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(https://www.psypost.org/secularists-revealed-as-a-unique-political-force-in-america-with-an-intriguing-divergence-from-liberals/) Secularists revealed as a unique political force in America, with an intriguing divergence from liberals
Jul 25th 2024, 10:00

Over the last few decades, America (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/) has witnessed a substantial decline in religiosity. Although the United States remains relatively religious compared to other nations, it is markedly less religious today than it was thirty years ago. However, a recent study published in (https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.13007) Advances in Political Psychology uncovers an important nuance: secularism is distinct from mere nonreligiosity. The findings reveal that secularists form a unique group within the American electorate, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of secular trends is essential for grasping contemporary political dynamics.
While the increase in nonreligiosity, often termed “the rise of the nones,” has been widely documented, the new study sought to delve deeper into the distinctions between secularism and nonreligiosity. By doing so, the researchers aimed to clarify the political implications of these trends and how they might shape the future of American politics.
The researchers drew on data from several large-scale surveys, including the General Social Survey, Gallup Poll, Pew Research Center, and the Public Religion Research Institute. These data sources provided a robust foundation for examining trends in secularization and religiosity in the United States over the past several decades.
The study’s findings provide evidence that secularism is not simply the absence of religion but a distinctive identity characterized by specific beliefs and orientations. Unlike nonreligiosity, which denotes a lack of religious affiliation or belief, secularism involves an active identification with principles grounded in empirical evidence and rational thought. Secularists, therefore, are defined by what they believe in rather than what they lack.
For instance, secularists exhibited strong opposition to conspiracy theories. The researchers found that secularists are less likely to believe in various conspiracy theories compared to nonreligious individuals. This skepticism towards conspiracy theories is consistent with secularists’ reliance on empirical evidence and rational thought.
By contrast, nonreligiosity did not show a consistent relationship with opposition to conspiracy theories. This highlights the importance of the affirmative secular identity, which actively seeks evidence-based explanations and rejects unsubstantiated claims.
One of the most significant findings of the study is the strong association between secularism and liberal political attitudes. Secularists are more likely to support Democratic candidates and align with liberal policies compared to their nonreligious counterparts. This tendency is evident across various policy areas, including social welfare, environmental protection, and immigration.
The study also reveals that secularists are staunch supporters of core democratic values. Secularists exhibit strong support for participatory democracy, advocating for the inclusion of all individuals in the political process and the removal of barriers to voting. They also emphasize the importance of freedom of expression, opposing censorship and supporting the right to express even unpopular or controversial ideas.
“We suspect that having traditionally been the subject of political intolerance, secularists — particularly atheists — are highly supportive of extending political rights and civil liberties to other groups, even groups they dislike,” the researchers remarked.
Interestingly, the researchers found that liberals, particularly those identifying as very liberal, are generally unsupportive of allowing disliked groups such as “MAGA supporters,” “racists,” or “Muslim extremists” to hold rallies, teach, or have their books in local libraries. On the other hand, secularists, despite having similar disliked groups, are more likely than nonsecularists to extend civil liberties to these groups, demonstrating a higher level of political tolerance.
“It is striking that when the American right accuses secular liberals of trying to censor it or ‘cancel’ it for expressing ideas they find distasteful, they are only half right. Ideological liberals do appear to support censoring and limiting the expression of some types of ideas and certain kinds of groups,” the researchers explained.
“However, when ideology and partisanship are held constant, secularists are just the opposite. They oppose censorship and limits on freedom of expression, and they support allowing all groups—even groups they find dangerous or distasteful—to have a societal forum for expressing their perspectives.”
Despite their strong secular identity and political engagement, secularists exhibit relatively low levels of participation in organized secular activities. The study found that while religious individuals often engage in regular communal activities, such as attending services and participating in church-related events, secularists do not have a comparable level of organized social engagement.
This finding suggests that secularism functions primarily as a psychological and ideological identity rather than a social movement with formal structures and regular communal activities. The lack of organized secular behavior highlights the individualistic nature of secularism, where personal beliefs and identities take precedence over collective action.
“In American politics, religion has long mattered,” the researchers concluded. “The contours of American public opinion have been shaped by the nuances of religiosity, and religious appeals by candidates are commonplace. Now, secularism matters too—although its presence in the electorate remains largely hidden. However, as current trends continue, secularism will only be ignored at politicians’ peril. No understanding of the American electorate is complete without attention to the secular voter.”
The study, “(https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pops.13007) The secular voter: Secularism and political attitudes in the United States,” was authored by Geoffrey C. Layman, David E. Campbell, and Levi G. Allen.

