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(https://www.psypost.org/personal-crises-reduce-voter-turnout-but-can-spur-other-political-action-study-suggests/) Personal crises reduce voter turnout—but can spur other political action, study suggests
Apr 30th 2025, 10:00

A new study published in (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11109-024-09933-x) Political Behavior reveals that personal hardships—such as job loss, eviction, or financial distress—are linked to a lower likelihood of voting in the United States. However, these same crises can also push some people to engage in other forms of political action, especially when the crisis is highly politicized, like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research sheds light on how disruptions in people’s lives influence their engagement in democracy. While it may seem intuitive that difficult life events would inspire political activity, the study finds the opposite is often true: crises can overwhelm individuals’ time, resources, and attention, making it harder to show up at the ballot box. Yet, under certain conditions, those same crises can act as a catalyst for more targeted political behavior, such as attending protests or contacting public officials.
The researchers aimed to move beyond previous studies that looked at only one type of disruption, like foreclosure or unemployment. Instead, they sought a more comprehensive understanding of how a wide range of personal crises—including financial struggles, health issues, and housing instability—affect participation in both voting and other political activities. With economic insecurity on the rise and more Americans facing precarious conditions, the authors argue it’s vital to understand how these personal realities intersect with democratic participation.
“Political scientists have long studied the political consequences of personal crises, such as widowhood, unemployment, and home foreclosure. Typically, researchers examine one crisis at a time; however, growing up in a poor home, I knew that personal crises often co-occurred. So, I was curious whether the accumulation of personal crises impacted political engagement,” said study author (http://cjojeda.com/) Christopher Ojeda, an assistant professor at the University of California, Merced and author of the forthcoming book (https://www.sadcitizen.com/) The Sad Citizen: How Politics Is Depressing and Why It Matters
To examine this question, the researchers used large-scale national survey data from the Cooperative Election Study (CES) and the Democracy Fund’s VOTER Survey. These datasets included information about both voting behavior and personal crises experienced in the past year. Participants were asked about a wide array of disruptive events, such as losing health insurance, falling behind on rent or mortgage payments, or struggling to pay for medical care.
In the 2020 CES, for example, researchers collected responses on 45 different types of crises. Using this information, they created a “crisis score” for each respondent, reflecting the total number of disruptive events they had experienced. They then compared these scores with whether or not respondents voted, as verified by official voting records, as well as whether they engaged in non-voting political activities such as protesting, donating, or volunteering.
The analysis revealed a clear pattern: people who experienced more non-COVID-related crises were significantly less likely to vote. This held true even after accounting for factors like education, income, race, and previous voting behavior. For example, someone who experienced five crises was about 10 to 13 percentage points less likely to vote than someone who experienced none. This difference is nearly as large as the gap in turnout between White and Hispanic Americans in the same surveys.
“My expectation going into this project was that less powerful groups in society would be more strongly demobilized by personal crises, but instead we generally found that everyone was equally affected, which was surprising to me,” Ojeda told PsyPost.
Interestingly, the effect of crises appeared strongest among those who had previously voted, suggesting that even habitual voters can be knocked out of the electorate by personal turmoil. The researchers theorize that this is due to the strain crises place on limited resources like time, energy, and attention. When people are busy dealing with eviction or medical bills, voting can become a lower priority, even for those who care about politics.
But the study also uncovered important exceptions. When crises were tied to politically salient events—like the COVID-19 pandemic—the effects looked different. People who experienced pandemic-related disruptions were actually more likely to vote and engage in other political actions. The authors suggest that these crises may have increased motivation because they were clearly linked to government decisions, such as public health measures or economic relief policies. In these cases, citizens may have seen political participation as a way to respond directly to the problems affecting their lives.
Beyond voting, the researchers also explored how crises influenced other types of political behavior. They found that personal crises—regardless of whether they were COVID-related—were associated with a higher likelihood of non-voting political acts, including contacting elected officials, attending protests, or working on campaigns. This supports the idea that while crises may suppress generalized participation like voting, they can sometimes encourage more issue-specific or expressive actions.
Notably, these forms of participation were much less common than voting. Still, among those who engaged in them, political interest and turnout remained high—even among those experiencing personal hardship. This suggests that rather than crises simultaneously suppressing some forms of participation and boosting others in the same individuals, different people respond to crises in different ways. For some, hardship makes political engagement feel out of reach. For others, it becomes a motivating force.
“The accumulation of personal crises impairs voting—a political act that is too general to solve whatever crises a citizen might be experiencing—but they increase participation in political acts that can target the crises in questions—such as contacting an elected official or signing a petition,” Ojeda explained.
