The Science of Sex

Latest Episodes:

#29 – How KINKY is too KINKY? May 01, 2018

Show notes

In episode 29, Dr. Zhana and Joe talk to Dr. Christian Joyal about some of the more common (and uncommon) kinks and fetishes.

Paraphilia is defined as a condition characterized by abnormal sexual desires, typically involving extreme or dangerous activities. While this definition might draw some immediate conclusions, various paraphilias are very common, such as BDSM/kink, while others are more rare. On this week’s episode we spoke with Dr. Christian Joyal on his research on paraphilia and uncommon sexual interests.

Links to studies discussed in the episode:

What exactly is an unusual sexual fantasy?

The Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests

How anomalous are paraphilic interests?

About Our Guest

Christian Joyal, Ph.D., is doctor in neuropsychology, full professor at the University of Quebec, co-director of the International Center of Comparative Criminology and associate researcher at the Philippe-Pinel Institute of Montreal. His main research interests concern the neuroimaging of sexual arousal and sexual deviance, the definition of “normal” sexuality and paraphilias, as well as motives and origins of BDSM proclivities.

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#28 – Sex-Question-Palooza: The Sequel Apr 24, 2018

Show notes

The episode is all about YOU! This week Dr. Zhana takes your sex questions! You hit us up online and on social media and now Zhana gives you her science based answers in the most Dr. Zhana kind of way.

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#27 – Inside the Mind of the Vagina Scientist (Encore) Apr 17, 2018

Show notes

This week, Dr. Zhana and Joe talk to “The Vagina Scientist.”

Dr. Jim Pfaus and his team published an article attempting to resolve the controversy surrounding clitoral versus vaginal orgasms and we break it down in this episode of “The Science of Sex.”

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#26 – Pedophilia Explained Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

In episode 26, Things got a little heavy in this episode where we talked to James Cantor about his research on pedophilia.

We often think of pedophilia as a sexual attraction towards minors, but that’s actually not true. Western culture has become accustomed to viewing anyone under the age of 18 as a child, however biologically “children” become “adults” at a much earlier age. On average, puberty occurs between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and 12 and 16 for boys. While boys and girls can reach sexual maturity before the age of 18, we, as a culture, have decided that, on average, children reach a certain emotional maturity around 18. However, different states have agreed upon various ages for when a minor can consent to sexual activity. We often make the mistake of viewing adults who have sex with people under the age of 18 as pedophiles, but it’s actually a lot more complicated. So we spoke to Dr. James Cantor about his extensive research regarding pedophilia.

About Our Guest

Dr. James Cantor is a clinical psychologist and sexual behavior scientist, studying the nature and causes of sexual interests—from heterosexuality and homosexuality to rare and exotic desires from sexual fantasies of being swallowed to people who have sex while dressed or cross-dressed as animals. He and his team have used a wide range of neuroscientific techniques to examine pedophilia and its potential causes. Their results have shown that having a sexual interest in children is not a result of suffering sexual abuse in one’s own childhood, as generally believed, but an innate characteristic of neurological origin, like a sexual orientation. The implications of his team’s work have gained international interest, including his appearances on CNN, the BBC, and Dan Savage’s column Savage Love to discuss how society can better improve child safety and provide ethical treatment for atypical sexual interests.

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#25 – Do Women have a Sexual Orientation? Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

In episode 25, Dr. Zhana and Joe talk to J. Michael Baily about sexual orientation: What is it and do women have one?

Sexual orientation, although widely agreed upon to exist, is still disputed by some in the scientific community. Specifically, women’s sexual orientation has been questioned based on the assumption that women are more likely to be able to “change” their sexual orientation. Speaking with us about his work on sexual orientation on this episode is J. Micahel Bailey.

About Our Guest

J. Michael Bailey has been involved in research in a wide variety of fields and has one of the most diverse research programs of anyone in Canada. Currently he has over 8200 citations in Google Scholar, over 500 from the last calendar year. These are in fields as diverse and divergent as herpetology, space biology, and human sexuality. Most of Bailey’s research now is in psychology and health. An important part of his life has been as a science communicator. For ten years, he was a columnist on the TV science news show “Daily Planet” as well as “Scientist-in-Residence” for an additional five years for the Canadian Discovery Channel. While at Dalhousie University, he received the two major science communicator awards available in eastern Canada.

Don’t Miss this Week’s Foreplay…

You’ve heard of “ghosting,” but you probably haven’t heard of “mosting.” The term was first coined by MEL Magazine back in January and has been trending on social media in recent days. Journalist Tracy Moore wrote, “Mosting is when someone goes overboard on the fluff job and then vanishes. It’s not just someone being complementary and flattering; it’s someone faking being totally smitten when they aren’t.” She later clarified to the Huffington Post, “Mosting is ghosting, but where before you ghost, you completely love bomb the person with praise, compliments and faux perfect soulmate-type stuff.”

