Skip to main content
Log in

Post Sex Affectionate Exchanges Promote Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction

Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current research examined the role of post sex affection in promoting sexual and relationship satisfaction in ongoing romantic partnerships. Since romantic partners view the period after engaging in sex as an important time for bonding and intimacy, we sought to determine if and how the duration and quality of post sex affection might promote satisfaction in romantic relationships. In two studies, we tested the link between post sex affectionate behavior (e.g., cuddling, caressing, shared intimacy) and sexual and relationship satisfaction. In Study 1, a cross-sectional survey of individuals in romantic relationships (N = 335), duration of post sex affection was associated with higher sexual satisfaction and, in turn, higher relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, a daily experience study of 101 established couples (N = 202) with a 3-month follow-up, day-to-day changes in post sex affection duration and quality were associated with both partners’ sexual and relationship satisfaction, and engaging in longer and more satisfying post sex affection over the course of the study was associated with higher relationship and sexual satisfaction 3 months later. In general, the pattern of results was consistent for men and women, but the association between the duration of post sex affection and relationship satisfaction was stronger for women than for men (Study 1) and women, but not men, felt more sexually satisfied when their partner reported higher quality post sex affection (Study 2). The findings suggest that the period after sex is a critical time for promoting satisfaction in intimate bonds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 579–616. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145030.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brezsnyak, M., & Whisman, M. A. (2004). Sexual desire and relationship functioning: The effects of marital satisfaction and power. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 30, 199–217. doi:10.1080/00926230490262393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011). Amazon’s Mechanical Turk: A new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 3–5. doi:10.1177/1745691610393980.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual strategies theory: An evolutionary perspective on human mating. Psychological Review, 100, 204–232. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.100.2.204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S. (2005). Relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction: A longitudinal study of individuals in long-term relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 42, 113–118. doi:10.1080/00224490509552264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S., & Wang, A. (2004). Understanding sexuality in close relationships from the social exchange perspective. In J. H. Harvey, A. Wenzel, & S. Sprecher (Eds.), The handbook of sexuality in close relationships (pp. 203–234). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Call, V., Sprecher, S., & Schwartz, P. (1995). The incidence and frequency of marital sex in a national sample. Journal of Marriage & the Family, 57, 639–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, L. M., Nathanson, C. A., & Kim, Y. J. (2009). Physical women, emotional men: Gender and sexual satisfaction in midlife. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 87–107. doi:10.1007/s10508-007-9215-y.

  • Cheung, M. W. L., Wong, P. W. C., Liu, K. Y., Yip, P. S. F., Fan, S. Y., & Lam, T. (2008). A study of sexual satisfaction and frequency among Hong Kong Chinese couples. Journal of Sex Research, 45, 129–139. doi:10.1080/00224490801987416.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Colson, M. H., Lemaire, A., Pinton, P., Hamidi, K., & Klein, P. (2006). Sexual behaviors and mental perception, satisfaction and expectations of sex life in men and women in France. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 3, 121–131. doi:10.111/j.1743-6109.2005.00166.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, K., Boren, J. P., Hannawa, A. F., Hesse, C., McEwan, B., & Veksler, A. E. (2009). Kissing in marital and cohabiting relationships: Effects on blood lipids, stress, and relationship satisfaction. Western Journal of Communication, 73, 113–133. doi:10.1080/10570310902856071.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gangestad, S. W., & Simpson, J. A. (2000). The evolution of human mating: Trade-offs and strategic pluralism. Behaviorial and Brain Sciences, 23, 573–644. doi:10.1017/S0140525X0000337X.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulledge, A. K., Gulledge, M. H., & Stahmann, R. F. (2003). Romantic physical affection types and relationship satisfaction. American Journal of Family Therapy, 31, 233–242. doi:10.1080/01926180390201936.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, J., & Sherman, S. (1979). Afterplay: A key to intimacy. New York: Stein & Day Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, U., Philippsohn, S., Heiser, K., & Ruffer-Hesse, C. (2004). Low sexual desire in midlife and older women: Personality factors, psychosocial development, present sexuality. Menopause, 11, 726–741. doi:10.1097/01.ju.0000164397.64370.d9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haselton, M. G., & Buss, D. M. (2001). The affective shift hypothesis: The functions of emotional changes following sexual intercourse. Personal Relationships, 8, 357–369. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.2001.tb00045.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, J. R., Long, J. S., Smith, S. N., Fisher, W. A., Sand, M. S., & Rosen, R. C. (2011). Sexual satisfaction and relationship happiness in midlife and older couples in five countries. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40, 741–753. doi:10.1007/s10508-010-9703-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinchliff, S., & Gott, M. (2008). Challenging social myths and stereotypes of women and aging: Heterosexual women talk about sex. Journal of Women and Aging, 20, 65–80. doi:10.1300/J074v20n01_06.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, W. W., Harrison, D. F., & Crosscup, P. C. (1981). A short form scale to measure sexual discord in dyadic relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 17, 157–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, S. M., Harrison, M. A., & Gallup, G. G, Jr. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology, 5, 612–631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, S. M., & Kruger, D. J. (2011). Sex differences in post-coital behaviors in long- and short-term mating: An evolutionary perspective. Journal of Sex Research, 48, 496–505. doi:10.1080/00224499.2010.501915.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Impett, E. A., Muise, A., & Peragine, D. (2014). Sexuality in the context of relationships. In D. L. Tolman & L. M. Diamond (Eds.), APA handbook of sexuality and psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 269–315)., Person-based approaches Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, D. A., Kashy, D. A., & Cook, W. L. (2006). Dyadic data analysis. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruger, D. J., & Hughes, S. (2010). Variation in reproductive strategies influences post-coital experiences with partners. Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology, 4, 254–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laumann, E. O., Gagnon, J. H., Michael, R. T., & Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrance, K., & Byers, E. S. (1995). Sexual satisfaction in long-term heterosexual relationships: The interpersonal exchange model of sexual satisfaction. Personal Relationships, 2, 267–285. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.1995.tb00092.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lui, C. (2003). Does the quality of marital sex decline with duration? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 55–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulhall, J., King, R., Glina, S., & Hvidsten, K. (2008). Importance of and satisfaction with sex among men and women worldwide: Results of the Global Better Sex Survey. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5, 788–795. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00765.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potts, A., Grace, M., Vares, T., & Gavey, N. (2006). ‘Sex for life’? Men’s counter-stories on ‘erectile dysfunction’, male sexuality and ageing. Sociology of Health & Illness, 28, 306–329. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9566.2006.00494.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 879–891. doi:10.3758/BRM.40.3.879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Preacher, K. J., & Selig, J. P. (2010). Monte Carlo method for assessing multilevel mediation: An interactive tool for creating confidence intervals for indirect effects in 1-1-1 multilevel models [Computer software]. Available from http://quantpsy.org/.

