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PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)

 

(https://www.psypost.org/age-education-and-income-are-surprisingly-weak-predictors-of-mate-preferences/) Age, education, and income are surprisingly weak predictors of mate preferences
Apr 26th 2025, 10:00

A new study published in the journal (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-024-03010-4) Archives of Sexual Behavior finds that people’s preferences for desirable and undesirable traits in romantic partners are only weakly tied to their age, income, education, or number of past relationships. Women were generally more selective than men across a broad range of characteristics. But more than any objective factor, how desirable people believed themselves to be played the strongest role—albeit still a small one—in shaping their expectations for a partner.
Prior research has shown that people are generally attracted to traits like kindness, intelligence, and physical attractiveness, while avoiding characteristics such as arrogance or hostility. Much of this work has focused on preferences alone, but this study also explored what people actively want to avoid in a partner. Drawing from evolutionary theory, the authors aimed to test whether people who perceive themselves as more desirable—or who score higher on other “mate value” indicators—set higher standards for both what they want and what they avoid in a romantic partner.
“We were interested in this topic because it is a common assumption in evolutionary psychology that certain ‘objective’ characteristics, such as age, education, and income, are associated with mating success and, consequently, mate preferences,” said study author (https://zsofiacsajbok.weebly.com/) Zsófia Csajbók, an assistant professor of psychology at Charles University.
“From an evolutionary perspective, younger individuals are considered more desirable due to their larger reproductive reserve. Similarly, individuals with higher education are assumed to be more intelligent and have a greater capacity for financial success, making them more desirable as partners. Additionally, those who are perceived as more desirable are often thought to have higher mating standards.”
“However, previous research has often shown weak associations between these ‘objective’ characteristics and mate preferences. One reason for these weak associations is that earlier studies often lacked sufficient diversity in their data, which may have hindered the demonstration of expected associations. Our aim was to show that, even with a nationally representative and fairly diverse sample, these associations remain relatively weak, although they are in the expected direction.”
The study involved a nationally representative online sample of 2,280 adults aged 18 to 50 living in Czechia. Participants completed a comprehensive survey that included questions about their own demographics (such as income, education, and relationship history), self-perceived desirability as a partner, and what they wanted or did not want in an ideal partner. The researchers asked participants to rate how much they valued seven desirable traits—like warmth, attractiveness, and intelligence—and how much they wanted to avoid eight undesirable traits—like abusiveness, depression, or uncleanliness.
The researchers also examined factors associated with different mating strategies, such as the number of sexual or romantic partners a person had, whether they were currently in a relationship, and the number of children they had. These life outcomes were used to infer broader mating orientations and real-world indicators of mate value. Statistical models were used to analyze how these variables predicted people’s romantic preferences and aversions, and whether these patterns differed by sex.
In line with previous research, Csajbók and her colleagues found that women placed more importance than men on traits like warmth, social status, and dominance, while men placed more value on physical attractiveness. In terms of undesirable traits, women were more strongly averse to partners who were unambitious, hostile, arrogant, clingy, abusive, or depressed. Across both sexes, the most valued trait was warmth, and the least valued was social status. For aversions, hostility and abusiveness were the most undesirable traits, while clinginess was seen as the least problematic.
While these findings aligned with prior research and evolutionary theory—where women are expected to be more selective due to the higher biological costs of reproduction—the most striking outcome was how little any of the variables predicted people’s preferences. Self-perceived mate value explained about 1% of the variance in men’s preferences and 2% in women’s. When all measured factors were combined—including education, income, relationship history, and age—they still explained only 3% of the variation in men’s preferences and 5% in women’s.
“Mate desirability and mate preferences are subjective and difficult to predict using objective indicators,” Csajbók told PsyPost. “This could be seen as good news. How desirable we and others perceive ourselves to be is highly subjective and doesn’t operate in a simple, rational way. Factors like age, education, or income do not strongly predict whether people will have high mating standards.”
Interestingly, desirable traits were better predicted than undesirable ones, and women’s preferences were more strongly associated with their own characteristics than men’s were. For example, women who rated themselves as more desirable also placed higher importance on a partner’s attractiveness, passion, and dominance. Education and household income were also more predictive of women’s mate preferences than men’s, with more educated or higher-earning women expecting more from their partners—particularly in terms of intelligence and emotional stability.
Nonlinear associations were also explored, such as whether preferences changed as people aged or as their education increased. These effects were present but modest. Age had only a trivial impact on mate preferences across the 18–50 age range. Education showed a slightly stronger association, especially among women, who showed less tolerance for undesirable traits such as hostility, unattractiveness, and depression as their education level increased. Self-perceived mate value also showed some nonlinear patterns, especially among women, with preferences for traits like dominance or stability rising more steeply at higher levels of perceived desirability.
The researchers also explored how relationship experiences influenced preferences. For instance, those with more sexual or romantic partners reported higher expectations in traits like passion and lower tolerance for traits like depression. But the longer people were in a relationship, the more their expectations seemed to relax, particularly for traits like attractiveness or dominance. Women with more children also showed lower expectations for certain traits, including attractiveness and intellect.
