Justin R. Garcia’s research while affiliated with Indiana University East and other places

Assessing the relationships between emoji use and traits related to communication and interpersonal skills can provide insights into who employs emojis and the psychological mechanisms underlying computer-mediated communications. This online study investigated associations between emoji use frequency, attachment style, and emotional intelligence across genders and relationship types in a Mechanical Turk sample of 320 adults (≥18y; 191 women, 123 men, and 4 transgender individuals). Correlational analyses showed that emotional intelligence was positively related to emoji use with friends, while avoidant attachment was negatively related to emoji use with friends and dating or romantic partners. This pattern of associations varied across genders and relationship types, with women using emojis more frequently than men with friends and family. Such findings suggest that individuals higher on emotional intelligence with secure attachment may employ emojis more frequently across contexts where more conventional non-verbal cues are lacking. These findings are important given the prevalence of virtual communications in our everyday lives.

Background Research demonstrates significant gender- and sexual orientation–based differences in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse; however, this “orgasm gap” has not been studied with respect to age. Aim The study sought to examine age-related disparities in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse by gender and sexual orientation. Methods A survey sample of 24 752 adults from the United States, ranging in age from 18 to 100 years. Data were collected across 8 cross-sectional surveys between 2015 and 2023. Outcomes Participants reported their average rate of orgasm during sexual intercourse, from 0% to 100%. Results Orgasm rate was associated with age but with minimal effect size. In all age groups, men reported higher rates of orgasm than did women. Men’s orgasm rates ranged from 70% to 85%, while women’s ranged from 46% to 58%. Men reported orgasm rates between 22% and 30% higher than women’s rates. Sexual orientation impacted orgasm rates by gender but not uniformly across age groups. Clinical Translation The persistence of the orgasm gap across ages necessitates a tailored approach in clinical practice and education, focusing on inclusive sexual health discussions, addressing the unique challenges of sexual minorities and aging, and emphasizing mutual satisfaction to promote sexual well-being for all. Strengths and Limitations This study is the first to examine the orgasm gap with respect to age, and does so in a large, diverse sample. Findings are limited by methodology, including single-item assessments of orgasm and a sample of single adults. Conclusion This study revealed enduring disparities in orgasm rates from sexual intercourse, likely resulting from many factors, including sociocultural norms and inadequate sex education.

Objective The objective of this study is to examine mental health treatment utilization and interest among the large and growing demographic of single adults in the United States, who face unique societal stressors and pressures that may contribute to their heightened need for mental healthcare. Method We analyzed data from 3,453 single adults, focusing on those with possible mental health treatment needs by excluding those with positive self-assessments. We assessed prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of mental health treatment, including psychotherapy and psychiatric medication use, and interest in attending psychotherapy among participants who had never attended. Results 26% were in mental health treatment; 17% were attending psychotherapy, 16% were taking psychiatric medications, and 7% were doing both. Further, 64% had never attended psychotherapy, of which 35% expressed interest in future attendance. There were differences in current psychotherapy attendance and psychiatric medication use by gender and sexual orientation, with women and gay/lesbian individuals more likely to engage in both forms of mental health treatment. Additionally, interest in future psychotherapy among those who had never attended varied significantly by age, gender, and race. Younger individuals, women, and Black/African-American participants showed higher likelihoods of interest in psychotherapy. Conclusion Our research highlights a critical gap in mental health treatment utilization among single adults who may be experiencing a need for those services. Despite a seemingly higher likelihood of engagement in mental health treatment compared to the general population, only a minority of single adults in our sample were utilizing mental health treatment. This underutilization and the observed demographic disparities in mental health treatment underscore the need for targeted outreach, personalized treatment plans, enhanced provider training, and policy advocacy to ensure equitable access to mental healthcare for single adults across sociodemographic backgrounds.

