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Kinsey Institute Research BlogExploring the science of love, sexuality, and well-being

The Kinsey Institute Interview Series: A Conversation with Dr. Sari van Anders

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By Justin Lehmiller

What is a day in the life of a sex researcher like? In this interview series, I talk to some of the world’s foremost authorities on sex in order to answer this question, but also to provide a glimpse into what they’re currently working on, what the media tends to get wrong about sex, and what they think about some of the most pressing issues facing the field of sex research today.

For this interview, I spoke with Dr. Sari van Anders, who holds a doctoral degree in biological and cognitive psychology from Simon Fraser University and studies a range of topics, including social neuroendocrinology, sexuality, gender/sex, sexual diversity, and feminist and queer science. Dr. van Anders is the newly appointed Canada 150 Research Chair in Social Neuroendocrinology, Sexuality, and Gender/Sex at Queen’s University in Canada. What follows is the transcript of our email conversation. (more…)

How Sexual Communication Differs From Nonsexual Communication

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By Justin Lehmiller

One sign of a healthy long-term romantic relationship is frequent sexual communication. Studies have consistently found that the more sexual communication couples engage in, the more sexually satisfied they tend to be [1]. Despite the well-documented and powerful role that sexual communication plays in our relationships, surprisingly little research has explored in detail how we tend to navigate sexual discussions. (more…)

The Kinsey Institute Interview Series: A Conversation with Dr. Meredith Chivers

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By Dr. Justin Lehmiller

Dr. Meredith Chivers

 

What is a day in the life of a sex researcher like? In this interview series, I talk to some of the world’s foremost authorities on sex in order to answer this question, but also to provide a glimpse into what they’re currently working on, what the media gets wrong about sex, and what they think about some of the most pressing issues facing the field of sex research today.

For this interview, I spoke with Dr. Meredith Chivers, a psychologist at Queen’s University in Canada who specializes in research on female sexual arousal and desire. Below is the transcript of our email conversation.

Lehmiller: As a sex researcher, one of the most common questions you get asked is how you got into this line of work in the first place. So let’s start there—what is it that drew you to this field of study? What’s the story behind how you became a sex researcher?

Chivers: It all started in an undergrad course on human sexuality. (more…)

Afterglow: How Long Does The Post-Sex Bump In Satisfaction Last?

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By Dr. Justin Lehmiller

Sex has a lingering effect on our feelings of happiness, according to a new study published in the journal Psychological Science. This phenomenon, known colloquially as sexual afterglow, isn’t a new idea; however, it’s one that scientists haven’t really studied until now. This new study offers insight into how long sexual afterglow lasts, as well as why it exists in the first place. (more…)

Asexuality Isn’t A Mental Disorder Or Sexual Dysfunction – It’s A Sexual Orientation

Posted on by Kinsey Institute

By Dr. Justin Lehmiller

Asexuality flag with hearts - black, grey, white, magenta

The nature of asexuality is something that scientists have been debating for years. Some have argued that it’s a mental disorder, others have classified it as a sexual dysfunction, some claim that it’s an unusual sexual interest (technically known as a paraphilia), and yet others consider it to be a sexual orientation. So which is it? In a recent paper published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, Drs. Lori Brotto and Morag Yule offer a valuable review of the relevant research that yields important insight regarding how we should think about asexuality. (more…)