As with all research, there are caveats to consider. The study relies on observational data, so while the associations are strong, it cannot definitively establish that crises cause changes in participation. The researchers also focused on whether people experienced specific crises but did not measure how severe or long-lasting those crises were. Some disruptions might be temporary and manageable, while others could be deeply destabilizing. Future studies could build on this work by exploring how the intensity or duration of crises matters, or by using long-term data to track changes over time.
Nevertheless, the findings offer important insight into how American democracy functions in a time of widespread economic and social instability. When large portions of the population are grappling with job loss, rising housing costs, and medical bills, they may be less able to participate in democratic life—not because they don’t care, but because they are overwhelmed. In this sense, personal crises are not just private misfortunes; they are also political obstacles that can distort who gets represented.
“This paper focused exclusively on political participation—in other words, how citizens act—and so next I want to study how personal crises shape political attitudes—that is, the way citizens think,” Ojeda said.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-024-09933-x) The Politics of Personal Crisis: How Life Disruptions Shape Political Participation,” was authored by Christopher Ojeda, Jamila Michener, and Jake Haselswerdt.

(https://www.psypost.org/maintaining-or-increasing-exercise-linked-to-fewer-depressive-symptoms/) Maintaining or increasing exercise linked to fewer depressive symptoms
Apr 30th 2025, 08:00

A new study from South Korea suggests that maintaining or increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity over time is associated with lower odds of developing depression and experiencing depressive symptoms. The study, published in the (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032725003866) Journal of Affective Disorders, followed nearly four million adults and found that those who were consistently active or became more active had better mental health outcomes over a multi-year period.
Depression is a widespread mental health issue, affecting people across all age groups and cultures. In South Korea, it has emerged as a major public health concern. Depression is typically characterized by persistent sadness, low energy, and loss of interest in activities. Importantly, reduced physical activity is often a symptom of depression. At the same time, research has repeatedly suggested that regular physical activity may help improve mood and protect against depressive symptoms. However, most studies have relied on a single snapshot of a person’s activity level, which fails to capture the ups and downs that occur over time.
The author of this new study aimed to address that gap by investigating whether changes in physical activity over several years were associated with mental health outcomes. They paid special attention to whether the effects differed for people who had already experienced depression versus those who had not.
“I have long been interested in the bidirectional relationship between lifestyle behaviors and mental health outcomes. Given the increasing burden of depression globally, I was motivated to explore how longitudinal changes in physical activity could influence depression risk, especially among individuals with and without pre-existing depressive symptoms,” said study author Yohwan Lim of the CHA University School of Medicine.
The researcher analyzed data from South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service, which provides nearly universal coverage and regularly conducts health screenings. The study began by identifying individuals who participated in screenings in two separate periods: 2014–2015 and 2016–2017.
>From a starting pool of more than 24 million people, Lim narrowed the sample to 3.99 million individuals after applying strict eligibility criteria, including consistent data on activity levels, health conditions, and depression status. About 209,000 of the participants had been diagnosed with depression during the initial period, while the remaining 3.78 million had not.
Participants reported their physical activity through a questionnaire that asked how many days per week they engaged in moderate or vigorous activity. Moderate activity included things like brisk walking or cycling, while vigorous activity involved running or other exercises that made breathing hard. Based on their responses, participants were grouped into four categories: inactive, low activity (1–2 days per week), moderate activity (3–4 days), or high activity (5 or more days).
Lim also looked at how people’s activity levels changed over time. For example, someone who went from being inactive to exercising several days a week would be categorized as having increased their activity. These changes were tracked across the two screening periods. In some analyses, a third earlier period (2012–2013) was used to explore patterns before and after a diagnosis of depression.
To measure depression outcomes, Lim used two indicators: official diagnoses (based on health records and prescriptions for antidepressants) and scores from a commonly used depression screening tool (the PHQ-9). They then followed participants from 2018 onward, monitoring whether they developed depression or showed signs of depressive symptoms one and three years later.
The results revealed that among individuals who had already experienced depression, those who became more active or maintained a high level of activity were less likely to be diagnosed with depression again in the future. The same was true for depressive symptoms: those who exercised more frequently were less likely to report high levels of distress on the PHQ-9. For example, depressed participants who became more active had 8–26% lower odds of a future depression diagnosis compared to those who remained inactive. Those who were consistently highly active showed similarly reduced odds over time.
“Our study highlights the importance of maintaining consistent, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity over time to reduce the risk of depression,” Lim told PsyPost. “Notably, individuals who either sustained or increased their activity levels demonstrated a significantly lower likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms or a new diagnosis of depression.”
