tag:theconversation.com,2011:/nz/topics/sex-lives-70618/articlesSex lives – The Conversation2021-05-02T20:05:20Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1594272021-05-02T20:05:20Z2021-05-02T20:05:20ZSex bots, virtual friends, VR lovers: tech is changing the way we interact, and not always for the better<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398019/original/file-20210430-23-q9roa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=137%2C56%2C5249%2C3488&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI/EPA</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Twenty-first century technologies such as robots, virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) are creeping into every corner of our social and emotional lives — hacking how we form friendships, build intimacy, fall in love and get off.</p>
<p>In my <a href="https://www.robbrooks.net/rob-brooks/3014">recently-published book</a>, I consider the possibilities, both terrifying and inspiring, offered by these “artificially intimate” technologies.</p>
<p>On one hand, these tools can help deliver much-needed support. On the other, they risk increasing sexual inequality, and replacing precious in-person interaction with less-than-ideal substitutes.</p>
<h2>Three types of artificial intimacy</h2>
<p>At first mention of artificial intimacy, many people’s minds may jump straight to sex robots: lifelike robotic sex dolls that could one day walk among us, hard to distinguish from living, breathing, orgasming humans. </p>
<p>But despite the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/turned-on-9781472950871/#:%7E:text=About%20Turned%20On&text=Turned%20On%20explores%20how%20the,society%20in%20which%20we%20live.&text=Computer%20scientist%20and%20sex%2Drobot,how%20this%20technology%20is%20developing.">many important questions</a> sex robots raise, they mostly distract from the main game. They are “digital lovers” which — alongside VR porn, AI-enhanced sex toys and cybersex enhanced with haptic and <a href="https://teledildonics.co/best-teledildonics">teledildonic</a> devices — constitute just one of three types of artificial intimacy.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-defence-of-sex-machines-why-trying-to-ban-sex-robots-is-wrong-47641">In defence of sex machines: why trying to ban sex robots is wrong</a>
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<p>The second category, the “algorithmic matchmakers”, match us with dates and hookups through applications such as Tinder and Grindr, or with friends through social media platforms.</p>
<p>Finally, we have “virtual friends” including <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/chatbots-reviews">therapist apps</a>, AI-enhanced <a href="https://halo.fandom.com/wiki/Cortana">game characters</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/the-future-of-dating-ai-chatbots/13295582">boyfriend/girlfriend chatbots</a>. But by far the most ubiquitous are AI assistants such as <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Learn-What-Alexa-Can-Do/b?ie=UTF8&node=5425622051">Amazon’s Alexa</a>, <a href="https://assistant.google.com/">Google’s Assistant</a> and <a href="https://dueros.baidu.com/en/index.html">Baidu’s DuerOS</a>. </p>
<p>Virtual friends apply several kinds of AI, including <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-machine-learning-everything-you-need-to-know/">machine learning</a>, by which computers learn new ways to identify patterns in data.</p>
<p>Machine-learning algorithms are becoming increasingly advanced at sifting through huge amounts of users’ data, and tapping into the unique traits that make us the cooperative, cultural and romantic beings we are. I call these “human algorithms”.</p>
<h2>Grooming our friends</h2>
<p>Primates, from monkeys to great apes, <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF02557701.pdf">groom one another</a> to build important alliances. Humans mostly do this through <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674363366">gossip</a>, the old-school news radio which informs us about the people and events around us. Gossip is an algorithmic process by which we come to know our social worlds. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396674/original/file-20210423-15-1ba3dcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Japanese Macaques grooming in the hotsprings of Nagano. Apes and monkey spend about 20% of their waking hours grooming one another.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Takashi Muramatsu/Flickr</span></span>
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<p>Social platforms such as Facebook tap into our friend-grooming impulses. They aggregate our friends, past and present, and make it easy to share gossip. Their algorithmic matchmaking excels at identifying other users we may know. This lets us accumulate far more than the <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/definition/dunbars-number/">150 or so friends</a> we’d normally have offline. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-do-we-only-have-space-for-about-150-people-in-our-lives-50195">FactCheck Q&A: do we only have space for about 150 people in our lives?</a>
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<p>Social media companies know we’ll use their platforms more if they funnel us content from the people we’re closest to. Thus, they spend a lot of time and money trying to find ways to distinguish our close friends from the somebodies that we used to know. </p>
<p>When social media (and other virtual friends) hack into our friend-grooming algorithms, they displace our offline friendships. After all, time spent online is time not spent in person with friends or family.</p>
<p>Before smartphones, humans spent <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1037/1089-2680.8.2.100">about 192 minutes</a> a day gossiping and “grooming” one another. But the average social media user today spends <a href="https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/average-daily-time-on-social-media">153 minutes each day</a> on social media, cutting into offline relationships and the time they’d otherwise spend doing non-social work such as play and especially <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-50140111">sleep</a>. </p>
<p>The effects of this on <a href="http://www.jeantwenge.com/igen-book-by-dr-jean-twenge/">mental health</a> may be profound, especially for teens and young adults.</p>
<p>And social media will only continue to evolve, as machine-learning algorithms find ever more compelling ways to engage us. Eventually, they may transition from digital matchmakers into virtual friends that type, post and speak to us like human friends. </p>
<p>While this could provide some connection for the chronically lonely, it would also further occupy users’ limited time and precious cognitive capacity. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/loneliness-is-a-social-cancer-every-bit-as-alarming-as-cancer-itself-126741">Loneliness is a social cancer, every bit as alarming as cancer itself</a>
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<h2>Intimacy-building</h2>
