Adventures in Dating

A savvy guide to courtship and communication.

Sean M. Horan Ph.D.

Just How Often Do People Use Condoms?

Sexually transmitted infections are not rare, and condoms reduce the risk for such infections. However, how often do people use condoms? Here, I summarize findings from my work.

Humorous Communication and Coping In Relationships

A person's Humor Orientation describes his/her tendency to use humor. This entry describes some ways that this orientation might be productive when facing difficult events.

Emailing to Love?

From flirting to fighting, a new study documents how people use technology at work to create, maintain, and end their workplace romances.

How Do We Talk About Condoms?

Condoms are important in negotiating safer sex—but what do people actually say about using them? My latest study examined this question, summarized here.

Why Do You Find Someone Attractive?

Researchers have spent years studying the attraction process. Want to learn some of what they know? I summarize some findings here.

Fake orgasms

Though often portrayed on the big screen, research reveals how and why this might happen.

Pain, Sleep, and Affection

Do you think you get as much affection as you'd like? New research examines that perception, along with pain and sleep.

What Helps Explain How Often People Lie in Relationships?

Studies have recently examined what factors explain the frequency of romantic partner deception. Affection, deception, and commitment potentially explain this process.

Are You Getting Enough Affection From Your Partner?

Affection is a basic human need, so what happens when you don't get enough of it in relationships? New research explores this question.

Laughing After Divorce

Divorce is common and results in difficult feelings and experiences. A new study explores the role of humor after divorce.

Interracial dating—What factors contribute?

What might encourage or discourage interracial dating?

Why Affection Means Everything in a Relationship

What role does affection play in commitment, satisfaction, hurt, and cholesterol?

What Do We Learn About Marriage From Our Parents?

New research identifies the memorable messages that children received from parents about marriage.

Withholding Complaints: The Role of Relational Power

Research suggests that two power dynamics explain why individuals withhold complaints in relationships. Might these two dynamics explains what's happening in your world?

The Perils of Left and Right Swiping

Online dating is a common activity for many single (and married) Americans. Still, just how old is that photo in the profile you're eyeing? Is it accurate? Research summarized here answers those questions.

Why Do We Try To Make Our Partners Jealous?

Feeling jealousy is complicated...perhaps more complex is our motivation to make others jealous. Why might one do this? A new study reveals some factors explaining this process.

What Having Kids Really Does to a Relationship

Relationships take an incredible amount of work. The introduction of a child, though, changes the nature of one's relationship and results in competing demands. The study reported here examined differences in relational maintenance between parents and non-parents. Click to see what really explains differences in relational maintenance...

5 Doubts Couples Face Before Moving in Together

Living together before marriage is not uncommon, but living together before engagement may spark feelings of uncertainty. New research studied non-engaged couples living together and what topics/situations spark uncertainty.

How Honest Are Individuals About Their Sexual Histories?

Disclosing one's previous number of sexual partners is important for sexual safety...but how often does this actually happen? My latest study explores these conversations.

Confessing Your Office Romance

Workplace romances are common...but how do employees learn that two people are dating at work? My latest research study describes this process.

Do You Need Your Partner to Be a Mind Reader?

New research examines mind reading expectations in relationships and associated reactions. How does this relate to combative responses and the silent treatment? Read on to learn more.

How Do Interracial Daters Manage Disapproval?

A recent study describes how interracial daters respond to disapproving looks, comments, and stares.

The Extraordinary Importance of First Impressions

The first few seconds of an interaction are key. This entry summarizes some of the psychological and communicative research that explains what happens during these interactions.

Interracial Daters Are Rated More Attractive

New study compares attractiveness of interracial and intraracial daters

Doing the Work of Relationships: A Maintenance Approach

Research identifies positive and negative behaviors used to maintain relationships

Dating the Dark Triad

The Dark Triad describes a personality structure consisting of subclinical narcissism, subclinical psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Such a personality profile can influence romantic partner communication in numerous ways; this article highlights a few of those ways.

Do Differences in Attractiveness Really Matter?

At times we encounter a man or woman who is much better looking than his or her romantic partner. Does this difference in attractiveness influence their communication? Research suggests it does. Read on to learn more.

The Surprising Benefits of Kissing

Research documents the benefits of kissing.

The 4 Ways We Compete for Mates

Competition is in an inevitable part of mate selection and retention. Recent work identified four strategies that individuals utilize when engaged in intrasexual mate competition to obtain and/or retain a mate.

Why Do People Drunk Dial?

As Valentine's Day approaches, people might be tempted to engage in drinking and texting former lovers. Sometimes combining the two can be trouble. Why do we engage in cell phone communication while intoxicated? Research identifies five reasons, reviewed here.

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