Among people who had not previously been diagnosed with depression, the patterns were similar. Increased or consistently high physical activity was linked to a lower likelihood of developing depression or reporting symptoms. Participants in this group who exercised at least five days per week had up to 40% lower odds of depressive symptoms compared to those who did not exercise at all.
Importantly, the study also explored how activity patterns before and after a depression diagnosis affected outcomes. People who were active before their diagnosis and remained active afterward had lower odds of experiencing further depressive episodes. But for those who were inactive before diagnosis, becoming active afterward did not seem to offer the same benefit, at least in terms of future clinical depression diagnoses.
The findings support the idea that sustained physical activity can be a protective factor against depression, both for people with and without a history of the condition. This reinforces earlier studies that found a connection between physical activity and mental health, but it goes a step further by showing how changes in behavior over time matter.
“One surprising finding was that even among individuals who had already been diagnosed with depression, maintaining or increasing physical activity after diagnosis still conferred significant protective effects,” Lim said. “This suggests that it is never too late to benefit from adopting a more active lifestyle.”
There are several possible explanations for the link between physical activity and mental health. Regular exercise may help regulate the body’s stress response, improve sleep, and promote social engagement. On a biological level, physical activity is thought to stimulate brain areas involved in mood regulation and increase levels of chemicals that support brain health, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
While the findings are promising, the study does have some limitations. The physical activity data were based on self-reported questionnaires, which can be subject to bias. The study also focused on leisure-time activity and did not account for physical labor during work hours. Depression diagnoses were based on treatment records, which means that people who experienced depression but did not seek medical help may have been missed. Additionally, depressive symptoms were only measured at specific age intervals, limiting the ability to track changes over time.
Despite these limitations, the study offers one of the most comprehensive looks to date at how patterns of physical activity relate to depression. By following a large, nationally representative sample over multiple years, the researcher was able to highlight the importance of sustained activity and the potential mental health benefits of increasing movement levels over time.
Looking ahead, Lim plans to explore the biological mechanisms behind the relationship between physical activity and mental health in more depth. They are also interested in using wearable devices to capture real-time data on how people move through their day.
“I hope to further explore the mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical activity and mental health, possibly integrating wearable device data to obtain more objective measures of activity,” he explained. “Ultimately, I aim to contribute to developing practical intervention strategies for mental health promotion through lifestyle modification.”
“Given the global mental health crisis, our findings reinforce a simple yet powerful message: staying active can serve as an accessible and effective strategy to support mental well-being, both for individuals currently struggling with depression and for those aiming to prevent it.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.048) Longitudinal association between consecutive moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and the risk of depression among depressed and non-depressed participants: A nationally representative cohort study,” was published April 11, 2025.

(https://www.psypost.org/psychopathic-traits-linked-to-distinct-cognitive-disruptions-in-learning/) Psychopathic traits linked to distinct cognitive disruptions in learning
Apr 30th 2025, 06:00

A new study published in (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-025-03245-2) Translational Psychiatry has found that people with elevated psychopathic traits show distinct disruptions in how they learn from rewards and punishments. Rather than uniformly struggling to process feedback, different psychopathic traits were linked to specific patterns of impaired learning and biased expectations about change in the environment.
Psychopathic traits include characteristics like superficial charm, impulsivity, lack of empathy, and antisocial behavior. Although often associated with criminal behavior, these traits exist on a continuum and can be measured across the general population.
Previous research has suggested that people high in psychopathic traits often make risky or harmful decisions because they have difficulty learning from their mistakes. However, most studies have used simple tasks with only two options to choose from, which does not fully capture the complex decisions people face in everyday life. The researchers in the new study wanted to better understand how psychopathic traits are related to learning in more naturalistic, real-world situations where many options must be weighed.
“Psychopathy is often linked to reduced punishment sensitivity and poor behavioral adaptation. I’m interested in the cognitive and neural mechanisms behind this, particularly why individuals with psychopathic traits fail to adjust when associations between choices and outcomes change (for instance, when a previously rewarded choice starts resulting in punishments),” explained study author (https://www.ru.nl/en/people/atanassova-d) Dimana Atanassova, a postdoctoral researcher at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour.
“One possibility is that they have impairments in volatility learning—the ability to detect and adapt to shifts in associations between choices and outcomes. While they can learn basic associations, they often struggle to update them when rewards or punishments reverse. In this study, I wanted to explore what happens in the brain when people have to learn new associations, and whether certain types of rewards and punishments might be more effective in this learning process.”
