Three-week diary study: sex today increases sense of meaning in life tomorrow

By Christian Jarrett What makes for a good life? Current psychological theory highlights the importance of relationships, belonging and having a sense of purpose. Gratitude, forgiveness, generosity and self-compassion often get a mention too. According to a team of psychologists at George Mason University, there is however a glaring omission. Sex. “In theoretical models of well-being, sex is rarely discussed and in many seminal articles, ignored,” they write in their new paper published in Emotion. Todd Kashdan and his colleagues have attempted to correct this oversight with a three-week diary study, in which they looked at the associations between sex frequency and quality and not only positive mood, but also sense of meaning in life. “If an individual gains sexual access to a romantic partner, this should raise momentary affect … and increase one’s sense of self-worth or meaning in life,” they predicted. One-hundred and fifty-two college students (116 women; average age 24; 63 per cent in a monogamous romantic relationship) completed a diary each night for three weeks, in which they recorded their positive and negative moods that day, how meaningful their life felt, and any sexual activity they’d had since the last entry (this was interpreted broadly, from passionate kissing to intercourse), including how pleasurable and intimate it had been. Previous survey research has found that people who report having more sex also report bein...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Emotion Sex Source Type: blogs