Sex Doll Specifications versus Human Body Characteristics.

Sex dolls have been criticized for reproducing unrealistic expectations about human bodies. Yet precise sex doll measurements are lacking in the literature nor has there been any systematic attempt to determine the extent to which sex dolls exaggerate human characteristics. To address this gap, we compared the specifications of sex dolls marketed in the USA with the characteristics of women and men living in the USA. Specifically, we tested if and to what degree female dolls were slimmer (H1) and male dolls more muscular (H2) than female and male humans, respectively. Furthermore, we tested if and to what degree female dolls' breasts (H3) and male dolls' penises (H4) were larger than those of women and men. We also tested if sex dolls' observed race/ethnicity was more often White than that of the US population (H5). In 2023, we collected the measures of all 757 full-body sex dolls marketed by the US retailer SexyRealSexDolls.com. Body measures from the US population were extracted from scientific literature. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using R. All hypotheses were fully or partially confirmed, which indicated that sex dolls marketed in the USA are not realistic depictions of the US population but hypergendered (H1, H2), hypersexualized (H3, H4), and racially fetishized (H5). Implications of the lack of realism are discussed.

[Parental sex education and sexual risk behavior of daughters and sons: findings from the representative survey "Youth Sexuality"]. / Elterliche Sexualaufklärung und sexuelles Risikoverhalten bei Töchtern und Söhnen: Befunde aus der Repräsentativbefragung "Jugendsexualität".

BACKGROUND: According to socialization theory, parental sex education should lead to increased sexual literacy in adolescents. However, current data for Germany is lacking. RESEARCH AIM: Against this backdrop, the aim of the present study was to link for the first time the general conversations about sexuality in the family (research question 1, RQ1), and specifically parental contraception education (RQ2), with the sexual risk behavior of adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The database is the ninth wave of the representative survey "Youth Sexuality" conducted by the Federal Centre for Health Education in Germany (BZgA). Data from all sexually active 14- to 17-year-old adolescents in the sample who provided information on their sexual behavior and whose parents reported on their sex education behavior were analyzed (N = 357). To answer the two research questions, logistic regression analyses were carried out with four central characteristics of adolescent sexual behavior. RESULTS: The results showed that for both girls and boys conversations about sexuality in the family are positively correlated with (1) reached age of consent at first sexual intercourse, (2) a positive first sexual intercourse experience, (3) reliable contraception use, and (4) a low number of sexual partners (RQ1). The same pattern of results emerged for contraception education by parents (RQ2). DISCUSSION: The positive correlations between parental sex education and less risky adolescent sexual behavior need to be further investigated with respect to the underlying causal mechanisms.

[Contraception on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok : A content and quality analysis]. / Verhütung auf YouTube, Instagram und TikTok : Eine Inhalts- und Qualitätsanalyse.

BACKGROUND: Young people and adults increasingly obtain information about contraception via social media. RESEARCH AIM: Against this background, the aim of this study is to investigate for the first time the content and quality of German-language contraceptive posts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Research questions on providers (F1), content (F2), and quality of contraceptive posts (F3) as well as audience reactions (F4) will be answered. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of N = 1000 contraceptive posts from YouTube (500), Instagram (250), and TikTok (250) was drawn. A maximum of 20 contraception-related audience comments per post were included in the comment sample (N = 12,454). Posts and comments were analyzed using reliability-tested codebooks. SPSS was used for data analysis. The study is preregistered and all data, materials, and analysis scripts are publicly available. RESULTS: The majority of contraceptive posts were found to be from health laypersons (52%), followed by media professionals and health professionals (F1). In terms of content, contraceptive posts covered all available contraceptive methods, with the pill (69%) and condoms (40%) dominating (F2). According to common quality criteria, there were clear deficits, with YouTube videos scoring best in comparison (F3). TikTok videos, on the other hand, were top performers in terms of audience interaction, attracting the most views, likes, and comments. Comment columns were often used by the audience to share their own contraceptive experiences or ask follow-up questions (F4). DISCUSSION: Future research as well as practice interventions are needed to further assess the quality of contraceptive information in social media and improve it in a more targeted way.

