Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Spicing it up: A qualitative analysis of discussions of sexual novelty in mixed-gender couples. |
| Authors: |
Beninteso, Maya (AUTHOR), Pieruccini, Michael V. (AUTHOR), Rigby, Richard A. (AUTHOR), Cobb, Rebecca J. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: |
Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. Dec2025, Vol. 34 Issue 3, p456-469. 14p. |
| Subjects: |
Female reproductive organ diseases, Marriage, Research funding, Qualitative research, T-test (Statistics), Spouses, Human sexuality, Sexual excitement, Attitudes toward sex, Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Sexual desire disorders, Discussion, Sexual positions, Motivation (Psychology), Longitudinal method, Reflexivity, Thematic analysis, Male reproductive organ diseases, Sexual dysfunction, Interpersonal relations, Data analysis software, Video recording, Self-perception, Sexual health |
| Abstract: |
Sexual novelty, such as new sexual behaviour or experiences, is associated with sexual satisfaction and may buffer declines in sexual activity, sexual desire, and relationship satisfaction over time in committed relationships. The authors sought to understand how couples talk about sexual novelty in their relationships and interpreted themes within a self-expansion framework. Using reflexive thematic analysis, they qualitatively analyzed 28 mixed-gender (i.e., male–female pair) couples' conversations about a sexual problem in which they discussed novelty in their sexual relationship. They developed three themes related to motivation, barriers to engage in sexual novelty, and couples' perceptions of how sexual novelty had changed over time in their relationship. Motivations to implement sexual novelty included adding spice to maintain an already satisfying sexual relationship or to enhance satisfaction. Couples also considered novelty to manage sexual problems, such as a lack of orgasm or low desire. Couples may have been motivated to engage in sexual novelty because it is a self-expanding experience, which could benefit the sexual relationship. Although couples had positive views about sexual novelty, they also identified barriers to discussing novelty, such as uncertainty about partner interest, or implementing novelty because of the stress and effort it involved. Couples also talked about how their pursuit of sexual novelty had waxed and waned with time and how they might integrate novelty in their sex lives in the future, especially as an antidote to normal declines in sexual satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
