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(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-narcissism-and-sadism-to-heightened-sex-drive-and-porn-use/) New study links narcissism and sadism to heightened sex drive and porn use
Oct 8th 2024, 10:00

A recent study published in the journal (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886924002952) Personality and Individual Differences has provided new insights into the relationship between certain “dark” personality traits and sexual behavior. The researchers found that two specific personality traits, narcissism and everyday sadism, were most strongly associated with higher sex drive and increased pornography consumption.
The Dark Tetrad refers to a group of four personality traits that are associated with malevolent, manipulative, or antisocial behaviors. These traits are narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism. Narcissism involves an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.
Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulation, deceit, and a focus on personal gain, often at the expense of others. Psychopathy involves impulsivity, a lack of remorse or guilt, and a tendency toward antisocial behavior. Everyday sadism refers to deriving pleasure from causing others discomfort or harm, even in everyday situations.
The motivation behind the new study was to build on previous findings that had uncovered surprising links between certain Dark Tetrad traits and sexual behavior. Earlier research suggested that narcissism and sadism, rather than psychopathy, were most strongly associated with higher sex drive. This finding was unexpected because psychopathy, known for its impulsivity and lack of emotional restraint, was previously thought to be a major predictor of sexual behavior.
The current study sought to replicate and clarify these findings using more precise measurements of the Dark Tetrad traits and sex drive, and by incorporating pornography use as an additional indicator of sexual motivation.
“My co-authors and I are continuing to explore the four dark personalities comprising the so-called Dark Tetrad. In particular, we were trying to replicate surprising findings from an earlier study: Namely that narcissism and sadism — not psychopathy — predicted higher sex drive,” said study author Delroy L. Paulhus, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
The study was conducted across two separate universities, using large samples of undergraduate students who were asked to complete an online questionnaire. In the first study, 701 participants from the University of British Columbia were surveyed. The sample was primarily young adults, with ages ranging from 17 to 29, and was relatively diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity.
The participants completed a questionnaire that included the Short Dark Tetrad inventory, a tool designed to measure Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism. In addition to personality assessments, participants were also asked to report on their sex drive and pornography use. Sex drive was measured with two simple items: one directly asking participants to rate their sex drive and another asking about their frequency of pornography consumption.
The second part of the study was conducted at the University of Winnipeg with 400 participants. In this part, 196 participants were retested five months after completing the same questionnaire, allowing the researchers to assess whether the relationships between dark personality traits and sex drive held up over time. In addition, this second study included a measure of romantic relationship status to explore whether being in a relationship influenced self-reported sex drive.
The results from both studies supported the initial findings: narcissism and everyday sadism were the strongest predictors of sex drive. In contrast, psychopathy and Machiavellianism showed little to no significant relationship with sex drive. This “twin peaks” pattern, where narcissism and sadism emerged as the top predictors, was consistent across both samples.
In terms of pornography use, the findings closely mirrored those for sex drive, further reinforcing the idea that narcissism and sadism are linked to heightened sexual motivation. The researchers also found that men scored higher than women on both dark personality traits and sex drive, which is consistent with prior research on gender differences in these areas.
“We were surprised when our earlier study found sadism predicted sex drive, but our current study replicated that finding twice,” Paulhus told PsyPost. “Unsurprising was the fact that men reported much higher sex drive than did women.”
Interestingly, when controlling for relationship status in the second study, the results remained the same: narcissism and sadism continued to predict sex drive, regardless of whether participants were currently in a romantic relationship. This suggests that the link between these dark traits and sexual motivation is not merely a product of greater sexual opportunity through relationships but reflects a deeper psychological association.
“There is an important difference between one’s frequency of sexual liaisons and personally experienced sex drive,” Paulhus said. “The former depends on opportunities and is facilitated by personal attractiveness. Consider the plight of ‘incels’ — those with high sex drive but minimal opportunities.”
