and holidays....
Potpourri
November 20, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex and Psychology is about to celebrate its ninth anniversary! I’ve been blogging about the science of sex and relationships three times per week every week since the site launched,...
Potpourri
November 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A few years back, a bunch of guys on the internet started challenging each other to go the whole month of November without ejaculating. It’s “No Nut November,” as they...
Videos
November 16, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Threesomes are one of the most popular sexual fantasies. But how many people have ever made the leap from fantasy to reality? And who’s most likely to have had a...
Sex Ed
November 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
How have people's sex lives and relationships changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Some of my colleagues and I at The Kinsey Institute conducted a study in order...
Videos
November 11, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
When a couple decides to end a relationship, the result isn’t always a clean break. There’s often some degree of contact that continues and, sometimes, that includes sex. But who...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
November 6, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Women don’t always orgasm during vaginal intercourse, especially if clitoral stimulation isn’t part of the equation. In fact, in a nationally representative study of more than 1,000 women from the...
Sex Ed
November 2, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
When it comes to sex toy use, there is a pretty sizeable gap between men and women. Studies have consistently found that women use sex toys during masturbation at much...
Gender, Sex Ed
November 2, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a powerful impact on people’s sexual and romantic lives. At the Kinsey Institute, we conducted a study to explore how people’s intimate lives have fared...
LGBTQIA+, Sex Ed
October 30, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Some women masturbate right after having sex with their partner. Intuitively, some might assume that this necessarily means she was dissatisfied with the sex and compensating for an unfulfilling experience....
Gender, Videos
October 26, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Nudism (also known as naturism) is a practice—and sometimes a lifestyle—that centers around non-sexual public nudity. As someone who grew up in the United States, I learned very early on...
Sex Ed
October 23, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Research reports on multiple orgasms in women date back nearly a century. Despite this, surprisingly little has been published on what women’s experiences with multiple orgasms are like. There’s also...
Sex Ed
October 19, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Have you ever noticed that some romantic partners have a strikingly similar facial structure? If so, you’re not alone.Research has found that we tend to be attracted to partners with...
Dating & Relationships
October 16, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:“My wife claims she has no sexual fantasies. Is this possible?”Sexual fantasies are usually defined as waking mental images or pictures that one finds to...
Sex Ed
October 14, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What is the average amount of semen a man produces? Where does semen actually come from anyway? Why do men ejaculate in spurts instead of a stream? Why is semen...
Videos
October 12, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Cuckolding is a sexual practice in which one is aroused by the idea of watching or listening to their partner have sex with someone else. I’ve written quite a bit...
Gender, Sex Ed
October 9, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to deliberate, self-inflicted damage to the body that is intended to cause pain, but not to end one’s life. NSSI is not uncommon—in fact, some reports...
Sex Ed
October 7, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve been urged to keep our distance from other people in order to reduce transmission rates. These social distancing guidelines—combined with lockdowns, quarantines, and closures...
Sex Ed
October 5, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I am pleased to announce the eighth annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference! It will be held next February prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology....
Psychology
September 30, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In our Kinsey Institute study on how the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is affecting our intimate lives, we found that rates of sexual activity decreased during lockdown compared to prior year...
Dating & Relationships
September 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In my last post, I wrote about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the frequency with which people say they fantasize about sex, as well as people’s reasons for having...
Sex Ed
September 28, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Kissing is among the most common sexual and romantic behaviors. Although it isn’t a universal activity across cultures (in fact, researchers haven't found evidence of kissing in a surprisingly large...
Sex Ed
September 25, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked:“How common are vorarephilia fantasies?”For those who aren’t familiar, vorarephilia (also known as vore for short) refers to a sexual interest that revolves around consuming or being consumed...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Q&A
September 23, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
“Pup play” is a form of sexual roleplay in which an adult human adopts the appearance and characteristics of a dog. This may include dressing up like a dog (wearing...
Kink & BDSM, Videos
September 21, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Some people tend to fall in love fast, easily, and often [1]. This tendency is known as emophilia, formerly known as “emotional promiscuity.”Falling in love fast and often might sound...
Dating & Relationships
September 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A surprisingly large number of people report having had paranormal experiences. For example, in a 2013 HuffPost/YouGov poll of 1,000 American adults, 32% of respondents answered yes to the question: “Have you ever...
Fantasies, Myth vs Fact
September 16, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Popular media reports frequently tout the damage that pornography use does to relationships. Some articles have made pretty bold claims, such as “porn-free relationships are stronger,” “watching porn can diminish...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
September 14, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Popular media—films, television shows, and books—are common sources of sexual fantasy inspiration. In fact, in the study of 4,175 Americans’ sexual fantasies I conducted for my book Tell Me What...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
September 11, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people struggle when it comes to finding long-term relationship happiness. So what can we do about this? As economist Rebekka Grun argues in the TEDx talk below,...
Videos
September 9, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Research has found that different people define sex in radically different ways.Most research to date has focused on heterosexual, college-age adults and their views of sex, which reveals that penetrative...
Sex Ed
September 7, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Public opinion polls reveal that a majority of Americans believe in the concept of a “soulmate.” For instance, according to a YouGov poll of 2,984 adults conducted earlier this year,...
Dating & Relationships
September 4, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Kissing is one of the most common sexual and romantic behaviors in many cultures around the world; however, kissing is far from a universal activity. In fact, researchers haven't found...
Sex Ed
August 31, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
How much “should” you spend on engagement and wedding rings? If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably heard that 2-3 months’ salary is the rule of thumb; however, that’s a...
Dating & Relationships
August 28, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What’s going on in the world of sex and relationship research right now? Here’s a brief recap of the latest and greatest happenings. In this edition, we’ll review a new...
Sex Ed
August 26, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
According to numerous media reports, sex toy retailers around the world reported a surge in sales since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic began, especially during the period when lockdowns were widespread.Of...
Sex Ed
August 24, 2020 by Katie Adams
When I was an undergraduate student, the weekends usually meant parties. And Sunday brunches often consisted of friends dishing on any hookups that occurred at those parties. Looking back on...
Sex Ed
August 21, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader sent the following question:How many people are into dirty talk? What turns people on about it?There’s a lot of research out there on sexual communication, but surprisingly little...
Sex Ed, Sex Q&A
August 19, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sixty-seven years ago this week (August 20, 1953), the media first reported on some of the major findings from Alfred Kinsey's classic book Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. This...
Sex Ed
August 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Our sexual behavior patterns change with the seasons. Historically, there has been a reliable peak in sexual activity during the summer months. But is our usual summer peak going to...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
August 10, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
As someone who studies the science of sexual fantasies, something I’ve been curious about is whether this pandemic has affected our fantasies in any way. This situation has touched a...
Sex Ed
August 7, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sadism and masochism involve deriving pleasure from the experience of giving and receiving pain, respectively. This can take a number of forms, from spanking to whipping to flogging and beyond...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
August 5, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of research has looked at the traits and characteristics of the people most likely to cheat on their romantic partners. But what about people who get cheated on?...
Dating & Relationships
August 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the world of dating and relationships? According to sex therapist Esther Perel, disasters like this are a “relationship accelerator.” What exactly does she mean...
Videos
July 31, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A question I often get asked is “what are the red flags I should watch out for in a new relationship?” While it can be hard to know early on...
Dating & Relationships
July 27, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM) is one of the most popular sexual fantasies and a significant number of people report having engaged in BDSM acts before.So why is it such...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
July 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Survey studies have found that many men report having sent unsolicited photos of their penises (“dick pics”) to other people before—but how many people say they’ve ever received such a...
Gender, Sex Ed
July 22, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
There are lots of ways to end a romantic relationship, but some people choose to “ghost” their former partner. Ghosting is defined as “ending a romantic relationship by cutting off...
Dating & Relationships
July 20, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Some of my colleagues and I at The Kinsey Institute started a study in mid-March to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and social distancing on people’s intimate...
Sex Ed
July 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
When you fantasize about sex, do you appear in your own fantasies? If so, do you appear as you do in real life, or do you change yourself in some...
Fantasies, Sex Ed
July 15, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Our sexual fantasies appear to reflect, at least in part, our personality traits and characteristics. I studied the sexual fantasies of 4,175 Americans from all 50 states for my book...
Videos
July 10, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:“I hear the terms kink and fetish being used in a pretty interchangeable way most of the time. However, I feel like they are two...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Q&A
July 8, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual inactivity is on the rise among young adults. In the last two decades, the number of people—especially men—reporting that they haven’t had sex in the past year has risen...
Sex Ed
July 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Female genital cosmetic surgery is on the rise. While these procedures are still relatively uncommon compared to breast augmentation and other cosmetic procedures, they are increasing at a fast rate....
Sex Ed
July 2, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
According to Gallup's 2020 Moral Issues Survey, Americans’ views on sexual morality continue to become more liberal overall. In fact, for many of the issues on this survey, Gallup recorded...
Sex Ed
June 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
One topic that is conspicuously absent in most sexuality education courses is pleasure [1]. Most of us only ever learn about the potential risks associated with sex and how to...
Sex Tips
June 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Infidelity is common. Studies have reliably found that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 married adults report having had sex outside of their relationship at some point. For...
Dating & Relationships
June 26, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex toys have never been more popular than they are right now. Sales have been steadily increasing for years, but they really surged during lockdown and quarantine.Despite their growing popularity,...
Sex Tips
June 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
When I first got into sex research, I started studying friends with benefits (FWBs). I had been teaching college courses on human sexuality for a few years at that point...
Dating & Relationships
June 22, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Tomorrow (June 23) marks the birthday of Dr. Alfred Kinsey, one of the most famous figures in the world of sex research. Kinsey was born in 1894 and died in...
Sex Ed
June 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A few years back, I launched the Sex Studies page on Sex and Psychology with the goal of helping to connect sex researchers with potential participants, and it has been...
Sex Ed
June 15, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In recent years, I have noticed an increasing trend in both public and academic discourse on sex to conflate unwanted sexual activity with nonconsensual sexual activity. For example, in many...
Sex Ed
June 12, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health concern, with cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia recently reaching a record high in the United States. There is much work...
Safe Sex
June 8, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I have received several questions from readers recently on the psychology of prejudice. Where does it come from? Why are racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bias so common?...
Psychology
June 5, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Events over the last several weeks have got me thinking more about what I can do to make a difference when it comes to fighting against entrenched forms of inequality...
Psychology
June 5, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Mating practices vary widely across different species—and they often occur in very unexpected ways. This is especially true when we look at how deep sea creatures mate.For example, lobsters engage...
Videos
June 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death earlier this year, an ESPN news anchor shared a heartfelt story about Bryant’s love of being a father. The emotional tribute instantly went...
Sex Ed
June 2, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Most of you only know me as a sex educator and researcher, but I actually started my career teaching college courses on the psychology of prejudice—and I ended up teaching...
Media & Culture
June 1, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Cheating and infidelity are common. Studies reliably find that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 married couples in the US reported having stepped out on their partner at...
Dating & Relationships
May 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:“Do more attractive people have more sexual partners?”According to the research I’ve seen, there does seem to be a link between physical attractiveness and number...
Sex Ed
May 27, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
“No Blacks.” “No Asians.” It’s not uncommon to see phrases like these on sex and dating apps, in which people categorically exclude entire racial groups from consideration.Many have referred to...
Dating & Relationships
May 25, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A common refrain in many anti-prostitution arguments is that sex work is inherently exploitative and that it perpetuates gender inequality. Built into these arguments is an assumption that men who...
