#hanky-panky

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Relationships
fromHuffPost
17 hours ago

Embracing 'Outercourse' Might Totally Transform Your Sex Life

Outercourse encompasses various sexual activities beyond penetration, enhancing sexual pleasure and intimacy.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who let their pets sleep in their bed aren't clingy or emotionally stunted - they've found one of the only relationships in modern life that offers unconditional presence without the performance anxiety that makes human connection so exhausting - Silicon Canals

Needing comfort from pets is not a weakness; it can enhance emotional well-being and reduce anxiety.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

What Happens When We Simultaneously Seek and Avoid Intimacy?

Loneliness has escalated to a public health crisis, significantly impacting mortality rates and emotional well-being.
LGBT
fromQueerty
2 days ago

Cavorting with chatbots?! Survey reveals whether people think sexting with AI is cheating - Queerty

AI is transforming interactions within the LGBTQ+ community, impacting relationships and social dynamics significantly.
#intimacy
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
11 hours ago

Before You Share Your Body, Ask: Do They Know You?

Physical intimacy often occurs before emotional intimacy, highlighting a paradox in relationships where vulnerability is avoided despite physical closeness.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
11 hours ago

Before You Share Your Body, Ask: Do They Know You?

Physical intimacy often occurs before emotional intimacy, highlighting a paradox in relationships where vulnerability is avoided despite physical closeness.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology suggests the most attractive person in the room is almost never the one trying hardest to be - because effort in the direction of attractiveness is visible, and visibility of effort is the one thing that reliably cancels the effect it's trying to produce - Silicon Canals

Authenticity is more appealing than effortful perfection in social interactions.
#sexual-orientation
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
12 hours ago

I Have the Holy Trinity of Sex Problems. I Know What Would Solve Them, but I'm Too Scared to Try.

Exploring sexual orientation can involve complex feelings and societal pressures, especially regarding bisexuality and the fear of judgment.
#friendship
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The friendships that survive months of silence and pick up exactly where they left off aren't casual. They're evidence that someone once knew you beneath the performance, and the connection lives at a layer that doesn't require maintenance because it was never built on the surface in the first place. - Silicon Canals

Low-maintenance friendships can be deep connections that endure silence and distance, indicating a strong underlying bond.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who drop their friends as soon as they get into a new relationship aren't choosing love over friendship - they're revealing that the friendships were always filling a need the relationship now fills, and the difference between a friend and a placeholder is something most people only discover when the relationship arrives and the friends quietly disappear - Silicon Canals

Friendships often fade when one partner enters a romantic relationship, revealing the superficial nature of some connections.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The friendships that survive months of silence and pick up exactly where they left off aren't casual. They're evidence that someone once knew you beneath the performance, and the connection lives at a layer that doesn't require maintenance because it was never built on the surface in the first place. - Silicon Canals

Low-maintenance friendships can be deep connections that endure silence and distance, indicating a strong underlying bond.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who drop their friends as soon as they get into a new relationship aren't choosing love over friendship - they're revealing that the friendships were always filling a need the relationship now fills, and the difference between a friend and a placeholder is something most people only discover when the relationship arrives and the friends quietly disappear - Silicon Canals

Friendships often fade when one partner enters a romantic relationship, revealing the superficial nature of some connections.
Television
fromThe Atlantic
2 weeks ago

The People Are Starved for Romance

Vladimir fails to deliver genuine chemistry and emotional connection, relying instead on superficial motifs of desire and repetitive fantasies.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Most people don't realize that the dishonest people in their lives rarely lie about facts - they lie about their intentions, and that specific distinction is why you keep feeling confused rather than simply hurt - Silicon Canals

Intention lies involve sharing true facts with hidden motives, making them difficult to detect.
#relationships
fromSilicon Canals
21 hours ago
Relationships

There is a specific kind of couple that fights about dishes, laundry, and thermostat settings for fifteen years before one of them finally says the real sentence, which is: I need to know that you see what I do without me having to build a case for it every time. - Silicon Canals

Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

My Sister Kept Her Man a Secret for 25 Years. Now That I Know Why, I Wish She'd Never Told Me.