To investigate this, researchers recruited a community sample of 108 adults ranging in age from 19 to 54. Participants completed a foraging-style decision-making task designed to mimic real-world learning, where they had to repeatedly choose whether to stay with a known option or explore new ones. The outcomes were either monetary rewards and losses or personalized rewards and calibrated painful electric shocks, depending on the condition.
During the task, participants’ brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), focusing on a brain signal known as feedback-related negativity, which is thought to reflect how the brain processes unexpected outcomes. Researchers also assessed psychopathic traits using a standard questionnaire measuring interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial tendencies.
The study applied a computational model known as the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter to track how participants formed predictions about the environment and updated these predictions when receiving feedback. Specifically, the model allowed the researchers to distinguish between learning based on immediate outcomes and learning based on broader patterns of environmental change, sometimes called volatility tracking.
The researchers found that people higher in antisocial traits tended to believe the environment was more unstable than it really was. They expected that rules and patterns would change frequently, which can lead to poor learning because it makes feedback seem less meaningful. This finding helps explain why individuals with antisocial tendencies often show persistence in maladaptive behaviors, even when the environment signals that a change is necessary.
“I was surprised to find that individuals with higher antisocial traits—those more prone to risky or rule-breaking behavior even without a criminal record—tended to expect the world around them to change very rapidly,” Atanassova told PsyPost. “It was as if they perceived their environment as so unpredictable that forming stable associations between actions and outcomes became nearly impossible. This stood out even more when compared to others in our sample, who were able to adapt and learn from the task much more effectively.”
The researchers also found that higher interpersonal psychopathic traits—characterized by superficial charm and manipulativeness—were linked to weaker learning from personally meaningful rewards. These individuals were less responsive to outcomes that should have been motivating, which may reflect a diminished sensitivity to positive reinforcement.
In contrast, higher psychopathic affective traits—such as callousness and lack of empathy—were linked to reduced learning from painful punishments. Individuals with elevated affective traits showed muted brain responses when painful outcomes occurred, suggesting that they did not adjust their behavior effectively after experiencing punishment. However, they showed stronger learning from personalized rewards, suggesting that naturalistic, meaningful incentives could partly overcome some of the learning deficits seen in this group.
Interestingly, the study also found that a particular brain signal, the feedback-related negativity, tracked not immediate wins or losses, but rather participants’ evolving predictions about how the environment might be changing. This signal was sensitive to how surprising feedback was relative to expectations about change, rather than simply reflecting whether an outcome was good or bad. The strength of this brain signal also varied depending on participants’ psychopathic traits, highlighting how these traits shape not just behavior but also the brain’s basic learning processes.
The results offer a nuanced picture of how psychopathic traits impact learning. Rather than a general insensitivity to feedback, specific traits are linked to distinct patterns of learning impairments. Antisocial traits bias people to see the world as more volatile and unpredictable. Interpersonal traits blunt the motivational pull of rewards. Affective traits weaken the impact of punishments, particularly painful ones, while leaving learning from rewards relatively intact.
“Not all people with high psychopathic traits learn the same way,” Atanassova explained. “Some are more affected by punishments, while others are more influenced by rewards. For example, people with more manipulative psychopathic traits responded well to painful punishments but seemed rather unmotivated by rewards. On the other hand, those lacking empathy didn’t react much to punishment and displayed more reward-driven behavior.”
“These differences also show up in the brain, especially in how people detect and adapt to changes in consequences. These results challenge the perspective that all people with psychopathic traits are punishment-insensitive and highlight the importance of finding the right motivator; as such the findings might be important for future research focused on how to rehabilitate people with psychopathic traits.”
The researchers noted some limitations. Their sample consisted of healthy community adults rather than individuals diagnosed with clinical psychopathy or involved in the criminal justice system. Although psychopathic traits are distributed throughout the population, future research could examine whether similar patterns are observed in clinical or forensic groups.
“Still, studying these traits in everyday people helps us understand how they affect learning and behavior more broadly, especially since psychopathic traits in the general population are also associated with heightened risk of aggression and violence,” Atanassova said.
“This study demonstrated that people with psychopathic traits detect and adapt to change in the environment differently—for some, because punitive outcomes are not really salient, for some, because they’re insensitive to reward, and for others because they have a bias that makes them think the world changes far too rapidly to be predicted. As next steps, we’d like to understand where those impairments come from: is there a genetic/biological element to them, perhaps heightened by certain early life experiences?”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03245-2) Exploring when to exploit: the cognitive underpinnings of foraging-type decisions in relation to psychopathy,” was authored by D. V. Atanassova, J. M. Oosterman, A. O. Diaconescu, C. Mathys, V. I. Madariaga, and I. A. Brazil.