Despite these patterns, the study consistently found that most of the variability in mate preferences and aversions remained unexplained. Even with a large and diverse sample, demographic characteristics and mating history accounted for only a small fraction of the differences in what people want—or don’t want—in a partner.
“Not having the ‘objectively’ desirable traits (such as those often assumed by stereotypes) does not necessarily predetermine our mating success,” Csajbók explained. “People have a variety of reasons for setting their preferences, and mate choice and relationships are likely more complex than can be explained by just a few selection criteria.”
But the study, like all research, has some limitations. Although the sample was diverse and nationally representative, it was limited to people in Czechia and mostly heterosexual. The use of a single-item measure for self-perceived mate value may also limit the precision of those findings.
The researchers also note that their design did not distinguish between short-term and long-term partner preferences, which might affect how people prioritize different traits. They intentionally avoided this distinction to prevent introducing artificial categories that might not reflect participants’ real-life intentions.
“It is crucial to conduct this kind of research using large, sufficiently diverse datasets,” Csajbók said. “Much of the existing evidence in this area is based on small samples of university students from the United States, which makes it difficult to generalize. Our study, conducted in the Czech Republic, is from an industrialized, developed country, but it is culturally different from the majority of studies in this field.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-03010-4) Observed Aspects of Mate Value and Sociosexuality Account for Mate Preferences: Data from a Large, Representative Study from Czechia,” was authored by Zsófia Csajbók, Zuzana Štěrbová, Peter K. Jonason, Lucie Jelínková, Jakub Binter, and Jan Havlíček.

(https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-use-linked-to-shifts-in-sexuality-gender-expression-and-relationship-dynamics-study-finds/) Psychedelic use linked to shifts in sexuality, gender expression, and relationship dynamics, study finds
Apr 26th 2025, 08:00

A new study published in (https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2025.2479197) The Journal of Sex Research highlights how psychedelic experiences may shape people’s sexualities, gender expressions, and intimate relationships. Surveying 581 individuals who had used psychedelics, researchers found that a majority reported both short-term and long-term changes related to sexuality and relationships, including heightened attraction to partners, increased openness, and altered experiences of gender identity.
The researchers were motivated by growing interest in how psychedelics might influence social and relational processes, beyond their emerging therapeutic applications for mental health. Past theories suggested that psychedelics can deepen emotional bonds and reduce rigid self-concepts, which could open new ways of experiencing intimacy, attraction, and self-identity. Despite longstanding cultural anecdotes, scientific research on how psychedelics impact sexuality and gender remained limited.
“Psychedelic use is at an all-time high and there is a boom in psychedelic research. Most of the investment is in clinical trials for therapeutic applications, and some of these are showing amazing results for treating conditions like depression and PTSD,” said study author (https://public.websites.umich.edu/~kruger/) Daniel J. Kruger, a research scientist and research associate professor at the University at Buffalo who is also affiliated with the University of Michigan.
“These are worthy pursuits, of course, though we think there is so much more to explore. There are so many areas that have not yet been covered. For example, Timothy Leary said that psychedelics were great for sex. He probably knew this would get people’s attention. How prevalent is this really in people’s experiences? There are many reports of psychedelics leading to new insights and greater connection with other people.” 
“Could there be benefits for intimate relationships in the long-term? What about benefits for people experiencing gender dysphoria, distress related to their gender? There were no previous studies in these areas.” 
To address this gap, the team conducted an anonymous online survey of adults who had used psychedelics. Participants were recruited through email lists, social media, and an in-person psychedelic advocacy event. They completed a detailed questionnaire that asked about their sexual attraction, experiences with intimate relationships, gender expression, and whether they noticed any changes during or after psychedelic experiences. Participants were also asked about the types of psychedelics they had used, their dosing practices, and their demographic backgrounds.
The sample was diverse, with participants ranging in age from 18 to 85. Most had taken psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, or MDMA, and a large majority reported full-dose experiences rather than microdosing. About half of the participants were women, and a smaller proportion identified as non-binary or transgender.
Overall, about 70% of participants reported that psychedelics had impacted their sexuality or sexual experiences. Short-term effects during psychedelic experiences were slightly more common than long-term changes that lasted beyond the acute effects. Among those who reported changes, most described enhancements rather than diminishment. Participants were more likely to say that psychedelics enhanced their attraction to current partners, improved the quality of their relationships, and deepened their sexual experiences.
However, “there was no single effect that was reported by the majority of participants, so there is not a simple prediction that psychedelics result in any one outcome,” Kruger told PsyPost. “It depends on the person, their experiences, and their context. For example, there were many participants who said they had a much better relationship with their partner, better communication and understanding, etc. There were others who realized they were in a toxic relationship and ended a relationship they had been in, sometimes for over a decade.”
In terms of gender identity, about one in ten participants said that psychedelics influenced how they viewed or expressed their gender. Qualitative responses revealed that many people described greater authenticity, self-acceptance, and openness. Some participants said psychedelics helped them move beyond traditional gender categories, leading them to feel more fluid or to reject binary conceptions of masculinity and femininity altogether. Others reported subtle shifts, such as feeling freer in their clothing choices or more comfortable exploring different aspects of themselves.