<p>Intimacy involves incorporating our sense of another person <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1991-18305-001">into our sense of self</a>. Psychologists Arthur and Elaine Aron showed intimacy can be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146167297234003?hc_location=ufi">rapidly cultivated</a> through a process of escalating self-disclosure. </p>
<p>They tasked randomly assigned pairs of people with asking and answering a series of 36 questions. The questions began innocuously (<em>Who is your ideal dinner guest?</em>) and escalate to very private disclosures (<em>If you were to die this evening, with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?</em>). </p>
<p>The pairs assigned to disclose more personal information grew much closer than those given only small-talk questions, and remained so for many weeks. One couple famously married and invited the Arons to their <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/style/modern-love-to-fall-in-love-with-anyone-do-this.html">wedding</a>.</p>
<p>We now have apps that help humans build intimacy <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/36-questions-to-fall-in-love-with-anyone/id961960090">via the Arons’ 36-question algorithm</a>. But what about human-machine intimacy? People disclose all sorts of details to computers. Research shows the more they disclose, the more they <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229068013_Machines_and_Mindlessness_Social_Responses_to_Computers">trust</a> the information returned by the computer.</p>
<p>Moreover, they rate computers as more likeable and trustworthy when they’re programmed to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article/26/4/323/1803936?login=true">disclose vulnerabilities</a>, such as “<em>I’m running a bit slow today as a few of my scripts need debugging</em>”.</p>
<p>Virtual friends wouldn’t have to study the Arons’ questions to learn secrets about human intimacy. With machine-learning capabilities, they would only need to comb through online conversations to find the best questions to ask. </p>
<p>As such, humans may become increasingly “intimate” with machines by incorporating their virtual friends into their sense of self.</p>
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<img alt="Couple together on smartphones" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396678/original/file-20210423-17-qr7pk0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Machines are now part of human-human intimacy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Afif Kusuma/Unsplash</span></span>
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<h2>Amplifying sexual inequality</h2>
<p>Matchmaker algorithms are already transforming how people screen and meet potential dates. </p>
<p>Apps such as Tinder aren’t really effective at matching compatible couples. Instead, they present photographs and minimalist profiles, inviting users to swipe left or right. Their algorithms allow people of more-or-less comparable attractiveness to match and strike up a conversation. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/love-in-the-time-of-algorithms-would-you-let-artificial-intelligence-choose-your-partner-152817">Love in the time of algorithms: would you let artificial intelligence choose your partner?</a>
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<p>One problem with this model is attractive people have <a href="https://medium.com/fact-of-the-day-1/inequality-of-dating-app-likes-e8c0aaa0cf4e">no shortage</a> <a href="https://qz.com/1051462/these-statistics-show-why-its-so-hard-to-be-an-average-man-on-dating-apps/">of matches</a>, but this is at the expense of ordinary-lookers. This type of attraction-based inequality feeds serious problems — from heightened <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/35/8722.short">self-sexualisation</a> among women, to a <a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science/chinas-biggest-problem-too-many-men">surplus of young, unpartnered men</a> prone to violence.</p>
<h2>Good enough?</h2>
<p>Then again, artificial intimacy also offers solutions. Although people deserve the company of other people, and the best care other (real) humans can offer, many demonstrably can’t access or afford this. </p>
<p>Virtual friends provide connection for the lonely; digital lovers are damming the raging torrent of sexual frustration. A gradual union of the two could eventually provide targeted intimacy and sexual stimulation for people of all genders and sexualities.</p>
<p>People already talk to Siri and Alexa to <a href="https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/say-hello-to-my-little-friend-scientists-find-smart-speakers-are-being-used-for-companyresearchers-on-how-alexa-and-pals-are-being-bought-by-the-lonely-if-no-ones-in-i-talk-to-alexa-all/">feel less lonely</a>. Meanwhile, in a climate of unmet demand for mental health support, <a href="https://medium.com/voiceui/mental-health-bots-are-we-at-the-breaking-point-efab1c2b6e93">therapy bots</a> are listening to patients, advising them and even walking them through psychological treatments such as <a href="https://www.chatcompose.com/therapists.html">cognitive behaviour therapy</a>.</p>
<p>The quality of such connection and stimulation might not be a complete substitute for the “real thing”. But for those of us who find the real thing elusive or insufficient, it could prove far better than nothing.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/my-robot-valentine-could-you-fall-in-love-with-a-robot-53564">My robot Valentine: could you fall in love with a robot?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/159427/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rob Brooks receives funding from the Australian Research Council. This article concerns a book he has written, for which he receives royalty payments. </span></em></p>The age of ‘artificial intimacy’ is upon us. What does it mean for the way we love, have sex and build friendships?Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW's Grand Challenges Program, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1581972021-04-04T12:00:46Z2021-04-04T12:00:46ZMen who identify as feminists are having more — and more varied — sex<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393016/original/file-20210401-13-7lwa36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=43%2C0%2C5708%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Public commitments to feminism translated into private benefits for heterosexual men.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 2015, Justin Trudeau surprised many by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/17/justin-trudeau-feminist-twitter-explodes">claiming a feminist identity</a>. Numerous <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19392397.2015.1005382">celebrities and entertainers</a> have recently asserted themselves as feminists, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19392397.2015.1005405">some have even chastised those who reject feminism</a>. </p>