(https://www.psypost.org/ai-generated-pornography-opens-new-doors-and-raises-new-questions/) AI-generated pornography opens new doors—and raises new questions
Apr 29th 2025, 18:00

The rapid development of artificial intelligence is transforming the adult entertainment industry. A new study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03099-1) Archives of Sexual Behavior systematically examined websites that allow users to generate AI pornography, finding that most platforms now offer highly customizable, interactive sexual content. The researchers observed that AI is enabling consumers to create sexually explicit images, videos, and even virtual companions with unprecedented speed, accessibility, and personalization.
Generative artificial intelligence refers to systems that can produce new content such as images, text, audio, or video based on user input. The researchers were interested in exploring how these technologies are shaping pornography, a market that has historically evolved alongside technological innovations.
Previous shifts, such as the move from physical media to online platforms, have made pornography more personalized and accessible. However, the emergence of AI-generated pornography represents a further leap by giving users the ability to create sexual content tailored exactly to their preferences. Despite growing public and academic discussions about the implications of AI pornography, little empirical research has mapped the current landscape.
“In recent years, my colleagues and I have explored how emerging technologies can support sexual well-being,” said study author Valerie A. Lapointe, a PhD candidate at Université du Québec à Montréal. “As AI systems grew more sophisticated, we became increasingly curious about the new forms of sexual experiences they might enable. While most discussions at the time focused on deepfake pornography, we quickly realized that generative AI was unlocking a much wider range of possibilities that had yet to be empirically investigated.”
To investigate the current state of AI pornography, the researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis of 36 websites that allow users to generate or alter sexually explicit material using AI. The websites were identified through systematic online searches using English-language terms such as “AI porn” and “AI-generated pornography.” Only sites that permitted users to have some control over content generation were included. The team extracted textual information from each site, coded the data systematically, and categorized the available features. These categories included the platforms’ functionalities, production strategies, and customization options. Data analysis was independently conducted by multiple researchers to ensure reliability.
The researchers found that the majority of AI porn websites allowed users to create static sexual images, with about 80% of platforms offering image generation features. Around 42% also supported video creation, while smaller proportions enabled users to generate animated GIFs, audio content, or interact with virtual reality environments. Beyond static and video content, approximately 44% of the websites offered interaction with artificial agents—chatbots or virtual partners designed for sexual engagement.
Production methods on these platforms usually involved either feature selection or prompting. About 97% of websites allowed users to manually select specific attributes for the characters they wanted to generate, such as gender, age, body features, clothing, or setting. Approximately 72% of platforms also supported text-based prompting, where users could describe the scene they wished to create. Some sites offered tools to refine prompts or provide suggestions, making it easier for users to guide the AI systems.
“I was surprised by how easy these platforms are to navigate and by the depth of customization and realism they offer,” Lapointe told PsyPost. “For instance, users can extensively design their ideal erotic companion (e.g., relationship type, interests, personality, memories, physical attributes) and engage with them in continuous lifelike interactions, such as through phone calls.”
Users could modify character bases to be human, fictional, or stylized (such as anime), and they could personalize nearly every aspect of appearance and setting. Common customizable features included body type, skin tone, hair color, eye shape, clothing, emotional expression, and the background context, such as lighting or weather. Some websites even allowed users to create customized virtual partners with distinct personalities, memories, writing styles, and relationship dynamics, enabling more continuous and interactive engagements.
Although most AI porn websites offered free access to basic functions, many also provided premium features that expanded the range of content users could create. A few platforms allowed alterations of real people’s images, including controversial functionalities like nudification or face-swapping, though only one site implemented a verification system requiring consent from individuals depicted. Social media-like features were common as well, with users often able to like, share, or comment on each other’s creations.
“AI-generated pornography platforms are reshaping the production and consumption of erotic content by allowing users to create and customize hyper-realistic, interactive and immersive images, videos, audio, and artificial erotic agents, all at low costs and with intuitive tools,” Lapointe said. “Together, these platforms provide the means to ‘materialize’ your fantasies in ways that increasingly approximate (inter)human interactions and erotic content.”
There are some caveats to consider. The sample was restricted to English-language websites and may not fully capture global variations in AI pornography. Additionally, the study only examined freely accessible features, meaning some more advanced capabilities available to paying users were not analyzed. The dynamic nature of AI technology also means that findings may quickly become outdated as new platforms and functionalities emerge.
