On Monday, February 13, 2023, Dr. Jessica Maxwell from McMaster University joined us for an early Valentine’s Day at our weekly Social-Personality Brownbag series by presenting her talk: “Let’s talk think about sex: Applying Social Cognition Concepts to Sexual Relationships”.
You can find more information about Dr. Maxwell’s work here and her abstract below:
Abstract:
Let’s talk think about sex: Applying Social Cognition Concepts to Sexual
Our close relationships are vital to our overall health and well-being, and the quality of our sexual relationships is an important component of a happy romantic relationship. In this talk, I illustrate the utility of applying social cognition concepts (including implicit theories and biased perceptions) to understand how sex affects our relational, and overall well-being. Specifically, I introduce the Dual Process Sexual Evaluation Model to explain how positive sexual experiences may lead to subsequent positive relationship evaluations, and the critical moderating role of motivational factors in this process. I will discuss factors that buffer normative declines in couples’ sexual relationships, and how individual differences shape the role sexual satisfaction plays in life satisfaction. Overall, this talk will shed light on how the sexual aspect of couples’ relationships may contribute to couples’ well-being.