<p>While more and more men from across social divides have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2005.0005">begun supporting feminist values and asserting a feminist identity</a>, many are scrutinized for talking the talk but not walking the walk. </p>
<p>Feminism is predicated on support for gender equality. Men may associate with feminism to <a href="https://doi.org/10.17813/1086-671X-20-3-283">help distance themselves from outdated gender roles</a>, bringing them in line with current sociopolitical trends.</p>
<p>In a recent article I co-authored with sociologist <a href="https://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/people/fetner-tina">Tina Fetner</a>, we looked at whether <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X20980789">feminist men care about equality in the bedroom, the most intimate environment where the gender oppression may play out</a>. Specifically, we were interested in how the sex lives of feminist men differed from non-feminist men: Did their personal politics mean they acted differently when having sex with women?</p>
<p>Beyond simply claiming a progressive identity, what sort of behaviours accompany a feminist identity? Do feminist men actually live up to their identity in various aspects of their lives?</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_G9jgYBN5Zs?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Prime Minister Justin Trudeau explains why he describes himself as a feminist.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Surveying men</h2>
<p>Seeking answers to these questions, we analyzed a sub-sample of self-identifying heterosexual men from a larger survey on sex and sexuality in Canada. <a href="https://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/sexuality-attitudes-practices-and-policy/news/launch-of-a-nationally-representative-canadian-survey-of-sex-in-canada-1">The Sex in Canada survey</a> is a nationally representative survey of Canadian adults. It asks questions not only about sexuality, but also about personal sexual behaviours, sexual history and political and social values.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/condoms-are-the-best-defence-against-rising-sexually-transmitted-infections-133415">Condoms are the best defence against rising sexually transmitted infections</a>
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<p>Of all the straight Canadian men surveyed, we found that only about 22 per cent of men actually identified as feminist. Most men, around 60 per cent, said they were not feminists, and about 18 per cent were “not sure.” And, as with feminist women in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243204273498">previous studies</a>, feminist men were more likely to have higher levels of education.</p>
<h2>Feminism = more sex</h2>
<p>Taking a look at how recently men engage in certain sex acts, we found feminist men had more sex than non-feminist men. Specifically, feminist men reported having intercourse and both performing and receiving oral sex with women partners more recently than non-feminist men. </p>
<p>While feminist men reported giving oral sex to their partners more recently, they also engaged in intercourse and received oral sex more recently than non-feminist men, suggesting they do not sacrifice their own pleasure. Instead, we believe feminist men continue to benefit from traditional approaches to sex that emphasize sex acts pleasurable for men.</p>
<p>Taking a deeper look at this, we examined men’s most recent sexual encounter to further test if intimate encounters differed between groups. Feminist men, and those who said they were unsure of their feminist stance, were more likely than non-feminists to have intercourse and engage in breast touching or nipple stimulation.</p>
<p>Feminist men and even those who were not sure, reported giving oral sex to their female partners at higher rates than non-feminists. This is critical as research consistently finds that clitoral stimulation through <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2018.1563014">oral sex is an important and pleasurable act that brings women to orgasm</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A couple snuggling in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393014/original/file-20210401-23-1q6407s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Feminist men were more likely to give — and receive — oral sex in their most recent sexual encounter.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Gender equality in private and public</h2>
<p>All too frequently we see men say one thing and do another; we tend to focus primarily on public attitudes and behaviours. We have little knowledge of what goes on beyond closed doors.</p>
<p>Although men who claim a feminist identity may not be more equitable in their everyday public interactions with women, our findings suggest that identifying as a feminist matters in private settings.</p>
<p>In private sexual encounters, feminist men and those ambivalent toward feminism, perform sexual behaviours targeting women’s pleasure at a higher rate than those disavowing feminism, suggesting these men may care about their partners as expressed through the performance of equality in sexual pleasure. </p>
<p>Many men claiming a feminist identity also declare support for gender equality. Our results indicate this purported support coincides with a commitment to gender equality in sexual interaction. Feminist men help transcend sexual (interaction) inequality by bridging the gender gap in orgasms. </p>
<p>While this is a good sign, we encourage further conversation and research addressing inequality in private heterosexual relations.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158197/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Max Stick receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>Men who identify as feminists self-report more frequent sex and higher levels of sexual satisfaction. The other 60 per cent aren’t having as much fun, according to the findings of a new study.Max Stick, PhD Candidate, Sociology, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1560342021-03-21T13:06:14Z2021-03-21T13:06:14ZCanadians are having less sex, not more, during the coronavirus pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390042/original/file-20210317-19-o7oio8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C0%2C3811%2C2160&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sex can improve a person's psychological, mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Flexibility is the ability to bend without breaking. If we are all trees amidst a pandemic storm, the windy gusts of virus variants and vaccine delays are blowing our branches, hard. It’s been nearly a year now and many of us feel like we are going to snap: It’s bend or break time.</p>
<p>Are we sheltering the storm by slipping under the sheets with a significant other? Surprisingly, no. </p>