While the study offers important insights into the relationship between dark personality traits and sex drive, it does have some limitations. One potential concern is the reliance on self-reported measures of sex drive and pornography use, which could be influenced by social desirability bias or inaccurate self-perception.
Additionally, the study focused on a relatively young, college-aged sample, limiting the generalizability of the findings to older populations. Future research should aim to replicate these findings in more diverse age groups to see if the relationships between personality traits and sex drive hold up across the lifespan.
More in-depth assessments could also help clarify the nuances of how each dark trait influences sexual motivation. For instance, future studies might explore the emotional and cognitive mechanisms behind why narcissism and sadism are so closely linked to sex drive.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112835) Sex drive among the Dark Tetrad,” was authored by Paul D. Trapnell, Megan M.L. Poulter, and Delroy L. Paulhus.

(https://www.psypost.org/gut-brain-axis-appears-to-play-a-critical-role-in-aggression/) Gut-brain axis appears to play a critical role in aggression
Oct 8th 2024, 08:00

A series of experiments on mice has found that they become more aggressive when their gut microbiome is depleted. Additionally, transplanting gut microbiota from human infants exposed to antibiotics led to heightened aggression in mice compared to those receiving microbiome transplants from non-exposed infants. The research was published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159124005336) Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
In the past decade, scientists have discovered a complex communication pathway linking gut microbiota—the trillions of microorganisms living in the human gut—with the brain. This pathway is called the microbiota-gut-brain axis. It regulates various physiological functions, including digestion and immunity, but also affects mood and behavior. The gut microbiota produces neurotransmitters and other metabolites that can influence brain function through neural, immune, and endocrine pathways.
Recent studies have demonstrated that symptoms of various disorders, once considered primarily psychological or neurological, can be transferred to rodents by transplanting gut microbiota from humans with these disorders. For example, researchers have shown that transplanting gut microorganisms from people with Alzheimer’s disease into mice (whose gut microbiota had been depleted to enhance transplant effectiveness) resulted in cognitive impairments in the mice. Similarly, symptoms of anxiety have been induced in mice by transplanting gut microbiota from humans with social anxiety.
Study author Atara Uzan-Yulzari and her colleagues wanted to explore the links between aggression and gut microbiota composition in mice. They also sought to investigate the role antibiotics might play in this relationship. Antibiotics, commonly used to treat bacterial infections, can disrupt the composition of the normal gut microbiota by killing bacteria, including beneficial ones.
The study was conducted on Swiss Webster mice, a genetically diverse strain of laboratory mice. The mice were divided into several groups: germ-free mice, specific pathogen-free mice (which served as the control group with normal microbiota), antibiotic-treated mice (with disrupted microbiota due to antibiotic treatment), and germ-free mice that were later colonized with normal microbiota. Another set of germ-free mice were colonized with microbiota from human infants—either from those who had been treated with antibiotics or those who had not.
For the humanized mice, the researchers obtained fecal samples from infants who had been exposed to antibiotics shortly after birth, as well as from unexposed infants. These samples were transplanted into five-week-old germ-free mice. The researchers then waited for four weeks before testing the mice for aggression.
To measure aggression, the researchers employed the resident-intruder test, a well-established behavioral assay in which a male mouse (the “resident”) is introduced to another unfamiliar male mouse (the “intruder”) in its home cage. Aggression was quantified based on the latency to the first attack (how quickly the resident mouse attacked the intruder) and the total number of attacks during a 10-minute period.
The results showed that mice raised without gut bacteria (germ-free) and those treated with antibiotics exhibited higher levels of aggression compared to the control group. These mice attacked more frequently and were quicker to initiate aggressive behavior in the resident-intruder test.
The researchers found that humanized mice receiving fecal microbiota from antibiotic-exposed infants were significantly more aggressive than those receiving transplants from non-exposed infants. Even though the infants’ microbiomes had a month to recover after antibiotic exposure, the aggressive behavior was still evident in the recipient mice.