[Contraception in the German-language Wikipedia: a content and quality analysis]. / Verhütung in der deutschsprachigen Wikipedia: Eine Inhalts- und Qualitätsanalyse.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and adults today often obtain information about contraception from the Internet, especially from the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. This is because Google searches usually return Wikipedia entries as top hits. RESEARCH AIM: Against this background, the aim of the current study is to systematically analyze for the first time the content and quality of Wikipedia articles on contraceptive methods. Five central quality dimensions are examined: the degree of correctness (research question RQ1), completeness (RQ2), neutrality (RQ3), comprehensibility (RQ4), and currency (RQ5) of the contraceptive information - and on this basis the overall quality of the articles (RQ6). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of all German-language Wikipedia articles on all contraceptive methods was formed (N = 25). These articles were analyzed by three independent, trained coders using a codebook that was developed based on the current state of the research and tested for reliability. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. The study is preregistered and all data, materials, and analysis scripts are publicly available. RESULTS: The 25 Wikipedia articles on contraceptive methods were found to vary widely in content quality. While they showed good quality on average in terms of correctness (RQ1) and neutrality (RQ3), they scored mediocre in terms of completeness (RQ2), comprehensibility (RQ4), and currency (RQ5), resulting in moderate overall quality (RQ6). DISCUSSION: More research as well as practice measures are needed to further assess and improve the quality of contraceptive information on Wikipedia and in other social media in a more targeted way.

Digital media in intergenerational communication: Status quo and future scenarios for the grandparent-grandchild relationship.

Communication technologies play an important role in maintaining the grandparent-grandchild (GP-GC) relationship. Based on Media Richness Theory, this study investigates the frequency of use (RQ1) and perceived quality (RQ2) of established media as well as the potential use of selected innovative media (RQ3) in GP-GC relationships with a particular focus on digital media. A cross-sectional online survey and vignette experiment were conducted in February 2021 among N = 286 university students in Germany (mean age 23 years, 57% female) who reported on the direct and mediated communication with their grandparents. In addition to face-to-face interactions, non-digital and digital established media (such as telephone, texting, video conferencing) and innovative digital media, namely augmented reality (AR)-based and social robot-based communication technologies, were covered. Face-to-face and phone communication occurred most frequently in GP-GC relationships: 85% of participants reported them taking place at least a few times per year (RQ1). Non-digital established media were associated with higher perceived communication quality than digital established media (RQ2). Innovative digital media received less favorable quality evaluations than established media. Participants expressed doubts regarding the technology competence of their grandparents, but still met innovative media with high expectations regarding improved communication quality (RQ3). Richer media, such as video conferencing or AR, do not automatically lead to better perceived communication quality, while leaner media, such as letters or text messages, can provide rich communication experiences. More research is needed to fully understand and systematically improve the utility, usability, and joy of use of different digital communication technologies employed in GP-GC relationships.

[Alcohol in social media: Where is the space for prevention?] / Alkohol in sozialen Medien: Wo ist der Platz für Prävention?

BACKGROUND: Alcohol has an almost ubiquitous presence, both offline and online. RESEARCH AIM: This paper therefore aims to describe the status quo of alcohol prevention on leading social media platforms in German-speaking countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To this end, the international state of research on alcohol communication in social media is first summarized by means of a narrative review. Social media analysis is then conducted to evaluate which German-language alcohol channels reach large numbers on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Next, content analysis is used to examine N = 470 posts and N = 3015 user comments from the alcohol prevention social media channel with the largest reach. Finally, an online survey of N = 1150 youth (aged 16-20) explores their alcohol-related social media use. RESULTS: According to the state of research, communications glorifying alcohol consumption are frequently seen on social media. On leading social media platforms, the German-language alcohol channels with the widest reach are devoted to marketing and humor; prevention is significantly less prevalent. To date, the social media channel with the highest reach for alcohol prevention is the Facebook page of the BZgA youth campaign "Alcohol? Kenn dein Limit," which achieves the highest interaction rates through videos and user polls. Here, young social media users both express criticism of alcohol consumption (11% of comments) and continue to favor it (21%). Around half of the surveyed young people have already participated in alcohol-related online communication. DISCUSSION: Alcohol prevention faces the task of countering the glorification of alcohol that dominates social media with sensitizing messages.