<p>The naked truth is that Canadians are having less sex, not more, according to a <a href="https://www.healthing.ca/news/covid-19-leading-to-less-sex-more-gender-based-violence-ubc-researcher">national survey</a> by researchers at the University of British Columbia. Reasons for this decrease could include <a href="https://www.psycom.net/sex-and-mental-health">increased mental health problems</a>, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-another-victim-of-covid-19-sex-between-married-couples/">too much time together for couples</a> or too much time alone for singles. </p>
<p>It’s an unfortunate twist, because we need this type of feel-good activity when stress is at an all-time high. Research has consistently found that more frequent intimate sexual encounters are associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000324">greater well-being</a>. Regardless of their personal situation, improving sexual flexibility may be just what Canadians need to perk up their drooping sex lives.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two women in bed reading book and phone with dog" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390043/original/file-20210317-21-1gkebva.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A flexible and satisfying sexual relationship can increase resilience while dealing with the continued stress of the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/1VAmHZktns0">(Unsplash)</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Measuring sexual flexibility</h2>
<p>Stéphanie Gauvin, a doctoral student in psychology at Queen’s University, created a measure of such flexibility, which she named the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1405304">SexFlex Scale</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A sexual script is like a sexual menu. When you go to have a sexual interaction with someone, you have this menu of options that you can select from. Some will have a bigger menu because they have more things they have thought of, and some have a more exclusive menu. With your partner, you have to figure out the pieces of that menu you might want. There may be menu items that are your go-to favourites, some that you are willing to try, or some you’re not really sure about, but might be willing to try.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But what if an ingredient isn’t available or there is a new chef? Detours in sexual scripts could present as differences in desire between partners due to factors including pain, performance anxiety, arousal difficulties, medical conditions or times of transition like menopause.</p>
<p>How easily one can change their approach, modify strategies for sex or think of different options to suit changing sexual situations are components of the SexFlex scale.</p>
<p>Gauvin likens low sexual flexibility to insistence around restaurant dining.</p>
<p>“I need to have a three-course meal, with soup or salad as the first course, the main has to have meat and I must have chocolate cake for dessert! If there is no chocolate cake, we didn’t even go out for dinner.”</p>
<p>Individuals able to try alternate strategies to preferred sexual scripts are thought to cope better with acute and chronic sexual issues. In their study of post-prostate cancer patients, University of New Brunswick researchers found <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2010.498457">most men had fairly narrow and traditional sexual scripts that required penile-vaginal intercourse</a>. </p>
<p>Erectile dysfunction was often seen as the end of their sex life and many chose to discontinue all sexual activity, even when their desire for sex was still intact. The findings from another <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105302007003223">study on sex after prostate cancer</a> epitomizes the importance of sexual script flexibility in improving sexual satisfaction for self and a potential partner: “If you’ve got 10 fingers and a tongue, sex ain’t dead.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A couple on a bed wearing surgical face masks" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/390040/original/file-20210317-13-17mwiv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The ongoing pandemic has negatively affected Canadians’ sex lives, even though a healthy sexual relationship can help increase resilience.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Desire and motivation</h2>
<p>Motivation is also critical. The distinction between a sensory experience that mutually gratifies both partners and sex to accommodate the desires of just one is important. Engaging in sex to avoid conflict or disappointment <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213490963">is associated with lower relationship and sexual satisfaction</a>. Unsurprisingly, sex that enhances intimacy or promotes closeness with a partner has the opposite outcome.</p>
<p>Caroline Pukall, clinical psychologist and head of the Sex Research Lab at Queen’s University, helps clients reframe sexual encounters with an approach focus: “Can we talk about sexual pleasure or intimacy as a goal?”</p>
<p>Back to the food metaphors. Sex doesn’t always have to mean setting the broiler on high. Start by “simmering with your sexuality,” suggests Pukall. This is especially important for those with a history of trauma or medical issues. Taking bubble baths together or simply spooning naked in bed would be examples.</p>
<p>Those seeking to expand their sexual menu but don’t know how to start, need to begin with a (probably uncomfortable) conversation about sexuality. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490802398399">sexual self-disclosure</a>, discussing sexual likes and dislikes, can produce a menu that is consensual and mutually pleasurable. </p>
<p>And as always nowadays, there are apps — like <a href="https://mojoupgrade.com/">Mojo</a> — that are useful for helping to add sexual novelties. New flavours that, with ongoing discussion and consent, could spice up the menu. For those with vulvas, <a href="https://www.omgyes.com/">OMGYes!</a> is recommended by sexperts for understanding more about what makes you feel good.</p>
<h2>Sexual scripts</h2>
<p>To preserve our dining metaphor, one could ask: “Who sets the menu in the first place?”</p>
<p>There is evidence that those adapting their sexual lives in creative ways are thriving despite the swirling pandemic storm. The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University surveyed 1,559 adults — 70 per cent female and 75 per cent American — and found that while nearly half reported a decline in their sex life, those expanding their sexual repertoire by including new activities such as sexting, trying new sexual positions or sharing sexual fantasies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2020.1774016">were three times more likely to see their sex life improve</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/B7msJm3lgPW","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>Kim Tallbear, an associate professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta is one of the producers of <a href="https://tipiconfessions.com/">Tipi Confessions</a>, a creative storytelling show on sex, sexuality and gender with Indigenous, feminist, queer and educational perspectives. Her critical lens on decolonizing sexuality challenges us to consider that love and care can be enlarged, not compromised or lost, when we embrace a multiplicity of relations.</p>