Male birth control might be a reality sooner than we thought. A new, small study presented in Chicago at the annual Endocrine Society meeting found an experimental drug called dimethandrolone (or DMAU), is both safe and effective. In a month-long trial involving 83 men, the drug was found to lower hormone levels without signs of testosterone deficiency or excess. Study authors said there was “marked suppression” of testosterone and of two hormones necessary for a man to produce sperm for those who took 400mg of DMAU, the highest dose. More research is needed before DMAU becomes a viable option for male birth control, but this drug is considered “a major step forward in the development of a once-daily “male pill.”

Afterglow

Porn Hub announced that it’s offering a $25,000 grant to fund a “human sexuality research project” to support university professors and researchers who supervise student fieldwork. The creation of the Pornhub Grant for Sexual Wellness coincides with the relaunch of the site’s Sexual Wellness Center (which I am featured on!), where users can read hundreds of articles on all aspects of sexual health. The grant aims to advance sexual research, whether it be “technological, medical or sociologically rooted,” according to a press release that boasts 85 million-plus visitors per day.

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#24 – Pumps…Strap Ons…and The Rubber Penis Illusion Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

In episode 24, we explore some of the ways that people can treat erectile dysfunction without medication.

There has been significant research conducted on those diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED). Many of those treatments include prescription medication, however there are also alternative options available. To discuss the variety of treatments for ED, we spoke with Dr. Richard Wassersug.

About Our Guest

Dr. Richard Wassersug is an Honorary Professor at the University of British Columbia and also an Adjunct Professor at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, LaTrobe University. He’s worked in a wide variety of fields from the biology of frogs, to space biology, and human sexuality. Most of his research now is in psychology and health. For ten years, he was a columnist on the TV science news show “Daily Planet” as well as “Scientist-in-Residence” for an additional five years for the Canadian Discovery Channel.

Don’t Miss This Week’s Foreplay…

A new survey of 2,000 US women by Cosmopolitan magazine found that 70 percent of millennials who have used the pill have stopped taking it or thought about stopping in for the past three years. Instead of the pill, many women have turned to smartphone apps to help track their fertility. Some of the more popular apps include, Natural Cycles ($79.99/year), MyFLO ($1.99), Clue (free with in-app purchases), and AskTia (free). While these apps can be a great alternative for people who do not wish to alter their body’s hormone levels, they still do not offer the effectiveness that medical birth control or condoms offer.

Afterglow

While some people identify as asexual or demisexual (requiring an emotional attraction before feeling sexual attraction), a term for the opposite phenomenon has been coined. Megasexuals are people who require a strong sexual attraction or connection before they find themselves able to experience emotional attraction to someone.

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#23 – Straight-ish Mar 20, 2018

Show notes

What does it mean when someone identifies as “mostly-straight?”

In episode 23, we talk to Dr. Ritch Savin-Williams about sexual fluidity and the Kinsey scale.

Ever since the development of the Kinsey scale for sexual orientation, there has been significant research on sexual fluidity. While some easily self-identify as gay, straight, bisexual, or pansexual, there are others who’s sexual orientation isn’t as clearly defined by society. Some folks feel as though they are “mostly” gay or straight, but many confuse this concept with bisexuality. On this week’s episode Dr. Zhana and Joe spoke with Dr. Ritch Savin-Williams on his extensive research on sexual fluidity, specifically those who are considered “mostly-straight.”

About Our Guest

Dr. Ritch C. Savin-Williams, Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, has written Bisexual Young Men [draft], Mostly Straight: Sexual Fluidity among Men (2017), Becoming Who I Am: Young Men on Being Gay (2016), and The New Gay Teenager (2005). He is a licensed clinical psychologist and has served as an expert witness on same-sex marriage, gay adoption, and Boy Scout court cases. Dr. Savin-Williams has consulted for media outlets such as MTV, 20/20, Oprah Winfrey, The Today Show, National Geographic, National Public Radio, Rolling Stone, Time, New York Times, and Washington Post. Dr. Savin-Williams blogs on Sex/Romance for Psychology Today.

Don’t Miss This Week’s Foreplay

According to Dr. Helen Fischer from the Kinsey Institute, men who own dogs get more dates. Owning a dog shows that you are responsible and are able to care for someone other than yourself. Various studies have backed up this claim, including one done in 1992 that found subjects in photographs were rated as happier and more likable when they posed with a dog. Also, a 2013 study found men who were described to volunteers as only interested in short-term flings were more likely to be seen as potential long-term lovers if they owned a dog.

Afterglow

According to the people at YouPorn, 24% of straight guys say they’ve watched GAY porn. And 39% of women have seen lesbian porn. They also found that 65% of men and 59% of women have watched videos on their site with their significant other.