Sex Ed
May 22, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Interest in polyamory—and consensual non-monogamy more broadly—is on the rise. Google searches related to polyamory are increasing, apps for polyamorous dating are springing up, and popular media depictions of polyamorous...
Videos
May 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Two months ago, I published a blog post titled “Can the Coronavirus be Transmitted Through Sex?” At the time, I wrote that “there haven’t been any scientific studies as of...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
May 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
May is Masturbation Month, so let’s talk about self-pleasure! In this post, we’ll explore twelve things scientists have learned from the study of masturbation, including who does it, why, how,...
Sex Ed
May 15, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader submitted the following question:“I am a straight and happily married man, but lately I have had fantasies about other men. Some of them are just about me and...
LGBTQIA+, Sex Q&A
May 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s May, and that means it’s Masturbation Month! With many of us living under lockdown and quarantine orders at the moment, now seems like the perfect time to talk about...
Videos
May 11, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Much has been said and written about how pornography use has changed during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, including on this blog (see here). However, almost all of the information we...
Sex Ed
May 8, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Research has found that around 1% of the population is asexual, a term usually defined as either a lack of sexual attraction or a lack of desire for partnered sexual...
LGBTQIA+
May 6, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Anecdotally, I’ve heard from a lot of people who have said that they reached out to (or heard from) an ex-partner since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic began. But just how...
Dating & Relationships
May 1, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I was recently invited to write a book chapter on nonmonogamy in LGBTQ+ relationships, and one of the things I wanted to do in it was compare the prevalence of...
Dating & Relationships, LGBTQIA+
April 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
During this time of lockdowns and quarantines, I know that many of you are looking for ways to pass the time, so allow me to suggest some entertaining and educational...
Media & Culture
April 29, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise, and many people are curious about the reasons why. While the cause is obviously multifactorial, some have suggested that at least part...
Myth vs Fact, Safe Sex
April 27, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
April is STD Awareness Month, so let’s take a little time to set the record straight on some popular myths about sexually transmitted infections and diseases. In this post, we’ll...
Myth vs Fact, Safe Sex
April 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader submitted the following question:“I recently discovered that my husband is attracted to transsexuals (MTF - non op). This is the only type of porn that he looks at....
Sex Q&A, Sex Tips
April 22, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What’s going on in the world of sex research today? What are some of the biggest controversies and challenges? I recently sat down with a few of my colleagues to...
Sex Ed, Videos
April 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
As a practicing sex therapist, I often see two partners legitimately trying to bridge a satisfaction gap between each other, but they can’t seem to get the moves just right....
Sex Tips
April 10, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I know that many of you are bored and horny right now during this lockdown and quarantine period, so allow me to recommend some of my favorite sex books! If...
Books & Films
April 8, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Depression is one of the most common mental health issues in the United States. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health, 1 in 14 Americans experienced an...
Videos
April 6, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
For decades, researchers have been studying the effectiveness of different kinds of pick-up lines in order to better understand the psychology of attraction. What they’ve found is that certain types...
Dating & Relationships
April 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
There are a lot of conflicting media reports out right now about how the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is affecting people’s sex drives. Some are saying that all of the stress...
Media & Culture, Sex Ed
April 1, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
The clitoris is an organ that has been wildly misunderstood and mischaracterized for most of human history. The last three decades have dramatically changed the way that scientists think and...
Videos
March 30, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Most research on people who patronize sex workers has focused on men. In some ways, this isn’t surprising because men are much more likely to report having paid for sex...
Sex Ed
March 23, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
For women who aren’t using any kind of hormonal contraception, their bodies undergo a series of natural fluctuations in hormone levels across the menstrual cycle. Studies have found that these...
Dating & Relationships
March 20, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Many of us are finding ourselves spending a lot more time at home due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, especially those of us in lockdown areas. For people who live...
Dating & Relationships
March 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a ton of headlines predicting a massive baby boom stemming from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic—and some people are making very bold claims. Case...
Media & Culture, Myth vs Fact, Safe Sex
March 18, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In any relationship, you’re bound to discover that your partner has one or two (or maybe ten or twenty) quirks that eventually come to annoy you. In these situations, it's...
Videos
March 16, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has prompted a lot of questions, including many questions about exactly how this virus spreads. One that I’ve been hearing a lot about lately is whether...
Safe Sex
March 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What do people want to know about sex?Here are the ten most read question-and-answer articles of all time on the blog. These questions (all submitted by readers of Sex and...
Sex Q&A
March 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
There is no escape from coronavirus news. It’s all anyone can talk about on my social media feeds and everywhere I go. It’s permeating every aspect of our lives, including...
Media & Culture
March 11, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In my last post, I wrote about people who fantasize about having sex ‘forced’ on them. Today, we’re going to talk about the flip side of these fantasies: people who...
Sex Ed
March 9, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Have you ever fantasized about being ‘forced’ to have sex? If so, you’re not alone. Fantasies about being taken against one’s will (sometimes known as ‘forced sex fantasies,’ ‘rape fantasies,’...
Sex Ed
March 6, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A few years ago, I launched the Sex Studies page on Sex and Psychology, with the goal of helping to connect sex researchers with prospective participants. I’m pleased to say...
Sex Ed
March 4, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
People today are less likely to report using condoms than they were in the past. For example, among teens, the number who reported using a condom the last time they...
Safe Sex
March 2, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
When you hear the word orgasm, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?Odds are, you probably thought about pleasure because most of us tend to equate orgasms with positive...
Sex Ed
February 28, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the difference between being bisexual versus being pansexual. There seems to be a lot of confusion about what these terms really...
LGBTQIA+, Sex Q&A
February 26, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people don’t feel comfortable sharing their sexual wants and needs with their partners. For example, when I surveyed more than 4,000 Americans about their sexual fantasies for...
Potpourri
February 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Teens across the United States have wildly inconsistent experiences with sex education. More than 20 states do not even require that sex education be taught at all, and even in...
Safe Sex
February 21, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
‘How do I become a sex researcher?’ I get this question a lot from students who want to know what degree they should pursue in order to enter the field....
Psychology
February 19, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
We aren’t experiencing as much sexual pleasure as we used to. So what can we do to fix that?Dr. Nan Wise, a cognitive neuroscientist and certified sex therapist, has the...
Interviews
February 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
We’ve long known that scarcity plays an important role in sexual attraction. For example, in a classic study, research assistants approached people at a bar at different points during the...
Sex Ed
February 14, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Porn searches are seasonal. When we look at trends in people’s porn searches throughout the year, they follow a predictable pattern of changes that reflect seasonal events and holidays. For...
Potpourri
February 12, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A female reader recently asked the following question:“One of my first experiences in the bedroom was anal. This was about 3 years ago and it was a rather good experience....
Sex Q&A
February 7, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Oral sex is one of the most common sexual activities in the United States today. In fact, a majority of American adults under age 50 say they have both given and received...
Safe Sex
February 5, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people seem to be under the impression that, if you watch enough porn, your brain will build up a tolerance to it. The result is that you...
Sex Ed
February 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Almost everyone has sexual fantasies, and most of us have them often. We fantasize about a wide range of activities, from group sex to BDSM to doing something that is...
Sex Ed
January 31, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader recently wrote to ask me a question about their biggest sexual fantasy. He said:“I have always had a sexual fantasy about getting shrunken down and eaten by a...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Q&A
January 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises is a well-established way of giving your sex life a boost. Indeed, study after study has found that these exercises offer a...
Sex Tips
January 24, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
“Across the alt-right movement, leaders are telling young men not to masturbate, “ says clinical psychologist Dr. David Ley in a recent interview. Why is that? In part, because some...
Myth vs Fact, Videos
January 22, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
On the heels of appearing in the new Netflix series Sex, Explained, I also appeared in an episode of Dr. Phil’s television program! Talk about getting the new year off to...
Potpourri
January 21, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
How does marijuana affect people’s sex lives? According to scientific research, it seems to be an aphrodisiac for a lot of people. For example, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Sexual...
Sex Ed
January 20, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Psychologists and psychiatrists typically use the term paraphilia to refer to unusual or uncommon sexual interests or activities. Hundreds of desires have been described as paraphilias over the years, although there are currently...
Kink & BDSM
January 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
There is a big gap between fantasy and reality. When I surveyed more than 4,000 adults about their sexual fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want, I found...
Fantasies, Potpourri
January 17, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission updates its database on “consumer product-related injuries” that occur in the United States. It’s a public health tool that tracks emergency room...
Kink & BDSM
January 13, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
In the late 1980s, British police launched a massive investigation into men who were participating in sadomasochistic acts with other men in the United Kingdom. Known as Operation Spanner, the...
Kink & BDSM
January 10, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
What’s going on in the world of sex and relationship research right now? Here’s a brief recap of the latest and greatest happenings. In this edition, we’ll review a new...
Sex Ed
January 8, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Living single as an adult has long been stigmatized, with singles being viewed as “incomplete” due to their lack of a relationship [1]. Not only that, but singles are often...
Dating & Relationships
January 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve been sitting on some very exciting news for the last few months: I’m featured in the first episode of a new series from Netflix and Vox titled Sex, Explained!...
Potpourri
January 3, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Rough sex is one of the most popular sexual fantasies. While it’s a common fantasy theme across genders, it is especially common among women. As I discuss in my book...
Gender, Sex Ed
January 1, 2020 by Justin Lehmiller
Each time a new year begins, a lot of people make resolutions for self-improvement. Some of us resolve to lose weight or to get in better shape, others vow to...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
December 30, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
2019 has been memorable for a lot of reasons—including what science taught us about sex. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most interesting things we learned about sex...
Sex Ed
December 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
As 2019 winds down, let's look back at this year's ten most read articles on Sex and Psychology. The following posts represent a very diverse range of content and, combined,...
Potpourri
December 23, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Pornhub just released their 2019 year-in-review of users’ viewing habits and, as usual, the results were fascinating. They reported an average of 115 million site visitors per day this year,...
Sex Ed
December 20, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Believe it or not, Sex and Psychology is officially eight years old! When I started blogging in 2011, I had no idea where this journey would take me, but it...
Potpourri
December 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex is seasonal, to some degree. Researchers have found that our sexual activity patterns ebb and flow throughout the year, and there’s an interesting change taking place right now. Sex...
Potpourri, Videos
December 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people are hard at work right now trying to find the perfect holiday gift for a significant other. Allow me to make your job a little easier...
Sex Ed
December 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Americans have become increasingly fond of calling pornography a “public health crisis.” Those who claim this frequently cite adolescents’ “rampant access to pornography” as a central concern. Parents are encouraged...
Sex Ed
December 11, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
We all like to imagine that our decision making is clear and logical and that we’re weighing the pros and cons before we act. The truth, however, is that we’re...
Gender, Sex Ed
December 9, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I am currently on vacation and traveling through Asia, with stops in Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines! It’s an exciting trip and I’m sure I’ll have a lot to share...
Potpourri
December 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I listen to a lot of podcasts, and NPR’s Planet Money is one of my favorites. Generally speaking, their episodes don’t have much to do with sex or sexuality; however,...
Safe Sex
December 4, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex and Psychology is about to celebrate it’s eighth anniversary! To date, every single post on the site has been written by me. In fact, I’ve blogged three times per...
Potpourri
December 2, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently interviewed Dr. Christopher Ryan (author of Sex at Dawn) about his latest book, Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress. Ryan argues that while we like to think...
Books & Films, Interviews
November 29, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Can’t decide what to buy the sexy people in your life this holiday season? I have you covered. Check out the all new Sex and Psychology Store! You’ll find everything...
Potpourri
November 28, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
To all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don't forget to be thankful for sex! Research suggests that sex is good for us in a lot of ways, both physically...
Potpourri
November 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a tendency to believe that civilization is our greatest human accomplishment and to think that every advance we’ve made—whether scientific, medical, or otherwise—has made things better because it has...
Books & Films, Interviews
November 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
My book Tell Me What You Want is based on the largest survey of sexual fantasies ever conducted in the United States. I surveyed more than 4,000 Americans from across...
Potpourri
November 20, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Winter is coming, and that means “cuffing season” is about to get underway. Cuffing season is a term that, to the best of my knowledge, popped up about 10 years...
Dating & Relationships
November 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people report dreaming about sex from time to time. For example, one study found that 93% of men and 86% of women said they’d had sex dreams before. But...
Gender, Sex Ed
November 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Have you ever fantasized about what it would be like to be in a sexually open relationship? If so, you’re not the only one. It turns out that being involved...
Gender, Sex Ed
November 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the most popular posts I’ve ever written on the blog was about why so many men send unsolicited dick pics to women. At the time, there wasn’t really...
Sex Ed
November 11, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I grew up in the 1980s, so I couldn’t help but know who Dr. Ruth was. Her popularity exploded and she was absolutely everywhere. I heard her on the radio....
Books & Films
November 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Is child sexual abuse inevitable? A lot of people seem to be under the impression that it’s only a matter of time before someone who is attracted to children acts...
Videos
November 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
If you're reading this post, odds are that you love learning about the latest sex research. But have you ever wanted to go beyond reading about it and take part...
Sex Ed
November 4, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Every November, a bunch of guys on the internet challenge each other to go a whole month without ejaculating. It’s “No Nut November,” as they call it. Men do this...
Videos
November 1, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Why do people engage in risky sexual behaviors? This is, of course, a complex question and there are obviously many contributing factors. For example, some people take sexual risks because...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
October 30, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
It is a widely known fact that people sometimes pretend to orgasm during sex. But just how many have ever done it? Why do they do it? And how do...
Gender, Sex Ed
October 28, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Our sexual interests are seasonal. For example, if you look at trends in porn searches throughout the year, you’ll see that they follow a predictable pattern of changes that reflect...
Potpourri
October 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
With Halloween just around the corner, people will soon start dressing up as all kinds of mythical creatures, from werewolves to vampires to mermaids and beyond. Most people who dress...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
October 23, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What counts as a sexual “problem?” It depends who you ask. For example, consider the phenomenon often referred to as “premature ejaculation” among men. What I’m talking about here are...
Sex Tips
October 21, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Alcohol, marijuana, and ecstasy/MDMA/Molly are among the most popular substances people use to enhance their sexual experiences. But when it comes to their effects, how similar or different are these...
Sex Ed, Sex Tips
October 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator and researcher, one of the most common questions I get asked (besides “am I normal?”) is how a couple can stay sexually connected and passionate for...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
October 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The refractory period is usually defined as a phase following orgasm during which additional orgasms are impossible. Sexual arousal is often said to be very difficult during this time as...
Myth vs Fact, Sex Ed
October 14, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Casual sex is common, and studies suggest that most people will have it at one point or another. However, despite its prevalence, casual sex is widely misunderstood. Here are nine...
Gender, Sex Ed
October 9, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it mean to be sex positive? This is one of those terms that different people define in different ways; however, at the core of most definitions is the...
Psychology
October 7, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Relationships in which a woman is significantly older than her male partner have always attracted a lot of attention and scrutiny. Case in point: remember what big news it was...
Dating & Relationships
October 2, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A few weeks ago, I posted an article about the beautiful—but sexually deceitful—orchid. Some orchids have evolved to mimic the appearance and scent of female bees in order to lure...
Sex Ed
September 30, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In Jack Morin’s classic book The Erotic Mind, he describes the “erotic equation” as follows: Attraction + Obstacles = ExcitementWhat this equation means is basically that if we’re attracted to...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
September 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Adolescents today have greater access to a wider range of pornography than any previous generation. So how is it affecting them? This question is the crux of a new episode...
Interviews, Sex Ed
September 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How does pornography affect the way that teens think about and approach sex? Is there a link between pornography and sexual violence, as many in the media have claimed? Also...
Sex Ed, Videos
September 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Do people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a more difficult time being monogamous? Are they more inclined to be in sexually open relationships? Sex therapist Ari Tuckman just published...
Interviews
September 23, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I am pleased to announce the seventh annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference! It will be held next February prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology....
Sex Ed
September 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection and it’s responsible for a number of negative health effects. In addition to genital warts, it has the potential...
Safe Sex
September 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The traditional model of academic publishing restricts access to research by putting it in the hands of private companies. As a result, I’ve had to work hard to make my...
Psychology
September 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I’m excited to announce a unique study abroad opportunity in conjunction with the Sexual Health Alliance. We are offering a one-week study abroad program in Amsterdam focused on sex and...
Psychology
September 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sperm and other microscopic organisms don’t have an easy time traveling from Point A to Point B. When an organism is that small, traveling just one inch is actually an...
Videos
September 11, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How does attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect people in adult life? Specifically, what are the implications for people’s sexual and romantic relationships? For the answers to these questions, I spoke...
Gender, Interviews
September 9, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A large number of people have sexual fantasies that are impossible to act out because they feature elements of science fiction. As some evidence of this, I surveyed more than...
Sex Ed
September 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In many countries, including the United States, persons with intellectual disabilities are deemed unable to provide sexual consent. The argument behind this is usually that these individuals cannot understand the...
Videos
September 4, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When people become friends with benefits (FWBs), what is it that they truly want from that arrangement? Are they just in it for the “benefits” (that is, sex)? Or are...
Dating & Relationships
September 2, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Narcissism is a frequently maligned personality trait that involves being self-centered, entitled, and holding grandiose views of oneself. Sex researchers have long been interested in how narcissism plays out in...
Dating & Relationships, Gender, Sex Ed
August 28, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
If you're reading this, odds are that you love learning about the latest sex research. But have you ever wanted to go beyond just reading about it and perhaps take...
Sex Ed
August 26, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people approach sex in a goal-oriented fashion, thinking that there are certain things they need to do or “achieve” every time. High on this list is the...
Sex Tips
August 23, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The menstrual cycle is a rare phenomenon in nature. In fact, it turns out that human beings are just one of a handful of species on Earth in which females...
Videos
August 21, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When it comes to infidelity, which behaviors count and which ones don’t? It turns out that different people answer this question in very different ways.. That said, there are some...
Dating & Relationships
August 19, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sixty-six years ago this week (August 20, 1953), the media first reported on some of the major findings from Alfred Kinsey's classic book Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. As...
Sex Ed
August 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What does your use of emojis say about your sex and dating life? According to a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE, a lot, actually. In fact, frequent...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
August 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I keep two plants in my home at all times. One is some leafy thing I bought years ago—I’m not really sure what it is, but it refuses to die...
Potpourri, Videos
August 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Here's an updated list of the ten most read question-and-answer features of all time on the blog. These questions (all submitted by readers of Sex and Psychology) span a very...
Sex Q&A
August 9, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
We are getting closer and closer to eradicating HIV, a sexually transmitted infection that has contributed to the deaths of at least 32 million people worldwide since the early 1980s....
Safe Sex, Videos
August 7, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How have Americans’ sexual behaviors changed over the past quarter of a century? A recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior offers some insight. In this study, researchers...
Sex Ed
August 5, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Why are we sexually attracted to some people, but not others? Where do our attractions come from in the first place? As a social psychologist who has studied issues of...
Dating & Relationships
August 2, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The orgasm gap refers to the well-documented research finding that heterosexual men tend to have more consistent experiences with orgasm than heterosexual women. Specifically, men are not only more likely...
Sex Ed, Videos
July 31, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Keeping a relationship secret is exciting, right? That's what movies and television shows might lead you to believe. Couples who sneak around together are usually depicted as full of passion...
Dating & Relationships
July 29, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
BDSM has long been deemed a paraphilia—meaning an unusual sexual interest—by psychologists and psychiatrists. The classification of BDSM as a paraphilia implies that it’s likely to be a pretty rare...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
July 26, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. More than one hundred strains of HPV exist and, while most of them don’t cause problems,...
Safe Sex, Videos
July 24, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Polyamory is a concept that different people define in different ways, but common to most definitions is the capacity to develop more than one emotionally close relationship at the same...
Dating & Relationships
July 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I surveyed 4,175 Americans about their sexual fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want. Since this book came out, one of the more common questions I’ve been asked...
Sex Ed
July 19, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Generally speaking, people tend to select romantic partners who hold similar political views. For example, consider a recent study in which researchers looked at party registration patterns of heterosexual married...
Dating & Relationships
July 17, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Three Women is a bestselling new book on sexual desire written by journalist Lisa Taddeo. It offers a deep dive into the sex lives and relationships of three American women...
Gender, Interviews
July 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Who’s your celebrity crush? I surveyed more than 4,000 American adults about their sexual fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want and, among other things, I asked them...
Gender, Sex Ed
July 10, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Three Women is a fascinating new book on sexual desire written by journalist Lisa Taddeo. It takes a deep dive into the sex lives and relationships of three American women...
Interviews
July 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How does marijuana affect men in the bedroom? Dozens of scientific studies have been published on the topic, and here’s what we’ve learned so far. Marijuana affects the subjective experience...
Sex Q&A
July 5, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people end relationships before ever truly giving them a chance, and it's because many of us take the "shopping list" approach to love. In other words, some...
Videos
July 3, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex researcher, I’ve read a lot of studies on the subject of pornography. One thing that’s been pretty consistent across most of them is that what counts as...
Sex Ed
July 1, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
According to the results of Gallup's 2019 Moral Issues Survey, Americans’ views on sexual morality continue to become more liberal overall. In fact, for many of the issues Americans were...
Sex Ed
June 28, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
People can predict with modest accuracy whether a man (but not a woman) has cheated before based solely on the appearance of his face, according to a recent study published...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
June 26, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Much has been said and written in the popular media about the length of time it typically takes men and women to reach orgasm; however, most of this information is...
Gender, Sex Ed
June 24, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex is seasonal. Our patterns of sexual activity ebb and flow throughout the year, and right now we’re entering peak territory because it’s officially summer. Research from a variety of...
Sex Ed
June 21, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What percentage of Americans today identify as LGBT? And does this percentage differ across age groups? Also, how many Americans currently support same-sex marriage? And just how much does support...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
June 19, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Bisexuality continues to be a widely misunderstood sexual orientation. Given that this is LGBT Pride Month, I thought it would be useful to put together an article that explores some...
LGBTQIA+
June 17, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual sadists are people who derive arousal from inflicting pain on others. This could be physical pain, such as hitting someone else, or it could be psychological pain, such as...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed, Sex Q&A
June 14, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Scientists have been working on developing a birth control pill for men for years. One prominent line of research has focused on using hormones to block production of sperm; however,...
Safe Sex, Videos
June 12, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How does sexual satisfaction change over time in a relationship? The good news is that scientists have found that it increases. The bad news is that this increase only occurs...
Sex Ed
June 10, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Gonorrhea is a relatively common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be passed along through oral, vaginal, and anal sex. It was once thought that these were the only sexual...
