Samantha J Dawson
Biographic Data
| ID | 236403 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Samantha J Dawson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Samantha J |
| FAMILY NAME | Dawson |
| SIGNATURE | DAWSON S J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of British Columbia |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2326-3773 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 78 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 31 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Empathic accuracy in couples: A daily diary study of relationship-related emotions
Empathic accuracy-the ability to accurately infer one's partner's emotions-has important implications for couples' relational well-being. Although distinct emotions convey various needs and elicit different responses between romantic partners, research on empathic accuracy-its patterns, underlying processes and relational consequences-across a spectrum of discrete emotions directed towards the partner or the relationship remains sparse. This stud…
Who Is “Doing It”? Casual Sex and WellBeing in Singlehood
The casual sex literature has mostly ignored the fact that casual sexual encounters typically occur in the broader context of lives lived single. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the casual sex experiences of single people. Using a discovery (Study 1, N = 747) and replication/extension (Study 2, N = 483) design, we investigated the frequency and characteristics of casual sexual relationships during singlehood and explored factors…
Are pornography use motivations related to behaviors toward the romantic partner? A dyadic daily diary study
Individuals in couple relationships often use pornography. Previous findings are inconsistent regarding how pornography use may affect couples and tend to focus on overall use and broad retrospective indicators of relationship functioning (e.g., relationship satisfaction). No research has considered the motivations behind pornography use and how they relate to daily dynamics between partners. Yet, the approach-avoidance sexual motivation theory s…
Emotional difficulties mediate the impact of adverse childhood experiences on compulsive buying-shopping problems
Demographic, Mental Health, and Substance Use Correlates of Self-Described Medicinal Use, Recreational Use, and Non-Use of Hallucinogenic Drugs
Sexuality myth endorsement is linked with poorer sexual and relational outcomes across demographic groups in a large and diverse sample
Sexual Excitation and Inhibition Moderate the Strength of Concordance Between Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors
The concordance between paraphilic interest and behavior is moderate to strong in previous studies. In the present study, we examined whether sexual excitation (SE) and sexual inhibition (SI) moderate the concordance between paraphilic interest and behavior, across several paraphilic themes. We expected that stronger concordance would be found at high levels of SE and weaker concordance would be found at high levels of SI, for both men and women.…
Distressing Problems with Sexual Function and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Daily and longitudinal associations between relationship catastrophizing and sexual well-being in the postpartum period
New parent couples report heightened relationship conflicts and challenges; how romantic partners regulate their emotions in response can have key implications for their sexual relationship. One way people might respond to these emotional challenges is through relationship catastrophizing, which refers to magnifying negative cognitions, ruminating on relationship problems, and adopting a helpless orientation toward coping with these problems. Rel…
Connecting through touch: Attitudes toward touch in pregnancy are associated with couples' sexual and affectionate behaviors across the transition to parenthood
Touch is a universal nonverbal action often used by romantic partners to demonstrate affection and care for each other. Attitudes toward touch might be particularly relevant across periods of relational strain-such as the transition to parenthood-when couples face many novel stressors and shifting priorities which can interfere with their sexual and affectionate experiences. New parent couples ( N = 203) completed self-report measures online acro…
What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Perinatal Sexual Education Is Linked with Couples’ Sexual Well-Being in Pregnancy and the Postpartum
Up to 88% of expectant and new parents report problems with their sexual well-being, yet less than 30% of individuals receive information about potential sexual problems from health-care professionals. Lack of information may contribute to difficulty adjusting to sexual challenges, and in turn, to poorer sexual well-being. The current study examined the following: 1) the amount of perinatal sexual health information individuals receive/access; 2)…
Examining Attentional Biases Elicited by Sexual Stimuli Using MouseView.js: An Online Paradigm to Mimic Eye Movements