Sexual attraction also appeared to shift for some people. About a quarter of women and one-eighth of men reported increased same-sex attraction after psychedelic use. Participants who identified with gender-diverse identities were even more likely to report changes in sexual attraction. These findings suggest that psychedelics may contribute to greater sexual fluidity in some users.
“This is a small proportion of participants, but this sort of effect is remarkable,” Kruger said. “In the 1960s, there were attempts to use psychedelics to make homosexuals into heterosexuals. Homosexuality used to be considered a pathology in psychiatry. It is not clear how well this actually worked and now it is considered unethical. Our research suggests that people are actually more likely to embrace their authentic self.”
The study also found changes in relationship structures. After psychedelic experiences, a higher proportion of participants reported being in committed relationships, being polyamorous, or dating multiple people. Fewer participants described themselves as single after their psychedelic use compared to before. These shifts suggest that psychedelics might play a role in how people form, maintain, and conceptualize romantic partnerships.
Several factors influenced the likelihood of reporting changes. Younger participants were more likely to report shifts in gender expression and sexual experiences. Individuals with lower household incomes were slightly more likely to report changes in types of relationships and sexual attraction. Those who took larger doses of psychedelics, rather than microdosing, were more likely to report both short-term and long-term effects. Gender-diverse participants were especially likely to report changes in gender identity and expression.
Although the study suggests intriguing patterns, it is important to recognize its limitations. The survey was cross-sectional and relied on self-report, making it impossible to draw firm conclusions about cause and effect. Participants were also recruited from psychedelic interest groups and events, which may have influenced the kinds of experiences reported. It is also possible that people who experienced positive outcomes were more likely to participate.
The researchers caution that expectation effects — the beliefs people hold about how psychedelics will affect them — may shape experiences as much as the substances themselves. Past studies have shown that expectations can significantly influence the outcomes of psychedelic experiences. Additionally, the study did not control for variables such as co-use of other substances, specific types of psychedelics used, or whether participants had shared their psychedelic experiences with intimate partners, all of which could shape outcomes.
“This was the first study of its kind, it was broad and exploratory,” Kruger noted. “Now that we have found something interesting, we are conducting further research to investigate more deeply. Our participants are people who have used psychedelics, for many different reasons, most are not undergoing psychedelic therapy – they are taking psychedelics on their own or with friends. So, these may have been unanticipated benefits.”
“Some people did report detrimental effects, but many more reported beneficial effects. People can also have challenging experiences with psychedelics. Even people who have taken psychedelics many, many times and are known for it can have difficult trips. It is very important to prepare, go in with a healthy mindset, and have a supportive environment. Take it seriously, it’s not like getting drunk at a party. People who set intentions for what they want to accomplish in their psychedelic experiences tend to have better outcomes.”
This study marks an initial step in exploring how psychedelics intersect with sexuality, gender, and intimate relationships. The research team has launched a new 2025 Psychedelic Community Survey to gather more data and deepen understanding. Their long-term goal is to build a comprehensive picture of how psychedelics impact people’s social and relational lives outside of formal therapeutic settings.
“We just launched (https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2lVYfnTqoE73OXc) our 2025 Psychedelic Community Survey, where we are collecting more data to have a better understanding of what is happening,” Kruger explained. “This is just the first study of what we hope to be a thorough research program.”
“We encourage anyone aged 18 and older who have experienced psychedelics to participate in the survey. There are other interesting topics in the survey as well.  The survey is completely anonymous and confidential, and no personal identifying information will be collected (no IP addresses, etc.). Please share the survey link with anyone you think might be interested in participating, we greatly appreciate the input!”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2025.2479197) Perceived Impact of Psychedelics on Sexual, Gender, and Intimate Relationship Dynamics: A Mixed-Methods Investigation,” was authored by Daniel J. Kruger, Eirini K. Argyri, Justin K. Mogilski, Moss Herberholz, Julie Barron, Jacob S. Aday, and Kevin F. Boehnke.

(https://www.psypost.org/first-ever-brain-mitochondria-map-reveals-energy-secrets-of-the-mind/) First-ever brain mitochondria map reveals energy secrets of the mind
Apr 26th 2025, 06:00

In new research published in (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08740-6) Nature, scientists have produced the first comprehensive atlas of the tiny energy producers in the human brain. By slicing a donated brain into more than seven hundred small cubes and measuring both the number of mitochondria and their energy output in each piece, they discovered that mitochondria vary widely across brain regions. They found that the parts of the brain that evolved most recently in our lineage not only contain more mitochondria but also house mitochondria tuned to work more efficiently. This resource, called MitoBrainMap, lays the groundwork for linking energy use in the brain to mood, cognition, and the development of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Mitochondria are microscopic structures inside nearly every cell that transform nutrients into the energy that powers all cellular activity. In neurons and support cells in the brain, this energy fuels memory formation, visual processing, and emotion regulation. Despite their importance, little was known about how many mitochondria the brain contains, whether they are spread evenly through its many regions, or how they differ in key ways. To begin answering these questions, the research team set out to chart the distribution, density, and functional diversity of brain mitochondria at a resolution comparable to that of a standard magnetic resonance scan.