Safe Sex
June 7, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What are the keys to a leading a happy and healthy sex life? And how do you unlock your authentic sexual self? Dr. Emily Nagoski addresses these questions in the...
Videos
June 5, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
There are lots of articles out there describing the most-viewed porn categories on Pornhub and other popular adult sites—however, that’s not what this article is. While big data insights from...
Gender, Sex Ed
June 3, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
June is LGBT Pride Month, so I'll be running several posts on LGBTQ+ issues on the blog over the next few weeks. To get us started, let's begin by debunking...
LGBTQIA+, Myth vs Fact
May 31, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A few days ago, I received several messages from friends saying they heard a segment on NPR about kink that mentioned me. Naturally, I was curious to give it a...
Safe Sex
May 29, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Whenever someone asks what I do for a living, I have a decision to make: do I “out” myself as a sex scientist, or do I give a generic answer...
Psychology
May 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The internet is rife with articles describing people’s frustration with online dating apps like Tinder. It’s interesting when you think about it because these apps were designed to make dating...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
May 24, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The way we think about casual sex is all wrong, as Dr. Terri Conley argues in the TEDx talk below. Conely walks us through some of the key findings from...
Gender, Videos
May 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Penis size is a common body concern among men. While most guys report being satisfied with the size of their genitals, a sizable minority say they’re unhappy. For example, in...
Myth vs Fact, Sex Tips
May 20, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex researcher, I’ve learned a lot about what it is that people fantasize about when it comes sex. In many of the fantasies I’ve heard, something I’ve noticed...
Sex Q&A
May 17, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
You just might be taking your sense of smell for granted, argues Dr. Rachel Herz in the TEDx video below. In this talk, Herz describes how little appreciation we have...
Videos
May 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When asked to describe a memorable regret, the things people mention most often involve love, sex, and romance. Common regrets include lost opportunities (like “the one that got away”), cheating...
Gender
May 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it say about you if you’re into kinky or BDSM sex? Is it a serious leisure activity, or is it an innate aspect of your sexuality? Could the...
Kink & BDSM, LGBTQIA+, Sex Ed
May 10, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When it comes to men’s options for birth control, they really only have two choices: wear a condom or get a vasectomy. While the number of options available to women...
Safe Sex, Videos
May 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Cohabitation, or the act of living together with a partner outside of marriage, used to be a rarity. However, it has become quite common in the modern world. Many now...
Dating & Relationships
May 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The percentage of Americans who identify as LGBT is on the rise. Data from Gallup and other national surveys suggest that, as attitudes toward sexual minorities have become more positive,...
LGBTQIA+
May 3, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
According to countless popular media articles, there is a massive disparity between heterosexual men and women when it comes to giving oral sex. Some of these articles suggest that, in...
Gender, Myth vs Fact, Sex Ed
May 1, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How does marijuana affect women’s sexual functioning? A recent study published in the journal Sexual Medicine sought to find out. Researchers anonymously surveyed hundreds of women visiting an obstetrics and...
Sex Ed
April 29, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the United States, the average age of first sexual intercourse is 17 for men, according to data from the CDC. The number is roughly the same for women, and...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
April 26, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the popular media, pornography has seemingly become the default source of blame for any and all sexual problems. Why are we in a “sex recession?” Porn. Why do we...
Myth vs Fact
April 24, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex and aging is a topic that has been underexplored in sexuality research, given that the bulk of sex studies to date have focused on college students. However, we’ve learned...
Gender, Sex Ed
April 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Finding a compatible partner is one of the cornerstones of a happy and healthy relationship. But how do you determine who you’re compatible with? Intuitively, you might think the answer...
Dating & Relationships
April 19, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
For humans, sex isn’t just about gratifying some carnal, animalistic urge. Rather, the physical act of sex can serve a lot of different psychological purposes. This helps to explain why...
Videos
April 17, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How many people have ever been involved in a consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationship before? The results of two recent studies involving nationally representative samples (one from the United States and...
Dating & Relationships
April 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Some physicians argue that male circumcision should be a routine procedure because it can help fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Not only does circumcision reduce men’s odds...
Myth vs Fact, Safe Sex
April 12, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual consent is all about having solid communication with your partner(s). However, many of us aren’t very good communicators in general when it comes to sex and, further, many of...
Videos
April 10, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
People have been making obscene telephone calls for almost as long as the telephone has been in existence. In recent years, however, they have begun to change form, as digital...
Kink & BDSM
April 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I have written quite a bit about similarities and differences in the sexual fantasies of self-identified men and women (see here for a summary). Of course, however, not everyone identifies...
LGBTQIA+
April 5, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator and researcher, one of the more common questions I get asked is when and how to talk to your kids about sex. Case in point: a...
Sex Ed
April 3, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
What do you do after sex? Some people like to spoon or cuddle, others go to sleep, and yet others get up to grab something to eat or drink. But...
Dating & Relationships
April 1, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The idea that gay parents are more likely to have gay children has long been thought to be a myth among sexual orientation researchers. For example, a review of the...
LGBTQIA+
March 29, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Maintaining sexual desire is a challenge that many long-term couples face. So how do you keep the passion alive? As sex and relationship therapist Esther Perel argues, one of the...
Videos
March 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The science of orgasm is a fascinating subject. In this post, we’ll take a look at seven of the most interesting things scientists have discovered about orgasms. What to learn...
Sex Ed
March 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the book A Billion Wicked Thoughts, neuroscientists Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam analyzed the contents of over a billion searches on some of the most popular porn sites. They...
Sex Ed
March 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
People have a lot of wrong ideas about how relationships work, and these romantic myths and misconceptions can interfere with our ability to find happiness.
Sex Ed, Videos
March 20, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the last few years, Google Trends has become a favored research tools of sex scientists. Because not everyone is willing to participate in sex studies for various reasons, Google...
Sex Ed
March 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the United States today, adolescents' experiences with sex education are anything but consistent. Believe it or not, less than half of all states even require that sex education be...
Safe Sex
March 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense that males of a given species tend to be attracted to females and vice versa because this will encourage frequent reproduction and survival...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
March 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Which sexual fantasies have you had? I surveyed 4,175 Americans about the content of their sex fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want and found seven major themes...
Gender, Sex Ed
March 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When you start seeing someone new, when’s the right time to begin having sex with that person? According to a non-scientific survey of OK Cupid users, people are all over...
Sex Ed
March 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Gizmodo recently published an exposé on Daniel Sendler, someone who presented himself as a sex expert to the popular media and succeeded in getting a lot of publicity for himself...
Psychology
March 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In the last year, I have been approached to consult on a number of legal cases that center around disputes over whether a given sex act constituted consensual BDSM or...
Books & Films
February 27, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Pornhub’s annual year-in-review always offers tantalizing insights into what it is that turns people on—and last year’s review was no exception. I recently wrote about some of the top search...
LGBTQIA+
February 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) recognizes February as National Condom Month. For my part in helping to increase awareness of and education about condoms, I’ve put together the following...
Safe Sex
February 22, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
I spend a lot of time reading scientific journal articles as part of my job and, every now and then, I come across a paper that makes me say “WTF?”...
LGBTQIA+
February 20, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Whenever a major sporting competition is about to occur, it’s common to see news articles about athletes who say they will be abstaining from sex until the event is over....
Sex Ed
February 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common among women and men alike. Unfortunately, medications don’t always fix these problems, in part, because many of these issues have psychological causes,...
Interviews, Videos
February 15, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
There are a LOT of things that people get wrong when it comes to sex and relationships. As someone who studies these topics for a living, I’ve noticed that some...
Sex Ed, Videos
February 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and many people have love on the brain. So let’s talk about the science of love! I’ve put together a video compiling five things...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
February 13, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
“Though we often associate love with the heart, the true magic can be seen inside the brain.”This fascinating video by ASAP Science explores the neurobiology behind love. It turns out...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
February 11, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Vasectomies are one of the most underutilized forms of birth control, in part, because a lot of men are worried about the procedure having a number of negative effects on...
Safe Sex
February 8, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Erectile dysfunction or ED is one of the most common sexual difficulties experienced by men. As with most sexual difficulties, there are numerous potential causes, including some that are biological,...
Sex Tips
February 6, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Feederism has been described as "a fat fetish focused on erotic eating, feeding, and gaining weight" [1]. There are two types of people who exist within this fetish culture: feeders...
Kink & BDSM
February 4, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The mental health community has long been interested in developing treatments for persons who are attracted to prepubescent children with the goal of preventing sexual offenses. In fact, if you...
Kink & BDSM
February 1, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Paraphilia is the term psychiatrists and psychologists use to refer to any type of unusual or “non-normative” sexual interest. The number of sexual fantasies that have been deemed paraphilic has...
Sex Ed
January 30, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
When it comes to what men and women want in a romantic partner, they’re stereotyped as wanting drastically different things. However, research suggests that they actually have a lot in...
Dating & Relationships
January 28, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
How long do you want to spend on sex? And how long do you actually spend on sex when you have it? Research suggests that there’s often a discrepancy in...
Sex Ed
January 25, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
There's a lot we can potentially gain from talking to our partners about our sexual fantasies. Among other things, this has the potential to increase our sexual and relationship satisfaction...
Sex Ed, Videos
January 23, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Purchasing sex used to be a very common behavior among American men. For example, Alfred Kinsey’s famous studies of human sexual behavior from the 1940s and 50s found that 69%...
Gender, Sex Ed
January 21, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
It seems as though every time a video game becomes a major hit, porn inspired by that game becomes a big thing. For example, when the PokémonGo craze hit in...
Sex Ed
January 18, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Readers of the blog often send me their questions about sex and relationships, and one that I’ve heard several times recently concerns infidelity and whether there are any reliable indicators...
Sex Q&A, Videos
January 16, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
A recent study suggests that Americans are having less sex today than they were a quarter-century ago. These findings have received a lot of attention—I covered them on the blog...
Sex Ed
January 14, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
In 2017, we added a new word to our sexual vocabulary: stealthing. A paper published in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law defined it as “nonconsensual condom removal during...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
January 11, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual orientation is something that many people consider to be an innate characteristic—it’s something you’re born with. This idea is popular within the LGBTQ community, and it’s something that has...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
January 9, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Readers of the blog frequently send me questions about sex, and I’ve noticed that some of them seem to pop up more often than others. One that I find myself...
Sex Q&A
January 7, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
The human body produces a number of different fluids—and those fluids represent a sexual turn-on for some people. From semen and sweat to blood and breast milk, almost any body...
Gender, Sex Ed
January 2, 2019 by Justin Lehmiller
Pornhub recently released their 2018 year-in-review of users’ viewing habits and the results were fascinating. Among other things, they reported an average of 92 million site visitors per day in...
Sex Ed
December 31, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Every time a new year comes around, people start making resolutions for self-improvement. For example, some of us resolve to lose weight or to get in shape, others vow to...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
December 30, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There are a lot of stereotypes about female sex workers, and one is that no woman would ever choose this profession voluntarily. Some people see sex work as inherently victimizing,...
Sex Ed
December 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
As 2018 winds down, let's take a look back at this year's ten most read articles on Sex and Psychology. The following posts represent an incredibly diverse range of content...
Potpourri
December 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
2018 has been memorable for a lot of reasons—including what science taught us about sex. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most interesting things we learned about sex...
Sex Ed
December 24, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people decorate with mistletoe around Christmas, hanging it from the ceiling or over a door. Mistletoe is more than just a holiday decoration, though—it’s also a cue...
Potpourri
December 21, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It's hard for me to believe this, but Sex and Psychology is now seven years old! When I began blogging in 2011, I had no idea where this journey would...