Attention is a key mechanism underlying many aspects of sexuality, with eye-tracking studies revealing that attention is both sustained by sexual stimuli and corresponds with sexual interest. Despite its utility, eye-tracking experiments typically require specialized equipment and are conducted in a laboratory setting. The overarching objective of this research was to assess the utility of a novel online method, MouseView.js, for assessing attent…
Self-Compassion and Compassionate Love Are Positively Associated with Sexual and Relational Well-Being Among Expectant and New Parent Couples
A Longitudinal Examination of Common Dyadic Coping and Sexual Distress in New Parent Couples during the Transition to Parenthood
New parents experience significant disruption to their sexual relationships such as lower desire and sexual frequency relative to prepregnancy. Little is known about the sexual distress new parents feel related to these changes, how sexual distress evolves over time, or how coping with stress relates to this distress. New parent couples who engage in more adaptive, joint coping with mutual stressors—common dyadic coping (CDC)—may be better able t…
The Preparation Hypothesis Bristles
The Empirical Status of the Preparation Hypothesis: Explicating Women’s Genital Responses to Sexual Stimuli in the Laboratory
Sex Drive as a Possible Mediator of the Gender Difference in the Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests in a Nonclinical Sample
Relationship satisfaction and commitment in the transition to parenthood: A couple‐centered approach
Objective To provide a more comprehensive understanding of couple relationship satisfaction, commitment, and the dynamic between the two over the transition to parenthood. Background The transition to parenthood is an ideal time to concurrently study relationship satisfaction and commitment, as this period is filled with familial transitions such as less couple time, more domestic labor, and the formation of parent–child relationships. These fami…
Gynephilic Men’s and Androphilic Women’s Visual Attention Patterns: The Effects of Gender and Sexual Activity Cues
Men and women differ in the degree of specificity of sexual response and differences in attention to sexual cues may be a mechanism underlying these gendered patterns. The majority of previous research has examined attention using static images, which differ considerably from the dynamic videos used in studies of sexual response. To test attention as a potential mechanism involved in gendered sexual response, we used eye-tracking to examine visua…
A Longitudinal Investigation of Couples’ Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs in the Transition to Parenthood
Daily dyadic coping: Associations with postpartum sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction
The transition to parenthood involves numerous stressors. Consequently, many new parents report negative changes to their sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction relative to pre-pregnancy, with the most disruption reported at 3-months postpartum. While prior research suggests that dyadic coping-a couple's capacity to deal with stress effectively and mutually-is positively linked with relationship satisfaction, little is …
Individual and Relationship Predictors of Trajectories of Sexual Function across Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships
Many young adults report poor sexual function, but research typically fails to consider relationship context and how problems might evolve over time. Research is needed to provide insights into how sexual problems are experienced across relationships, as well as the types of sexual function problems associated with various trajectories. We investigated retrospective trajectories of sexual problems across the multiple relationships of 688 young ad…
Concordance of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors
We examined the concordance of paraphilic interests and behaviors across 13 themes in an online sample of 1,036 men and women. Paraphilic interests were significantly and positively correlated with behaviors across all 13 themes. Associations were strongest for masochism and sadism, and weakest for pedohebephilia and frotteurism. Paraphilic interest and behavior were significantly and positively correlated after accounting for gender and sexual o…
Longitudinal Associations between Depressive Symptoms and Postpartum Sexual Concerns Among First-time Parent Couples
Most first-time parents experience novel concerns about their sexuality such as worries about the effects of labor and delivery on their sex lives. The link between postpartum depressive symptoms and problems with sexual function is bidirectional; however, associations with postpartum sexual concerns (i.e., worries about one's sexuality that are not necessarily related to sexual function) have not been examined. First-time parent couples ( N = 99…
Exploring Comfort Levels and the Role of Compensation in Sexual Psychophysiology Study Participation
Effects of Individual Difference Variables, Gender, and Exclusivity of Sexual Attraction on Volunteer Bias in Sexuality Research
Concordance of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors
We examined the concordance of paraphilic interests and behaviors across 13 themes in an online sample of 1,036 men and women. Paraphilic interests were significantly and positively correlated with behaviors across all 13 themes. Associations were strongest for masochism and sadism, and weakest for pedohebephilia and frotteurism. Paraphilic interest and behavior were significantly and positively correlated after accounting for gender and sexual o…
Daily dyadic coping: Associations with postpartum sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction
The transition to parenthood involves numerous stressors. Consequently, many new parents report negative changes to their sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction relative to pre-pregnancy, with the most disruption reported at 3-months postpartum. While prior research suggests that dyadic coping-a couple's capacity to deal with stress effectively and mutually-is positively linked with relationship satisfaction, little is …
Sexual Fantasies and Viewing Times Across the Menstrual Cycle: A Diary Study
Visual Attention Patterns of Women with Androphilic and Gynephilic Sexual Attractions
Assessing the Relationship Between Sexual Concordance, Sexual Attractions, and Sexual Identity in Women
A Longitudinal Investigation of Couples’ Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs in the Transition to Parenthood
Longitudinal Associations between Depressive Symptoms and Postpartum Sexual Concerns Among First-time Parent Couples
Most first-time parents experience novel concerns about their sexuality such as worries about the effects of labor and delivery on their sex lives. The link between postpartum depressive symptoms and problems with sexual function is bidirectional; however, associations with postpartum sexual concerns (i.e., worries about one's sexuality that are not necessarily related to sexual function) have not been examined. First-time parent couples ( N = 99…
The Effects of Gender and Relationship Context Cues on Responsive Sexual Desire in Exclusively and Predominantly Androphilic Women and Gynephilic Men
Sexual desire may be "responsive," emerging from sexual arousal to sexually competent cues. Cues that elicit sexual arousal and desire differ, however, by gender and direction of sexual attractions. Further, relationship context cues are thought to be important for responsive desire, but this has not been tested directly. The current study examined gynephilic men's (n = 27) and exclusively (n = 23) and predominantly (n = 17) androphilic women's d…
Connecting through touch: Attitudes toward touch in pregnancy are associated with couples' sexual and affectionate behaviors across the transition to parenthood
Touch is a universal nonverbal action often used by romantic partners to demonstrate affection and care for each other. Attitudes toward touch might be particularly relevant across periods of relational strain-such as the transition to parenthood-when couples face many novel stressors and shifting priorities which can interfere with their sexual and affectionate experiences. New parent couples ( N = 203) completed self-report measures online acro…
Individual and Relationship Predictors of Trajectories of Sexual Function across Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships
Many young adults report poor sexual function, but research typically fails to consider relationship context and how problems might evolve over time. Research is needed to provide insights into how sexual problems are experienced across relationships, as well as the types of sexual function problems associated with various trajectories. We investigated retrospective trajectories of sexual problems across the multiple relationships of 688 young ad…
Daily and longitudinal associations between relationship catastrophizing and sexual well-being in the postpartum period
New parent couples report heightened relationship conflicts and challenges; how romantic partners regulate their emotions in response can have key implications for their sexual relationship. One way people might respond to these emotional challenges is through relationship catastrophizing, which refers to magnifying negative cognitions, ruminating on relationship problems, and adopting a helpless orientation toward coping with these problems. Rel…
What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Perinatal Sexual Education Is Linked with Couples’ Sexual Well-Being in Pregnancy and the Postpartum
Up to 88% of expectant and new parents report problems with their sexual well-being, yet less than 30% of individuals receive information about potential sexual problems from health-care professionals. Lack of information may contribute to difficulty adjusting to sexual challenges, and in turn, to poorer sexual well-being. The current study examined the following: 1) the amount of perinatal sexual health information individuals receive/access; 2)…
Gynephilic Men’s and Androphilic Women’s Visual Attention Patterns: The Effects of Gender and Sexual Activity Cues
Men and women differ in the degree of specificity of sexual response and differences in attention to sexual cues may be a mechanism underlying these gendered patterns. The majority of previous research has examined attention using static images, which differ considerably from the dynamic videos used in studies of sexual response. To test attention as a potential mechanism involved in gendered sexual response, we used eye-tracking to examine visua…