(https://www.psypost.org/people-with-this-socio-cognitive-skill-tend-to-leave-more-positive-first-impressions/) People with this socio-cognitive skill tend to leave more positive first impressions
Jul 25th 2024, 08:00

A new study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001573) Journal of Experimental Psychology: General reports that individuals with stronger theory of mind skills leave more positive first impressions.
Building social connections is an important part of human survival, health, and happiness. While social structures like family and community provide a foundation, the expansion of social networks hinges on the ability to connect with new others. Theory of mind, the everyday skill of imputing mental states to others, is a critical cognitive skill facilitating smoother social interactions. This skill is associated with various social outcomes, including larger social networks, higher relationship satisfaction, and greater social competence.
There is substantial research on theory of mind across various disciplines. However, there is little research on its role in forming new social connections. In this work, Chloe C. Hudson and colleagues examined how individual differences in theory of mind accuracy and motivation influence first impressions through observable behaviors during social interactions.
A total of 334 young adult participants were recruited from first- and second-year psychology courses and through advertisements placed around campus. Participants were paired with a peer for a first-time meeting. They completed several measures assessing theory of mind accuracy and motivation.
The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task involved viewing 36 photographs of the eye region of faces, each surrounded by four mental state adjectives (e.g., cautious, insisting, bored, and aghast). Participants were instructed to choose the adjective that best described the photograph as quickly as possible. The Adult False Belief Task included 13 videos with two animated characters interacting with three boxes, where participants had to infer which box a character would choose based on their beliefs. The Mind-Reading Motivation Scale, a 13-item self-report questionnaire, assessed participants’ motivation to understand others’ thoughts and emotions.
The primary interaction task involved a cooperative Lego-building activity, where each pair was instructed to build a Lego model within seven minutes. Participants were told they could only touch two of the four colors of Lego pieces, necessitating cooperation. The interactions were videotaped and later coded for behavioral manifestations of theory of mind by independent raters.
Cognitive sensitivity was measured using an 11-item coding scheme assessing behaviors such as clear verbal directions, positive nonverbal directions, and sensitivity to the partner’s mental states. Pragmatic conversational skills were rated using the Conversational Skills Rating Scale, which evaluated features like speaking rate, vocal variety, volume, and humor.
The researchers found that participants with higher theory of mind accuracy and motivation were rated as more cognitively sensitive by third-party observers. Cognitive sensitivity, in turn, was positively correlated with more favorable first impressions from their interaction partners. Participants who demonstrated higher theory of mind skills exhibited behaviors that reflected clear communication, appropriate humor, and responsiveness to their partners’ needs.
Theory of mind accuracy was significantly associated with paralinguistic features, such as volume and clarity of speech, but not with discourse management, which includes behaviors like topic initiation and use of humor. Conversely, theory of mind motivation was significantly linked to discourse management but not paralinguistic features. These findings highlight the distinct roles of theory of mind accuracy and motivation in shaping different aspects of social interactions.
An important mediating factor was cognitive sensitivity, which was a key predictor of positive first impressions, suggesting that individuals who are better at understanding and responding to their partners’ mental states are more likely to leave a favorable impression. While pragmatic conversational skills were related to theory of mind, they did not significantly predict first impressions, indicating that cognitive sensitivity might be a more crucial factor in initial social encounters.
A limitation outlined by the authors is the homogeneity of the sample, which comprised primarily undergraduate students from a suburban Canadian university, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001573) How Theory of Mind Leads to Positive First Impressions,” was authored by Chloe C. Hudson, Mark A. Sabbagh, and Kate L. Harkness.

