Perceptions of Infectability to Disease Moderate the Association between Daily Concerns about Contracting COVID-19 and Satisfaction with Sex.

ABSTRACT: The behavioral immune system is an evolved adaptation comprised of automatic behavioral, cognitive, and affective reactions that has allowed humans throughout evolutionary history to avoid situations that risk infection by pathogens (e.g., physical proximity to sick people). Although behavioral immune system activation may be functional by helping people avoid such situations, experiencing these automatic reactions during sexual interactions may undermine people's evaluations of those interactions because sex requires close physical contact. We examined whether two sources of behavioral immune system activation (daily concern over contracting COVID-19 and individual differences in infection concern) undermined satisfaction with sex among 318 partnered adults in the U.S. during the COVID-19

SUBMITTER: Hicks LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8218785 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature