Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Psychology of Religion

Sanctification of sex linked to heightened sexual satisfaction among religious couples, study finds

by Eric W. Dolan
January 2, 2022
in Psychology of Religion, Relationships and Sexual Health

[Subscribe to PsyPost on YouTube to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience]

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Heightened religiosity is associated with reduced sexual satisfaction among committed couples, according to new research in the Journal of Family Psychology. But there is an important exception: Religious individuals who believe their sexual relationship with their partner is sacred tend to have higher sexual satisfaction.

“It seems there are as many stories about how religion influences sexual relationships as there are people. For people who received religious messages about how sexuality is connected to original sin, a barrier to be overcome, an open sore to be scratched, or a natural depravity of the human body, religion just might not be the most positive force in their sexual relationship,” said study author Nathan Leonhardt, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto.

“Alternatively, if people received religious messages about how sexuality is sacred, sanctioned for being cocreators with God, and designed to help couples bond, experience pleasure, and enhance their commitment to each other, religion could be a positive force in their relationships. With this study, the goal was to better understand the nuance of how religion could be a positive or negative force in sexual relationships.”

For their research, Leonhardt and his colleagues surveyed 1,695 sexually active individuals recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and 481 couples (who had been in a committed relationship for at least two years) recruited from the marketing firm Bovitz Inc. The participants completed measures of religiosity, sexual inhibition, sexual sanctification, and sexual satisfaction.

“Religion has the potential to be a positive or negative force in a sexual relationship. Those who view the sexual relationship as sanctified, or holy, report having better sexual satisfaction. But if religion is not connected to couples viewing sex as sanctified, being more religious is connected to lower sexual satisfaction,” Leonhardt told PsyPost.

Those who scored high on sexual sanctification agreed with statements such as “The sexual bond I have with my partner is sacred to me” and “Our sexual relationship connects us to something greater than ourselves.”

The researchers also found that men’s religiosity predicted their female partner’s sexual sanctification, but women’s religiosity did not predict their male partner’s sexual sanctification. “Men seem to be something like gatekeepers to sanctified sex in a relationship, as men’s religiosity led to both his own and his partner’s higher sexual sanctification,” Leonhardt said.

Heightened sexual inhibition was associated with reduced sexual satisfaction. Surprisingly, however, feeling reluctant to act on sexual urges and being hesitant to participate in sexual opportunities did not appear to mediate the relationship between religiosity and sexual satisfaction.

“We expected inhibited sexual passion to explain why being more religious might be connected to lower sexual satisfaction, but we found that was not the case,” Leonhardt explained. “We still need to figure out what other factors might be involved for when religion is connected to lower sexual satisfaction.”

The researchers controlled for age, relationship length, race, marital status, sexual orientation, education, and income. But the study — like all research — includes some limitations. “This is a non-representative study at one time point, so it would be helpful to see how these findings hold up over time in a representative sample,” Leonhardt said.

“Religion is complicated,” he added. “It can lead someone to a wide variety of healthy and unhealthy behaviors and attitudes. Hopefully, this study can encourage couples, educators, and clinicians to consider steppingstones and roadblocks to how religion can improve a sexual relationship.”

The study, “Sanctification or Inhibition? Religious Dualities and Sexual Satisfaction“, was authored by Nathan D. Leonhardt, Dean M. Busby, Veronica R. Hanna-Walker, and Chelom E. Leavitt.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePin2Send

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

Harsh mothers more likely to have poor executive functioning and interpret others’ behavior as hostile

Machiavellianism most pronounced in students of politics and law, least pronounced in students of social work, nursing and education

Psychedelic treatment linked to substantial reduction in alcohol misuse and PTSD symptoms in US Special Operations Forces Veterans

Surprising link between exercise and negative memory bias discovered

Upward comparison on social media harms body image, self-esteem, and psychological well-being

Toxoplasma gondii parasite infection linked to cognitive deterioration in schizophrenia

RECENT

Scientists find that people use emojis to hide, as well as show, their feelings

Maladaptive personality traits can lead to social rejection via problematic love styles, study suggests

Psychedelic treatment linked to substantial reduction in alcohol misuse and PTSD symptoms in US Special Operations Forces Veterans

Upward comparison on social media harms body image, self-esteem, and psychological well-being

Study finds male heterosexuality is more precarious than women’s regardless of race

Machiavellianism most pronounced in students of politics and law, least pronounced in students of social work, nursing and education

Longitudinal study finds no evidence heavier smartphone use results from or triggers heightened stress

LGB individuals do not have better auditory “gaydar” compared to heterosexuals, study finds

Currently Playing

Are you a frequent apologizer? New research indicates you might actually reap downstream benefits

Are you a frequent apologizer? New research indicates you might actually reap downstream benefits

Are you a frequent apologizer? New research indicates you might actually reap downstream benefits

Social Psychology
People with dark personality traits are better at finding novel ways to cause damage or harm others

People with dark personality traits are better at finding novel ways to cause damage or harm others

Dark Triad
Exercising in nature produces psychological benefits and measurable changes in brain activity

Exercising in nature produces psychological benefits and measurable changes in brain activity

Cognitive Science
People with social anxiety tend to engage in restrictive “safety behaviors” that make them less likable, study finds

People with social anxiety tend to engage in restrictive “safety behaviors” that make them less likable, study finds

Anxiety
Study helps untangle the complicated relationship between psychopathy and emotional awareness

Study helps untangle the complicated relationship between psychopathy and emotional awareness

Psychopathy
People exposed to phubbing by their romantic partner are less satisfied with their romantic relationship

People exposed to phubbing by their romantic partner are less satisfied with their romantic relationship

Relationships and Sexual Health
  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychedelic Drugs
  • Dark Triad
  • Political Psychology

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.