Affectionate touch (e.g. hugging, handholding) is an essential component of many intimate relationships and is a primary contributor to overall relationship satisfaction as well as sexual satisfaction. Affectionate touch is understood to be a form of non-verbal communication in which the giver is expressing positive feelings toward the receiver. Here, we propose that affectionate touch also positively impacts receivers' body satisfaction, because affectionate touch is a positive message communicated toward the receiver's body. In a cross-sectional sample of romantically partnered women (N = 1,156), we assessed the association between affectionate touch frequency and body satisfaction. We also investigated whether affectionate touch is associated with relationship/sexual satisfaction in part because touch helps to improve women's evaluations of their own bodies. Our results showed that body satisfaction was a significant, partial mediator and a valid path through which affectionate touch shapes relationship quality. Receiving affectionate touch could bolster relationship satisfaction and self-perceptions among women. Given the prevalence of body dissatisfaction amongst women, these results suggest that the underexplored associations between affectionate touch and body satisfaction may have significant impacts on a wide array of future empirical and applied research trajectories.

Orgasm gaps between heterosexual men and women, and for women across sexual orientations, are well-established in research. However, no large-scale assessments of orgasm frequency by race/ethnicity exist. Here, we analyzed 10 years of cross-sectional Singles in America survey data between 2011 and 2021 to investigate the orgasm gap at the intersection of gender and racial/ethnic identity (i.e. White, Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian) for heterosexual participants (N = 27,347). White and Hispanic/Latino men reported greater orgasm frequency than Black and Asian men. Hispanic/Latino women reported the greatest orgasm frequency, and Asian women reported the lowest, with White and Black women's frequencies in between. The orgasm gap between men and women was largest for White (d = 0.89) and Asian (d = 0.86) groups, although Asian participants reported a lower orgasm frequency than White participants overall. The orgasm gap was smaller for Hispanic/Latino participants (d = 0.66), because Hispanic/Latino women reported a greater orgasm frequency than other racial/ethnic groups of women. The orgasm gap was smaller for Black participants (d = 0.61), because Black men reported a lower orgasm frequency than some other racial/ethnic groups of men. This descriptive study serves as an important starting point for future research on orgasm experiences across racial/ethnic groups.

Prior research has demonstrated that sexual harassment in public spaces is common; however, little is known about the contexts or types of harassment that occur in different public venues. Understanding the contexts of sexual harassment could inform tailored interventions for different public venue types. This study evaluated the prevalence, vulnerability to, and contexts of sexual harassment in public venues. Participants (N = 1,024) of all ages (18–90) from across the United States were recruited through TurkPrime/CloudResearch panels and completed an online questionnaire about experiences of unwanted sexual attention and sexual harassment/assault in nine types of public venues (including nightlife venues, public and private transportation services, sporting events, and conventions) over the past five years. We assessed individual (e.g., gender, sexual identity) and contextual (e.g., level of venue crowding, role of alcohol/drugs) factors in relation to sexual harassment in public. A total of 41.5% of participants reported an experience of unwanted sexual attention in the past five years, with cisgender women and transgender/nonbinary/gender expansive individuals reporting higher rates than cisgender men. A total of 25.8% of participants reported sexual harassment/assault in public spaces, and there were no gender differences. Respondents who were younger, LGBQ+, and lived in metropolitan areas were more likely than older, heterosexual, and those in non-metropolitan areas, respectively, to experience unwanted attention and harassment/assault. The contexts for the sexual harassment/assault differed across venue types, highlighting the need for prevention interventions that are targeted to specific types of public spaces.