Biochemical analyses revealed that aggressive mice (both germ-free and antibiotic-treated) had distinct metabolite profiles compared to control mice. Specifically, levels of tryptophan—a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood and behavior—were elevated in these mice. Additionally, the levels of certain metabolites associated with microbial activity, such as indole-3-lactic acid, were reduced in the aggressive mice, suggesting that the absence of a healthy microbiome might alter key biochemical pathways involved in aggression.
Similar changes were observed for the neurotransmitter serotonin and its metabolite in the brain of these mice. When the study authors used antibiotics to deplete the gut microbiota, this resulted in an increase in tryptophan levels and a decrease in serotonin levels in the brain. This disruption in serotonin metabolism was associated with changes in the activity of specific aggression-related genes in the brain, indicating that antibiotic-induced alterations to the microbiome can influence the molecular mechanisms underlying aggressive behavior.
“The present study provides insights into the role of the gut microbiome in modulating aggression in a murine model [mice] and in humanized mice [mice to which human gut microbiota were transplanted], supporting the involvement of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in regulating social behaviors – namely aggression – consistent with previous research. However, our findings not only demonstrate the causative impact of gut microbiome on aggression, through use of FMT [fecal microbiota transplant], but also reveal its influence on multiple factors and pathways that regulate this behavior,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the role of the gut microbiome in modulating aggression in mice. However, it should be emphasized that this study was conducted on mice, not on humans. While mice and humans share many physiological similarities, they are still very distinct species. Because of this, effects on humans might not be identical.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.08.011) A gut reaction? The role of the microbiome in aggression,” was authored by Atara Uzan-Yulzari, Sondra Turjeman, Lelyan Moadi, Dmitriy Getselter, Samuli Rautava, Erika Isolauri, Soliman Khatib, Evan Elliott, and Omry Koren.

(https://www.psypost.org/these-surprisingly-simple-exercises-improve-cerebral-blood-flow-in-children-study-shows/) These surprisingly simple exercises improve cerebral blood flow in children, study shows
Oct 8th 2024, 06:00

A recent study by researchers from Waseda University offers promising insights into the effects of light-intensity exercise on children’s brain function. The research, published in (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66598-6) Scientific Reports, found that even short bursts of simple exercises can increase blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for important cognitive functions like decision-making, memory, and attention. This discovery could pave the way for easy-to-implement exercise routines that improve brain function, particularly in children, who often lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
Physical activity is known to enhance cognitive function, but most of the existing research has focused on moderate-to-vigorous forms of exercise, such as running or sports. These forms of exercise are known to improve brain function by increasing blood flow and promoting the growth of new neurons. However, many children around the world do not engage in enough physical activity, and sedentary behavior is on the rise. In fact, 81% of children globally do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity, which raises concerns about their brain development and cognitive function.
“Sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity are prevalent among children worldwide,” said study author Takashi Naito, a doctoral student at Waseda University and visiting researcher at the Waseda Institute of Human Performance. “We aim to develop an exercise program that can be easily performed in the homeroom or between school classes to prevent sedentary behavior in children and positively affect their brains. Even light-intensity physical activity has health benefits. As the first step, we examined the effects of light-intensity exercise on cerebral blood flow.”
The study involved 41 healthy children, ranging from fifth graders to junior high school students in Japan. The researchers introduced the children to seven different types of light-intensity exercises. These exercises were chosen because they could be easily performed without special equipment and required minimal movement of the head and body, which helped reduce noise in the brain activity measurements.
The exercises included movements such as:

Upward Stretch (reaching upward with folded hands)
Shoulder Stretch (stretching one arm across the chest)
Elbow Circles (rotating elbows widely)
Trunk Twist (twisting the upper body)
Washing Hands (rubbing hands together)
Thumb and Pinky (a finger dexterity exercise)
Single-leg Balance (standing on one leg for balance)

Most of these exercises were performed while seated, except for the balance exercise. The children performed each exercise for either 10 or 20 seconds, and the researchers measured their brain activity during the exercises using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). This technology tracks changes in blood flow by measuring concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex.