“There’s an emerging notion that energy is really important to health,” explained Martin Picard, an associate professor of behavioral medicine and director of the (http://www.picardlab.org) Mitochondrial Psychobiology Group at Columbia University. “But we don’t have a way to look at bioenergetics across the entire human brain.”
Picard led the study along with (http://www.bcblab.com/) Michel Thiebaut de Schotten, research director at the University of Bordeaux. “My interest in this research topic was sparked by a longstanding desire to bridge the gap between neuroimaging and histological biology,” Thiebaut de Schotten told PsyPost. “Martin, who is a leading expert in mitochondrial research, has been a major source of inspiration. When we met, I was genuinely excited by the possibility of integrating our respective areas of expertise. Collaborating with him offered a unique opportunity to explore how mitochondrial biology could be linked with advanced MRI techniques.”
To build the atlas, the team obtained a frozen coronal slice of the right hemisphere from a neurotypical fifty-four-year-old man with no history of neurological or psychiatric conditions. Working in a subzero environment, they used a computer-controlled milling device to engrave a three-millimeter grid into the tissue and then picked out each cube by hand. In total, 703 cubes were collected, each roughly the size of a large grain of sand.
In three-quarters of these cubes, they measured two markers of mitochondrial quantity—the activity of a key enzyme and the amount of mitochondrial DNA—and three markers of energy-transformation capacity by testing the activity of three enzymes in the respiratory chain. To ensure robust results, each measure was repeated in duplicate and corrected for any batch differences.
In parallel, the researchers performed single-nucleus gene sequencing on samples drawn from four distinct brain regions: the cortex, the hippocampus, the putamen (a movement-control region), and the corpus callosum (the brain’s major communication pathway). This approach yielded data from more than 32,000 individual nuclei, allowing the team to relate mitochondrial measures to specific cell types.
Finally, they combined these laboratory data with MRI scans from nearly 2,000 healthy adults. Using statistical modeling, they linked common imaging signals to the mitochondrial features they had measured. By training the model on 80 percent of their tissue samples and testing it on the remaining 20 percent, they were able to predict mitochondrial density and energy output at the resolution of one cubic millimeter across the entire brain.
The results revealed striking regional and cellular patterns. Gray matter, which contains most of the brain’s cell bodies and connections, showed both higher mitochondrial density and greater energy-production capacity than white matter, which is made up of long projections that carry signals. Within gray matter, evolutionarily newer regions—such as parts of the frontal and temporal lobes involved in complex thought and language—harbored more mitochondria that were tuned for efficient energy production. An exception was the putamen, a deeply buried structure involved in movement control, which displayed exceptionally high mitochondrial markers, perhaps reflecting its dense network of projections and synapses.
“One of the most surprising and exciting findings was the link between mitochondria and brain evolution,” Thiebaut de Schotten explained. “We didn’t expect to see such a clear relationship, and it opens up fascinating new questions about how mitochondrial function may have shaped the development of the human brain over time and how it will interact with future evolution.”
Gene sequencing largely supported these biochemical findings. When the team examined expression levels of genes involved in mitochondrial energy production, they found higher expression in regions with greater enzyme activity. Although different cell types—neurons, support cells, blood-vessel cells, and others—showed subtle differences in mitochondrial gene activity, the strongest driver of variation was the brain region itself. In other words, a neuron in one part of the brain had a gene-activity profile more similar to its neighbors than to neurons in far-flung regions.
“One of the key takeaways from our study is that we now have a better understanding of how mitochondria—the energy processors of our cells—are distributed across the human brain on average,” Thiebaut de Schotten said. “This is important because mitochondria play a vital role in brain function and health. Our next goal is to map these mitochondrial patterns in individual brains, which could eventually help us understand how they relate to brain health, aging, and neurological conditions.”
To test how well their MRI-based model would generalize, the researchers applied it to a slice from the donor’s occipital lobe, which had not been used in model training. The predicted patterns of mitochondrial density and energy capacity closely matched the laboratory measurements, giving confidence that routine brain scans can serve as a window into cellular energy factories. When the model was extended to every cubic millimeter of the standard brain reference, it produced three-dimensional maps that align with known imaging measures of brain evolution and variability.
“This work helps us understand the energetic basis of brain function and brain health,” Picard told PsyPost. “Without energy, the brain is an inert fatty blob. But energized by mitochondria, the mind emerges and allows you to think, feel, and behave. We are, fundamentally, energetic processes. MitoBrainMap v1.0 helps us understand how energy flows to make this possible.”
Despite its strengths, the study has clear limitations. Because the atlas is based on a single human brain, it remains to be seen how mitochondrial patterns vary among individuals of different ages, sexes, and health conditions. The tissue-preparation method for gene sequencing involved aggressive mechanical disruption, which may have biased which cell types survived the process. Future research will need to include samples from multiple donors and refine sequencing protocols to capture a broader array of cell types.
“A major limitation of our study is that our model and conclusions are based on data from a single brain,” Thiebaut de Schotten noted. “While this provides valuable initial insights, studying more brains to understand how mitochondrial patterns vary across individuals is essential. Securing funding for this next phase, which is difficult in the current context, is a key priority, as it will allow us to explore individual differences and strengthen the broader applicability of our findings.”