The current investigation examined whether women’s perceptions of the sex ratio (ratio of women to men) in the local population influence their body dissatisfaction and weight loss motivations. A higher ratio of women to men in a given population signifies a relative abundance of same-sex mating competitors, intensifying female intrasexual competition. Five studies (N = 1,776) tested the hypotheses that women’s perceptions of a female-skewed sex ratio would correspond to increased feelings of intrasexual competitiveness and perceptions of unfavorable mating prospects, which would, in turn, be associated with heightened body dissatisfaction and weight loss motivations. Among university and community women (Studies 1and 2), perceptions of a female-skewed sex ratio corresponded to greater intrasexual competitiveness, increased body dissatisfaction, and increased dieting inclinations. Among single women, assessments of a female-skewed sex ratio corresponded to perceptions of unfavorable mating prospects, increased romantic pressure to alter their appearance, and higher body dissatisfaction (Study 3). Studies 4 and 5 experimentally manipulated perceived sex ratio. Women in the female-skewed condition felt less satisfied with their weights and shapes, but only if they believed the manipulation (Study 4). In Study 5, using a within-subjects design, women who evaluated a male-skewed (vs. female-skewed) dating profile array subsequently desired to lose less weight. Findings suggest women’s perceptions of their social environments may contribute to body image and dieting motivations.

In a multinational project (N = 3707), we factor analyzed a commonly used self-report measure of intrasexual competition and found a three-dimensional system. We called these factors envy (i.e., wanting what others have), jealousy (i.e., protecting what one has), and competitiveness (i.e., beliefs that one is better). To better understand these factors and test whether the solution is sensible, we examined sex differences and correlations with the Dark Triad traits (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism), life history strategies, and age. Results are discussed using an adaptationist lens.

Unlabelled: Around 142 million American adults are currently single; at least half of these singles want to pursue a romantic partner. Romantic dating can involve exposure to numerous people. Thus, dating can significantly impact pathogen exposure risk. In a demographically-representative cross-sectional survey conducted in 2021 (N = 5,000), we examined U.S. American singles' COVID-19 vaccination status, assessed their preferences around a potential partner's COVID-19 vaccination status, and identified demographic subgroups of singles particularly opposed to or indifferent to a partner being vaccinated against COVID-19. Our results showed 65% of participants were fully vaccinated, 10% were partially vaccinated, and 26% were unvaccinated against COVID-19. With regards to partner preferences, half wanted a vaccinated partner; 18.9% wanted a vaccinated partner but would make exceptions; 6.1% wanted an unvaccinated partner; and 25% reported that they did not care about their dating partner's vaccination status. Partner preferences were largely aligned with participants' own vaccination status, such that vaccinated participants preferred vaccinated partners. However, those preferring unvaccinated partners-or those willing to make exceptions for a partner-were most likely to identify as men, younger in age, a political affiliation outside of the two-party political system, a gender or sexual minority, or as a racial minority (i.e., Black/African-American or South Asian). Additionally, participants who were employed (vs. unemployed) were more likely to make exceptions for or prefer an unvaccinated partner. These results suggest that singles prefer homophily in COVID-19 vaccine status, and that minoritized subgroups of singles are more likely to maintain a social network including unvaccinated close others. Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12119-023-10097-9.

Mate value is an important concept in mate choice research although its operationalization and understanding are limited. Here, we reviewed and evaluated previously established conceptual and methodological approaches measuring mate value and presented original research using individual differences in how people view themselves as a face-valid proxy for mate value in long- and short-term contexts. In data from 41 nations (N = 3895, Mage = 24.71, 63% women, 47% single), we tested sex, age, and relationship status effects on self-perceived mate desirability, along with individual differences in the Dark Triad traits, life history strategies, peer-based comparison of desirability, and self-reported mating success. Both sexes indicated more short-term than long-term mate desirability; however, men reported more long-term mate desirability than women, whereas women reported more short-term mate desirability than men. Further, individuals who were in a committed relationship felt more desirable than those who were not. Concerning the cross-sectional stability of mate desirability across the lifespan, in men, short- and long-term desirability rose to the age of 40 and 50, respectively, and decreased afterward. In women, short-term desirability rose to the age of 38 and decreased afterward, whereas long-term desirability remained stable over time. Our results suggest that measuring long- and short-term self-perceived mate desirability reveals predictable correlates. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10508-023-02601-x.