(https://www.psypost.org/women-who-rarely-have-sex-are-at-an-increased-risk-of-dying-study-finds/) Women who rarely have sex are at an increased risk of dying, study finds
Jul 25th 2024, 07:00

A recent study, based on data from the 2005–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), has found that women who rarely engage in sexual activity have a 70% higher risk of dying compared to those who have sex at least once per week. Additionally, individuals with depression who had sex much less than once per week had a 197% higher risk of dying than those who had sex around once per week. These findings were published in the (https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318241256455) Journal of Psychosexual Health.
Frequent sex has been shown to offer numerous health benefits. It helps reduce stress and improve mood through the release of endorphins and oxytocin. It can also boost the immune system, making the body more resistant to infections and illnesses.
Regular sexual activity promotes cardiovascular health by increasing heart rate and circulation. It enhances sleep quality due to the release of the hormone prolactin, which is associated with relaxation. Frequent sex can also improve intimacy and strengthen relationships, contributing to overall emotional well-being.
A (https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550615616462) previous study highlighted that the critical frequency of sex seems to be one intercourse per week when relationship duration, gender, and age are considered. Frequencies greater than once per week do not appear to produce greater well-being outcomes, but there is a significant difference in well-being between individuals having sex once per week and those having it less frequently.
(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-1443-4) Another study reported that decreased sexual activity was related to adverse health outcomes for both men and women, and a relationship between erectile dysfunction and cancer in older men was also found.
The current study, led by Srikanta Banerjee and his colleagues, aimed to explore the relationship between sexual frequency and all-cause mortality, i.e., the likelihood that a person will die. They analyzed data from the NHANES, a program of the National Center for Health Statistics designed to evaluate the health of adults in the United States using consolidated data from interviews and physical exams.
The study sample included 14,542 noninstitutionalized U.S. adults aged between 20 and 59 years, with an average age of 46 years. The researchers used data on all-cause mortality (whether the study participant died during the follow-up period, by December 2015), depression (measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9), sexual frequency (participants were asked, “In the past 12 months, about how many times have you had vaginal or anal sex?”), obesity, and various demographic factors.
The results showed that younger participants tended to have sex more often. Individuals with low frequencies of sex tended to have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, an indicator of inflammation, were more likely to have never smoked, to be more educated, and to be depressed. Black participants were slightly more often among those with high sex frequencies, while Hispanic and White participants were more frequent in the group having sex rarely. Overall, 95% of participants aged 20-59 years had sex more than 12 times per year, and 38% had sex more than once per week.
Women who had sex rarely were 70% more likely to have died during the follow-up period compared to women who had sex more often. The researchers examined the link between frequency of sex and death separately among individuals who had sex less often than once per week and those who had it more than once per week.
Among individuals having sex less than once per week, participants with depression and low sexual frequency (i.e., had sex much less than once per week) were 197% more likely to die than those who had depression and high sexual frequency (i.e., had sex once per week or close to that).
When the same analysis was done on individuals having sex more than once per week, there was no association between the frequency of sex and the risk of death. This supports the idea that having sex at least once per week might be critical for achieving the sex-related health benefits.
“In an ethnically diverse population, we found that low sexual frequency can lead to three times increased overall mortality, even after controlling for health and demographic factors. Consistent with our findings, sexual activity is important for overall cardiovascular health possibly due to reduction of heart rate variability and blood flow increase. Public health interventions should be designed taking into consideration sexual health,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the links between how often a person has sex and the likelihood of dying. However, it is important to note that the study design does not allow for cause-and-effect conclusions. While it is possible that having sex improves health, it is also possible that people in poor health are less able to have sex, creating the association. Additionally, the study did not examine other aspects of sexual health, such as sexual satisfaction or the quality of sexual relationships, which could also play significant roles in overall well-being. Future research could benefit from exploring these additional dimensions of sexual health to provide a more comprehensive understanding.
The study,“(https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318241256455) Connection Between Depression, Sexual Frequency, and All-cause Mortality: Findings from a Nationally Representative Study,” was authored by Srikanta Banerjee, Peter Anderson, and W. Sumner Davis.

(https://www.psypost.org/the-power-of-humble-leadership-elevating-employee-status-and-driving-initiative/) The power of humble leadership: Elevating employee status and driving initiative
Jul 24th 2024, 18:00