  • Rahmani, A., Khoei, E. M., & Gholi, L. A. (2009). Sexual satisfaction and its relation to marital happiness in Iranians. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 38, 77–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., Bryk, A. S., Cheong, Y. F., & Congdon, R. T. (2004). HLM 6: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling. Chicago: Scientific Software International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regan, P. C. (2000). The role of sexual desire and sexual activity in dating relationships. Social Behavior and Personality, 28, 51–59. doi:10.2224/sbp.2000.28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rusbult, C. E., Martz, J. M., & Agnew, C. R. (1998). The Investment Model scale: Measuring commitment level, satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Personal Relationships, 5, 357–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selig, J. P., & Preacher, K. J. (2008). Monte Carlo method for assessing mediation: An interactive tool for creating confidence intervals for indirect effects [Computer software]. Available from http://quantpsy.org/.

  • Smith, A., Lyons, A., Ferris, J., Richters, J., Pitts, M., Shelley, J., & Simpson, J. M. (2011). Sexual and relationship satisfaction among heterosexual men and women: The importance of desired frequency of sex. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 37, 104–115. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2011.560531.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sprecher, S. (2002). Sexual satisfaction in premarital relationships: Associations with satisfaction, love, commitment, and stability. Journal of Sex Research, 39, 190–196. doi:10.1080/00224490209552141.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Traeen, B. (2010). Sexual dissatisfaction among heterosexual Norweigans in couple relationships. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 25, 132–147. doi:10.1080/14681991003622518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trivers, R. L. (1985). Social evolution. Menlo Park, CA: Benjamin/Cummings.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Anders, S. M., Edelstein, R. S., Wade, R. M., & Samples-Steele, C. R. (2013). Descriptive experiences and sexual vs. nurturant aspects of cuddling between adult romantic partners. Archive of Sexual Behavior, 42, 553–560. doi:10.1007/s10508-012-0014-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waite, L. J., Laumann, E. O., Das, A., & Schumm, P. L. (2009). Sexuality: Measures of partnerships, practices, attitudes, and problems in the National Social Life, Health, And Aging Study. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 64B(S1), i56–i66. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbp038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yabiku, S. T., & Gager, C. T. (2009). Sexual frequency and the stability of marital and cohabitating unions. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71, 983–1000. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00648.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Z., Zyphur, M. J., & Preacher, K. J. (2009). Testing multilevel mediation using hierarchical linear models: Problems and solutions. Organizational Research Methods, 12, 695–719. doi:10.1177/1094428108327450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by a Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) postdoctoral fellowship and a University of Guelph-Humber Research Grant awarded to Amy Muise and a SSHRC grant awarded to Emily A. Impett.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amy Muise.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Muise, A., Giang, E. & Impett, E.A. Post Sex Affectionate Exchanges Promote Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction. Arch Sex Behav 43, 1391–1402 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0305-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0305-3

Keywords

Navigation