Psych Basics

Sex

Sex is the most profound and intimate way to express your love for someone. Different people enjoy and pursue sex in different forms—as the pioneering sex researcher Alfred Kinsey put it, the only universal in human sexuality is variability itself. But within the universe of intimacy and pleasure that sex affords is a lot of room for error. Most people are affected by sexual problems at some point in their lives. 

Sexual Problems

Myths About Low Sexual Desire

The truth about couples, and how to reignite the flame.

Female Sexual Desire Disorder

Understanding Female Sexual Desire Disorder

by Dan Pollets in Mindful Sex

See Also

Sexual Orientation

Finding the Switch

The Darwinian logic of homosexuality.

Stump the evolutionary psychologist: Remaining puzzles

What we know we don't know (the known unknowns).

by Satoshi Kanazawa in The Scientific Fundamentalist

A cartoon guide to sexual orientation

A cartoon explains why some people are gay.

by Brian Mustanski, Ph.D. in The Sexual Continuum

See Also

Monogamy and Polygamy

An Inconvenient Truth: Sexual Monogamy Kills Male Libido

Human beings are evolved for sex lives full of novelty.

by Christopher Ryan in Sex at Dawn

Do Open Relationships Work?

The pros and cons of an open relationship.

The paradox of polygamy I: Why most Americans are polygamous

Why most Americans are polygamous

by Satoshi Kanazawa in The Scientific Fundamentalist

Sex Ed: Can I Get Your Number?

Why men exaggerate their sex scorecard.

The Science of Sexual Attraction

Scents and Sensibility

The secret ingredient of sexual chemistry may be scent—but are we unwittingly subverting our signals?

The Stripper's Secret

Flaunting your fertility makes for big tips.

Fast Forces of Attraction

The building blocks of sex appeal.

Sex Ed: Talking Smack

What kissing means for men and for women.

See Also

Sex and Fantasy

You, Me and Porn Make Three

How do you prevent the XXX explosion from undermining your relationship.

Why Do Women Have Erotic Rape Fantasies?

Several potential explanations for rape fantasies.

by Matthew Hutson in Psyched!

Threesomes are every man's fantasy

I am frequently asked to comment on sexual fantasies

by Dr. Steven Lamm in

Advice: He Likes Porn

Does viewing porn lead to unfaithfulness?

Sex Ed: Keeping Up With the Johns

Why men pay for sex, and what happens when they do.

See Also

Sex Tests

Sensuality

Are you attuned to all five senses?
Sex Personality Test

Are you sexually creative and adventurous?
More Tests

The Latest on Sex

Like "taking a shower with a raincoat on"? Hardly. by Michael Castleman
Sexual signaling in song lyrics…bling-bling! by Gad Saad, Ph.D.
Some people HATE our book! by Christopher Ryan
Educating those in the fast lane by Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D.
"5 is too young to play doctor." Is 10 better? by Marty Klein, PhD
Exercise enhances your sex drive and decreases your stress simultaneously. by Laurie Mintz, Ph.D.
She wasn't his. But how is he to know this? by Regina Barreca, Ph.D.
CSI Miami, LeAnn Rimes and Tiger Woods Syndrome by Dr. J. R. Bruns
Love Letter to My Son by Laura Betzig
Real ways to make "vacation sex" last all year long by Lisa Firestone, Ph.D.