Accepting your sister's partner is a reality you must face, regardless of personal feelings about their choices.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
21 hours ago

There is a specific kind of couple that fights about dishes, laundry, and thermostat settings for fifteen years before one of them finally says the real sentence, which is: I need to know that you see what I do without me having to build a case for it every time. - Silicon Canals

Couples often argue about trivial matters like chores, but these disputes reflect deeper emotional needs and unresolved issues in the relationship.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

My Sister Kept Her Man a Secret for 25 Years. Now That I Know Why, I Wish She'd Never Told Me.

Accepting your sister's partner is a reality you must face, regardless of personal feelings about their choices.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

People who keep their circle small aren't antisocial. They genuinely learned that intimacy and popularity are opposing forces, even though loneliness occasionally shows up as the cost of admission - Silicon Canals

Intimacy and popularity are competing pursuits; small social circles reflect a natural structure of human relationships, not a failure of social development.
#tolyamory
Relationships
fromHuffPost
1 week ago

You May Be In A 'Tolyamorous' Relationship Without Ever Having Discussed It

Tolyamory is a relationship dynamic where partners tolerate each other's outside romantic or sexual contacts without explicit agreement.
Relationships
fromHuffPost
1 week ago

You May Be In A 'Tolyamorous' Relationship Without Ever Having Discussed It

Tolyamory is a relationship dynamic where partners tolerate each other's outside romantic or sexual contacts without explicit agreement.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
1 day ago

My Boyfriend Has a Naughty Desire. But His Double Standard Is So Unfair, I Think I Have to Reject It on Principle.

Balancing personal desires and partner boundaries is crucial in sexual relationships.
#communication
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who would always rather call than text aren't demanding more of your time - they're asking for the one thing that separates a real conversation from the performance of one, which is the sound of another person being alive on the other end, and that need is not inconvenient, it is human - Silicon Canals

Phone calls foster deeper connections than text messages, capturing nuances of emotion that typed words cannot convey.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says people who are cold through text but warm in person aren't being inconsistent - they're showing you exactly where their warmth lives, which is in the room, in the eye contact, in the unrepeatable presence of another human being, and the medium that removes all of those things removes most of what they have to give - Silicon Canals

People's communication styles reflect their emotional energy, not their intentions or feelings towards others.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who would always rather call than text aren't demanding more of your time - they're asking for the one thing that separates a real conversation from the performance of one, which is the sound of another person being alive on the other end, and that need is not inconvenient, it is human - Silicon Canals

Phone calls foster deeper connections than text messages, capturing nuances of emotion that typed words cannot convey.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says people who are cold through text but warm in person aren't being inconsistent - they're showing you exactly where their warmth lives, which is in the room, in the eye contact, in the unrepeatable presence of another human being, and the medium that removes all of those things removes most of what they have to give - Silicon Canals

People's communication styles reflect their emotional energy, not their intentions or feelings towards others.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 weeks ago

The Psychology of Loyalty: It's Not About Options

Loyalty stems from character and internal values, not from lack of better options; it represents a deliberate choice rooted in integrity and identity.
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

I Had a Threesome With My Friend and Their Spouse. Then Things Started Getting Really Weird.

I actually went through with it, though, and we were not honest ahead of time. My friend's spouse was not aware and, as far as I know, is still unaware that their spouse and I had already been sleeping together before our threesome. We actually had a great time and would all three hang out as friends after the tryst (and had more), but it eventually ate away at me as they tried to involve me in really nice family things.
Miscellaneous
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Can Listening Move You to Love?

High-quality listening evokes Kama Muta, a powerful emotion of feeling moved by love, fostering emotional closeness in both listeners and speakers.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

My Wife Is Begging for a Repeat of My Special Performance in Bed. I Have Bad News.

Personal sexual boundaries should be respected, but societal pressures and misogyny can complicate attitudes towards oral sex.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

I hated small talk for thirty years because I thought it was shallow - until I noticed that every meaningful relationship I've ever had started with a conversation about the weather, a shared queue, or a throwaway comment that neither of us expected to lead anywhere - Silicon Canals

Small talk serves as a gateway to deeper conversations and meaningful relationships, contrary to the belief that it is shallow and pointless.
fromPsychology Today
4 weeks ago

The Real Science of Smell and Attraction

Unlike sight or sound, smell has a direct pathway to the amygdala and hippocampus-the regions involved in emotion and autobiographical memory. Because of this connection, memories triggered by scent are often more vivid and emotionally intense than those triggered by sight.
Psychology
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

