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Researchers have long argued that marriage generally reduces illegal and aggressive behaviors in men. It remained unclear, however, if that association was a function of matrimony itself or whether less “antisocial” men were simply more likely to get married.

The answer, according to a new study led by a Michigan State University behavior geneticist, appears to be both.

In the online December issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, S. Alexandra Burt and colleagues found that less antisocial men were more likely to get married. Once they were wed, however, the marriage itself appeared to further inhibit antisocial behavior.

“Our results indicate that the reduced rate of antisocial behavior in married men is more complicated than we previously thought,” said Burt, associate professor of psychology. “Marriage is generally good for men, at least in terms of reducing antisocial behavior, but the data also indicate that it’s not random who enters into the state of marriage.”

The study is the first to investigate the effects of marriage on antisocial behavior using a genetically informative twin sample to rule out the effects of genes on these associations. The researchers examined the data of 289 pairs of male twins. The twins were assessed four times, at ages 17, 20, 24 and 29.

The study found that men with lower levels of antisocial behavior at ages 17 and 20 were more likely to have married by age 29 (researchers refer to the act of entering into marriage as a selection process). This is noteworthy since previous studies found little support that selection process influenced reduced rates of antisocial behavior among married men.

Burt said her finding may differ from past studies because marital rates have declined significantly in recent years, whereas marriage was more of the norm in the 1950s, meaning selection likely wasn’t much of a factor.

Once the men were married, rates of antisocial behavior declined even more. When comparing identical twins in which one twin had married while the other had not, Burt said, the married twin generally engaged in lower levels of antisocial behavior than did the unmarried twin.

Burt said it’s unlikely that marriage inhibits men’s antisocial behavior directly, but rather that marriage is a marker for other factors such as social bonding or less time spent with delinquent peers. Another factor that seems to be important is marriage quality; the effect of marriage on antisocial behavior tends to be stronger in better marriages.

Burt’s co-researchers are M. Brent Donnellan and Mikhila Humbad from MSU; Brian Hicks from the University of Michigan; and Matt McGue and William Iacono from the University of Minnesota.

Source:
Andy Henion
Michigan State University

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/210585.php

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What Makes Couples Go Round and Round

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Duane Harvey

Take this 8 question test to find out. Click on logo:

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20 Reasons to Have Sex, even if you don’t feel like it

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Duane Harvey

1. Because you said so. Even though you may not have promised to “love, honor, and have sex once a week” when you made a commitment to your relationship, it was understood that sex would be part of the bargain. Imagine how the marriage rates would go down if people said, “I’ll marry you, but don’t expect sex.” If you polled one thousand people on the street and asked them, “Is it reasonable to expect to have sex when you are married?” the overwhelming majority would say yes. If you expect a monogamous commitment from your partner, then it stands to reason that you will be a cooperative sex partner.

2. Sex helps you forget. Oxytocin, which triggers orgasm, has an amnesic effect that lasts up to five hours. So for a period of time you forget that he maxed our your Visa card or she was an hour late getting home from work. Women get an additional benefit. During orgasm the parts of the brain that govern fear, anxiety, and stress are switched off. (Faking orgasm gives no such benefit.)

3. Sex rewires you for pleasure. Every time you share a positive experience with your partner, your brain comes to associate him or her with pleasure. You can transform any relationship simply by increasing the number of enjoyable times you share together.

4. Sex puts the “P” back in partnership. Passion is what separates your relationship with your intimate partner form those with girlfriends and buddies. Yes, you two are best friends and confidants, but without sex you will not have passion.

5. Heightened sense of smell. After sex, production of prolactin surges, casing stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s smell center (olfactory bulb).

6. Weight loss. Rambunctious sex burns a minimum of two hundred calories, about the same as running fifteen minutes on a treadmill. British researchers determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year.

7. Reduced depression. Prostaglandin, a hormone found in semen, modulates female hormones. Orgasm releases endorphins, producing a sense of well-being and euphoria.

8. Pain relief. During sex, levels of oxytocin surge to five times their normal level, releasing endorphins that alleviate pain. Sex also prompts production of estrogen, which reduces the pain of PMS.

9. Healthier heart. Women who have more sex have higher, levels of estrogen, which protects against heart disease.

10. Cure for the common cold. Once-a-week sex produces 30 produces 30 percent higher levels of immunoglobulin A, which boosts the immune system.

11. Better bladder control. Sex strengthens the pelvic muscles that control the flow of urine.

12. Peppy prostate. Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation in men and cancer of the prostate. In this case solo sex works just as well, but why miss out on all the other benefits?

13. Shiny hair, glowing skin. For women, extra estrogen from orgasm makes hair shine. Sweat produced during sex cleanses the pores and makes skin glow. Serotonin produces the afterglow of sex.

14. Calming effect. Sex is ten times more effective than Valium, with no side effects.

15. Relief for a stuffy nose. Really. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can even help combat hay fever and asthma.

16. Firmer tummy and butt. Regular sex can firm your tummy and butt, plus improve posture.

17. Boosts your immune system, Endorphins stimulate immune-system cells that fight disease.

18. Forever young. Sex actually slows the aging process. It lowers cortisol levels in the bloodstream, which reduces stress and slows the aging process.

19. Protection against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis. Women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

20. Euphoria. Who wouldn’t want more? The best way to get a natural high is sex!

(from How to Improve Your Marriage without Talking About It, by Pat Love & Steve Stosony)

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