A new study in the (https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2793) Journal of Organizational Behavior reveals that humble leadership in the workplace boosts employees’ sense of respect and prominence, leading to increased leadership potential. Humble leadership behaviors, such as acknowledging personal limitations, appreciating employees’ strengths, and demonstrating teachability, were found to elevate employees’ workplace status, which in turn motivates them to take on leadership roles and initiatives.
Humble leadership is characterized by leaders who openly acknowledge their limitations, value the contributions of others, and remain open to learning. This approach not only fosters a supportive and collaborative workplace but also helps employees feel respected and valued.
Previous research has shown that humble leadership enhances various outcomes like work engagement, team innovation, and overall well-being. However, the specific mechanism of how humble leadership elevates employees’ status and leadership potential had not been thoroughly investigated until this study.
To understand the impact of humble leadership on employees’ workplace status and leadership potential, the researchers conducted two comprehensive field studies. The first study was set in China and involved employees from various service industries. The researchers reached out to organizations through personal networks and collected data in three stages over six weeks.
At the first stage, employees rated their supervisors’ humility, their own individualistic orientation, and provided demographic information. Two weeks later, these employees rated their perceived workplace status. Finally, supervisors rated the employees’ motivation to lead and their taking charge behaviors. The final sample consisted of 216 matched supervisor-subordinate pairs.
The second study mirrored the first but was conducted online via the platform Prolific, targeting employees from Western countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This study also collected data in three stages, with two-week intervals, ensuring a similar multi-wave, multi-source design.
At each stage, employees and their supervisors provided ratings on humble leadership, perceived workplace status, motivation to lead, and taking charge behaviors. The final sample included 210 participants, ensuring a broad cultural representation to validate the findings across different contexts.
The study’s findings were consistent across both the Eastern and Western contexts. Firstly, humble leadership was positively correlated with employees’ perceived workplace status. Employees felt more respected and prominent when their leaders admitted mistakes, appreciated their strengths, and were open to learning from them. This elevation in perceived status was stronger for employees with a high individualistic orientation, who are more sensitive to status cues and driven by a desire for recognition and personal uniqueness.
Moreover, the increased workplace status resulting from humble leadership translated into greater motivation to lead and proactive behaviors such as taking charge. Employees with higher perceived status were more likely to aspire to leadership roles and engage in activities demonstrating leadership potential. This correlation held true across both cultural contexts, indicating the universal applicability of humble leadership’s benefits.
The study highlights the importance of humble leadership in fostering a supportive and empowering workplace environment. Organizations should invest in training programs to help leaders develop and express humility, which includes acknowledging their limitations, appreciating employees’ contributions, and being open to learning from others. Performance management systems should also incorporate humility as a key leadership trait to encourage and reward humble leadership behaviors.
“Understanding and implementing humble leadership is essential as it’s been shown to positively impact individual and team outcomes in the workplace including work engagement, proactive behaviour, wellbeing and resilience and increased innovation, learning and performance,” said study author (https://people.unisa.edu.au/Xiao.Lin) Xiaoshuang Lin, a senior lecturer at the University of South Australia and a member of the (https://www.unisa.edu.au/research/cwex/) Centre for Workplace Excellence.
“Humble leadership is a powerful tool for lifting employees’ status and unlocking their potential, leading to a more engaged, innovative and high-performing workplace. It can also help build a pool of effective leaders for the future. By fostering the leadership potential of employees, organisations can maintain competitive advantages.”
Lin explained that employees’ responses to humble leadership vary based on their personal characteristics, with those focused on individual development and competition reacting more positively. On the other hand, “people who don’t place as much value on their own development and success in the workplace are less likely to benefit from humble leadership behaviors. These sorts of employees will do whatever the leaders tell them. They have no interest in teaching their leaders or displaying their own strengths or contributions.”
The study, “(https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/job.2793) How do humble leaders unleash followers’ leadership potential? The roles of workplace status and individualistic orientation,” was authored by Xiaoshuang Lin, Herman H. M. Tse, Bo Shao, and Jinyun Duan.

(https://www.psypost.org/how-stress-can-erode-your-brains-ability-to-fight-dementia/) How stress can erode your brain’s ability to fight dementia
Jul 24th 2024, 16:00