[Sexual health information on social media: a systematic scoping review]. / Sexuelle Gesundheitsinformationen in sozialen Medien: Ein systematisches Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Information on sexual and reproductive health is increasingly disseminated via social media and reaches a large audience. RESEARCH AIM: Against this background, the aim of this paper is to systematically summarize the international state of research on sexual health information on social media for the first time with a scoping review. Seven research questions were explored, relating to the amount (F1), methods (F2: content analysis, F3: quality analysis), and results (F4: providers, F5: target groups, F6: topics, F7: quality of information) of previous studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study follows the PRISMA framework for scoping reviews as well as the Open Science approach. It is preregistered, and all materials (codebook with reliability coefficients) and data (list of identified studies and coding of studies) are available on the Open Science Foundation server. RESULTS: A total of 69 studies with 72 data sets were identified, with more than half of the publications referring to YouTube (F1). Qualitative and quantitative methods of content analysis are used equally (F2) and quality analyses are rare (F3). Health laypersons dominate as the information providers (F4). The target groups are mostly unspecified (F5). The health information on social media examined in the previous studies covers a broad range of topics (F6). Where quality assessments were made, they tended to be negative (F7). DISCUSSION: More research is needed to better understand sexual and reproductive health information on social media and to promote its quality and constructive use.

Design, Use, and Effects of Sex Dolls and Sex Robots: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Although sex toys representing human body parts are widely accepted and normalized, human-like full-body sex dolls and sex robots have elicited highly controversial debates. OBJECTIVE: This systematic scoping review of the academic literature on sex dolls and sex robots, the first of its kind, aimed to examine the extent and type of existing academic knowledge and to identify research gaps against this backdrop. METHODS: A comprehensive multidisciplinary, multidatabase search strategy was used. All steps of literature search and selection, data charting, and synthesis followed the leading methodological guideline, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. A total of 29 (17 peer reviewed) and 98 publications (32 peer reviewed) for sex dolls and sex robots, respectively, from 1993 to 2019 were included. RESULTS: According to the topics and methodologies, the sex doll and sex robot publications were divided into 5 and 6 groups, respectively. The majority of publications were theoretical papers. Thus far, no observational or experimental research exists that uses actual sex dolls or sex robots as stimulus material. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve the theoretical elaboration and the scope and depth of empirical research examining the sexual uses of human-like full-body material artifacts, particularly concerning not only risks but also opportunities for sexual and social well-being.

Media Coverage of Child Sexual Abuse: A Framework of Issue-Specific Quality Criteria.

Sensationalist, stereotyping or otherwise biased media coverage of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) can harm survivors and is detrimental to rational, solution-oriented public debates on the issue. While the Public Interest Model (PIM) of normative media theory promotes generic quality dimensions, there currently is no framework of issue-specific media quality for reporting about CSA. This paper aims at developing such a framework, working deductively with PIM and inductively with different expert sources regarding quality criteria (QC) for CSA reporting. Our data collection covered four types of expert sources: journalistic guidelines, scientific publications, surveys with survivors and with counseling centers. All sources were content analyzed using reliable codebooks (κ = .79-1.00). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were run. We present a framework comprised of 10 QC. Eight inductively generated QC for CSA media coverage are (1) thematic framing, (2) non-sensational reporting, (3) use of appropriate terms, (4) inclusion of stakeholders, (5) non-stereotypical reporting, (6) inclusion of prevention/intervention, (7) ethical treatment of survivors in interviews and (8) lawful reporting. Two deductively generated QC are (9) balance of survivors' and alleged perpetrators' interests and (10) disclosure and reflection of official sources. Limitations and implications for future media research and journalistic practice are discussed.

Online Sexual Activity Experiences Among College Students: A Four-Country Comparison.

The purpose of this study was to compare male and female college students in four countries (Canada, Germany, Sweden, and the U.S.) on their lifetime experiences (prevalence) and frequency of recent experiences with six types of online sexual activities (OSA): sexual information, sexual entertainment, sexual contacts, sexual minority communities, sexual products, and sex work. Participants (N = 2690; M age, 24.65 years; 53.4 % women, 46.6 % men) were recruited from a university in each of the countries to complete an online survey that included background and demographic questions, and questions about OSA. Most participants reported experience with accessing sexual information (89.8 %) and sexual entertainment (76.5 %) online. Almost half (48.5 %) reported browsing for sexual products, and a substantial minority reported having engaged in cybersex (30.8 %). Very few participants (1.1 %) paid for online sexual services or received payment (0.5 %). In general, participants showed relatively infrequent experience with all types of OSA within the last 3 months. Men showed both higher prevalence and frequency of use of sexually stimulating material online than did women. However, this gender gap was smaller than in previous studies. Country and gender by country effects were (with one exception) either very small or non-existent, suggesting that, overall, students in the four countries were similar in their OSA experiences. Results are discussed in light of an emerging global net generation and globalized sexual culture.

[Sexuality education on the Internet : From Dr. Sommer to Dr. Google]. / Sexualaufklärung im Internet : Von Dr. Sommer zu Dr. Google.