My husband doesn't want to give up his mistress. Should I settle for half his heart? | Leading questions

Navigating infidelity involves complex emotions and difficult choices about love, loyalty, and self-worth.
#polyamory
Relationships
fromIrish Independent
3 days ago

Just Between Us: Would you let your partner sleep with someone else? Polyamory explained with Leanne Yau

Polyamory involves multiple consensual relationships, emphasizing communication, consent, and emotional intelligence, distinct from cheating or simply open relationships.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

As a psychologist, I've seen that polyamory doesn't fix relationships it reveals them | Carly Dober

Polyamory requires radical transparency and continuous dialogue; when one partner initiates it without genuine mutual agreement, psychological crises often result from unaddressed emotional needs and betrayals.
Relationships
fromIrish Independent
3 days ago

Just Between Us: Would you let your partner sleep with someone else? Polyamory explained with Leanne Yau

Polyamory involves multiple consensual relationships, emphasizing communication, consent, and emotional intelligence, distinct from cheating or simply open relationships.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

As a psychologist, I've seen that polyamory doesn't fix relationships it reveals them | Carly Dober

Polyamory requires radical transparency and continuous dialogue; when one partner initiates it without genuine mutual agreement, psychological crises often result from unaddressed emotional needs and betrayals.
San Francisco
fromThe Bold Italic
1 month ago

Love, Lust, and the Tuesday Morning Tow

Scarce unregulated street parking and strict municipal rules in San Francisco often make finding a parking spot decisive for romantic outings.
Relationships
fromQueerty
6 days ago

Sexpert explains the science behind "just okay" oral & why BJs don't always end in climax - Queerty

Oral sex often doesn't lead to climax for men due to different sensations compared to penetration.
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 month ago

Valentine's Day: What makes a good kiss? Here is the psychology behind it

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
US politics
Philosophy
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Is Romantic Curiosity a Virtue?

Romantic dating and shopping are both goal-directed; romantic window-shopping delivers short-term enjoyment from curiosity but rarely leads to long-term relationship outcomes.
Public health
fromIndependent
2 months ago

Asking for a friend: I felt amazing and naughty after having my first one-night stand over Christmas. Now I would like to explore having more casual sex safely. Where do I start?

Exploring casual sex after long-term monogamy can feel exciting and unsettling; take cautious, informed steps to stay safe and enjoy new experiences.
#sexual-desire
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Are Romantic Couples Really the Winners?

The researchers think it is fine to tell you only about the time it took each participant to get out of the box. After all, it is a study of box-escaping skill. Often, there is a highly relevant context to the story that is not mentioned. In my hypothetical example, it looks like this: The single person is in the box on the left. The door is shut, and there are boulders in front of it. The top of the box is taped shut.
Psychology
LGBT
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

My Boyfriend and I Are Stuck in a Vicious Sex Cycle. There Has to Be a Way Out.

Switching sexual roles requires gradual practice, clear communication, explicit consent, addressing physical discomfort and stigma, and using preparation and nonsexual role-play to build comfort.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 weeks ago

Is Making Love Different from Just Having Sex?

Making love differs from casual sex through patience, emotional intimacy, and temporal richness, involving slower, more tender interactions and deeper connection.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Can prolonged eye contact really make couples feel closer?

Prolonged eye contact activates brain regions for emotional recognition and social awareness, potentially strengthening relationships and mood management through nervous system arousal.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

I've Fallen in Love. But This Is the One Sort of Person I'm Not "Supposed" to Be With.

Sexual orientation and romantic attraction can be fluid and evolve throughout life; mutual love and attraction are valuable regardless of how they fit previous self-definitions.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

The Guy I'm Seeing Says I'm the "Exception" to Everything He Likes in Bed. Uh, Is This a Red Flag?

A partner's past mistreatment of other women is a significant red flag, regardless of how well he currently treats you.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

My New Girlfriend Just Told Me What She Wants Me to Do to Her in Bed. This Feels Wrong.

Communication about specific BDSM preferences is essential before assuming domination means denigration; partners should discuss what submission and dominance actually mean to them individually.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

How to Win at the Game of Love With Competitive Flirting

Flirting serves multiple adaptive functions: attracting mates by signaling erotic availability, deterring rivals by implying commitment, and manipulating social or material advantages.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago

I Lied About My Entire Identity to a Very Close Friend. Now I Want to Come Clean ... So I Can Sleep With Her.