<p>Don’t be spoon-fed — discover your own unique personal tastes and take some time to plan out a solo or partnered sexual menu — and enjoy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156034/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yuliya Rackal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research has shown that healthy, consensual and enjoyable sex is a great way to improve coping abilities. But during the pandemic, when resilience is valuable, Canadians are having less sex, not more.Yuliya Rackal, Assistant Professor Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1491742020-11-12T19:50:05Z2020-11-12T19:50:05ZFierce female moles have male-like hormones and genitals. We now know how this happens.<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368987/original/file-20201112-23-1ourijf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C4000%2C2652&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Moles live a tough life underground. As a result, they’ve evolved helpful adaptations, such as excavator-like claws. Female moles in particular have evolved an unusual strategy: high levels of the male hormone testosterone. </p>
<p>This is an evolutionary advantage. It produces stronger muscles for digging and foraging and aggression, to help mothers defend themselves and their young. </p>
<p>Most of the year, female moles look and behave like males. They have masculinised genitals, with no external vagina and an enlarged clitoris. But when mating season comes, testosterone levels drop and a vagina is formed; mating and birth follow.</p>
<p>How they accomplish this remained a mystery for a long time. But now, the <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6513/208.abstract">complete sequencing</a> of the mole genome has revealed the genetic tweaks underpinning this strange cycle in female moles, by which reproductive organs (gonads) develop and hormones are produced.</p>
<h2>Gonads and hormones</h2>
<p>Male development in humans and other mammals is determined by chromosomes (the structures within cells of living things that contain genes). Females have two copies of an X chromosome. Males have a single X and a male-specific Y chromosome. </p>
<p>In XY embryos, a gene called <em>SRY</em> on the Y chromosome intervenes in a network of another 60 genes. <em>SRY</em> turns on testis genes and turns off ovary genes to transform a ridge of cells into a testis. </p>
<p>In the testis, one cell type becomes specialised to make sperm and another (Leydig cells) makes male hormones, including testosterone. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-you-a-man-or-a-woman-geneticist-jenny-graves-explains-102983">What makes you a man or a woman? Geneticist Jenny Graves explains</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p>Testosterone is responsible for the most visible sex differences in males, such as bigger bodies, more muscle mass, male genitalia and more aggression. In XX embryos, an alternate pathway makes an ovary, which pumps out oestrogen.</p>
<p>So in mammals, different genetic pathways drive the same patch of embryonic tissue to become either an ovary or a testis. Generally, there’s no in-between. </p>
<p>But female moles have a patch of testis within their ovaries.</p>
<h2>An evolutionary balancing act</h2>
<p><a href="https://dev.biologists.org/content/118/4/1303">In 1993</a>, it was discovered the basis for “intersex development” in female moles is a gonad with both ovarian and testicular tissue. </p>
<p>Like other male mammals, male moles have a Y chromosome, bearing the <em>SRY</em> gene which directs testis formation. </p>
<p>Also like other mammals, female moles lack a Y chromosome. Curiously, however, instead of developing ovaries they develop “ovotestes”, with ovarian tissue at one end and testicular tissue at the other. </p>
<p>The ovarian tissue makes eggs and gets larger during breeding, then regresses. The testicular tissue is full of Leydig cells that make testosterone (but not sperm). Outside of breeding season, it expands until it’s larger than the ovarian end. </p>
<p>This explains why female moles have male-like genitalia, and are muscular and aggressive. But how does a patch of testis form in female moles if they have no <em>SRY</em> gene to trigger the process?</p>
<h2>Genetic tweaks behind ovotestis development</h2>
<p>To look for genetic changes that could allow this to happen, a global consortium of scientists <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6513/208.abstract">sequenced the entire mole genome</a>.</p>
<p>They found no differences between moles and other mammals in the protein products of the 60-odd genes involved in sex determination. However, they did discover mutations that altered the <em>regulation</em> of two of these genes in female moles.</p>
<p>One difference was found in the DNA sequences of a gene that’s vital for developing testes: <em>FGF9</em>. In all mammals, this gene switches on testis growth in XY embryos and inhibits genes that determine ovarian development. </p>
<p>In females of other mammals, the <em>FGF9</em> gene is turned off in the absence of <em>SRY</em>, but in female moles it stays on. </p>
<p>Genome sequencing revealed why: a big patch of DNA just upstream of <em>FGF9</em> is flipped around in moles. This inversion removes the usual control sequences from the gene, allowing it to stay on for longer in XX embryos.</p>
<p>The other gene impacted in female moles is <em>CYP17A1</em>, which codes for an enzyme that’s key to producing androgens (male hormones). In female moles, this gene and its surrounds have two extra copies, which increases testosterone output. </p>
<p>To show these genomic changes were indeed responsible for masculinising female moles, the researchers introduced them into mice, causing sex reversal and higher testosterone levels.</p>
<p>It’s important to note these evolutionary changes are in the <em>regulation</em> of gene activity, rather than in the regulation of protein products — which could compromise other normal functions.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Clownfish (_Amphiprioninae_)." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368997/original/file-20201112-19-gi6jel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Other than mammals, many marine animals have gender-bending tendencies. Clownfish always begin life as hermaphrodites carrying both female and male reproductive organs. Later in life, males can become female on an as-needed basis to mate with other males.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/szipiszopi/4919095469/in/photolist-8uFDGR-d6iqgf-2pEgAR-a3xGB7-4t985n-a3uQ4i-5cadh1-8ECGaX-3L8UN5-up9Mh-3L8UYN-Cu66xD-9pfPTN-8GLsLd-4kL2uD-4J1u8d-8FsdQs-dzruc-5DpDBY-5GUkSb-4kQ5YW-4kL38D-8WkdZn-KozKd7-qnrwnJ-coksCs-a6fGi2-2wMpjF-FPVyZy-38dWFC-PGX7c4-Kc29n9-gRkLPn-xDeEWy-EjqyJJ-6Y189v-rGsD6c-34WhVy-6YA5ez-gRkSs5-4g9oXn-pjBqbJ-6XX1Zc-nfKMRT-4kL1Ke-4J1sGC-5j4jKU-5LYxz4-aad1RH-ayLz3G">Istvan/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-we-learn-from-a-fish-that-can-change-sex-in-just-10-days-129063">What we learn from a fish that can change sex in just 10 days</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>What this means for sex and evolution</h2>