“The long-term goal is to noninvasively quantify mitochondrial biology using only MRI for both research and health monitoring,” Picard said. “That would be amazing!”
“Our work is showcased at (http://www.humanmitobrainmap.bcblab.com) http://www.humanmitobrainmap.bcblab.com,” Thiebaut de Schotten added.
The study, “(https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08740-6) A human brain map of mitochondrial respiratory capacity and diversity,” was authored by Eugene V. Mosharov, Ayelet M. Rosenberg, Anna S. Monzel, Corey A. Osto, Linsey Stiles, Gorazd B. Rosoklija, Andrew J. Dwork, Snehal Bindra, Alex Junker, Ya Zhang, Masashi Fujita, Madeline B. Mariani, Mihran Bakalian, David Sulzer, Philip L. De Jager, Vilas Menon, Orian S. Shirihai, J. John Mann, Mark D. Underwood, Maura Boldrini, Michel Thiebaut de Schotten, and Martin Picard.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-reveals-connection-between-body-fat-and-depression/) New study reveals connection between body fat and depression
Apr 25th 2025, 18:00

A large-scale study has found that adults with higher percentages of body fat, especially in the legs, gynoid region, and head, tend to report more symptoms of depression. This connection was most evident among men and those classified as underweight or overweight. The findings, published in the (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.11.066) Journal of Affective Disorders, suggest that the distribution of body fat—not just overall body weight—may play a meaningful role in mental health.
While obesity and depression are known to often co-occur, many past studies have relied on body mass index (BMI) to define obesity. But BMI doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle, nor does it capture where fat is located in the body. This limitation has led to mixed results in previous research. The current study aimed to take a closer look by using more precise tools to measure fat percentage in specific areas of the body.
The researchers used data from 10,694 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative study conducted in the United States. These participants had completed full-body scans using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a technology that accurately measures fat, muscle, and bone. The scans allowed the researchers to analyze fat percentage in eight distinct regions: the legs, arms, trunk, head, android (abdominal), gynoid (hips and thighs), subtotal (excluding the head), and total body.
To assess depression, the study used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated self-report measure of depressive symptoms. A score of 10 or higher on the PHQ-9 was used as a cutoff for clinically significant depression. Researchers also collected information about participants’ lifestyle habits, socioeconomic status, medical conditions, and biological markers, which allowed them to adjust their statistical models for many possible confounding factors.
The results showed that people in the highest quartile for total body fat had a significantly higher likelihood of reporting depression compared to those in the lowest quartile. This association remained even after adjusting for a wide range of demographic, behavioral, and health-related variables. Notably, the strongest associations were found for fat located in the legs, gynoid area, and subtotal region. People with higher head fat percentage also showed a modest increase in depression risk.
When the researchers examined differences by sex, they found that the association between body fat and depression was stronger in men than in women. This was especially true for fat in the legs and total body fat. In contrast, the connection was weaker or absent in women, except for some regions. This suggests that the effects of fat distribution on mood may operate differently depending on biological sex.
The researchers also looked at whether the association varied across different BMI categories. Among individuals who were underweight or overweight, higher body fat percentages in several regions were consistently linked with increased depression risk. Interestingly, this pattern was not as clear in participants with a BMI in the normal range. This finding challenges the assumption that normal-weight individuals are at low risk for depression related to fat accumulation and highlights the importance of examining fat distribution rather than relying on weight alone.
The researchers suggest several possible explanations for these patterns. Biologically, excess fat tissue produces inflammatory molecules that may interfere with brain function and mood regulation. Hormones like leptin, which help control hunger and metabolism, can also become dysregulated in people with higher fat percentages, possibly affecting brain systems involved in emotion. Psychosocial factors may also play a role. Individuals with higher body fat, especially in visible areas, might experience greater stigma or body dissatisfaction, both of which can contribute to depression.
This study adds to a growing body of evidence that body composition—and where fat is stored—can affect mental well-being. While BMI has long been the go-to measure in public health and clinical settings, this study shows that it may be too blunt an instrument to capture the nuances of how body fat influences mental health.
Despite its strengths, the study has some limitations. Because it was cross-sectional, it cannot determine whether higher body fat leads to depression or whether depression contributes to changes in body composition. Depression itself can influence eating habits, physical activity, and metabolic processes, which could alter body fat levels over time. The study also relied on a single self-report questionnaire to assess depression, without clinical interviews or additional mental health screenings. Moreover, since the research focused on a United States population, the findings may not apply to other cultural or healthcare settings.
Future research could address these limitations by following participants over time to explore how changes in fat distribution might influence mental health. It would also be useful to examine how interventions that reduce specific types of body fat—through diet, exercise, or other means—might affect depression symptoms, especially in men or in people whose weight falls outside the typical range.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.11.066) Association between body fat percentage and depression: A cross-sectional study of NHANES,” was authored by Wenjun Gu, Kunming Bao, Xiaoming Li, Shaohang Xiang, Junhao He, Jinning He, Lixin Ye, and Zhidong Huang.