“The main limitation relates to the speed at which this technology is evolving,” Lapointe explained. “The platforms we analyzed just a year ago may already look quite different today; they may be more numerous, more sophisticated, and offer more functionalities or customization options. Our findings provide a first overview, but the AI pornography landscape is changing faster than research can keep up with.”
The study’s findings highlight significant opportunities and risks. On the positive side, the technology offers possibilities for more inclusive sexual education, therapy for sexual dysfunctions, and research into sexual behavior. For example, AI-generated content could allow therapists to create individualized exposure stimuli for clients dealing with sexual anxieties, or enable researchers to generate standardized sexual stimuli for experimental studies.
At the same time, the ease with which AI pornography can be created raises serious ethical concerns. Content alteration tools could be misused to create non-consensual pornography, deepfakes, or other harmful material. Only a minority of the sites examined implemented measures to ensure the consensual use of personal likenesses. As the technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, regulating its use, protecting individuals’ rights, and preventing abuse will likely become increasingly complex challenges.
“The speed of development and the control users have over their content raise many concerns, including the risks of facilitating the generation and dissemination of illegal or harmful content, youth access, and consent issues,” Lapointe said. “Yet, under proper regulation, these tools could open the door to many beneficial applications (e.g., for sexual education or therapy). Long-term, we aim to leverage this technology to support the development of ethical initiatives and build evidence-based frameworks that may help reduce harm and promote responsible use.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03099-1) The Present and Future of Adult Entertainment: A Content Analysis of AI‑Generated Pornography Websites,” was authored by Valerie A. Lapointe, Simon Dubé, Sophia Rukhlyadyev, Tinhinane Kessai, and David Lafortune.

(https://www.psypost.org/individuals-whose-partners-support-their-sexual-autonomy-report-greater-sexual-need-fulfillment/) Individuals whose partners support their sexual autonomy report greater sexual need fulfillment
Apr 29th 2025, 16:00

A series of three studies found that perceiving sexual autonomy support from a partner was associated with greater sexual need satisfaction. It was also linked to higher sexual and relationship satisfaction for both partners. The research was published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Providing support to one’s romantic partner—being responsive to their needs—is one of the most important aspects of relationship functioning. This support also extends to sexual needs. A central element of sexual need fulfillment in a relationship is the ability to authentically express those needs, which is more likely to occur when a person perceives their partner as supportive of their sexual autonomy.
Although there has been limited research on sexual need fulfillment in relationships, existing studies suggest that perceived partner sexual responsiveness—feeling sexually understood, validated, and cared for—is associated with greater sexual and relationship satisfaction. It is possible that perceiving a partner as supportive of one’s sexual autonomy could further encourage the authentic expression of sexual preferences and interests, leading to even higher levels of need fulfillment.
Study author Ariel Shoikhedbrod and her colleagues sought to examine the role of perceived partner sexual autonomy support in romantic relationships. They conducted a series of four studies.
The first study tested a new questionnaire designed to assess perceived partner sexual autonomy support. Participants were 267 individuals recruited through Prolific. The questionnaire included statements probing how much participants felt their partners understood and supported their sexual needs (e.g., “My partner provides me choices and options sexually,” “I feel sexually understood by my partner,” “My partner conveys confidence in my sexual abilities”). Participants also completed measures of sexual need fulfillment (the Need Satisfaction–Relationship Domain Scale), relationship satisfaction (the Perceived Relationship Quality Components Inventory), self-determined sexual motivation (the Sexual Motivation Scale), and general perceived autonomy support (the autonomy support subscale of the Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire).
The second study explored the sexual experiences of 142 couples by collecting daily reports of partner sexual autonomy support, sexual and relationship satisfaction, and other variables. The third study built on the previous ones by examining how perceived partner sexual autonomy support at the beginning of the study predicted sexual need fulfillment over a 21-day period, as well as relationship and sexual satisfaction three months later. It also assessed perceived partner sexual autonomy support on days when the couple did not engage in sexual activity.
Results from the first study showed that the new assessment tool produced valid results. Individuals who perceived greater sexual autonomy support from their partners reported greater relationship and sexual satisfaction, and also felt that their sexual needs were better fulfilled.
The second study replicated these findings. It also showed that individuals who perceived greater sexual autonomy support from their partners tended to provide more sexual autonomy support in return, according to their partners’ perceptions. In other words, sexual autonomy support appeared to be mutual between partners.
The third study tested a statistical model proposing that greater perceived partner sexual autonomy support enhances the fulfillment of sexual needs for both partners, leading to improved sexual and relationship satisfaction. The results supported this model, but also indicated that perceived partner sexual autonomy support directly influenced sexual and relationship satisfaction, independent of sexual need fulfillment.
