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. 2022 Aug;51(6):2955-2967.
doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02326-3. Epub 2022 Jul 18.

Increased Urination Urgency Exacerbates Sexual Risk-Taking Through Heightened Sexual Arousal

Juwon Lee  1 , Omri Gillath  2
Affiliations

Increased Urination Urgency Exacerbates Sexual Risk-Taking Through Heightened Sexual Arousal

Juwon Lee et al. Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Aug.

Erratum in

Abstract

Increased urination urgency has been shown to facilitate impulse control in cognitive domains, but its effects in other areas are unknown. We examined whether inhibitory spillover effects would replicate and extend to close relationships-specifically, influencing decision making related to sexual risk-taking. Across three studies, we either measured (Studies 1 and 3) or manipulated (Study 2) participants' bladder pressure and assessed sexual self-control using a questionnaire of sexual risk-taking intentions (Study 1) or a simulated semi-behavioral sexual risk-taking (Choose Your Own Sexual Adventure) task (Studies 2 and 3). Study 1 (N = 44 men, 59 women) showed greater urination urgency was associated with greater sexual risk-taking. Study 2 (N = 65 men, 91 women) showed that increasing urination urgency led to greater sexual risk-taking, but only among men. Study 3 (N = 86 men, 183 women) showed elevated urination urgency was associated with an increase in sexual arousal, which accounted for the greater sexual risk-taking.

Keywords: Bladder control; Impulse control; Self-control; Sexual arousal; Sexual risk-taking.

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