The study revealed that all forms of exercise, except for some static stretches, significantly increased blood flow to the prefrontal cortex compared to the resting state. This increased blood flow is a sign of heightened brain activity, particularly in regions associated with executive functions such as working memory, attention, and decision-making.
“I was surprised that rubbing hands and moving fingers for 10 to 20 seconds increased blood flow to a certain extent in the prefrontal cortex,” Naito told PsyPost. “Since the hands have a strong connection with the brain, I expected the cerebral blood flow to increase slightly; however, the results were better than expected.”
Interestingly, the exercises that involved more movement or a higher cognitive load, such as twisting the trunk or balancing on one leg, led to the greatest increases in brain activity. For example, exercises like elbow circles, which required broader movements, and single-leg balance, which required concentration to maintain balance, showed notable increases in blood flow in multiple regions of the prefrontal cortex.
“One-leg balance is a simple exercise,” Naito said. “Still, I was surprised it increased the blood flow to the prefrontal cortex to such an extent.”
In contrast, simpler static exercises, such as the shoulder stretch, showed minimal changes in brain activity. This suggests that the more demanding the exercise, either physically or mentally, the more it stimulates the brain.
Additionally, the researchers found no significant difference in the brain activity increases between exercises performed for 10 seconds versus those performed for 20 seconds. This suggests that even very short bursts of light-intensity exercise are sufficient to boost brain function.
The findings provide evidence that “even short-duration, light-intensity exercise can create changes in the body that may improve body and brain health compared to staying in the same position for long periods,” Naito explained. “Even if you are working, studying, or watching TV at a desk, move your body a little now and then.”
While the results are promising, the study has some limitations. First, the age range of the participants was relatively narrow, focusing on children between 10 and 15 years old. Further research is needed to see if similar results would be observed in younger children, older adolescents, or adults. Moreover, the study did not account for factors like the children’s individual physical fitness, daily activity levels, or body mass index, all of which could influence the results.
Another limitation is that while the study measured increases in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, it did not directly test whether this increased blood flow translated into improved cognitive performance.
“This study showed that short-duration, light-intensity exercise increased cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, except for monotonous movement stretching,” Naito said. “However, further research is needed to determine whether this leads to improved cognitive function; we are currently conducting this verification.”
The researchers are optimistic that light-intensity exercises could become a regular part of school routines, helping to combat the negative effects of sedentary behavior while promoting cognitive development.
“Based on the findings of this study, we are now developing a light-intensity exercise program lasting a few minutes and examining whether it positively affects not only cerebral blood flow but also children’s cognitive functions,” Naito explained. “We plan to promote our research so that many schools will implement the program, which anyone can easily perform, to prevent sedentary behavior in children and to improve cognitive functions. We would also like to expand these programs for adults and older people to maintain and improve cognitive function.”
The study, “(https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-66598-6) Hemodynamics of short-duration light-intensity physical exercise in the prefrontal cortex of children: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study,” was authored by Takashi Naito, Koichiro Oka, and Kaori Ishii.

(https://www.psypost.org/impaired-self-mentalizing-may-underlie-emotional-dysregulation-in-vulnerable-narcissists/) Impaired self-mentalizing may underlie emotional dysregulation in vulnerable narcissists
Oct 7th 2024, 16:00

Pathological narcissism has long been linked to emotional dysregulation. Now, a study published in (https://doi.org/10.1002/pmh.1613) Personality and Mental Health reveals that individuals with narcissistic vulnerability struggle to regulate their emotions, and this difficulty may stem from an impaired ability to understand their own thoughts and feelings. These findings highlight self-mentalizing as an important factor in managing the emotional challenges faced by vulnerable narcissists.