Female and male adolescents in Germany are increasingly using the Internet to find information about sexuality and sexual health. This review paper summarizes what we know about the status quo of online sexuality education in Germany.Based on a systematic literature review including 40 papers from international, peer-reviewed journals spanning 2010-2017, this paper first describes different aspects of the sexuality-related online search behavior of adolescents: its prevalence, predictors, topics and contexts. One main finding is the fact that adolescents use a computer or smartphone to type their sexuality-related questions into the search engine Google or the search engine of the video platform YouTube.Based on 54 online searches, this paper subsequently presents the kind of sexuality-related online content adolescents find if they ask "Dr. Google" for sexual advice; a collection of 1236 authentic sexuality-related questions of adolescents was used for this analysis. It turned out that online sexuality education offered by leading professional organizations like the BZgA ("Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung") or pro familia was nearly invisible, while numerous other providers of online sex education consistently appeared in the top Google search results. Among them were the "Dr. Sommer" team of the youth magazine Bravo; online healthcare and advice portals; online forums; the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and, above all, sex education channels on YouTube. In this paper, the latter are presented in more detail for the first time.The third part of the paper addresses the quality of online sexual education over four main areas of quality evaluation. The presentation of the status quo ends with some recommendations both for future research and for sexuality education in practice.

Research in brief: How prevalent is rough sex? Results from a national online sample of adults in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Rough sex refers to consensual sexual activities that incorporate playful aggression, such as hair pulling, spanking, or choking. It is relevant in the context of sexual health as it can enhance sexual arousal, pleasure, and intimacy among consenting partners. However, it can also be associated with consent violations, discomfort, and injuries ranging from mild to severe or even fatal. The prevalence of rough sex in Germany is widely unknown. Our study aims to establish, for the first time, the overall age-related and gender-related prevalence rates of active and passive rough sex involvement among adults in Germany. METHODS: A national online sample of 1101 adults from Germany, aged 18-69 years (50% men, 49% women, 1% gender-diverse individuals) gave informed consent and reported on their lifetime engagement in rough sex in active and passive roles. We recruited participants through a professional panel provider for a multi-themed sexual health survey. Data analysis was conducted using R, with 95% confidence intervals of prevalence rates computed to answer the research questions. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of rough sex involvement was 29%. Adults below the age of 40 reported higher rates of involvement (up to 43%) than people over 40 (up to 26%). Men reported predominantly active role involvement and women reported primarily passive role involvement. DISCUSSION: Results show that rough sex is common. Sexual health professionals, educators, and researchers should be prepared to guide current and aspiring practitioners of rough sex, helping them understand potential benefits, risks, and age- and gender-related differences.

A multicenter feasibility study on implementing a brief mindful breathing exercise into regular university courses.

Practicing mindfulness is associated with stress reduction and with positive effects in the context of learning and teaching. Although effects on student populations have been studied extensively, there are few studies implementing mindfulness exercises in university courses directly. For this reason, we aimed to investigate whether the use of a brief mindfulness exercise in regular university courses, guided by the lecturers, is feasible and has immediate effects on the students' mental states. We conducted a preregistered multicenter study with one observational arm, following an ABAB design. In total, N = 325 students from 19 different university courses were included at baseline and n = 101 students at post measurement. Students were recruited by N = 14 lecturers located in six different universities in Germany. Lecturers started their courses either by guiding a brief mindfulness exercise (intervention condition) or as they regularly would, with no such exercise (control condition). In both conditions, the mental states of students and lecturers were assessed. Over the semester, n = 1193 weekly observations from students and n = 160 observations from lecturers were collected. Intervention effects were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models. The brief mindfulness exercise, compared to no such exercise, was associated with lower stress composite scores, higher presence composite scores, higher motivation for the courses, as well as better mood in students. Effects persisted throughout a respective course session. Lecturers also reported positive effects of instructing mindfulness. Implementing a brief mindfulness exercise in regular university teaching sessions is feasible and has positive effects on both students and lecturers.

How Customers Evaluate Genitalia versus Torso Sex Toys on Amazon.com: A Content Analysis of Product Reviews.