<p>Since mammals, including humans, develop as either males or females, we’ve been accustomed to regard testis or ovary development in the embryo as strict alternatives, depending on an on/off switch (the presence or absence of the Y chromosome and <em>SRY</em> gene). </p>
<p>But we now know there’s a complex gene network full of checks and balances that is the basis for alternate pathways of sexual development.</p>
<p>There are many studies of human babies born with <a href="http://theconversation.com/boy-girl-or-dilemmas-when-sex-development-goes-awry-49359">mutations in one of these genes</a>. This points to a more complex picture of the wiring behind the “switch” responsible for variation in human sexual development. </p>
<p>There are fierce females in other mammal species, too. Female spotted hyenas are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0018506X00916349">bigger and more dominant</a> than males and have male-like genitalia. We don’t know how this change works at a genetic level. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A female spotted hyena in the wold." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368992/original/file-20201112-17-1axmrqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The spotted hyena, <em>Crocuta crocuta</em> (also known as the ‘laughing hyena’) is native to sub-Saharan Africa. In females such as this one, the clitoris is shaped and positioned like a penis that can become erect.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The downside of this is that mating is tricky. Cubs are birthed through the female’s narrow phallus. Mothers and/or cubs often die during this fraught process.</p>
<p>So while these larger, more aggressive females rule the hyena roost and get first pick at meals, like most things in nature, it seems this comes at a price.</p>
<p>Big fierce female moles and hyenas remind us the natural world, as always, features unique evolutionary differences — enlightening our view on human variation.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/149174/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jenny Graves receives funding from the Australian research Council. </span></em></p>Female moles evolved to have high testosterone levels, making them fiercer diggers and mothers. Female hyenas share this trait, but it means they must give birth through a male-like phallus.Jenny Graves, Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Vice Chancellor's Fellow, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1222902019-09-23T10:07:13Z2019-09-23T10:07:13ZHaving sex in older age could make you happier and healthier – new research<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292848/original/file-20190917-19076-1vfbkrw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=605%2C253%2C6181%2C4649&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/high-angle-top-view-funky-joy-1177530097?src=fooG_vr0ej5Jf9i1x3MzAA-1-0">shutterstock/Roman Samborskyi</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Sexual activity is an essential part of intimate relationships, though it tends to decline as people get older. But although <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25624001">research</a> shows that frequency of sexual activity can decrease with age, for many older people, sex still remains an <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-in-their-eighties-have-sex-get-over-it-36931">important part of their life</a>. </p>
<p>There’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-happens-when-you-age-a-scientist-debunks-popular-myths-about-sex-and-brain-power-90056">a common misconception</a> that as people age, they lose their interest in sex and capacity for sexual behaviour. But as a <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drupal/site_iehc/sites/iehc/files/elsa_self-comp_sex_w6_male.pdf">UK survey</a> <a href="https://www.elsa-project.ac.uk/">shows</a>, this isn’t the case.</p>
<p>Indeed, the survey found that 85% of men aged 60–69 report being sexually active – as do 60% of those aged 70–79 and 32% of those aged 80 and over. Women were found to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25624001">less sexually active</a> as they aged, but <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25624001">studies</a> show that, just like men, many women also want to continue to have sex as they get older. Studies in <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa067423">the US</a> report similar levels of sexual activity across these age groups.</p>
<p>And the fact that so many people are still having <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-end-the-taboo-of-sex-and-intimacy-in-care-homes-75740">sex as they age</a> is good news, because as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-019-1443-4">our new research</a> seems to indicate, the less sex older people have, the more likely they are to experience mental and physical health problems.</p>
<h2>Still at it</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2050116118301119">Our research</a> looked at the sex lives of 2,577 men and 3,195 women aged 50 and older. We asked whether they had experienced a decline in the last year in their level of sexual desire, frequency of sexual activity, or ability to have an erection (men) or become sexually aroused (women).</p>
<p>We found that men who reported a decline in sexual desire were more likely to go on to develop cancer or other chronic illnesses that limited their daily activities. Men and women who reported a decrease in the frequency of sexual activities were also more likely to experience a deterioration in how they rated their level of health. And men with erectile dysfunction were also more likely to be diagnosed with cancer or coronary heart disease. It’s important to note, however, that changes in sexual desire or function could have been a result of early-stage, undiagnosed disease.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-sex-lives-of-older-people-that-can-make-us-rethink-our-idea-of-intimacy-47329">The secret sex lives of older people that can make us rethink our idea of intimacy</a>
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<p>Our research also found that older adults <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2050116118301119">enjoy life</a> more when they are sexually active. And those who experience a decline in sexual activity report <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032718319414">poorer well-being</a> than those who maintain their levels of sexual desire, activity and function in later life. We also found that men who are sexually active in later life continue to have better cognitive performance compared to those who don’t.</p>
<h2>Feel good hormones</h2>