Pathological narcissism is generally understood through two primary expressions: grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism. Grandiose narcissism is often associated with an inflated sense of self-importance, entitlement, and a need to dominate or exploit others to maintain a sense of superiority. Individuals with grandiose narcissism often appear confident, charismatic, and self-assured, but underneath this facade, they rely on external validation to reinforce their exaggerated self-image.
In contrast, vulnerable narcissism is marked by hypersensitivity to criticism, feelings of inadequacy, and a tendency toward shame and insecurity. Rather than projecting confidence, individuals with vulnerable narcissism may appear anxious, depressed, or socially withdrawn. They still crave validation and recognition but are often overwhelmed by feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt.
The motivation behind the study was to investigate how these two forms of pathological narcissism are related to emotional regulation difficulties, particularly in clinical populations. Emotion regulation refers to how individuals manage and respond to their emotional experiences. Previous research has shown that individuals with pathological narcissism struggle to regulate their emotions. However, much of this research has been conducted on general populations, leaving a gap in understanding how these dynamics play out in clinical settings, where individuals are already experiencing emotional dysregulation.
The researchers also wanted to explore the role of mentalizing—specifically, the ability to reflect on one’s own emotions (self-mentalizing) and others’ emotions (other-mentalizing)—in the relationship between pathological narcissism and emotional regulation. By focusing on mentalizing, the study aimed to uncover whether difficulties in reflecting on one’s own emotional states might explain why individuals with narcissistic traits struggle to manage their emotions.
To explore these relationships, the researchers conducted a study on 183 patients who were being treated at an outpatient center specializing in emotional regulation disorders. These patients had various psychological conditions, including borderline personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and emotion regulation difficulties, all of which could impact their narcissistic traits and mentalizing abilities.
The participants completed several standardized assessments to measure different aspects of their psychological functioning. Pathological narcissism was evaluated using two scales: the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (which measures both grandiosity and vulnerability) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (which focuses on grandiosity). Emotional regulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, which examines different aspects of emotional control, such as awareness and acceptance of emotions, impulse control, and access to emotion regulation strategies.
Mentalizing abilities were measured using the Mentalization Scale, which assesses the ability to understand one’s own emotions (self-mentalizing), others’ emotions (other-mentalizing), and the motivation to engage in mentalizing. The researchers also considered the patients’ symptoms of borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, given their known impact on both narcissism and emotional regulation.
The researchers found that narcissistic vulnerability was strongly associated with difficulties in emotional regulation. Patients who scored high in narcissistic vulnerability were more likely to struggle with managing their emotions, particularly in situations where they felt their self-esteem was threatened. These individuals had difficulty controlling their impulses, accepting their emotions, and accessing effective strategies for regulating their emotional states.
Interestingly, the researchers found that this relationship between narcissistic vulnerability and emotional regulation was mediated by self-mentalizing. In other words, individuals who were less able to reflect on and understand their own mental states tended to have more difficulties regulating their emotions. This suggests that improving self-mentalizing abilities could potentially help individuals with narcissistic vulnerability manage their emotions more effectively.
On the other hand, narcissistic grandiosity showed a more nuanced relationship with emotional regulation and mentalizing. While grandiosity was initially associated with both difficulties in emotional regulation and self-mentalizing, these associations disappeared when the researchers accounted for other psychological conditions, such as borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This suggests that these comorbid conditions may play a larger role in the emotional difficulties of individuals with grandiose narcissism than grandiosity itself.
However, the researchers did find that narcissistic grandiosity was positively associated with other-mentalizing, meaning that individuals who displayed grandiose narcissism were better at understanding the mental states of others. This is a surprising finding, as grandiosity is often associated with a lack of empathy. It may be that these individuals are more skilled at reading others’ emotions in a way that allows them to manipulate social situations for their own benefit.