Some people have the (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/1817720) biological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s – proteins called amyloid and tau that gum up the brain – but have no disease symptoms. Researchers suggest that this could be because some people build up a (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(12)70191-6/abstract) “cognitive reserve” – the brain’s ability to find new ways to handle and overcome problems.
People with greater cognitive reserve seem to be better at (https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/j.jalz.2018.07.219) staving off dementia symptoms, but when stress levels are high or persistent, they can weaken this reserve by making it less likely that they will (https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3918) socialise and less likely that they will (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-013-0090-5) be physically active – both of which are known to protect against dementia.
Stress itself has also been linked to (https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/abstract/2014/01000/perceived_stress_and_change_in_cognitive_function.11.aspx) faster cognitive decline and an increased risk of (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00043/full) developing Alzheimer’s disease.
In a (https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13866) recent study, we examined the relationship of cognitive reserve with cognition, and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers – the previously mentioned tau and amyloid. We assessed whether the potential benefits of cognitive reserve vary by stress.
For our study, we looked at 113 participants from a memory clinic in Sweden. They were part of the Cortisol and Stress in Alzheimer’s Disease cohort study.
There are many ways cognitive reserve can be built up, such as staying mentally active throughout life. This could be by spending more years in formal education, playing bridge, learning a new language or having a complex job. Being physically active and maintaining healthy social relationships are important too.
To get an overall measure of cognitive reserve, we created an index by combining different information on the level of lifelong education participants had acquired, the complexity of the longest-held job, and engagement in physical, leisure activity and social interactions in later life.
Stress
We also looked at participants’ stress levels. Both subjective and biological measures were taken.
(https://www.jstor.org/stable/2136404) Subjective stress was measured using a questionnaire. People rated how much they perceived their life to be uncontrollable and unpredictable, and whether or not they had too much to deal with during the previous month.
For an objective measure of stress, we used (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453008002990?via%3Dihub) salivary cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol follows a rhythm. It typically increases rapidly as soon as we wake up, peaks 30 minutes later (known as “cortisol awakening response”), and then decreases during the remainder of the day. It is lowest at nighttime, as our body gets ready to sleep.
Salivary cortisol was taken at different times of the day to measure these patterns. Previous studies have shown that a (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568163720303068?via%3Dihub) disruption of the (https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000001931) cortisol pattern may increase Alzheimer’s disease risk.
We found greater cognitive reserve improved cognition in memory clinic patients, but when we factored physiological stress (cortisol) into the equation, the beneficial association of cognitive reserve was weakened – in other words, cortisol seems to deplete cognitive reserve.
Interestingly, though, subjective stress did not change the relation in a similar manner. So subjective stress doesn’t seem to use up cognitive reserve in the same way as biological stress seems to. We don’t know why this is. It could be that subjective and biological measures assess different aspects of stress.
Participants who had a good balance of morning and evening cortisol levels improved their working memory, but this wasn’t true for those who had an imbalance. Working memory stores information for short periods but allows us to actively process and manipulate the information. For example, we rely on working memory to solve a maths problem.
If cortisol levels are too high in the evening, it affects sleep. And if they are too low in the morning, it can affect morning alertness. The right balance is essential.
In those with unusually high amounts of cortisol shortly after waking up, having a higher cognitive reserve was linked to increased tau – a protein that forms tangles in brain cells, thereby disrupting their function. It could be that tau protein accumulation might make a person more prone to be stressed or stress itself may bring about (https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1600953113#sec-2) changes to tau. This might lower a person’s ability to control and avoid actions that support the development of cognitive reserve.
Higher chronic stress may lessen the cognitive advantages of stimulating activities and enriching experiences in later life. Adding stress management techniques, such as (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/revneuro-2017-0066/html) mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine may contribute to overall brain health and slow cognitive decline.
 
This article is republished from (https://theconversation.com) The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the (https://theconversation.com/an-active-brain-can-protect-you-from-dementia-but-stress-might-eat-up-your-cognitive-reserve-new-study-229587) original article.

(https://www.psypost.org/researchers-identify-behavioral-signs-of-future-cannabis-use-in-adolescents/) Researchers identify behavioral signs of future cannabis use in adolescents
Jul 24th 2024, 14:00