“Sexual need fulfillment is a key avenue through which romantic relationships foster well-being. The current studies suggest that perceiving a romantic partner as autonomously supportive in the sexual domain is one way people can fulfill their sexual needs and have satisfying sex lives and relationships,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the role sexual autonomy support has in romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the study was carried out on volunteers who were mainly couples satisfied with their relationships. Results on couples who are less happy with their relationships might not yield identical results.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241279099) When a Partner Supports Your Sexual Autonomy: Perceived Partner Sexual Autonomy Support, Need Fulfillment, and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships,” was authored by Ariel Shoikhedbrod, Cheryl Harasymchuk, Emily A. Impett, and Amy Muise.

(https://www.psypost.org/surprising-link-found-between-marriage-and-dementia/) Surprising link found between marriage and dementia
Apr 29th 2025, 14:00

Would you believe me if I told you that staying single or ending your marriage could lower your odds of getting dementia? A (https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.70072) new study led by researchers at Florida State University somewhat shockingly suggests that unmarried people are less likely to develop dementia.
If you think you’ve heard the opposite, you are correct. A (https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/75/8/1783/5524771?login=true) 2019 study from America found that unmarried people had “significantly higher odds of developing dementia over the study period than their married counterparts”.
Indeed, married people are generally thought to have better health. Studies have shown that they are at reduced risk of having (https://heart.bmj.com/content/104/23/1937.short) heart disease and stroke and they tend to (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7452000/) live longer. So why did the new study come up with this surprising finding? Let’s take a closer look.
The researchers analysed data from more than 24,000 Americans without dementia at the start of the study. Participants were tracked for up to 18 years. Crucially, the team compared dementia rates across marital groups: married, divorced, widowed and never-married.
At first, it looked as though all three unmarried groups had a reduced risk of dementia compared with the married group. But, after accounting for other factors that could influence the results such as smoking and depression, only divorced and never-married people had a lower risk of dementia.
Differences were also seen depending on the type of dementia. For example, being unmarried was consistently linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most (https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet) common form of dementia. But it was not shown for (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vascular-dementia/) vascular dementia – a rarer form of the condition.
The researchers also found that divorced or never-married people were less likely to progress from (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31439020/) mild cognitive impairment to dementia and that people who became widowed during the study had a lower risk of dementia.
Possible explanations
One reason for the unexpected results? Married people might be diagnosed earlier because they have spouses who notice memory problems and push for a doctor’s visit. This could make dementia look more common in married people – even if it’s not.
This is called (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/801585) ascertainment bias — when data is skewed because of who gets diagnosed or noticed more easily. However, the evidence of this was not strong. All participants had annual visits from a doctor, who could be thought of as a proxy partner who would spot early signs of dementia in the participant.
Perhaps it was the case that the sample of people used, from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) study, was not representative of the wider population. Specifically, the sample showed low levels of ethnic and income diversity. Also, nearly 64% of the participants were married. This may affect how these unexpected findings translate to the wider world. They could just have been unique to NACC participants.
However, it is more likely that these findings highlight just how complex the effects of marital disruptions, transitions and choices on brain health really are. Being married is by no means an established protective factor for dementia, with an earlier meta-analysis (a study of studies) showing (https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/89/3/231?from=article_link) mixed results.
The new study from Florida State University uses one of the biggest samples to date to examine this issue, and carries a good deal of weight. It highlights that assumptions based on previous research that widowhood and divorce (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3151454/) are very stressful life events that can (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7642953/) trigger Alzheimer’s disease or that (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29590462/) unmarried people are socially isolated  and therefore may be at higher risk of dementia, may not always be correct.
Relationship dynamics are by no means straightforward. As mentioned in the paper, such dynamics may “provide a more nuanced understanding than a simple binary effect”. Factors such as marriage quality, levels of satisfaction after divorce, cultural considerations, or the sociability of single people compared with coupled ones may help explain these seemingly contradictory results.
This study challenges the idea that marriage is automatically good for brain health. Instead, it suggests the effect of relationships on dementia is far more complex. What matters might not be your relationship status but how supported, connected and fulfilled you feel.
 
This article is republished from (https://theconversation.com) The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the (https://theconversation.com/being-married-linked-to-increased-risk-of-dementia-new-study-253875) original article.

(https://www.psypost.org/abortion-laws-after-dobbs-decision-may-accelerate-ideological-migration-in-the-united-states/) Abortion laws after Dobbs decision may accelerate ideological migration in the United States
Apr 29th 2025, 12:00

New research published in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100222) Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology suggests that state-level abortion policies may influence Americans’ sense of belonging and willingness to relocate. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which shifted abortion regulation to the states, people living in states expected to adopt policies contrary to their beliefs reported a lower sense of belonging and a greater desire to move to states aligned with their values.
