Vesna Buško

Development and Bicultural Validation of the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale

The development and bicultural validation of the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale (NSSS)—a 20 item, multidimensional, composite measure of sexual satisfaction—is presented. The development of the scale was based on a five-dimension, conceptual model that emphasized the importance of multiple domains of sexual behavior including sexual sensations, sexual awareness and focus, sexual exchange, emotional closeness, and sexual activity. Scale construction and validation were carried out using seven independent samples with over 2,000 participants aged 18 to 55 in Croatia and the United States. Primary data collection was completed using online survey tools. Analyses did not confirm the proposed conceptual framework but suggested a two-dimensional structure focusing on self (“ego-centered”) and the other (a “partner- and sexual activity-centered” factor) domains, each containing items representing all five conceptual dimensions. Scale reliability (k = 20) was satisfactory for all samples, and construct validity was confirmed in both cultures. The NSSS was also found to have acceptable one-month stability. It is suggested that the NSSS may be a useful tool for assessing sexual satisfaction regardless of a persons gender, sexual orientation, and relationship status.

Adolescent exposure to pornography and relationship intimacy in young adulthood

The hypothesis on the role of exposure to pornography during adolescence in predicting intimacy among young adults was tested using a sample of 544 Croatian college students (aged 18–25 years) who were surveyed online. Respondents provided information about pornography use at ages 14 and 17, perceived realism of pornographic depictions of sexual activities, attitudes towards recreational sex and relationship intimacy. Significant gender differences in pornography exposure, perceived realism of pornographic contents and attitudes towards recreational sex were found. No direct relationship was found between adolescent exposure to pornography and relationship intimacy in young adulthood. As hypothesised, the realism of pornography was related both to exposure and intimacy, but only among female participants. Furthermore, the association between the appraisal of pornographic realism and intimacy was shown to be mediated by attitudes towards recreational sex. In light of contemporary concerns over the normalisation of pornography use, particularly among young people, our findings do not support the view that adolescent exposure to sexually explicit materials is a determinant of relationship intimacy among young Croatian adults.

IL-12 concentrations in the aqueous humor and serum of diabetic retinopathy patients

BackgroundPrevious studies suggest that inflammation plays an important part in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Cytokines may have a role in both positive and negative control of immunological reactions. Among many cytokines, interleukin 12 (IL-12) is known to be a strong pro-inflammatory cytokine.MethodsA total of 76 participants were enrolled in this study and classified into four groups: 23 diabetic patients with non-treated retinopathy, 17 diabetic patients with treated retinopathy, 12 diabetic patients without retinopathy, and 24 healthy control patients. Serum and aqueous humor samples were taken for the analysis of IL-12 concentration.ResultsThe aqueous humor IL-12 concentration was significantly elevated in the patients with non-treated diabetic retinopathy (χ2(3, n = 76) = 27.137; p < 0.001).No significant differences in IL-12 serum concentrations between the groups were found (F = 0.405, p = 0.750). Correlation analysis of IL-12 concentrations in the serum and aqueous humor showed a linear association between the two variables only in non-diabetic patients (p = 0.003).ConclusionsThis is the first study to show a significantly higher concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12 in the aqueous humor of non-treated diabetic retinopathy patients in comparison with diabetic patients treated for retinopathy, without retinopathy, or with healthy individuals. Because the serum levels of IL-12 did not differ considerably between the studied groups, it is plausible that this is due to its local production and secretion.

No Robust Association between Static Markers of Testosterone and Facets of Socio-Economic Decision Making

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and facial width-to-height ratio (WHR) are supposedly static indicators of testosterone exposition during prenatal and pubertal lifetime, respectively. Both measures have been linked to aggressive and assertive behavior in laboratory economic games, as well as in real world scenarios. Most of the research—often limited to male subjects—considers the associations between these behaviors, traits, and hormonal markers separately for 2D:4D and WHR. Reported associations are weak and volatile. In the present study we had independent raters assess 2D:4D and WHR in a sample of N = 175 participants who played the ultimatum game (UG). Respondent behavior in UG captures the tendency to reject unfair offers (negative reciprocity). If unfair UG offers are seen as provocations, then individuals with stronger testosterone exposition may be more prone to reject such offers. Economists argue that negative reciprocity reflects altruistic punishment, since the rejecting individual is sacrificing own resources. However, recent studies suggest that self-interest, in terms of status defense plays a substantial role in decisions to reject unfair offers. We also assessed social preferences by social value orientation and assertiveness via self-report. By applying structural equation modeling we estimated the latent level association of 2D:4D and WHR with negative reciprocity, assertiveness and prosociality in both sexes. Results revealed no robust association between any of the trait measures and hormonal markers. The measures of 2D:4D and WHR were not related with each other. Multigroup models based on sex suggested invariance of factor loadings allowing to compare hormone-behavior relationships of females and males. Only when collapsing across sex greater WHR was weakly associated with assertiveness, suggesting that individuals with wider faces tend to express greater status defense. Only the right hand 2D:4D was weakly associated with prosocial behavior, indicating that individuals with lower prenatal testosterone exposure are more cooperative. Rejection behavior in UG was not related with 2D:4D nor WHR in any of the models. There were also no curvilinear associations between 2D:4D and prosociality as theorized in the literature. Our results suggest that previous studies over-estimated the role of static markers of testosterone in accounting for aggression and competition behavior in males.

Corrigendum: No Robust Association between Static Markers of Testosterone and Facets of Socio-Economic Decision Making

[This corrects the article on p. 250 in vol. 11, PMID: 29326567.].

A cross-lagged model of reinforcement sensitivity, personality and affectivity

background There is a rich body of literature describing the links between behavioral activation/inhibition, personality and trait affectivity. The sensitivity of the behavioral activation system (BAS) is related to extraversion and positive affect, while the sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition is related to neuroticism and negative affect. Besides the strong links observed, it is unclear what the causal relationships between these constructs are.