<p>It’s no secret that sex can help to produce that “feel good” factor. This is largely because during sex, there is a release of <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d9d6/a77f113bb866ea1588edf646a60e25ca1755.pdf">endorphins</a>, which generate a happy or elated feeling. This doesn’t just impact our mental health though, as higher endorphin levels are also associated with greater activation of the immune system – which may reduce the risk of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658387614001083">cancer and heart disease</a>. </p>
<p>Research suggests that people who engage in sexual intercourse with their partner are also likely to share a <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eREk6ZyDC9YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA23&dq=sexual+intercourse+closeness+romantic&ots=3XCME2QFuW&sig=v_F6BpUtp1bYsSM5cYzjeMWA-Q4#v=onepage&q=sexual%20intercourse%20closeness%20romantic&f=false">closer relationship</a>. And closeness to one’s partner is linked with <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0146167213476896?casa_token=bE1u1mjJKwgAAAAA%3AeSbC_20owH-EhUjIv_TqirDr9aPTvl18VYrRjnGqacmb8HZkn_OzMtXgxL2OtngPdDsCVIcPgH-L#_i34">better mental health</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/292854/original/file-20190917-19040-1g4e7fk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Sex can keep you close as a couple, lower stress levels and boost your immune system.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/romantic-gay-couple-on-vacation-236222206?src=BMUCXOOGmOHwCK8xTm1hUQ-1-4">Shutterstock/mangostock</a></span>
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<p>It’s also important to remember that sex is a form of physical activity – often performed at a moderate intensity – which burns close to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0079342">four calories</a> a minute. All exercise comes with <a href="http://www.cmaj.ca/content/174/6/801.short?casa_token=ze-PR5NTCr8AAAAA:IdhxLiODpmhXBBTT9301q-eRFjp87CDtLUg_j06NB2fxcgcsHyTWULKVoeJoPqgHrOPFykvGD4JiIoM">health benefits</a> – and sex is no different. So it’s definitely possible that you could gain mental and physical health benefits from regular sexual activity.</p>
<h2>Trying new positions</h2>
<p>Of course, sex is not the only factor that can help to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-to-happiness-in-later-life-is-simple-to-discover-but-hard-to-achieve-72463">improve health and well-being in older age</a>. But as our research shows, older adults are not devoid of sexual desire, and an active sex life is something that should be encouraged. Indeed, it’s possible that a regular and problem-free sex life can lead to better mental (and possibly physical) health. </p>
<p>But information on and encouragement to try new sexual positions and explore different types of sexual activity isn’t regularly given to older people. And in many cases, when it comes to older people and sex, doctors often put their heads in the sand, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-it-comes-to-older-people-and-sex-doctors-put-their-heads-in-the-sand-43556">don’t really want to talk about it</a>. </p>
<p>But it may well be that such discussions could help to challenge norms and expectations about sexual activity. And as our research shows, it could also help people to live more fulfilling and healthier lives – well into older age.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122290/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daragh T McDermott receives funding from the SSHRC funded INQYR partnership. He is the Chair of Board of Trustees for The Kite Trust, a Cambridge based LGBT youth charity. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Jackson receives funding from Cancer Research UK and the Economic and Social Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lee Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Men and women who report a decrease in sexual activities are more likely to experience a deterioration in how they rate their overall level of health.Lee Smith, Reader in Physical Activity and Public Health, Anglia Ruskin UniversityDaragh McDermott, Head of School, School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin UniversitySarah Jackson, Research Psychologist, Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCLLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1131522019-05-12T16:45:39Z2019-05-12T16:45:39ZThe sounds of orgasms: A study on the sex life of rats informs human sexual behaviour<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/273872/original/file-20190510-183089-1qzy2lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=355%2C0%2C3290%2C1885&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Rats have similar physiological reactions to humans when it comes to orgasms.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Rats have similar physiological reactions to humans when it comes to sex, and perhaps also to orgasm. In fact, a good deal of what we know about what happens in our brains during orgasm comes from the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15287157">laboratory rat</a>. </p>
<p>While much of what happens in the brain during <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-008-0025-6">human orgasm remains a mystery</a>, decades of research by scientists has helped <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5087696/">unravel some of the secrets</a>.</p>
<p>One of the main reason why some aspects of research have advanced so much so far is the use of animals in research. In our lab, lead by James Pfaus at the Centro De Investigaciones Cerebrales and Concordia University, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5087696/">animals are helping us</a> understand what orgasms are all about. </p>
<p>By conducting this research we hope to better understand human sexual interactions and the reason we might be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9935-5">attracted to certain people, scents and places</a>. How do we get aroused? And how can this happen without us noticing it? Do the sounds we make during sex mean anything?</p>
<h2>What is an orgasm?</h2>
<p>The biggest difficulty in studying orgasms in animals is the subjective nature of the experience. Clearly, we can’t ask animals if they had an orgasm after a certain amount or type of sexual stimulation. </p>
<p>When it comes to orgasms, it’s simple: you know it when you have one.</p>
<p>But how might we scientifically define an orgasm? Most definitions refer to the physiological sensations and emotional attributes that converge to a period of relaxation and ecstasy. More specifically, an orgasm can be defined as the release of the “sexual tension” from the build-up of stimulation before orgasm. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=192&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263173/original/file-20190311-86682-1axtvel.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A representation of ultrasonic vocalizations of a female in response to clitoral stimulation. The different patterns shown are associated with positive affects.</span>
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<p>It’s a frequent mistake to assume that orgasms coincide with ejaculation. The two coincide rather consistently in men (although some men do not ejaculate during orgasm). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12799">This is not typically the case with women</a>, though some women “ejaculate” during orgasm.</p>