Consensual Victim–Perpetrator Intercourse after Nonconsensual Sex: The Impact of Prior Relationship
Some female victims of nonconsensual sex subsequently have consensual sexual intercourse with the perpetrator and are more likely to do so if intercourse occurred during the nonconsensual sex than if it did not. Some evolutionary psychologists have postulated that there is something significant about nonconsensual intercourse that causes women to subsequently have a sexual relationship with the perpetrator (e.g., risk of pregnancy). In this study…
Who Is “Doing It”? Casual Sex and WellBeing in Singlehood
The casual sex literature has mostly ignored the fact that casual sexual encounters typically occur in the broader context of lives lived single. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the casual sex experiences of single people. Using a discovery (Study 1, N = 747) and replication/extension (Study 2, N = 483) design, we investigated the frequency and characteristics of casual sexual relationships during singlehood and explored factors…
Are pornography use motivations related to behaviors toward the romantic partner? A dyadic daily diary study
Individuals in couple relationships often use pornography. Previous findings are inconsistent regarding how pornography use may affect couples and tend to focus on overall use and broad retrospective indicators of relationship functioning (e.g., relationship satisfaction). No research has considered the motivations behind pornography use and how they relate to daily dynamics between partners. Yet, the approach-avoidance sexual motivation theory s…
Distressing Problems with Sexual Function and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Self-Compassion and Compassionate Love Are Positively Associated with Sexual and Relational Well-Being Among Expectant and New Parent Couples
Exploring Comfort Levels and the Role of Compensation in Sexual Psychophysiology Study Participation
Sexual Fantasies and Viewing Times Across the Menstrual Cycle: A Diary Study
Consensual Victim–Perpetrator Intercourse after Nonconsensual Sex: The Impact of Prior Relationship
Some female victims of nonconsensual sex subsequently have consensual sexual intercourse with the perpetrator and are more likely to do so if intercourse occurred during the nonconsensual sex than if it did not. Some evolutionary psychologists have postulated that there is something significant about nonconsensual intercourse that causes women to subsequently have a sexual relationship with the perpetrator (e.g., risk of pregnancy). In this study…
Visual Attention Patterns of Women with Androphilic and Gynephilic Sexual Attractions
Assessing the Relationship Between Sexual Concordance, Sexual Attractions, and Sexual Identity in Women
The Effects of Gender and Relationship Context Cues on Responsive Sexual Desire in Exclusively and Predominantly Androphilic Women and Gynephilic Men
Sexual desire may be "responsive," emerging from sexual arousal to sexually competent cues. Cues that elicit sexual arousal and desire differ, however, by gender and direction of sexual attractions. Further, relationship context cues are thought to be important for responsive desire, but this has not been tested directly. The current study examined gynephilic men's (n = 27) and exclusively (n = 23) and predominantly (n = 17) androphilic women's d…
Exploring Comfort Levels and the Role of Compensation in Sexual Psychophysiology Study Participation
Effects of Individual Difference Variables, Gender, and Exclusivity of Sexual Attraction on Volunteer Bias in Sexuality Research
Concordance of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors
We examined the concordance of paraphilic interests and behaviors across 13 themes in an online sample of 1,036 men and women. Paraphilic interests were significantly and positively correlated with behaviors across all 13 themes. Associations were strongest for masochism and sadism, and weakest for pedohebephilia and frotteurism. Paraphilic interest and behavior were significantly and positively correlated after accounting for gender and sexual o…
Longitudinal Associations between Depressive Symptoms and Postpartum Sexual Concerns Among First-time Parent Couples
Most first-time parents experience novel concerns about their sexuality such as worries about the effects of labor and delivery on their sex lives. The link between postpartum depressive symptoms and problems with sexual function is bidirectional; however, associations with postpartum sexual concerns (i.e., worries about one's sexuality that are not necessarily related to sexual function) have not been examined. First-time parent couples ( N = 99…
Individual and Relationship Predictors of Trajectories of Sexual Function across Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships
Many young adults report poor sexual function, but research typically fails to consider relationship context and how problems might evolve over time. Research is needed to provide insights into how sexual problems are experienced across relationships, as well as the types of sexual function problems associated with various trajectories. We investigated retrospective trajectories of sexual problems across the multiple relationships of 688 young ad…