Potpourri
December 17, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine shared an article with me that offered a historical review of the “nude psychotherapy” movement in psychology. Wait—what? As I began to...
Sex Ed
December 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
If you aren’t quite finished with your holiday shopping or (like me) haven’t even started yet, allow me to make your job a little easier this year. If you're in...
Potpourri
December 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In studying the sex fantasies of more than 4,000 Americans for my book Tell Me What You Want, I discovered that there’s one person who’s more likely to appear in...
Gender, Sex Ed
December 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Over the last decade, scientists have published a series of studies claiming that the color red is a sexual signal and that wearing it makes you more attractive to the...
Sex Ed
December 10, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s that time of year when many of us begin to search frantically for the perfect holiday gift for a significant other. Despite all of the time, effort, and money...
Potpourri
December 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Research suggests that, on average, people tend to have more sex in the summer than they do in the winter; however, December is the exception to the winter sex slump....
Potpourri, Videos
December 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There's a scene in the movie Mean Girls in which high school health teacher Coach Carr gives his students a lesson in sex education. It pretty much consists of him...
Sex Ed
November 30, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The idea that men and women are polar opposites when it comes to sex is a popular one, immortalized in bestselling books like Men are From Mars, Women are From...
Uncategorized
November 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve seen a lot of articles lately about sex robots and how they’re supposedly going to revolutionize our sex lives. A lot of these articles make the assumption that there’s...
Sex Ed
November 23, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I surveyed more than 4,000 Americans about their sexual fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want and I found that group sex was one of the most common...
Gender, LGBTQIA+, Sex Ed
November 22, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
For all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don't forget to give thanks for sex! Why? Research suggests that sex is good for us in many ways, both physically and...
Potpourri
November 21, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
When I was training to become a social psychologist, I learned that many emotions and facial expressions seem to be universal across cultures. Recently, however, researchers have begun to debate...
Sex Ed
November 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
“Welcome to the wonderful world of ex sex. It’s hot, it’s naughty…oh yeah, and it’s a really stupid idea.” – Cosmopolitan Magazine When a couple decides to end their relationship,...
Dating & Relationships
November 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Condoms are one of the best tools we have available for reducing the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and preventing unintended pregnancies. Unfortunately, however, they don’t provide quite as...
Safe Sex
November 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Many psychologists believe that our personalities consist of five underlying traits: openness to experience (your willingness to try new things), conscientiousness (how detail oriented and organized you are), extraversion (how...
Sex Ed
November 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A few years ago, I decided to get the HPV vaccine. This vaccine didn’t hit the market until I was well into adulthood, so I didn’t have a chance to...
Safe Sex
November 9, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I’ve been running the Sex and Psychology blog for nearly 7 (!) years at this point. When I started, I didn’t know a whole lot about blogging. I gradually picked...
Psychology
November 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A few years ago, I came across some research reporting that the way a child is born appears to have consequences for their health. How so? Scientists believe that the...
Sex Ed
November 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Infidelity has long been a topic of interest to scientists who study sex and relationships. Over the years, they’ve uncovered a number of fascinating things about how common cheating is,...
Dating & Relationships
November 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How are men’s and women’s sexual fantasies similar? And how are they different? I surveyed 4,175 Americans about their sex fantasies as part of my book Tell Me What You...
Videos
October 31, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What is it that attracts us to other people? Can you fall in love at first sight? Can computer algorithms successfully predict who will make a good match? Read on...
Dating & Relationships
October 29, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
We tend to think of casual sex as, well, a pretty casual affair, meaning it’s just about the sex and nothing else. This view of casual sex is pervasive, even...
Sex Ed
October 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Each October, the media runs story after story warning parents about the dangers that sex offenders pose to children on Halloween. All of the panic stoked by these claims has...
Sex Ed
October 24, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
As someone who studies the science of sex for a living, I’m often asked what it is that drew me to this field. How and why did I decide to...
Potpourri
October 22, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Nationally representative U.S. survey data reveal that approximately 1 in 7 adults today are living in a sexless marriage, meaning they report engaging in little to no sexual activity [1,...
Dating & Relationships
October 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The state of sex education is poor for American adolescents—but you probably already knew that. However, what you may not have realized is that the state of sex education for...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
October 15, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Scientists have found that sex seems to be good for us in many ways. For example, sexual activity has stress-relieving properties: when couples in a good quality relationship have sex...
Sex Ed
October 10, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I surveyed 4,175 Americans from all 50 states about their sexual fantasies for my book Tell Me What You Want. Participants were asked to describe their favorite sexual fantasy of...
Sex Ed
October 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people are cisgender, meaning that their gender identity corresponds with their birth sex; however, some people are transgender, meaning their gender identity and birth sex are different. Increasingly, scientists...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
October 1, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Parents have the potential to play an important role in their children’s sex education. Indeed, many of you reading this probably received a version of the “birds and bees” talk...
Sex Ed
October 1, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Psychologists and psychiatrists use the term paraphilia to refer to unusual sexual interests. In other words, a paraphilia represents a desire for an uncommon sexual object or activity. Hundreds of...
Gender, Kink & BDSM
September 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Relationships can take a lot of different forms, from monogamous to “monogamish” to polyamorous. Each approach has its own unique set of advantages and challenges. So how do you figure...
Uncategorized
September 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I’m answering more of YOUR questions about sex today. In the video below, I’ll review ten questions submitted by readers of Sex and Psychology and explore what science can tell...
Sex Q&A, Videos
September 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Today, I’m answering YOUR questions about sex. I’ve put together a brief video in which I review ten questions submitted by readers of Sex and Psychology and explore what science...
Sex Q&A, Videos
September 24, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a big assumption built into the way most people talk about sexual consent, which is that sex is exclusively a two-person activity. While it’s true that sex most often...
Sex Ed
September 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
We’ve long known that there’s a link between sex and headaches. In fact, we can trace this all the way back to Hippocrates, who is thought to be the first...
Sex Ed, Sex Tips
September 17, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
About a decade ago, I came across a book entitled The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel Maines. It quickly became one of my favorites on the history of sex because...
Myth vs Fact
September 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Alcohol and marijuana are among the most popular substances people use to enhance their sexual experiences. But when it comes to their effects, how similar or different are these drugs?...
Sex Ed
September 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People have been searching for tools to enhance their sex lives for centuries. Historically, and even today, they have looked to various herbs and foods in the hope of finding...
Myth vs Fact, Sex Tips
September 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I am pleased to announce the sixth annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference! It will be held next February prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology....
Sex Ed
September 10, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I have been studying the science of sex for the last ten years. During that time, I’ve learned a lot about what turns people on, from the vanilla to the...
Sex Ed
September 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Why should scientists study love? Because, as social psychologist Dr. Art Aron explains in the video below, it's central to our health and happiness. Dr. Aron talks not only about...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
September 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I made a major career move this summer. After working ten years as a college professor, I decided it was time for something new: I left academia to become a...
Psychology
September 3, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I shared an article on Twitter the other day about the prevalence of infidelity, which prompted a response from my pal Dan Savage about how cheating is associated with the...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
August 31, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Some men’s penises seem to grow more than others when they change from a flaccid to erect state. In colloquial terms, men who experience a larger increase in length are...
Sex Ed
August 29, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Many sex education programs in the United States fail to meet the needs of sexual and gender minority students. This is especially true for programs that have an abstinence-only focus....
Safe Sex
August 27, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How do you feel after sex? If you’re like most people, you’re probably pretty happy. After all, “it feels good” and “it’s fun” are among the most common reasons men...
Sex Ed
August 22, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual orientation is all too commonly viewed as an either/or proposition, meaning you’re either gay or you’re straight, and nothing in between. This view is widely held, even by many...
LGBTQIA+
August 18, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Sixty-five years ago today (August 20, 1953), the media first reported on some of the major findings from Alfred Kinsey's classic book Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. As many...
Sex Ed
August 17, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Our sexual fantasies appear to reflect, at least in part, our personality traits and characteristics. In studying the sex fantasies of more than 4,000 Americans for my book Tell Me...
Sex Ed
August 15, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It can be challenging to get over a breakup. Many people find that they can’t stop thinking about their ex and that this has negative implications for their mental health,...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
August 15, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Why does sex tend to feel good? In order to answer this question, we need to step back and look at what our brains and bodies are doing during sexual...
Videos
August 8, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the most reliable findings across studies of human sexual behavior is that heterosexual men report substantially more lifetime sexual partners on average compared to heterosexual women. In theory,...
Gender, Sex Ed, Videos
August 6, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Food and romance are intimately intertwined in modern dating rituals. Indeed, restaurants are one of the most popular places people visit when they go on a date. Neuroscience research suggests...
Dating & Relationships
August 3, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The term "blue balls" is frequently used to describe "a dull, aching sensation that occurs during sexual arousal before or without ejaculation." You may or may not realize this, but...
Videos
August 1, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Are you getting what you want when it comes to sex? Odds are, probably not. Most of us have sexual fantasies that we wish were part of our sexual reality;...
Uncategorized
July 27, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Studies suggests that most married adults have sex somewhere between a few times per month and a few times per week (side note: sexual frequency in relationships is similar for...
Sex Ed, Videos
July 25, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People who are sexually attracted to animals are often referred to as "zoophiles" in the psychological literature. Zoophilia is something that has long been considered a paraphilia, meaning an uncommon...
Kink & BDSM
July 20, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Your sex life is, to some extent, a function of your personality. Sex scientists have accumulated a large body of research revealing linkages between what are known as the "Big...
Sex Ed
July 18, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
According to the results of Gallup's 2018 Moral Issues Survey, Americans’ views on sexual morality continue to become more liberal. For the majority of issues Americans were surveyed about, Gallup...
Sex Ed
July 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
When people think about sex and aging, they have a tendency to focus on all of the things that might interfere with sexual satisfaction as we get older, such as...
Videos
July 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex and aging is a topic I've wanted to include more coverage of on the blog for a long time; however, when you run a research-based blog, it's hard to...
Videos
July 11, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What’s the source of your favorite sex fantasy? Did it emerge from a previous sexual experience? Is it from something you saw in porn or in the popular media? Or...
Sex Ed
July 11, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Why do we have sexual fantasies? For many of you, the first thought that probably comes to mind is to enhance sexual arousal or to experience pleasure. However, that’s just...
Sex Ed
July 9, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
When we hear or read about other people’s sexual fantasies, we have a tendency to focus our attention on the specific act they describe, such as a threesome or bondage,...
Sex Ed
July 6, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
My new book, Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life, will land in bookstores next week (July...
Sex Ed
July 4, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What's your favorite sexual fantasy of all time? I asked 4,175 Americans to tell me their biggest sexual desire as part of a recent survey I conducted and the results...
Videos
July 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Anal activities have become increasingly popular in porn—and in people’s sex lives, too. For example, changes in Pornhub search trends reveal that queries for anal sex have increased by more...
Sex Ed
June 29, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex scientists have found that people’s sexual satisfaction seems to depend on a wide range of factors, from how often they’re having sex to the types of sexual activities they’re...
Sex Ed
June 27, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I've been reading and hearing a lot about spotted hyenas in the media lately. They caught my attention because, well, hyenas don't usually show up in my newsfeed very often...
Media & Culture
June 25, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Many athletes abstain from sex before major sporting competitions because they (and sometimes their coaches) are worried that getting it on might have a negative impact on their performance. For...
Sex Ed
June 22, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I am thrilled to announce that my new book, Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life, will...