The study was conducted to explore whether the changing legal landscape after the Dobbs decision could intensify “ideological migration,” where people relocate to places that better match their political and moral views. Prior work has shown that Americans often sort themselves geographically along political lines, but whether specific legal changes, such as abortion restrictions or protections, could accelerate this trend had not been well studied.
“I’ve been investigating political polarization and how people’s responses to contentious elections and issues vary based on where they live and who they interact with. After the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, I wanted to understand how such a major shift in abortion policy might influence Americans’ decisions to move to states that better align with their moral beliefs and what this could mean for the future of political and social division in the country,” said study author (https://cehsp.d.umn.edu/faculty-staff/john-blanchar) John C. Blanchar, an assistant professor and director of the (https://sites.google.com/d.umn.edu/spp-lab-umd/home) Social and Political Psychology Lab at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The researchers surveyed 743 American adults two weeks after the Dobbs decision. Participants were drawn from a larger longitudinal study on political behavior and completed an online questionnaire about their abortion attitudes, sense of belonging in their state, expectations about state abortion policies, and intentions to migrate. Participants included both pro-life and pro-choice advocates, with most living across 49 U.S. states.
Participants first indicated their stance on abortion and then assessed how closely they believed their abortion views matched those of others in their state. They also predicted how restrictive or permissive their state’s abortion laws would become. The study measured participants’ sense of belonging through questions about how welcomed and at home they felt in their state. Finally, participants reported whether they would like to move to another state and whether they were seriously considering relocation in light of the changing abortion laws.
The researchers used multilevel modeling to analyze the data, taking into account that individuals were clustered within states. This approach allowed the team to examine both individual differences and broader state-level patterns.
Results showed that people who expected their state’s abortion policies to conflict with their own beliefs reported feeling less at home. Pro-choice advocates living in states anticipated to pass restrictive abortion laws, and pro-life advocates in states expected to adopt more permissive laws, both reported lower feelings of belonging.
Participants were not just expressing general dissatisfaction. Those who reported lower belonging because of anticipated abortion policies were also more likely to say they were seriously considering moving to a state where abortion laws would align with their personal views. Mediation analyses indicated that a diminished sense of belonging played a central role: ideological mismatch lowered belonging, which in turn fueled migration intentions.
“A key takeaway from our study is that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson may lead to increased domestic migration as individuals seek to live in states whose abortion policies align with their personal beliefs,” Blanchar told PsyPost. “People who feel their state’s policies are in conflict with their views on abortion are more likely to consider moving, which could contribute to greater political division and regional homogeneity over time. This trend highlights how deeply moralized issues like abortion can drive migration patterns, potentially reshaping the nation’s political landscape.”
Both individual-level perceptions and broader state-level trends mattered. At the individual level, people who felt personally out of step with the ideological climate of their state reported stronger intentions to migrate. At the state level, living in a generally pro-life or pro-choice state that conflicted with one’s beliefs heightened these feelings.
The study found these patterns across both sides of the abortion debate, and among both men and women. Whether someone identified as pro-life or pro-choice, the greater the perceived mismatch between personal values and anticipated state policy, the stronger the motivation to consider moving.
“We were initially surprised that pro-life advocates and men were just as motivated to consider relocating as pro-choice advocates and women,” Blanchar said. “That symmetry suggests it’s not just about access to abortion, but about wanting to live in a place that reflects one’s moral values—a pattern we’ve seen repeated in follow-up studies.”
There were some limitations to the study. Participants were not evenly distributed across states, and smaller states had fewer respondents. Although the researchers accounted for this in their analyses, future studies with larger and more balanced samples could provide greater precision. The study also relied on self-reported attitudes and intentions rather than observing actual migration patterns over time.
Although the study provides strong evidence for the link between abortion policies and migration intentions, it does not show that people actually moved. Expressed desires do not always translate into behavior, as real-world decisions to relocate are often influenced by factors like family ties, job opportunities, and financial considerations.
“Not everyone who’s dissatisfied with their state’s abortion laws will move, at least not right away,” Blanchar explained. “But over time, these patterns are likely to shape where people are willing to live, potentially influencing broader migration trends and reinforcing political divides.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2025.100222) Is Abortion Policy the Next Catalyst for Ideological Migration? Dobbs v. Jackson and Migration Intentions Across the United States,” was authored by John C. Blanchar and Catherine J. Norris.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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