<p>To date, however, there is only one way to know if someone is having an orgasm: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-006-9112-9">pelvic muscle contractions</a>. </p>
<p>But subjectivity matters. One person’s best orgasm might be just average to another person. Also, the stimulation required to induce an orgasm can vary hugely across people. </p>
<p>This makes controlled experiments difficult to conduct in humans. Genetic and environmental differences likely cause a lot of variation in perceiving and reporting sexual stimulation, and the tipping point at which this “sexual tension” is released. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490209552129">Standardized questionnaires</a> aiming to assess the intensity and frequency of orgasm carry the same issues that plague all self-reporting studies, such as lying or the lack of proper understanding of your own subjective states.</p>
<p>Currently, with only one orgasm marker, no imaging technique to reliably uncover the biochemical mechanisms and the ever-changing territory of the subjective experiences on the orgasm research in humans, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2011.647904">we neuroscientists hit a roadblock</a>.</p>
<h2>Animal models</h2>
<p>In males of different species, ejaculation is synonymous for sexual climax. Likewise, their female counterparts can experience rhythmic uterine and muscle contractions or tension. While we cannot assume animals experience orgasms, perhaps we could triangulate whether the animal physiologically had an one. </p>
<p>What if we could find analogues of behaviours that occur in both humans and animals as a method to infer orgasms in animals?</p>
<p>Researchers who are trying to bridge this gap between humans and animals have suggested three broad characteristics of human orgasm that we could <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5087696/">assess in animals and compare to humans:</a></p>
<p>»<strong>Physiological changes</strong> </p>
<p>»<strong>Short-term behaviours</strong></p>
<p>»<strong>Long-term behaviours</strong> </p>
<p>So, how can these criteria be applied to rats?</p>
<h2>Rats and humans are alike in some ways</h2>
<p><strong><em>Physiological changes: fight, flight or fornicate</em></strong></p>
<p>Both humans and rats experience many physiological changes before, during and after sex. In response, our bodies prepare to fight, flight or fornicate. </p>
<p>Rats have similar physiological reactions to humans when it comes to orgasms. When the stimulation is sexual, physiologically speaking, humans react pretty much the same way as rats, with increased physiological arousal and blood-flow to the genitalia and muscle contraction. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/273870/original/file-20190510-183086-d81az3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A rat in the lab at Concordia University.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christine Gerson</span></span>
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</figure>
<p><strong><em>Short-term behaviours: Females take the lead</em></strong></p>
<p>In the rat’s sexual world, females proactively solicit males. The female chooses which male to attract and when. She actively encourages the male to chase her by running towards the male and then abruptly turning and running away. She arches her back when the male touches her flanks to invite consummation. </p>
<p>This cycle repeats until the male ejaculates. Sometimes males fall asleep afterwards. To reignite the game, the female hops around the male showing her interest to resume. </p>
<p>Throughout this sex marathon, both male and female rats emit sounds or “calls” in a sound range we cannot hear. Using special recording equipment, we can record and analyze these calls in their frequency range. </p>
<p>Male calls are long and distinctive when they ejaculate; this connects the male calls to ejaculation, and possibly orgasms. Female calls are different: they are more varied and come at different times. Nothing in the calls indicate a connection to orgasms.</p>
<p><strong><em>Long-term changes</em>: Sexual patterns</strong></p>
<p>Male and female rats possess learning mechanisms. For instance, after repetitive sexual experiences with partners bearing an almond odor, both male and female rats tend to prefer almond-smelling rats over other potential sexual partners.</p>
<p>Rats and other animals are aware of sexual stimuli directed at them and behave in ways to maximize reward. </p>
<p>But once we jump into the world of subjective experiences, scientists navigate through somewhat dodgy waters. </p>
<h2>Lessons for humans from animals</h2>
<p>During an orgasm, a highly rewarding state, humans are likely to associate the environment as positive; we take cues from our environment and surrounding features and are susceptible to having our orgasms associated with those feelings. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9935-5">We quickly ingest the information around us that are present when we have sex and an orgasm: the places, people and other contextual cues</a>.</p>
<p>For example, when you smell someone’s perfume that is familiar or sexually reminiscent, it will quickly trigger your memories and get you to “rev up,” sometimes without you even noticing.</p>
<p>These learning mechanisms can shape our <a href="https://theconversation.com/whos-your-ideal-mate-your-first-love-may-have-something-to-do-with-it-91068">sexual preferences for partners</a>, places and <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-you-a-pervert-challenging-the-boundaries-of-sex-82564">objects</a>, influencing with whom and where we choose to have sex. </p>
<p>An animal model of orgasm may allow scientists to explore the reasons why some people have difficulties achieving orgasm, and identify potentially behavioural and pharmacological interventions that may alleviate these difficulties. At a more fundamental level, understanding animal orgasms can shine some light on what happens in the human brain during an orgasm.</p>
<p>With our current research techniques we will never truly be able to objectively assess a subjective state in a rat. But by combining the study of physiological responses, short-term changes in sexual motivation and states indicative of sexual reward, as well as stable long-term sexual preferences, we are able to find some clues related to orgasms, and we are starting to note these sexual patterns in rats.</p>
<p>And that is a good start!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113152/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>How do we get get aroused? And how can this happen without noticing it? Do the sounds we make during sex mean anything? Could rats help us figure these questions out?Gonzalo R. Quintana Zunino, Dr. Behavioral Neuroscience and Public Scholar, Concordia UniversityConall Eoghan Mac Cionnaith, Ph.D Candidate, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.