A man who deceived his female friend by claiming to be gay to gain her trust cannot ethically pursue romance without confessing the deception first.
#sexual-intimacy
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
4 weeks ago

We've Always Been Mesmerized by Stories of How Couples Met. There's a Far More Interesting Question to Ask.

Modern couples increasingly meet online through apps and websites rather than through romantic meet-cute scenarios, contradicting traditional storytelling expectations about how relationships begin.
Relationships
fromScary Mommy
3 weeks ago

Why Do Women Like To Be Called 'Good Girl' In Bed? Sexperts Explain

Women may enjoy being called 'good girl' during sex because it combines mild submission with praise, often indicating a praise kink or power dynamic preference without requiring full BDSM engagement.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Nothing Is Riskier Than Love

Love is an attachment bond rooted in early development, inherently risky because it exposes vulnerability and carries the potential for loss.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
4 weeks ago

My Husband and I Host Sex Parties. We're Feuding Over the Next Guest of Honor.

Inviting an ex to a sex party with a no-contact agreement creates awkwardness and contradicts typical party dynamics where all attendees are assumed available unless explicitly excluded.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Myths About Attraction to Forget Before Valentine's Day

Personality similarity, physiological synchrony, and shared traits strongly predict romantic attraction, refuting the 'opposites attract' idea.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

3 Strategies for Indirectly Asking Someone Out

Indirect strategies for asking someone out can reduce anxiety and awkwardness by addressing six core concerns that typically prevent people from initiating romantic relationships.
#intimate-relationships
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Reimagining Intimate Relationships

Intimate relationships require collaborative negotiation between equal partners to create shared purpose, transcending traditional marriage structures and transactional arrangements.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Is Kissing Essential for Exciting Sex?

Passionate kissing ranges from light pecks to intense French kissing, serving as intimate emotional communication, yet many people avoid it despite its role in romantic relationships.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Reimagining Intimate Relationships

Intimate relationships require collaborative negotiation between equal partners to create shared purpose, transcending traditional marriage structures and transactional arrangements.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Is Kissing Essential for Exciting Sex?

Passionate kissing ranges from light pecks to intense French kissing, serving as intimate emotional communication, yet many people avoid it despite its role in romantic relationships.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

2 'Annoying Habits' That Show Your Partner Really Loves You

Deep, durable love is expressed through willingness to engage with discomfort and address unresolved issues, not just through comfort and validation.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

A moment that changed me: my girlfriend criticised my kisses and it led to the best decision of my life

A young smoker quit a two-pack-a-day habit after his girlfriend refused to kiss him, finding her disapproval more motivating than health concerns.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

My Fiance Has Developed a Baffling, Childish Way of Initiating Sex. I Dread It.

Communication about sexual preferences is necessary to address changes in a partner's approach to intimacy, even if it risks temporary discomfort.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

What Puts a Woman in the Mood?

The mind is the primary sex organ for women, serving as the gatekeeper for physical intimacy, and emotional connection with a partner significantly increases sexual desire.
Relationships
fromMail Online
1 month ago

What's YOUR flirting style? Scientists reveal 6 key pulling tactics

Scientists identified six distinct flirting tactics: imagined future, metalinguistic reference, self-praise, humour, sexual innuendo, and additional categories used to signal romantic or sexual interest.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Why Dating and Relationships Can Be Awkward and Embarrassing

Awkward dating conversations stem from face threats to positive and negative self-image, and indirect, face-saving strategies reduce discomfort and improve initiating, intensifying, and ending relationships.
Relationships
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

More people want open relationships, but here's why many don't last

Open relationships enjoy greater acceptance among younger adults but are often experimented with rather than sustained as long-term relationship structures.
fromJezebel
1 month ago

Congrats to This Couple for Entering the 'Fling' Stage

After St. Barts, Brady told People: "You know what? I don't have much time for a personal life or much time for myself, but I love working, and I love my kids," effectively brushing off the rumors. However, that peace didn't last long as the two were spotted a few weeks later dancing and chatting at a Super Bowl after-party.
Relationships
#passionate-love
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

I Always Used to Love Hearing About My Single Friends' Sex Romps. Something Has Changed.

