Good Sex and Good Friendships Make People Happier With Being Single

If you’re single, you’re certainly not alone. The US is in the middle of an ongoing shift toward one-person households. As I’ve written about before, single people commonly cite a variety of both positive and negative reasons for their singleness. Some of them enjoy the freedom, some have priorities other than relationships, and some just…

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Study Looks at Why Single People Are Single

But why are you single?? It’s an annoying question, but recently psychology researchers took it to a new level: they asked that question to 648 people and asked those people to rate 92 possible reasons for being single. In a paper just published in Frontiers in Psychology, the researchers describe the results from their study,…

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When Are Teens Comfortable Talking With Their Moms About Sex?

Parents are a useful resource for teenagers to learn about sex and sexual health. Of course, that doesn’t mean teens are going to go out of their way to engage their parents in discussions about sex. A new study from researchers at University of New Brunswick sheds light on what factors play into adolescents’ willingness…

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Romantic Partners May Influence Young Adults’ Binge Drinking

If you ever dated someone your parents thought was a “bad influence,” it turns out they might have been onto something. Romantic partners may influence young adults’ binge drinking behaviors more than friends or family, at least according to new findings from researchers in Canada. In a study published recently in the journal Substance Abuse,…

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The Top Reasons for Divorce

The odds of a marriage splitting up are basically as good as a coin flip. In the United States, almost half of married couples are headed for divorce. Unlike the results of a coin flip, a divorce is often something you can see coming. With divorce so common, maybe you’ve wondered what the top reasons…

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Communication Is Key for Sexual Satisfaction

You might not think to look through the scientific literature to spice up your sex life, but it turns out that psychology researchers have some ideas about what makes good sex – and some data to back those ideas up. In a recent meta-analysis, researchers at University of Texas reviewed studies on the link between…

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6 Predictors of Relationship Satisfaction

Happy Valentine’s day! Or is it? That might depend on how satisfied you are with your relationship. It’s hard to define what makes a good relationship, but scientists have a few ideas. Here are 6 factors that have been linked to relationship satisfaction. 1. Knowing your partner’s emotions It’s easier to navigate a relationship when…

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Why Do Religious People Report Higher Rates of Porn Addiction?

Pornography addiction is a hot debate (no pun intended!) because it gets at two themes that tend to stir up a lot of moralistic opinions: sex and the growing role of technology in our daily lives. In the media, there has been a rise in the idea that people commonly become addicted to porn in…

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The Science of Having Sex With Your Ex

Some psychology studies provide practical insights with obvious applications in everyday life. Today brings an example of one of those studies, in the form of a paper titled Pursuing Sex With an Ex: Does It Hinder Breakup Recovery?, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. The study investigated – well, pretty much exactly what the title…

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Going Gluten-Free Changes What Potential Romantic Partners Think of You

It’s unclear whether going gluten-free has any health benefits for people without celiac disease, but that hasn’t stopped the diet from catching on. Last month, a Gallup poll found that one in five Americans make a point of including at least some gluten-free food in their diet. Those who opt for a gluten-free diet are…

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