Potpourri
June 20, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Research on both humans and animals increasingly suggests that being sexually active just might benefit the brain. Here's an overview of the evidence that has accumulated so far:A 2010 study...
Sex Ed
June 18, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Let’s say you have a sexual fantasy about something—or someone—you’re not “supposed” to do, perhaps because it conflicts with the teachings of your religion. When a thought about this pops...
Sex Ed
June 13, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Bisexuality continues to be a widely misunderstood sexual orientation. Given that this is LGBT Pride Month, I thought it would be useful to put together an article that explores some...
LGBTQIA+
June 11, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s hardly a new revelation that our sense of smell plays an important role in our sexual and romantic lives. I mean, after all, the multi-billion dollar perfume, cologne, and...
Sex Ed
June 8, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic change in support for same-sex marriage in the United States. Consider this: in 2007, the Pew Research Center conducted a national...
LGBTQIA+
June 6, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s not uncommon for guys to experience fertility problems—even guys who are in the prime of their lives. Just consider that some health organizations claim that as many as 1...
Myth vs Fact
June 6, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently finished teaching a study abroad course on Sexuality and Culture in the Netherlands. After the course was over, I did some personal travel around Europe, with stops in...
Potpourri
June 1, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In recognition of June being LGBT Pride Month, I'll be running several LGBT-themed posts on the blog over the next few weeks. To start us off, let's debunk some of...
LGBTQIA+
May 30, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What percentage of the population is gay or bisexual? This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer because depending on the definition of sexual orientation you use—sexual identity, sexual attraction,...
LGBTQIA+
May 23, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Scientists who study sexual arousal have found that when they show participants a pornographic video, many people (especially women) show signs of genital arousal while simultaneously reporting that they do...
Sex Ed, Videos
May 21, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In the real world, forcing someone to have sex is something that is widely regarded as a repugnant act. By contrast, in our sexual fantasies, the prospect of being forced...
Sex Ed
May 18, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
As part of the study abroad course I’m teaching on Sex and Culture in the Netherlands, I booked us a tour of Amsterdam’s Red Light District with the famous Fokken...
Potpourri
May 17, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Today in my study abroad course on sex and culture in the Netherlands, we're focusing on sex work, especially the link between prostitution and mental health. Many studies have been...
Sex Ed
May 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The Netherlands is often seen as a utopia for people who are attracted to the same sex—and this view is perfectly understandable when you look at how homosexuality has historically...
LGBTQIA+
May 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Greetings from Amsterdam! For the second year in a row, I’m teaching a study abroad course on Sexuality and Culture in the Netherlands. Today is the first full day of...
Potpourri
May 4, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Scientific research papers are often indecipherable to the average reader. This is due, in part, to the fact that scientists use a lot of jargon—they have a special vocabulary that...
Potpourri
May 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The question of whether there are racial differences in penis size is one that has been notoriously difficult to answer with any degree of scientific certainty. The problem has been...
Myth vs Fact
April 30, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexual minority individuals—that is, people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, or who otherwise report same-sex attraction or behavior—are at increased risk for developing a number of physical health...
LGBTQIA+
April 27, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In the popular media, it’s easy to find claims of a rising “epidemic” of erectile dysfunction in young men. For example, this article argues that the rate of ED in...
Myth vs Fact, Sex Tips
April 25, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People email me with questions about their sex lives all the time. More often than not, these questions boil down to the same theme: "Am I normal?"A lot of folks...
Media & Culture
April 23, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Difficulties with sexual desire and arousal are common, especially among women—and they’re notoriously difficult to treat with medications alone. However, the good news is that these problems are responsive to...
Interviews, Sex Tips, Videos
April 20, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People who are into bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism (or BDSM for short) experience a lot of stigma. For one thing, they are often seen as psychologically disturbed,...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
April 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In an episode of the classic television series Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw discovers that a guy she's seeing has dated both men and women. Uncomfortable with the thought...
LGBTQIA+
April 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a common assumption that monogamous relationships are superior to consensually non-monogamous relationships in virtually all ways. In fact, studies have found that monogamous relationships are thought to be better...
Dating & Relationships
April 13, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How many different reasons are there to have sex? At least 237, according to one study. However, that study was primarily based on young college students, which begs the question...
Gender, Sex Ed
April 11, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a lot of research out there looking at how many people have cheated, their reasons for cheating, and what “counts” as cheating; however, surprisingly little work has looked at...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
April 9, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Are Americans today more or less likely to cheat on their spouses than they were in the past? And how have their attitudes toward infidelity changed—have they become more or...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
April 6, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people have sex at least once in their lives. For example, in a longitudinal study of over 20,000 American adolescents who were surveyed repeatedly over a 15-year period, just...
Sex Ed
April 4, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People fantasize about having sex in a wide range of settings, but cars are one of the most popular. As some evidence of this, I surveyed more than four thousand...
Sex Ed
April 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s easy to find articles in the popular media talking about how porn ruins relationships. Many scientific studies have made this claim, too. However, there’s a problematic assumption embedded in...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
March 30, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Why do people who start a family decide it’s time to stop having children? A new set of studies published in the journal Marriage and Family Review identifies 4 primary...
Sex Ed
March 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Few aspects of genital anatomy have sparked as much scientific debate as the so-called G-spot (also known as the Grafenberg spot). Some researchers have argued that it is a distinct...
Sex Ed
March 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
People tend to think about sexual orientation in terms of a small number of distinct categories—most commonly, straight, bisexual, and gay. Those who subscribe to this view expect that everyone...
LGBTQIA+
March 21, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the most popular stereotypes of male sexuality is that men want sex all of the time because they're just "wired" that way. In other words, sex is seen...
Sex Tips, Videos
March 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Having children obviously takes a lot of work—and a lot of money. It really is an enormous sacrifice in so many ways. So why do so many of us do...
Sex Ed
March 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
When comparing the number of women who say they’ve been sexually assaulted to the number of men who admit to perpetrating sexual assault, the numbers are highly discrepant. In fact,...
Sex Ed
March 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Incest, usually defined as sex between close blood relatives, is one of the most pervasive sexual taboos across cultures. Many different theories have been advanced to explain this taboo, but...
Kink & BDSM, Videos
March 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Some people are turned on by thought of watching their partner have sex with someone else. This fantasy goes by many names, but it is often referred to as cuckolding...
Sex Ed
March 9, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What keeps passion alive in a long-term relationship? According to a recent study of nearly 40,000 adults (all of whom were heterosexual and currently in romantic relationships), there were five...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
March 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently returned from the Sexuality Pre-Conference, held just prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in Atlanta, Georgia. I had the chance to...
Sex Ed
March 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Several studies have found that women are more likely to have regrets about their previous experiences with casual sex than men. While men can certainly have regrets about casual sex,...
Gender, Sex Ed
March 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A recent study published in the Journal of Sex Research identified eight distinct motivations people can have for cheating (read all about those motives here). Beyond simply demonstrating the factors...
Dating & Relationships
February 28, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Studies have found that people overwhelmingly rate monogamous relationships as superior to consensually non-monogamous relationships on virtually every dimension you can think of [1]. For example, monogamy is seen as...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
February 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How many single adults in the United States have had a friends with benefits relationship? How many are open to the idea of having a threesome? And what do they...
Sex Ed
February 23, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What “counts” as cheating on a romantic partner? It depends who you ask. Research finds that people define infidelity in very different ways. However, there are some things that people...
Dating & Relationships
February 21, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Pink and blue are colors that are commonly associated with gender in many Western cultures. Specifically, pink is widely considered to be a “girl color,” whereas blue is widely thought...
Gender, Videos
February 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The Trump administration recently released its proposed budget for 2019 and, just like last year, it seeks to ensure that sex education in the United States remains focused on abstinence....
Sex Ed
February 16, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Research consistently finds that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 married persons in the United States has committed infidelity [1]. Rates of infidelity in dating relationships are even...
Dating & Relationships
February 14, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
With Valentine’s Day upon us, many folks have love on the brain—so let’s talk about the science of love! In the video below, I've compiled five of the most fascinating...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
February 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people would probably assume that Valentine’s Day is linked to an increase in pregnancies. I mean, given the nature of this holiday and the emphasis on celebrating sex and...
Sex Ed
February 9, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How many people have had oral sex? Do men and women have similar feelings about this activity? Does oral sex "count" as sex? In this post, we'll take a look...
Sex Ed
February 7, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There's a common tendency to assume that when someone in a relationship cheats, they're doing it because the relationship is broken; however, this isn't necessarily true. People who are perfectly...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
February 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There’s a widespread belief that, if you watch enough porn, your brain will build up a tolerance to it, meaning that you will require more and more extreme stuff in...
Sex Ed
February 2, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) has declared February to be National Condom Month. For my part in helping to increase awareness and education about condoms this February, I created...
Safe Sex, Videos
January 31, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
In popular culture, a sapiosexual or sapiophile is someone who thinks that high intelligence is sexually attractive. It’s not just that these individuals think it would be desirable to have...
Sex Ed
January 29, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
There's been a lot of talk about the issue of sexual consent in response to the #MeToo movement. Much of this talk has focused on getting men to understand that...
Sex Ed
January 26, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked:“What percentage of men and women actually enjoy giving or receiving oral sex?”Good question! Let me start by saying that oral sex has become an incredibly common sexual...
Gender, Sex Q&A
January 24, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What do heterosexual women find attractive about the male body? A new study suggests that signs of muscularity and upper body strength are particularly important, while height and weight seem...
Sex Ed
January 22, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Several studies have found that pornography use is associated with lower levels of sexual satisfaction (see here and here and here for a few examples). On the basis of this...
Sex Ed
January 19, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
How many people are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB)? For one answer, check out the infographic below, which summarizes recent data from Britain's National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles....
LGBTQIA+
January 17, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people claim to have had experiences with the phenomenon of “love at first sight.” But is it really possible to fall in love with someone instantaneously? Believe...
Dating & Relationships
January 15, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Pornhub recently released their annual year-in-review of users’ viewing habits and, as usual, the results were fascinating. Among other things, they reported an average of 81 million site visitors per...
Sex Ed
January 12, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Students' experiences with sex education are anything but consistent in the United States. Consider this: less than half of the states even require that it be taught at all! Moreover,...
Safe Sex
January 10, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Two people can have sex fantasies about the same activity, but the way that specific activity plays out isn’t necessarily going to be the same from one person to the...
Sex Ed
January 8, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the most common stereotypes about straight men’s same-sex friendships is that they’re lacking in emotional depth. Their friendships are seen as revolving around shared activities like watching football...
Dating & Relationships
January 5, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The busiest time of year for online dating is the nearly two-month stretch that runs from the day after Christmas through Valentine’s Day. It reaches its peak on the Sunday...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
January 4, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
The busiest time of year for online dating is the nearly two-month stretch that runs from the day after Christmas through Valentine’s Day. It reaches its peak on the Sunday...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
January 3, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
What does it mean to be in a monogamous relationship? It depends who you ask. In the modern world, it has become increasingly difficult to define “monogamy” in any kind...
Dating & Relationships
January 1, 2018 by Justin Lehmiller
Every time a new year comes around, a lot of us start making resolutions for self-improvement. For example, some people resolve to lose weight or get in shape, others vow...
Potpourri, Sex Ed
December 29, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As 2017 winds down, let's take a look back at this year's ten most read articles on Sex and Psychology. The following posts represent an incredibly diverse range of content...