In a recent study published in the journal (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-024-06575-z) Psychopharmacology, researchers found that adolescents who exhibit conduct problems and who are more socially engaged with their peers are more likely to use cannabis in the future. Furthermore, using cannabis during adolescence may lead to increased hyperactivity and inattention symptoms, though these effects seem to diminish with age.
Adolescence is a critical period for brain maturation, with significant changes occurring in brain structures and functions that are essential for cognitive and emotional development. Cannabis, being one of the most commonly used illicit substances during this stage, has the potential to interfere with these developmental processes. However, the exact effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain remain unclear, prompting the need for detailed research in this area.
Researchers were particularly interested in distinguishing whether cannabis use is a result of preexisting behavioral and psychological traits or if it contributes to the development of such traits. This distinction is important because it informs whether preventive measures should focus more on identifying at-risk individuals based on their existing behaviors and social dynamics or on mitigating the effects of cannabis use once it has begun.
“Ever since the beginning of society, humans have been using psychoactive substances. Nowadays, cannabis is among the most widely used, making it crucial to understand its long-term effects, especially when use begins during adolescence – a very critical period for brain development. I believe knowledge is power! Through research, we can help people make informed decisions, which is my main motivation to investigate this topic,” said study author (https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/web_base.gera_pagina?p_pagina=LABNPF_HOME) Inês Macedo, a PhD student and member of the Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology at the University of Porto.
The researchers used data from the IMAGEN study, a large longitudinal cohort involving 2341 adolescents from England, Ireland, France, and Germany. Participants were assessed at ages 14, 19, and 22 using a variety of psychological, cognitive, and neuroimaging measures.
To be included in the study, participants had to report no or minimal use of alcohol and nicotine at the baseline assessment (age 14). Exclusion criteria included using any illicit substance more than twice or reporting the use of a fictitious substance. This left a sample of 1946 drug-naïve adolescents, with 164 going on to use cannabis by age 19.
Participants completed the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) sessions to assess brain activity related to reward processing. This task involved responding to cues that signaled potential monetary gains, allowing researchers to examine activity in brain regions like the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex.
The study found that certain behavioral traits at age 14 could predict cannabis use by age 19. Adolescents with higher scores for conduct problems and lower scores for peer problems were more likely to use cannabis. Conduct problems included behaviors like breaking serious rules, while peer problems referred to difficulties in making friends.
“It was very curious to find that adolescents who had fewer peer problems at 14 years old were more likely to transition to cannabis use within five years!” Macedo told PsyPost. “One possible explanation for this unexpected result is that being more sociable may increase exposure to peer pressure and to other peers with conduct problems, providing more favorable social contexts for future cannabis use.”
By age 19, those who used cannabis showed higher levels of hyperactivity and inattention compared to non-users. Interestingly, these symptoms seemed to decrease over time, with no significant differences observed by age 22 between those who continued to use cannabis and those who abstained for at least a month. This suggests that while cannabis use during adolescence may increase certain behavioral symptoms, these effects are not necessarily permanent.
“Our study suggests that adolescents with more conduct problems (e.g., who break serious rules) and who have less problems with their peers (e.g., who have less trouble making friends) are at greater risk for future cannabis use,” Macedo explained. “We also found that cannabis use might increase hyperactivity and inattention symptoms during adolescence, although these effects seem to subside with age.”
“It’s important to note that our study mainly involved light cannabis users, with few daily or near-daily users. Still, it is interesting that we had some significant differences, even in such low frequency cannabis users! This indicates that daily users might experience other effects and have distinct neuropsychological characteristics than light users. Therefore, it is very important to emphasize that our results cannot be generalized to more frequent, adolescent cannabis users.”
Contrary to expectations, the study did not find significant differences in reward-related brain activity or cognitive functioning between future cannabis users and non-users at age 14. Additionally, no significant changes in these measures were observed in those who used cannabis by age 22. This implies that light cannabis use may not have long-term effects on brain function or cognitive abilities, at least within the age range studied.
“Like all studies, ours has limitations,” Macedo noted. “We had a significant amount of missing data for the neurocognitive measures, which may explain the lack of significant results. Additionally, having a greater representation of daily cannabis users would increase the generalization of our findings (although I don’t necessarily see this as a major limitation, it is a very important point to emphasize).”
“This study is part of my ongoing PhD project, where I am investigating the long-term effects of cannabis use on the brain and the potential reversibility of these effects with abstinence. We are currently recruiting participants at the University of Porto (Portugal) and collecting data on brain activity (via electroencephalography), psychopathology (e.g., depression, anxiety, psychosis), cognition (e.g., memory, attention, inhibitory control), and substance use patterns. Given the inconsistencies in the cannabis literature, we aim to provide new insights and inform the general population about our findings.”
The findings highlight the importance of identifying adolescents at risk for future cannabis use based on conduct problems and social engagement. It also underscores the need for continued research to fully understand the long-term effects of cannabis on the developing brain.
“We need more funding for longitudinal studies that track individuals from before cannabis use onset,” Macedo said. “These will be essential to uncover the true effects of cannabis on the brain; longitudinal research can allow us to distinguish the effects of cannabis use from pre-existing individual differences that may predispose individuals to substance use.”
The study, “(https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-024-06575-z) Light Cannabis Use and the Adolescent Brain: An 8-years Longitudinal Assessment of Mental Health, Cognition, and Reward Processing,” was authored by Inês Macedo, Tiago O. Paiva, Rita Pasion, Laura Daedelow, Andreas Heinz, Ana Magalhães, Tobias Banaschewski, Arun L. W. Bokde, Sylvane Desrivières, Herta Flor, Antoine Grigis, Hugh Garavan, Penny Gowland, Rüdiger Brühl, Jean-Luc Martinot, Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot, Eric Artiges, Frauke Nees, Dimitri Papadopoulos Orfanos, Tomáš Paus, Luise Poustka, Sarah Hohmann, Nathalie Holz, and Juliane H. Fröhner.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-explores-how-feminist-heterosexual-men-navigate-sexual-desire/) New study explores how feminist heterosexual men navigate sexual desire
Jul 24th 2024, 12:00