It is important to note, however, that the cross-sectional design of the study, which involves collecting data at a single point in time, limits the researchers’ ability to determine whether one variable directly causes changes in another. Without tracking participants over time, it’s unclear whether difficulties in mentalizing lead to emotional dysregulation in individuals with pathological narcissism or if the emotional regulation challenges contribute to impairments in mentalizing. Longitudinal studies would be needed to establish a clearer cause-and-effect relationship between these factors.
The study, “(https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pmh.1613) Association between pathological narcissism and emotion regulation: The role of self-mentalizing?” was authored by Martin Blay, Margaux Bouteloup, Miguel Duarte, Roland Hasler, Eleonore Pham, Rosetta Nicastro, Marlène Jan, Martin Debbané, and Nader Perroud.

(https://www.psypost.org/worry-and-rumination-identified-as-key-cognitive-factors-in-addictive-social-media-use/) Worry and rumination identified as key cognitive factors in addictive social media use
Oct 7th 2024, 14:00

A study conducted in Italy suggests that extended thinking (i.e., worry, rumination, and thinking about desires) may mediate the relationship between psychological distress and problematic social network use. According to this model, distress predisposes individuals to engage in extended thinking, which, in turn, leads to problematic use of social network sites. The research was published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460324000911) Addictive Behaviors.
Social network sites (SNSs) are online platforms that allow users to create profiles, connect with others, share content, and engage in social interactions. Popular examples include Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). These platforms facilitate communication, content sharing, and community building, helping individuals maintain and enhance social connections while providing opportunities for self-expression.
However, the use of these platforms can sometimes become problematic. Problematic social network site use refers to excessive or compulsive engagement with these platforms, leading to negative consequences in daily life, such as neglecting responsibilities, social isolation, or mental health issues. This excessive use can diminish mental health, resulting in anxiety, depression, and decreased well-being due to constant comparisons with others or the pressure to maintain a certain online image. Some users may develop addiction-like behaviors, feeling compelled to check social media constantly.
Study author Sara Bocci Benucci and her colleagues aimed to explore the cognitive processes that contribute to problematic social network site use. They hypothesized that extended thinking styles might be a contributing factor. Extended thinking styles include worrying, ruminating (repetitively focusing on negative thoughts), and thinking about desires. The researchers further hypothesized that psychological distress triggers these thinking styles, which in turn lead to problematic social network site use.
The study involved 548 Italian social network users, with an average age of 29 years; 69% of the participants were female. Of the participants, 35% had a high school diploma, and 40% held a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Additionally, 59% were students or working students.
Participants completed assessments for psychological distress (the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21), rumination (the Ruminative Response Scale), worry (the Penn State Worry Questionnaire), desire thinking (the 10-item Desire Thinking Questionnaire, e.g., “I repeat mentally to myself that I need to use Social Networks”), craving related to social network use (a modified version of the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale), and problematic social network site use (the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale).
The results confirmed the proposed relationships between the studied factors. The statistical model showed that psychological distress leads to extended thinking styles (worry, rumination, and desire thinking), which in turn contribute to problematic social network site use and increased craving for these platforms. This model effectively described the data collected.
“The current findings provide preliminary evidence for the role of extended thinking in problematic social network site use (PSNSU). Worry, rumination, and desire thinking may be central cognitive processes in eliciting craving and PSNSU among individuals experiencing psychological distress,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the possible cognitive processes that contribute to problematic social network site use. However, it is important to note that the study design does not allow for conclusions regarding cause and effect. At best, the results suggest that the relationship between distress, extended thinking, and problematic social network site use is plausible.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108042) Testing the role of extended thinking in predicting craving and problematic social network sites use,” was authored by Sara Bocci Benucci, Benedetta Tonini, Silvia Casale, and Giulia Fioravanti.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-research-sheds-light-on-why-relationship-power-is-linked-to-interest-in-alternative-partners/) New research sheds light on why relationship power is linked to interest in alternative partners
Oct 7th 2024, 12:00

A new study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02997-0) Archives of Sexual Behavior found that higher perceived power in romantic relationships increases individuals’ interest in alternative partners, and this effect is driven by their perception of having higher mate value than their partner.