Potpourri
December 25, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Many of us decorate with mistletoe around the Christmas holiday. It's often hung from the ceiling or over a door, with kisses offered to those who stand under it. Have...
Potpourri
December 22, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
It's hard for me to believe this, but Sex and Psychology is six years old today! When I began blogging in 2011, I had no idea where this journey would...
Potpourri
December 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Do people engaged in casual, “no strings attached” sexual relationships engage in similar sexual activities compared to people in committed romantic relationships? There is some research to suggest that the...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
December 18, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people think of orgasms as a positive experience—one they look forward to repeating time and again. However, this isn’t true for people who experience something known as post-orgasmic illness...
Sex Tips
December 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Generally speaking, people tend to have more sex in the summer months than they do in the winter months; however, December is the exception to this winter sex slump. In...
Potpourri, Videos
December 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
When it comes to relationships, a lot of people are under the impression that there’s just one “right” person out there for them—a so-called “soul mate” or perfect partner. In...
Videos
December 13, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently blogged about a study that examined women’s experiences with orgasm during vaginal intercourse. The results revealed that question wording is crucial when it comes to understanding how often...
Sex Ed
December 11, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex has the potential to benefit us in numerous ways. Among other things, research suggests that it may be good for our physical health (it is a form of exercise...
Sex Ed
December 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
It’s that time of year when many of us start a frantic search for the perfect holiday gift for a significant other. Despite putting a lot time, effort, and money...
Potpourri
December 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
You might think that it would be easy to define a term like sex—but it’s not. It turns out that different people have very different definitions, and they make all...
Sex Ed
December 4, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Several studies have looked at women’s experiences with orgasm during penile-vaginal intercourse. However, these studies have produced variable results, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about how often women...
Sex Ed
December 1, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Today is World AIDS Day, a global public health campaign that began 29 years ago in order to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and education. In support of this campaign, I'm sharing...
Safe Sex, Videos
November 29, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships are those in which all of the partners involved agree to have sexual and/or romantic relationships with other persons. This can take many forms, from swinging...
Dating & Relationships
November 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
New research finds that the antibiotic doxycycline reduces the odds of contracting some bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if taken within 72 hours of condomless sex.The findings, presented earlier this...
Safe Sex
November 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex scientists have a lot of tools to choose from when it comes to measuring people’s sexual orientation. However, every tool poses a unique set of challenges.The most straightforward way...
LGBTQIA+
November 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
For all of my readers celebrating Thanksgiving today, don't forget to give thanks for sex! Why? Research has found that sex is good for us in numerous ways, both physically...
Potpourri
November 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I've taught human sexuality courses in colleges and universities for more than a decade. Teaching a course on this subject obviously poses a number of unique challenges, but one of...
Psychology
November 17, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Many sexuality researchers and educators have claimed that kissing is a universal or near universal sexual and romantic behavior. For example, several sexuality textbooks explicitly say that kissing isn't just...
Sex Ed
November 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Psychologists have long known that gays and lesbians have an elevated risk of depression and anxiety compared to heterosexual individuals. This health disparity is thought to be due in large...
LGBTQIA+
November 13, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In the modern world, we have a tendency to blame almost all of our problems on technology--and this is especially true when it comes to sexual problems. For example, I’ve...
Sex Ed
November 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Eharmony and other popular online dating sites promise to help users find compatible romantic partners through the use of specialized matching algorithms. These services were founded on the idea that...
Dating & Relationships, Videos
November 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
This year, Pornhub celebrated its tenth birthday. To commemorate the occasion, they released some fascinating data on trends in users’ viewing habits. Among other things, over 10 million videos have...
Sex Ed
November 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What effect does marijuana have on sexual function? Surprisingly little research has addressed this question, and the few studies that exist have produced conflicting results. For example, while survey research...
Sex Ed
October 30, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In the video below, I've compiled a list of seven interesting facts about vaginas and vulvas--all tastefully displayed against the backdrop of (mostly) fruits and flowers that bear a minor...
Videos
October 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Most people have had dreams about sex before. However, there’s a lot of variability in the kinds of sex dreams that people have. So where does all of that variation...
Sex Ed
October 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Each October, the media runs story after story warning parents about the dangers that sex offenders pose to children on Halloween. All of the panic stoked by these claims has...
Sex Ed
October 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The number of babies born each day naturally fluctuates throughout the year. However, researchers have found that certain days are linked to consistent increases or decreases in the birth rate....
Sex Ed
October 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major public health concern in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are estimated to be 110...
Safe Sex
October 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Social scientists have long been interested in the factors that predict divorce. Over the years, they’ve identified a number of things that seem to increase the odds of a couple...
Dating & Relationships
October 18, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Kegel exercises have been around for a long time. First described by Dr. Arnold Kegel back in the 1940s, they were originally developed as a way to help women experiencing...
Sex Tips
October 16, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
People can develop sexual fetishes for virtually anything. For example, some people are turned on by feeding others or watching them eat, others are turned on by drinking or coming...
Kink & BDSM
October 13, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Dozens of allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have surfaced in the last two weeks (see here for a complete list). These allegations have prompted...
Media & Culture
October 13, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
While erections are sometimes referred to as “boners,” the truth of the matter is that there aren't actually any bones in the human penis. Some animals do have penile bones,...
Sex Tips
October 11, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
How often do women orgasm during penile-vaginal intercourse? And just how important is clitoral stimulation when it comes to a woman's likelihood of experiencing orgasm during sex? A new paper...
Sex Ed
October 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The penis is a fascinating piece of human anatomy; however, it turns out that most of us don't actually know all that much about it. So, in the video below,...
Videos
October 4, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Study after study has found that men and women have different age preferences when it comes to choosing both sexual and romantic partners. On average, men seem to prefer partners...
Dating & Relationships, Gender
September 29, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Fetishes are sexual desires that hinge upon specific objects (like boots or panties), non-sexual body parts (like feet or armpits), or bodily fluids (like urine or breast milk). Though many...
Kink & BDSM, Videos
September 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Compared to generations past, millennials are having less sex. And the post-millennials—or iGen, as social psychologist Jean Twenge has dubbed them—are doing it even less. Much has been said and...
Sex Ed
September 25, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Does sexual satisfaction change over the course of a long-term romantic relationship and, is so, how? On the one hand, you might think that satisfaction increases as partners learn how...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
September 22, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Think you know everything there is to know about orgasms? Test your knowledge by watching the video below, which highlights ten of the most fun and interesting scientific facts about...
Videos
September 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What kinds of genital touch do women find to be most pleasurable? A lot of research has explored this question; however, most of it has suffered from major limitations. For...
Sex Ed
September 18, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Is it a bad idea to get romantically involved with someone you know has committed infidelity in the past? Common sense tells us that "once a cheater, always a cheater."...
Dating & Relationships
September 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A new paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggesting that computers have better “gaydar” than humans made quite a media splash this week. Specifically,...
LGBTQIA+, Psychology
September 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Communicating early and often about sex is one of the keys to a successful long-term romantic relationship. Indeed, research has consistently found that the more sexual communication couples engage in,...
Sex Ed
September 13, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I am pleased to announce the fifth annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference! It will be held next March, just prior to the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social...
Sex Ed
September 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A new study published in the Journal of Sex Research reports that when married people start using porn, their odds of getting divorced double. In other words, the results would...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
September 4, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
This past summer, I taught a study abroad course on sex and culture in the Netherlands. We covered a lot of ground in this class, including an in-depth look at...
Safe Sex
September 4, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. In addition to genital warts, it has the potential to cause a wide range of cancers, including cancers of...
Safe Sex
August 30, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
My social media feed has been blowing up lately with links to article headlines like this one from HuffPost, “Women Want More Sex Than Their Partner Does, According To New...
Gender, Media & Culture, Myth vs Fact
August 30, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
To date, most national sex surveys in America have focused on people's attitudes toward and experiences with a relatively narrow range of sexual behaviors, namely: vaginal intercourse, oral sex, anal...
Sex Ed
August 28, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Over the years, I’ve received countless emails from readers saying things along the lines of, “He says I don't want it enough. I think he wants it too much. What...
Sex Tips
August 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I received an email from a reader the other day who read an article chastising a lot of popular magazines and websites for pushing the narrative that we should be...
Sex Q&A
August 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I spend a lot of time talking, writing, and tweeting about the latest scientific research on sex and relationships. Over the years, I've had more than a few people respond...
Psychology
August 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (also known as PrEP for short) is an increasingly popular method of HIV prevention among persons at the highest risk of infection. It involves taking one pill per...
Safe Sex
August 18, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sixty-four years ago this Sunday (August 20, 1953), the media first reported on some of the major findings from Alfred Kinsey's classic book Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. As...
Sex Ed
August 16, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The immense popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey has prompted a lot of curiosity about BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism). Among other things, people have begun to...
Sex Ed
August 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex stands to benefit us in many ways. For example, research has found that being sexually active appears to be good for our physical health—not only does having sex burn...
Sex Ed
August 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Like most sex researchers, I tend to study people who have sex--and, over the years, we've developed a large scientific literature about them. But what about the people who, for...
Sex Ed
August 11, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What is “normal” or “typical” when it comes to sex isn’t the same from one culture to the next. In fact, there’s incredible variation in sexual attitudes and practices throughout...
Videos
August 9, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Where does our sexual orientation come from? That's a question that we don't yet fully understand. However, a growing body of research suggests that it may be determined, at least...
LGBTQIA+, Videos
August 7, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
One of the most popular stereotypes of male sexuality is that guys want sex ALL the time. They're always in the mood because they're constantly thinking about it. After all,...
Sex Ed
August 4, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
There are a lot of different things that can motivate people to have sex. In fact, one study identified 237 distinct reasons for getting it on! But do our reasons...
Sex Ed
July 31, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
If I asked you to imagine someone faking an orgasm, odds are that you'd probably picture a woman. It has long been assumed that fake orgasms are unique to women,...
Sex Ed
July 31, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
When we engage in sexual activity, it's usually with just one other person. Sometimes, however, people engage in “social” sexual experiences in which multiple people are involved in some way....
Sex Ed
July 26, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Psychologists and psychiatrists use the term paraphilia to refer to an unusual sexual interest. More specifically, paraphilias are recurrent desires for uncommon sexual objects or activities. Although hundreds of desires...
Kink & BDSM
July 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Women don’t need to have sex in order to reach orgasm. In fact, they don’t necessarily even need any genital stimulation at all. Here are five ways women can experience...
Sex Ed
July 21, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:"If you've been circumcised, is there any way to get your foreskin back?"Some circumcised men lament the removal of their foreskin, wishing to be "uncircumcised."...
Sex Ed
July 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:“Are circumcised men less likely to have premature ejaculation?”People have long been curious about what effects circumcision (or removal of the penile foreskin) has on...
Sex Tips
July 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
When you study sex for a living, people have a tendency to think that you really love sex—and that you must be having it all the time, too! In other...
Sex Ed
July 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Paraphilia is the term psychologists and psychiatrists use to refer to any unusual sexual interest. It’s important to note that an unusual interest is not necessarily harmful and it's not...
Kink & BDSM
July 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Google Trends has quickly become one of the favorite research tools of sex scientists. Why? In part, because not everyone is willing to participate in sex studies and, among those...
Sex Ed
July 12, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Bisexual people, both male and female, tend to be stereotyped negatively. For example, they are often seen as sexually confused, secretly gay, highly promiscuous, and incapable of monogamy. These negative...
LGBTQIA+
July 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In the animal kingdom, there are some species that only mate seasonally. They do it just a few times per year, coinciding with their fertile periods. Humans, by contrast, are...