A study published in (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02914-5) Archives of Sexual Behavior reports that most feminist heterosexual men do not feel a conflict between their feminist principles and sexual desires, endorsing that feminist values enhance their sexual relationships through open communication and mutual respect.
Sexual desire has traditionally been viewed as a simple and singular phenomenon, often associated with the pursuit of sexual pleasure, particularly orgasm. Contemporary research views sexual desire as a multifaceted experience influenced by various situational and psychological factors. For men, sexual desire is often framed in terms of masculinity, with societal expectations dictating that men should always have high levels of sexual desire. This traditional view overlooks the complexity of men’s sexual desire and the experiences of those who do not fit this stereotype.
Feminism has brought significant changes in how sexual desire is perceived and expressed, particularly among men who identify as feminists. These men often face the challenge of reconciling their sexual desires with feminist principles that promote gender equity and respect. In this work, researchers Eun Ju Son and colleagues explored the experiences of feminist heterosexual men in long-term relationships.
The researchers recruited 30 self-identified feminist heterosexual men in long-term relationships to participate in one-on-one interviews via Zoom. Participants, who were primarily recruited from the Kingston community in Canada, were between the ages 21 to 57 years, with an average relationship duration of 9.54 years. Participants were interviewed by one of four interviewers for approximately 45 minutes. The interviewers followed a set script with eight primary questions, supplemented by follow-up questions to probe deeper into the participants’ experiences and feelings.
The interview questions covered various aspects of the participants’ sexual desire, including societal perceptions, the impact of feminist principles, and personal experiences of navigating sexual desire within their long-term relationships. The questions aimed to understand the participants’ awareness of changing sexual scripts, any conflicts or ambivalences they experienced, and the strategies they used to manage their desires in alignment with feminist values. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common themes and patterns in the responses.
The thematic analysis revealed 11 major themes from the interviews. Most men did not feel a conflict between their feminist principles and sexual desires. Many participants reported that their adherence to feminist values, such as respect for their partners and the importance of consent, naturally aligned with their sexual desires.
One key theme was the positive impact of feminism on participants’ sexuality and relationships. Many men described how feminist principles had enhanced their sexual relationships by promoting open communication and mutual respect. They felt that feminism provided a framework for healthier and more equitable sexual relationships. For instance, participants highlighted how feminist principles helped them prioritize their partners’ comfort and consent, which in turn led to more fulfilling sexual experiences.
Some participants did express ambivalence, noting that societal messages about men’s sexual desire being predatory or aggressive sometimes made them feel uncertain about expressing their desires. They mentioned feeling scrutinized by societal expectations and feminist principles, which occasionally led to confusion and hesitation in expressing their sexual desires.
Another theme was the influence of upbringing and socialization on participants’ feminist beliefs and sexual behaviors. Many participants attributed their feminist values to their family environment, particularly the influence of their fathers and friends who modeled respectful and equitable behavior.
The study also found that open communication with partners was important for navigating sexual desires within a feminist framework. Participants emphasized the importance of discussing sexual desires and boundaries with their partners; this communication not only helped resolve conflicts but also strengthened their relationships by promoting trust and intimacy.
A limitation outlined by the authors is the lack of diversity in the sample, which might limit the generalizability of the findings to broader populations.
The research “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02914-5) How Feminist Heterosexual Men Navigate Their Sexual Desire While Following Feminist Principles,” was authored by Eun Ju Son, Regan C. M. Yaraskavitch, Benjamin P. Nguyen, Sarah H. Murray, and Sari M. van Anders.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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