Research has long explored the effects of power in non-romantic contexts, showing that people with power are more likely to experience confidence, assertiveness, and increased sexual motivation. However, Gurit E. Birnbaum and colleagues wanted to examine how power within romantic relationships could similarly influence desires for alternative partners. Prior studies had examined power imbalances related to sexual dynamics, but most focused on correlational designs, leaving open questions about the mechanisms that might link relationship power to infidelity.
The researchers conducted four studies designed to examine the connection between perceived power within romantic relationships and expressions of extradyadic desires. Participants across all studies were romantically involved individuals, primarily recruited from undergraduate programs.
The first two studies utilized experimental manipulations to induce feelings of relationship power and measure subsequent expressions of desire for alternative partners. In Study 1, participants were randomly assigned to either a power or control condition. Those in the power condition were asked to recall and describe an instance where they felt they had power over their romantic partner, while those in the control condition described a typical day in their relationship. After the manipulation, participants were asked to write a sexual fantasy about someone other than their partner, which was later coded for expressions of sexual desire for alternative partners.
Study 2 followed a similar power manipulation procedure, but instead of writing fantasies, participants viewed photos of strangers and were asked to quickly judge whether they would consider each stranger as a potential partner. This method was designed to capture more automatic, unconscious responses to attractive alternatives.
In Studies 3 and 4, the focus shifted to more naturalistic settings and daily experiences. In Study 3, participants first described power dynamics in their relationships and then interacted face-to-face with an attractive confederate (a trained actor). They were then asked to rate their sexual desire for the confederate. This allowed the researchers to assess whether perceived power influenced participants’ interest in alternative partners in a more direct interaction.
Study 4 extended this investigation over time, with both members of heterosexual couples completing daily reports on perceived power, mate value, and engagement in extradyadic behavior for 21 consecutive days. This method allowed the researchers to capture real-life fluctuations in power and their influence on both desire and behavior in the context of daily life.
The results consistently showed that perceptions of power within romantic relationships increase individuals’ desires for alternative partners, and this link is mediated by the perception of higher relative mate value. In Study 1, participants who were induced to feel more powerful reported greater sexual desire for alternative partners in their written fantasies. This effect was particularly pronounced for men, suggesting that men may be more likely to express sexual interest in alternatives when they feel powerful in their relationships. However, the power manipulation did not significantly affect women’s desire for alternative partners in this study.
Study 2 supported these findings, with participants in the power condition showing a greater automatic tendency to view attractive strangers as potential partners. Both men and women in the power condition were more likely to consider alternatives, suggesting that relationship power diminishes motivation to protect the relationship from outside temptations. This was a more direct measure of attraction, using rapid judgments under time pressure to reveal unconscious desires.
In Studies 3 and 4, the researchers further examined the mechanisms behind these effects. In Study 3, participants who perceived themselves to have more power over their partner also perceived themselves to have higher mate value. This perception, in turn, predicted a greater interest in an attractive stranger during a face-to-face interaction. Study 4, which tracked participants over a three-week period, revealed that fluctuations in daily power were associated with changes in perceived mate value, which then predicted increased engagement in extradyadic behaviors such as flirting or fantasizing about someone other than their partner.
Together, these studies suggest that a sense of relationship power leads individuals to believe they have better mating opportunities, which fuels their interest in alternative partners.
One limitation is that the studies relied on self-reporting and experimental manipulations that might not fully capture the complexity of real-world relationships.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02997-0) The Power to Flirt: Power within Romantic Relationships and Its Contribution to Expressions of Extradyadic Desire”, was authored by Gurit E. Birnbaum, Yaniv Kanat-Maymon, Kobi Zholtack, Rafael Avidan, and Harry T. Reis.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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