Tara M. Busch’s research while affiliated with College of Southern Nevada and other places

Research suggests that fantasizing sexually about one’s partner enhances relationship quality as well as relational and personal well-being. No research exists to determine if engaging in romantic or sexual–romantic fantasies about one’s partner has similarly positive outcomes. The current research investigated how romantic, sexual, and sexual–romantic fantasies impact relationship quality via assessing relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction and desire, desire to engage in relationship promoting behaviors, and state level attachment (contextually variable attachment). Fantasizing frequency in participants’ daily lives was also examined in relation to relationship quality variables. Participants (n = 215) engaged in a sexual, romantic, or sexual–romantic fantasy about their partner, and completed various relationship and attachment questionnaires which were then quantitatively assessed against the outcome variables of relationship quality. Fantasy type did not impact relationship quality variables. However, participants reported strong desire to engage in relationship promoting behaviors, high sexual satisfaction, and strong sexual desire and satisfaction, potentially indicating that fantasizing, regardless of type, enhances relationship quality. Fantasizing in participant’s daily lives was positively correlated to relationship quality outcomes, reinforcing the idea that regular engagement in fantasies can be a valuable tool for maintaining and enhancing relationship quality. Fantasizing romantically and sexual-romantically significantly increased secure state level attachment, while sexual fantasizing had no effect on state level attachment. Interestingly, fantasizing romantically also increased anxious state level attachment. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how various fantasizing types impact relationship quality and attachment. Further suggestions for practical use are discussed.

The sexual double standard (SDS) suggests that society holds gendered standards for appropriate sexual behaviors and histories. Typically, people judge women with more sexual partners harshly, especially when those partners originate from non-committed/casual relationships. The current research (n = 853) utilized a vignette design to investigate how one’s number of sexual partners, and what type of relationships those partners came from (long/short-term, exclusive/non-exclusive), impacted evaluations of them and intentions to interact with them, including desire to date and engage in sexual intercourse with the target individuals. Results did not indicate the presence of the SDS, however, those with higher numbers of sexual partners, or those described as being involved in short-term/casual relationships in the past rather than long-term/committed relationships, were evaluated less favorably, and participants reported less desire to engage sexually or romantically with them. Some evidence for the Reverse-SDS emerged such that target men were evaluated more negatively and desired less than women despite having engaged in the same sexual behavior.

Women display a wide range of subjective (self-reported), physiological (genital response), and emotional responses to sexual stimuli. Sexual responses are often assessed using quantitative methodologies; qualitative data can corroborate quantitative data and reveal novel information and avenues for discovery for understanding variations in patterns of sexual response. The current study examined women’s (n = 148) responses to various sexual and non-sexual stimuli through open-ended, free response thought journals immediately after watching various neutral (nature themed) and sexually explicit video clips (e.g., solitary masturbation, intercourse). A qualitative content analysis of 842 responses was conducted by five independent coders to determine participants’ thoughts immediately after viewing stimuli. Prominent themes included: (1) stimulus appraisals; (2) emotional expressions; and (3) self-reflections and disclosures, which further included participants’ sexual-self-disclosures; (4) various degrees of sexual arousal (or lack thereof); and (5) sexual and non-sexual desires. Additional analyses include frequencies and comparisons of specific themes between stimulus types. Findings contribute to understanding cognitive and emotional components of sexual response.