(https://www.psypost.org/testosterone-doesnt-do-what-you-think-it-does-according-to-surprising-new-research/) Testosterone doesn’t do what you think it does, according to surprising new research
Apr 25th 2025, 16:00

Two independently conducted studies—one in the United States and one in Europe—set out to test whether a single dose of testosterone could influence men’s willingness to compete, confidence, or risk-taking. The results, published in the journal (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105659) Hormones and Behavior, suggest that testosterone had no significant effect on these behaviors, raising questions about the popular idea that the hormone fuels dominance and risk-taking.
Researchers have long speculated that testosterone may play a role in decision-making, especially in situations where status, competition, or risk is involved. Animal studies and some human data suggest testosterone rises in anticipation of competitive challenges, potentially driving behaviors that help individuals gain or defend social status. This line of thinking, known as the Challenge Hypothesis, has inspired a large body of research on how testosterone might influence confidence and decision-making in both men and women.
But findings have been mixed. Some earlier studies found links between testosterone levels and competitive or risky behavior, while others reported weak or no effects. Many of those studies were small or used methods that made it difficult to draw firm conclusions. To address these issues, the current research team conducted two large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials—considered the gold standard for testing causality.
The first experiment was conducted in Germany and included 91 healthy young men. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a testosterone gel or a placebo. They returned to the lab 24 hours later to complete a series of economic tasks. These tasks measured willingness to compete, confidence in their own performance, and risk-taking behavior. For example, in one task, participants could choose to be paid based on their own performance or enter a tournament in which they would compete against another participant. In another, they chose between certain and risky monetary rewards.
The second experiment took place in California and included 242 men. This study followed a similar structure, but used a slightly different timeline and additional economic tasks. Participants received either testosterone or a placebo gel, then completed a range of decision-making tasks throughout the day. The researchers again measured their willingness to enter competitions, confidence in their abilities, and risk preferences.
Both studies used different methods to measure testosterone levels—blood samples in the German study, and saliva samples in the American study. In both cases, the testosterone levels of participants who received the hormone were elevated compared to those who received a placebo, confirming that the treatment worked as intended.
Despite the effective delivery of testosterone, neither study found significant effects on the main behavioral outcomes. Men who received testosterone were no more likely than those who got a placebo to enter competitions, express confidence in their abilities, or take financial risks. Any observed differences between the groups were small and statistically indistinguishable from zero.
The researchers also used a method called equivalence testing. This statistical approach helps determine whether an effect is not just insignificant, but also small enough to rule out any meaningful impact. The results suggested that, if testosterone has any effect at all on these behaviors, it is likely very small—smaller than what these studies were designed to detect.
These findings stand in contrast to some earlier research suggesting testosterone boosts risk-taking or competitiveness. The authors note that while prior studies may have found positive effects, many were limited by small sample sizes, exploratory methods, or publication bias. The new results cast doubt on the idea that a single boost in testosterone meaningfully changes how men make decisions in competitive or risky environments.
There are several possible explanations for these null findings. One is that testosterone’s effects may depend on specific situations or personal traits that were not captured in these studies. For example, past research has suggested that testosterone’s behavioral effects might be stronger in men with low cortisol levels, or in those with certain genetic traits or personality profiles. While the researchers explored some of these possibilities, they found no consistent evidence for interactions with cortisol or other factors.
Another possibility is that testosterone may influence behavior in more subtle or long-term ways that were not measured here. For example, it might affect how people learn from experience, regulate emotion, or behave in social situations that involve real stakes, like romantic competition or public performance. The lab-based tasks used in these studies, while controlled and precise, may not fully capture these real-world dynamics.
The researchers also caution that their findings apply only to single-dose testosterone administration in young, healthy men. It remains possible that longer-term testosterone changes, different delivery methods, or studies involving women or older populations might yield different results.
Ultimately, the two studies offer a rigorous test of a widely held belief—that testosterone drives competitive, confident, and risk-prone behavior. At least under the conditions tested, that belief does not hold up.
Future research may need to take a broader view, exploring how testosterone interacts with other biological and psychological factors over time. For now, these results suggest that a quick hormonal boost is unlikely to change how men behave in economic games, even when the stakes involve competition, confidence, or risk.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105659) Does a single dose of testosterone increase willingness to compete, confidence, and risk-taking in men? Evidence from two randomised placebo-controlled experiments,” was authored by Amos Nadler, Matthias Wibral, Thomas Dohmen, Armin Falk, Alessandro Previtero, Bernd Weber, Colin Camerer, Anna Dreber, and Gideon Nave.

(https://www.psypost.org/detailed-erogenous-and-aversive-sensation-maps-reveal-how-women-experience-sexual-touch/) Detailed erogenous and aversive sensation maps reveal how women experience sexual touch
Apr 25th 2025, 14:00

For the first time, researchers have created comprehensive maps of women’s erogenous and aversive zones, pinpointing exactly which areas of the vulva, vagina, and breasts contribute most to sexual pleasure—and which are often avoided. Published in (https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae143) The Journal of Sexual Medicine, the study offers new insights into sexual sensation and satisfaction.