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#22 – Wrap Your Thing Right Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

What are some of the most popular condom errors and how common are they?

In episode 22, Dr. Zhana and Joe talk to Dr. Cynthia Graham about the different ways people misuse condoms and make condom errors.

We’ve been actively talking and educating about condoms for decades now, and if people would only listen to scientists and public health professionals, everyone would be wrapping it up all the time! But that doesn’t seem to be the case, and too often, condoms don’t get used, and sometimes they get used but fail, and people end up with unwanted pregnancies and STIs. So Dr. Zhana and Joe sat down with Dr. Cynthia Graham and discussed her research on these errors.

About Our Guest

Cynthia Graham is a Professor of Sexual and Reproductive Health at the University of Southampton. She is also a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. Cynthia obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from McGill University and her Masters in clinical psychology from the University of Glasgow. She is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Cynthia is is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Sex Research. She has published over 140 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 40 book chapters. Her research interests focus on women’s sexual and reproductive health, in particular the behavioural effects of hormonal contraceptives, sexual excitation and sexual inhibition, sexual problems in women, and condom use errors and problems.

Don’t Miss this Week’s Foreplay…

According to a survey, only 12% of females have asked a male to send a dick pic.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that women LIKE one-night stands as long as these two conditions are met: they’re the one who initiated it and the other person was good at getting-it-on. And that second condition is definitely important. The researchers found that both women AND men are more likely to regret a one-night stand if the other person was mediocre in bed.

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#21 – To Shave Or Not to Shave Mar 06, 2018

Show notes

Is there a relationship between pubic hair and STD’s?

Pubic hair isn’t as popular as it once was. The majority of both men and women have engaged in some sort of grooming ‘down there,’ whether it’s some basic ‘manscaping’ or waxing everything off. But have you ever wondered if having (or not having) pubic hair made a difference in your susceptibility to STI’s? Turns out, not having any pubic hair may actually increase the chances of contracting an STI. To talk about the study that focuses on pubic hair, we interviewed Dr. Benjamin Breyer.

About Our Guest

Dr Benjamin Breyer is an Associate Professor of Urology and Epidemiology & Biostatistics at UCSF, but he’s also a practitioner, a surgeon, Chief of Urology, San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Breyer’s primary research interests involve studying the epidemiology of sexual dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms, and genitourinary trauma and reconstruction. His work has been funded by the NIH supported and he has authored or coauthored over 130 articles and book chapters.

Don’t Miss This Week’s Foreplay…

According to a new study, the G-spot is a myth! After conducting tests on a group of 13 women, researchers found no unique anatomical structure that is known as “the G spot.” However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the spot doesn’t exist, it just means that biologically there is no physical G-spot structure inside the vagina.

According to a survey, most people don’t wait too long before feeling comfortable enough to travel with someone. Women said they would go on a trip with someone after five dates, and the men said THREE!

What are the most common noises people make during sex? According to a new survey, 91% of men and 77% of women enjoy moaning, which came in first place. Following that, dirty talk, heavy breathing, and screaming were all popular. Even 8% of men and 13% of women said that silence was preferred.

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#20 – What Makes People Gay? Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

Are there biological factors that contribute to sexual orientation?

The question of whether biology plays a role in determining sexual orientation is heavily debated in the scientific community. While some people believe that sexual orientation is a choice, others disagree and believe that there is significant evidence to suggest that sexual orientation is decided before we’re even born. Studies have concluded that the brains of heterosexual vs homosexual individuals are organized differently. To talk about his research on this subject, Dr. Qazi Rahman joined us to help get to the bottom of this question.

About Our Guest

Dr Qazi Rahman is one of the leading scientists in the psychobiology of sexual orientation. His work explores the evolutionary, genetic, neurodevelopmental, and neurocognitive underpinnings of human sexual orientation and the philosophical implications of this science for broader issues. He is currently a senior lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, and his book, Born Gay: The Psychobiology of Sex Orientation, lays out his findings.

Unsolicited Dick Pics

According to a survey, only 12% of females have asked a male to send a dick pic. However, unsurprisingly, 46% of women say they have received one nonetheless. The survey also concluded that 44% of men think women find it sexy when they receive a photo of a guy’s junk, but 58% of women think receiving a dick pic is gross. Clearly we have some work to do on communication.

Mico-Cheating

Have you heard of “micro-cheating?” It encompasses a range of behaviors like fantasizing about or feeling attracted to someone other than your partner. According to Dr. Lisa Brateman, an NYC-based Psychotherapist and Relationship Specialist, the vast majority of people in relationships engage in “micro-cheating” and it is completely normal. The definition of micro-cheating varies from couple to couple, and most professionals suggest communicating with your partner about these thoughts and feelings. Who know? Maybe your partner is also attracted to that cute bartender.

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