Sex Ed
July 7, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Paraphilia is a very general term used by psychologists to refer to any kind of unusual sexual interest. The number of desires that have been deemed paraphilic has grown substantially...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Ed
July 5, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic change in support for same-sex marriage in the United States. Consider this: in 2007, the Pew Research Center conducted a national...
LGBTQIA+
July 3, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Research has found that there’s a lot of variability when it comes to what people define as “sex.” Perhaps not surprisingly, this means there’s a lot of variability when it...
LGBTQIA+
July 3, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Porn has been criticized for a lot of reasons, but one of the most common complaints lodged against it is that it isn’t realistic, especially in the way it depicts...
Sex Ed
June 28, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Even though the marriage rate in the United States recently hit an all-time low, most Americans still view the institution positively and consider it to be the ideal relationship state....
Dating & Relationships, Videos
June 26, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex scientists have become increasingly interested in the topic of asexuality in the last few years. For example, they’ve published studies on everything from the genital arousal patterns of asexual...
LGBTQIA+
June 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
For the last two days, articles about “anal Botox” have been blowing up my Facebook and Twitter feeds, with most of the headlines (like this one from Cosmo) saying something...
Myth vs Fact, Sex Tips
June 23, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader submitted the following question:"Why do men have nipples? Do they have some purpose I don't know about?"Thanks for this great question! I've been asked about this many times...
Sex Q&A, Videos
June 21, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In the final budget proposal submitted by the Obama administration last year, funding for abstinence-only sex education was put on the chopping block. They proposed eliminating abstinence-only programs entirely and,...
Safe Sex
June 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
During my teaching stint at Harvard a couple of years back, a few colleagues from out of state came to visit me on a lovely spring afternoon. I gave them...
Dating & Relationships
June 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Both before and after the recent election of French president Emmanuel Macron, his wife, Brigitte, found herself to be the target of constant attacks on social media. Why? Because she...
Dating & Relationships
June 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Since becoming an adult, how many Americans have ever had a sexual experience with someone of the same sex? And how has this number changed over time? According to a...
LGBTQIA+
June 12, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Scientists who study sexual desire have long been wary of over-relying on self-report data because people don’t always tell the truth on surveys. Some people answer questions about what turns...
Sex Ed
June 9, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What percentage of the United States population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)? A large, nationally representative survey conducted by Gallup in 2017 put the overall number at...
LGBTQIA+
June 9, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
How many people in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)? A large, nationally representative survey conducted by Gallup last year put the overall number at...
LGBTQIA+
June 7, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Teen sexting is an issue that parents and politicians alike are increasingly worried about. The message they’ve been sending to teens has been pretty uniform: don’t do it. Of course,...
Videos
June 5, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
According to the results of Gallup's 2017 Moral Issues Survey, Americans’ views on sexual morality continue to become more liberal. In fact, for a majority of the issues Americans were...
Sex Ed
June 2, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In recognition of June being LGBT Pride Month, I'll be running several LGBT-themed posts on the blog in the coming weeks. Let's kick things off today by debunking some of...
LGBTQIA+
May 29, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Condoms are one of the best tools we have for reducing the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and preventing unintended pregnancies. Unfortunately, however, they don’t always provide as much...
Safe Sex
May 26, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As you might imagine, in my work as a sex educator, questions about penises--and especially about penis size--come up all the time. As such, I thought it might be helpful...
Sex Ed
May 26, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
How is sex determined? In humans, it’s a matter of genetics, and it begins the moment a sperm cell fertilizes an egg, thereby producing a certain combination of sex chromosomes....
Videos
May 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I've been researching sex laws in the Netherlands as part of the study abroad course on sex and culture that I'm teaching. One of the ways sex laws in the...
Potpourri
May 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As part of the study abroad course I’m currently teaching on Sex and Culture in the Netherlands, I’ve done some research into what sex laws look like over here. As...
Potpourri
May 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The next unit in my Amsterdam study abroad course focuses on sexual health and sex education. As a starting point, I shared some statistics with my students highlighting just how...
Safe Sex
May 17, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What would it be like if prostitution were legal? If you're from the United States or any other part of the world where sex work is (largely) prohibited by law,...
Potpourri
May 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Hello from Amsterdam! Today is the first day of a class I’m teaching on Sexuality and Culture in the Netherlands. I’m confident I could not have picked a better place...
Potpourri
May 12, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Throughout the animal kingdom, genitals are very complex—way more complex than they are in humans. Take the male argonaut octopus, for example, which has a detachable penis that can swim...
Videos
May 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator, one of the topics I get asked about most often is anal sex. Given how curious people seem to be about this activity, I thought it...
Safe Sex, Sex Ed
May 9, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
May is Masturbation Month. We can trace the origin of this special month back to 1995, when US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders said that masturbation is a part of human...
Videos
May 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Alcohol has the power to change not only the way we see ourselves, but also the way we see other people. Indeed, research has found that when we drink, we...
LGBTQIA+
May 5, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader asked the following question:“Is it true that peeing right after sex can stop you from getting a UTI?” Thanks for this great question. Let’s take a look at...
Sex Q&A
May 3, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As a sex educator, I’ve been asked many times whether it’s safe to have sex during pregnancy. I’ve answered this question before on the blog and, although the research is...
Videos
April 28, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In a long-term relationship, what does it mean when one or both partners masturbate on their own? A lot of people would be tempted to conclude that it's a sign...
Sex Ed
April 28, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
When our interest in sex starts to wane, exposure to a new or novel partner has a way of bringing it back. This phenomenon--formally dubbed the Coolidge Effect--got its name...
Sex Ed
April 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In a consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationship, the partners involved agree that having more than one sexual and/or romantic partner at the same time is permissible. Although interest in CNM relationships...
Dating & Relationships
April 21, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Attempting to steal someone else’s spouse or lover--a phenomenon known scientifically as mate poaching--is a common theme in both TV shows and movies. It happens a lot in real life,...
Dating & Relationships
April 19, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Americans are increasingly going online in order to find romantic and sexual partners. However, despite the popularity of online dating, most Americans have never tried it. That’s partially because there’s...
Dating & Relationships
April 17, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Vibrators are one of the most popular sex toys in the world. They are ubiquitous in sex shops, not to mention on the internet—and you can get them in virtually...
Sex Ed
April 14, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
American sex education courses are seriously lacking when it comes to the subject of women's sexual anatomy and pleasure. Not only are terms like "vulva" and "clitoris" rarely uttered, but...
Videos
April 12, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
I recently blogged about the results of a new study reporting that Americans today are having less sex than they were a quarter century ago. Specifically, this research suggests that...
Sex Ed
April 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A new study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior offers a fascinating analysis of the way American adults' sex lives changed between the years 1989 and 2014. Specifically, it...
Sex Ed
April 7, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Although the breasts and nipples have long been considered to be among the human body's biggest erogenous zones, surprisingly little research attention has been given to the role that these...
Sex Ed
April 5, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of people assume that men only watch porn that is consistent with their sexual identity—in other words, that straight guys only watch straight porn, while gay guys only...
LGBTQIA+
April 3, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
We’ve all seen headlines before that say things like “More Sex Means More Money.” These headlines try to present the results of scientific studies in very simple and straightforward terms:...
Media & Culture
March 31, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
For today's post, I have put together an updated list of the ten most read Q&As of all time on the blog. As you'll see, these questions (all submitted by...
Sex Q&A
March 29, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Afterglow refers to “the look of contentment on a person’s face after great sex,” at least according to the Urban Dictionary. In other words, the basic idea here is that...
Sex Ed
March 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In the United States today, most male infants are circumcised. Many in the medical community strongly support this practice, pointing to research finding a link between circumcision and better health...
Sex Ed
March 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
People can develop fetishes for virtually anything. Most commonly, though, we're talking about a specific body part (like feet or toes) or an object associated with the body (like boots,...
Kink & BDSM
March 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Both men and women report a wide range of reasons for having sex. In fact, one previous study identified as many as 237 distinct sexual motivations! But how do our...
LGBTQIA+, Sex Ed
March 16, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
What actually counts as “having sex?” Well, it depends who you ask. Different people have different definitions. A recent study published in the Journal of Sex Research highlights just how...
Sex Ed
March 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
The question of whether men and women differ when it comes to intelligence has long been a subject of scientific debate. For instance, some researchers have argued that men have...
Gender, Videos
March 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Several studies have found that when laws permitting same-sex marriage are passed, the health outcomes of sexual minorities in the local area seem to improve. This holds true for indicators...
LGBTQIA+
March 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
People who cheat usually try to keep it a secret; however, they aren't always successful.So, let's imagine for a moment that you find out someone you know has committed infidelity....
Dating & Relationships
March 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
My university, like many schools around the country, is on spring break this week. A lot of students are using this opportunity to not just take a breather from their...
Sex Ed
March 1, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A lot of parents avoid talking to their kids about sex because they are afraid the experience will be awkward, embarrassing, or uncomfortable. However, parents aren't doing their kids any...
Safe Sex, Videos
March 1, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships, the partners involved agree that having more than one sexual and/or romantic relationship at the same time is acceptable. There are a great many myths...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Ed
February 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Much has been said and written about the "orgasm gap," or the idea that men tend to have far more consistent experiences with orgasm than women. However, the vast majority...
Gender, LGBTQIA+
February 24, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
A reader submitted the following question:"I'm in a long-distance relationship and it's tough. Are there any tips or tricks to help keep a relationship alive when you can't physically be...
Dating & Relationships, Sex Q&A
February 22, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
In just two decades, online dating has become a multi-billion dollar industry--and it hasn't come anywhere close to reaching its full potential yet. Believe it or not, despite how much...
Dating & Relationships
February 20, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
As Co-Chair of this year’s meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, it is my great pleasure to invite you to join us in the Caribbean this...
Sex Ed
February 17, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Last week, I was talking in class about differences in how men and women use Tinder and other online dating apps. In the midst of this class discussion, a student...
Sex Ed
February 15, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Several studies have found that men and women have different age preferences when it comes to selecting romantic and sexual partners. Generally speaking, it appears that men tend to prefer...
Gender, LGBTQIA+
February 10, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Logically, you might assume that there would be an increase in children being conceived on Valentine’s Day. Given the nature of this holiday and the emphasis on celebrating sex and...
Myth vs Fact
February 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Sex education is wildly inconsistent throughout the United States. For one thing, only about half of the states even require it, while the other half do not. However, even in...
Safe Sex
February 8, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, a lot of folks have love on the brain—so, let’s talk today about the science of love. Here are four of the most...
Dating & Relationships
February 6, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
February has been declared National Condom Month by the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). For my part in helping to increase awareness and education about condoms this February, I’ve complied...
Safe Sex
February 1, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Most popular media reports touting the results of the latest sex study suffer from one of the following problems: they're either inaccurate, biased, or highly sensationalized. Unfortunately, too few readers...
Media & Culture
January 30, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
Earlier this month, the fourth annual Sexuality Pre-Conference was held just prior to the meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP). Together with a few of my...
Sex Ed
January 27, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
For the last two weeks, I’ve been inundated with both reader questions and requests for media interviews on a topic I’ve rarely been asked about before: urophilia, which refers to...
Kink & BDSM, Sex Q&A
January 25, 2017 by Justin Lehmiller
One sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has public health officials increasingly worried is gonorrhea. Although infection rates have declined dramatically from their peak in the 1970s, research has found that...
Safe Sex