A Longitudinal Examination of Common Dyadic Coping and Sexual Distress in New Parent Couples during the Transition to Parenthood
New parents experience significant disruption to their sexual relationships such as lower desire and sexual frequency relative to prepregnancy. Little is known about the sexual distress new parents feel related to these changes, how sexual distress evolves over time, or how coping with stress relates to this distress. New parent couples who engage in more adaptive, joint coping with mutual stressors—common dyadic coping (CDC)—may be better able t…
The Preparation Hypothesis Bristles
The Empirical Status of the Preparation Hypothesis: Explicating Women’s Genital Responses to Sexual Stimuli in the Laboratory
Sex Drive as a Possible Mediator of the Gender Difference in the Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests in a Nonclinical Sample
Relationship satisfaction and commitment in the transition to parenthood: A couple‐centered approach
Objective To provide a more comprehensive understanding of couple relationship satisfaction, commitment, and the dynamic between the two over the transition to parenthood. Background The transition to parenthood is an ideal time to concurrently study relationship satisfaction and commitment, as this period is filled with familial transitions such as less couple time, more domestic labor, and the formation of parent–child relationships. These fami…
Gynephilic Men’s and Androphilic Women’s Visual Attention Patterns: The Effects of Gender and Sexual Activity Cues
Men and women differ in the degree of specificity of sexual response and differences in attention to sexual cues may be a mechanism underlying these gendered patterns. The majority of previous research has examined attention using static images, which differ considerably from the dynamic videos used in studies of sexual response. To test attention as a potential mechanism involved in gendered sexual response, we used eye-tracking to examine visua…
A Longitudinal Investigation of Couples’ Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs in the Transition to Parenthood
Daily dyadic coping: Associations with postpartum sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction
The transition to parenthood involves numerous stressors. Consequently, many new parents report negative changes to their sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction relative to pre-pregnancy, with the most disruption reported at 3-months postpartum. While prior research suggests that dyadic coping-a couple's capacity to deal with stress effectively and mutually-is positively linked with relationship satisfaction, little is …
What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Perinatal Sexual Education Is Linked with Couples’ Sexual Well-Being in Pregnancy and the Postpartum
Up to 88% of expectant and new parents report problems with their sexual well-being, yet less than 30% of individuals receive information about potential sexual problems from health-care professionals. Lack of information may contribute to difficulty adjusting to sexual challenges, and in turn, to poorer sexual well-being. The current study examined the following: 1) the amount of perinatal sexual health information individuals receive/access; 2)…
Examining Attentional Biases Elicited by Sexual Stimuli Using MouseView.js: An Online Paradigm to Mimic Eye Movements
Attention is a key mechanism underlying many aspects of sexuality, with eye-tracking studies revealing that attention is both sustained by sexual stimuli and corresponds with sexual interest. Despite its utility, eye-tracking experiments typically require specialized equipment and are conducted in a laboratory setting. The overarching objective of this research was to assess the utility of a novel online method, MouseView.js, for assessing attent…
Self-Compassion and Compassionate Love Are Positively Associated with Sexual and Relational Well-Being Among Expectant and New Parent Couples
Emotional difficulties mediate the impact of adverse childhood experiences on compulsive buying-shopping problems
Demographic, Mental Health, and Substance Use Correlates of Self-Described Medicinal Use, Recreational Use, and Non-Use of Hallucinogenic Drugs
Sexuality myth endorsement is linked with poorer sexual and relational outcomes across demographic groups in a large and diverse sample
Sexual Excitation and Inhibition Moderate the Strength of Concordance Between Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors
The concordance between paraphilic interest and behavior is moderate to strong in previous studies. In the present study, we examined whether sexual excitation (SE) and sexual inhibition (SI) moderate the concordance between paraphilic interest and behavior, across several paraphilic themes. We expected that stronger concordance would be found at high levels of SE and weaker concordance would be found at high levels of SI, for both men and women.…
Psychology (30 works) · Developmental psychology (24 works) · Social Psychology (20 works) · Clinical Psychology (17 works) · Sexual function and dysfunction studies (16 works) · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology (13 works) · Medicine (11 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (10 works) · Human sexuality (10 works) · Social Psychology (10 works)