Sex jealousy stems from comparing a committed relationship to others' sexual experiences and can be eased by increasing intimacy, introducing novelty, or finding external excitement.
Relationships
fromBig Think
1 month ago

Science shows curiosity is at the heart of great dates-and lasting love

Structured, escalating reciprocal personal self-disclosure accelerates intimacy and can generate rapid emotional closeness between partners.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

My Wife Suggested I Try Out a New Sexual Experience. Where It Needs to Happen, Though, Is a Whole New World to Me.

Follow posted rules, bring cash, be polite, tip well, avoid touching performers, confirm extra charges, and consider visiting during slow hours.
Relationships
fromHuffPost
1 month ago

This Is What Couples Who Are Really In Love Look Like, According To Body Language Experts

Nonverbal behaviors—touch, gaze, posture, and spatial movement—form the emotional undercurrent that signals intimacy, intentions, and trust between romantic partners.
Relationships
fromIndependent
1 month ago

Asking for a friend: I've caught feelings for the guy I've been having a fling with. It's been mostly just sexual but I think we could be more. Should I risk telling him?

A casual fling shifted into unreciprocated romantic feelings, and revealing those feelings risks losing the connection but might also uncover mutual feelings.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

I'm Having the Best Sex of My Life. It Might Also Be the Most Dangerous.

Consensual, risk-aware BDSM that prioritizes safety, slow progression, trustworthy partners, and bodily signals can be mentally beneficial while requiring attention to physical and emotional risks.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Sex and Intimacy

Repairing sexual conflict begins by making sex comfortable to discuss, enabling honest expression of wants and promoting intimacy through caring, thoughtful behavior.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

I spent years meeting strangers for masochistic hook-ups. Was I a sex addict?

Suppressing sexual needs and kinks can lead to escalating compulsive behavior and eventual pursuit of compatible partners through online kink communities.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Couples who cuddle while sleeping are far happier than those who don't - Silicon Canals

When I first read that couples who touch while sleeping report 94% relationship satisfaction compared to just 68% for those who don't, I nearly fell off my chair. Could something as simple as nighttime cuddling really make that much difference? After diving deep into the research and reflecting on my own relationship, I discovered that those quiet moments of physical closeness might be one of the most underrated predictors of relationship happiness.
Relationships
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Suitability Is the Name of the Romantic Game

Partner value combines stand-alone traits and personal suitability, with suitability and relational qualities like kindness ultimately determining long-term romantic success.
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

How to Be an Apprentice to Love

Love doesn't always come naturally; many of us need guidance about how to feel love and express it. There are many ways we can, consciously or not, block the experience of loving and being loved. Deep-seated fears of being hurt, used, or deceived often stop us from accepting love. Acknowledging that these fears are normal is the first step to overcoming them.
Relationships
Relationships
fromCN Traveller
1 month ago

To truly know your partner, you must travel with their family

Going on holiday with a partner's family reveals hidden aspects of their personality through everyday behaviors and family dynamics.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

What Porn, Affairs, and Early Romance Teach Us About Desire

Passion intensifies when uncertainty, vulnerability, and risk are present, whereas safety and predictability in long-term relationships often diminish erotic intensity.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Three Roads Diverged in Romantic Life

Profound love is about the desire to live with a partner who can thrive in a mutual relationship. Sometimes, life wins out over love, and one partner may say, "I will always love you, but we cannot flourish together." Profound love isn't always synonymous with long-term love; some couples divorce despite deep affection. The heart of enduring love is the capacity to bring out the best in each other.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

My Wife Just Told Me What She Thinks About While We Have Sex. It's So Much Worse Than I Thought.

At any point, any of your partners may have been thinking of someone (or even something) else to help themselves get over the edge. The idea of making someone orgasm with, to put it your way, just you is an illusion. People bring a lifetime of experience to the sex they have, including ways to help facilitate orgasm. Sex alone may not be enough to get your wife to come.
Relationships
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

I've Been Harboring a Secret, Messy Crush. The Consequences Could Be Devastating.

Attraction to someone outside a monogamous relationship requires setting boundaries, protecting existing commitments, and carefully balancing honesty, support, and others' emotional safety.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

My Wife Can Get Me to the Finish Line in Many Ways. Except the One I Really Want.

Some men cannot reach orgasm from oral stimulation; trying temporary abstinence, prostate stimulation, or adjusting stimulation dynamics may help but results are not guaranteed.
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