The study was designed to fill several gaps in the current scientific understanding of sexual sensation. Past research has often excluded people with vulvas, overlooked internal genital structures, or failed to quantify how important specific areas are to sexual pleasure. Additionally, there has been almost no systematic study of areas that individuals dislike having touched during sex—referred to in this research as aversive sensation zones.
To address these gaps, the research team created a detailed anatomical survey, approved by the Cedars-Sinai Institutional Review Board, that asked respondents to indicate which specific areas of the breasts, vulva, and vagina they found pleasurable or aversive during partnered sex. A total of 499 women completed the survey, but only the 441 who reported having had partnered sexual experience were included in the final analysis. Participants were between 18 and 83 years old, with an average age of 49.
Using anatomically precise illustrations of both external and internal genital structures, respondents selected specific zones they found pleasurable during sex and rated how important each zone was to their overall sexual pleasure on a 10-point scale. For aversive zones, they indicated which body parts they disliked being touched and selected from a list of potential reasons, such as pain, oversensitivity, shame, or past negative experiences.
The most frequently selected erogenous areas were in the vulva, with 82% of respondents identifying at least one pleasurable zone in that region. The vaginal introitus, periurethral area, and glans clitoris were the top three choices. (The vaginal introitus is the external opening of the vagina, the periurethral area is the region immediately surrounding the urethral opening, and the glans clitoris is the visible, sensitive tip of the clitoris.)
The glans clitoris received the highest average importance rating of all areas in the study, with a score of 9 out of 10. This supports existing evidence that the clitoris plays a central role in sexual pleasure for many women, but the prominence of the vaginal introitus was an unexpected result. 
Breast tissue and nipples were also commonly cited as sources of pleasure. About 58% of participants identified breast tissue as an erogenous zone, while 43% selected the nipples. However, the nipples were also the most frequently selected aversive zone among the breast subareas. Reasons given for nipple aversion included oversensitivity and pain. Notably, younger women were more likely to report pleasure in breast zones, suggesting some age-related variation in sensitivity or preference.
Responses regarding the vagina highlighted the superficial anterior wall—often associated with the “G-spot”—as the most pleasurable area inside the vaginal canal. Nearly half of respondents selected this area, giving it a high average importance rating. Fewer people selected the cervix or deep vaginal walls, and these areas were more frequently flagged as aversive, primarily due to pain or discomfort.
The anus was the most frequently selected aversive zone in the entire study, with 34% of participants reporting that they disliked its stimulation during sex. While 12% did identify it as pleasurable, the overwhelming majority of negative responses reflected not only physical discomfort but also emotional responses such as shame or embarrassment. This pattern persisted across different age groups, suggesting that cultural stigma around anal contact remains prevalent despite its growing visibility in media and sex education.
Although most results were consistent across demographic subgroups, age emerged as a meaningful variable. Younger respondents were more likely to identify a wider range of areas—across the breasts, vulva, and vagina—as pleasurable. This could reflect both generational differences in sexual norms and physiological differences related to hormonal changes. Many respondents were likely in perimenopause or menopause, a life stage known to impact genital sensation and libido.
The study’s findings offer potential applications beyond academic research. Erogenous maps could help clinicians, therapists, and surgeons understand individual variability in sexual sensation, especially for people undergoing medical treatments or procedures that affect the genital area. For example, individuals recovering from cancer treatment, gender-affirming surgeries, or pelvic floor trauma may benefit from personalized sensation maps to monitor changes or tailor interventions.
These maps also challenge conventional ideas about which body parts are considered “universally” pleasurable. For instance, while the glans clitoris is often highlighted in discussions about female sexual pleasure, this study suggests that other regions—like the vaginal introitus or the superficial anterior vaginal wall—are equally or even more significant for some women.
The aversive zone data provide insights into the emotional and psychological dimensions of sexual experience. Pain and oversensitivity were the most common reasons for aversion across all areas. But when it came to the anus, feelings of disgust and shame were disproportionately high. These emotional responses underscore the need for more open, nonjudgmental conversations about sexuality, as well as individualized sexual health education that respects diverse experiences and preferences.
Despite its strengths—including a relatively large sample size and anatomically detailed illustrations—this study has limitations. Its retrospective and anonymous nature limited the amount of background information collected about participants. Only 62% of respondents had engaged in sexual activity within the year prior to the survey, which means that some data relied on recollections of older experiences. The survey also excluded transgender and gender-diverse individuals, so its findings cannot be generalized to all people with vulvas.
Future research could build on this study by including more diverse populations and tracking changes in sensation over time. For example, it would be useful to examine how erogenous and aversive zones shift after hormonal changes, medical treatments, or use of specific sexual health interventions such as pelvic floor therapy or vibratory stimulation. Studies could also investigate neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize sensory maps—and how this might affect sexual function.
The study,  “(https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article-abstract/22/1/7/7905380?redirectedFrom=fulltext) Anatomic maps of erogenous and aversive sensation zones of the breasts, vulva, and vagina: A questionnaire-based study,” was authored by Jenna Stelmar, Michael Zaliznyak, Sandeep Sandhu, Dylan Isaacson, Erin Duralde, Shannon M. Smith, Gail A. Knudson, and Maurice M. Garcia.

(https://www.psypost.org/emotional-recognition-difficulties-may-stem-more-from-alexithymia-than-autistic-traits/) Emotional recognition difficulties may stem more from alexithymia than autistic traits
Apr 25th 2025, 12:00

A new study published in the journal (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/autistic-traits-alexithymia-and-emotion-recognition-of-human-and-anime-faces/1177F5EC58FF0C00CC3C6F28BE5E4183) Development and Psychopathology offers a new perspective on why some individuals with elevated autistic traits struggle to recognize emotions in faces. Researchers found that while autistic traits were linked to poorer recognition of emotions in human faces, this association disappeared when controlling for alexithymia—a trait characterized by difficulty identifying and describing one’s own emotions. In fact, alexithymia alone predicted lower emotion recognition scores for both human and anime faces, suggesting it may play a more central role than autism-related traits in shaping emotional processing challenges.
Previous research has shown that many individuals on the autism spectrum have difficulty interpreting emotional expressions in human faces. At the same time, a strong preference for anime—an animated art form with exaggerated emotional cues—is often observed in these individuals. Some researchers have hypothesized that the more dramatic and stylized facial expressions typical in anime might be easier for autistic individuals to interpret. Others have questioned whether emotion recognition challenges are driven by autism itself or by co-occurring alexithymia.
“My interest stems from my younger years when I would frequent forums dedicated to the discussion of anime and manga. I believe people tend to be more open about themselves when they are anonymous or at least semi-anonymous, and one thing I noticed is that on these sites users would mention that they have autism more often than on other parts of the internet,” said study author Bridger Standiford, who conducted the research while an undergraduate at Penn State Abington.
“As I progressed through my college studies and learned more about autism in a formal setting, something clicked when I learned about reduced facial emotion recognition in people with autism. I wondered if the exaggerated expressions often made by anime characters are what in part attracted those with autism to the medium seemingly more often than others.”
To investigate, the researchers recruited 247 adults with varying levels of autistic traits. Participants completed standardized measures of autistic traits (the AQ-10) and alexithymia (the Revised Toronto Alexithymia Scale), along with a facial emotion recognition task. The task included 12 human faces and 12 anime-style faces, each showing one of six basic emotions such as happiness or sadness. Participants viewed each image for three seconds before identifying the emotion they believed was being expressed.
The results showed that individuals with higher autistic trait scores performed significantly worse at identifying emotions in human faces. However, when it came to anime faces, their performance was similar to that of individuals with lower autistic traits. This finding supports the idea that anime expressions may be more accessible to those high in autistic traits, possibly because their exaggerated style compensates for difficulties with subtle emotional cues.
Yet the most revealing finding came from the regression and mediation analyses. When researchers statistically controlled for alexithymia, the link between autistic traits and poor emotion recognition vanished. Alexithymia, on the other hand, consistently predicted worse performance on both the human and anime emotion tasks, and it fully explained the relationship between autistic traits and facial emotion recognition. In other words, it wasn’t the autistic traits per se that drove difficulty in recognizing emotions—it was alexithymia.
These findings build on a growing body of research suggesting that alexithymia may be a key factor underlying emotional processing challenges in autistic individuals. Earlier studies have shown that alexithymia is much more common among people on the autism spectrum than in the general population, with some estimates placing its prevalence between 50 and 85 percent. Unlike autism, which is typically associated with broader social communication challenges, alexithymia specifically affects how people identify and verbalize emotions—both in themselves and in others.
“There are two key takeaways from our study,” Standiford told PsyPost. “The first is alexithymia’s role in emotion recognition. We found that difficulties in recognizing facial emotions are more closely linked to alexithymia – a condition characterized by challenges in identifying and describing one’s own emotions – than to autistic traits alone.”
“The second involves the impact of human versus anime faces on emotion recognition. Participants with higher levels of autistic traits showed poorer performance in recognizing emotions on human faces, but not on anime faces. However, when accounting for alexithymia, this association diminished, indicating that alexithymia is a likely source of the emotion recognition struggles experienced by many individuals high in autistic traits. In other words, autistic traits negatively influence emotion recognition via alexithymic traits.”
“The results of our study also have some important implications for interventions,” Standiford continued. “First, interventions aimed at improving facial emotion recognition, especially for individuals on the autism spectrum, might be more effective if they also focus on and address alexithymic traits. Additionally, incorporating anime characters, which present emotions in a more stylized and exaggerated manner, into interventions designed to improve emotion recognition may serve to increase their effectiveness.”
The study is not without limitations. The participants were not clinically diagnosed with autism but instead represented a range of autistic traits as measured by a brief screening tool, the AQ-10. While this allowed the researchers to investigate these traits in a community sample, it limits the ability to generalize the findings to individuals formally diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions.
“A second caveat involves the anime faces used as targets in our study,” Standiford noted. “While the human faces we used in our study had been rigorously tested and validated in previous research, the anime faces were selected and validated solely by me and my co-author, Dr. Kevin Hsu, as no validated collection of anime facial expressions existed. Validating a set of anime faces with differing emotional expressions will be the focus of future research.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579425000100) Autistic traits, alexithymia, and emotion recognition of human and anime faces,” was published March 20, 2025.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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