Sex toys are widely marketed on the Internet. Browsing for, buying, and reviewing sex toys online are popular cybersexual activities. The aim of this study was to investigate consumers' experiences with different types of realistic sex toys via online product reviews on Amazon.com. Toys were categorized in a 2 × 2 design regarding their representation of the human body (genitalia sex toys representing reproductive organs only versus torso toys representing larger parts of the human body) and their depiction of gender (toys representing female versus male body parts). Informed by feminist discourses on sex toys as well as sexual script theory and consumer research, the study explored the overall evaluations (RQ1), most frequently addressed characteristics (RQ2), usage patterns (RQ3), and perceived effects (RQ4) of the four groups of sex toys. A quantitative manual content analysis of N = 778 online sex toy reviews showed that 79% of consumers gave popular realistic sex toys positive ratings (RQ1). The most frequently mentioned characteristics were quality, material, and shape (RQ2). Most reviewers were men and used sex toys for solo sexual activities (RQ3). An additional qualitative analysis of n = 69 reviews addressing the perceived effects of sex toy use revealed that consumers predominantly mentioned positive effects (RQ4). Genitalia sex toys received better evaluations than torso sex toys and were perceived to be complementary tools to enhance sexual arousal, whereas the use of torso toys entailed anthropomorphization and symbolic social interactions. Implications for future research and design of different types of sex toys are discussed.

Digital sexual identities: Between empowerment and disempowerment.

In the digital age, people increasingly explore and express their sexual identities online. The management and development of digital sexual identities can provide opportunities of empowerment on the individual, interpersonal, and societal level. At the same time, social media users are confronted with risks of sexual disempowerment in terms of identity de-validation, social exclusion, discrimination or even criminalization. The review article summarizes the current state of research on six selected sexual identities: (1) heterosexual, (2) LGBTIQ+, (3) asexual, (4) kink and fetish, (5) polyamory, and (6) sex worker identities in digital contexts. Covering a variety of social media platforms and cultural backgrounds, the review demonstrates that digital sexual identities are best understood as multifaceted socio-technical phenomena with ambivalent outcomes.

Videoconference Fatigue: A Conceptual Analysis.

Videoconferencing (VC) is a type of online meeting that allows two or more participants from different locations to engage in live multi-directional audio-visual communication and collaboration (e.g., via screen sharing). The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a boom in both private and professional videoconferencing in the early 2020s that elicited controversial public and academic debates about its pros and cons. One main concern has been the phenomenon of videoconference fatigue. The aim of this conceptual review article is to contribute to the conceptual clarification of VC fatigue. We use the popular and succinct label "Zoom fatigue" interchangeably with the more generic label "videoconference fatigue" and define it as the experience of fatigue during and/or after a videoconference, regardless of the specific VC system used. We followed a structured eight-phase process of conceptual analysis that led to a conceptual model of VC fatigue with four key causal dimensions: (1) personal factors, (2) organizational factors, (3) technological factors, and (4) environmental factors. We present this 4D model describing the respective dimensions with their sub-dimensions based on theories, available evidence, and media coverage. The 4D-model is meant to help researchers advance empirical research on videoconference fatigue.

Corrigendum: Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769732.].

Can Communication Technologies Reduce Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older People? A Scoping Review of Reviews.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation in older age are considered major public health concerns and research on technology-based solutions is growing rapidly. This scoping review of reviews aims to summarize the communication technologies (CTs) (review question RQ1), theoretical frameworks (RQ2), study designs (RQ3), and positive effects of technology use (RQ4) present in the research field. METHODS: A comprehensive multi-disciplinary, multi-database literature search was conducted. Identified reviews were analyzed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. A total of N = 28 research reviews that cover 248 primary studies spanning 50 years were included. RESULTS: The majority of the included reviews addressed general internet and computer use (82% each) (RQ1). Of the 28 reviews, only one (4%) worked with a theoretical framework (RQ2) and 26 (93%) covered primary studies with quantitative-experimental designs (RQ3). The positive effects of technology use were shown in 55% of the outcome measures for loneliness and 44% of the outcome measures for social isolation (RQ4). CONCLUSION: While research reviews show that CTs can reduce loneliness and social isolation in older people, causal evidence is limited and insights on innovative technologies such as augmented reality systems are scarce.

Men Who Pay For Sex: Prevalence and Sexual Health.

BACKGROUND: Men who pay for sex (MPS) are a vulnerable bridging population for spreading sexually transmitted infections (STI). However, their prevalence and sexual health are unknown in Germany. METHODS: We analyzed data from 2336 men aged 18-75 years resident in Germany who completed the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD), a populationbased probability sample survey undertaken 2018-2019, using face-to-face interviews (participation rate: 30.2%). RESULTS: 26.9% (95% confidence interval [24.7; 29.2]) of all men reported ever paying for sex. On average, MPS had M = 19.9 [16.8; 22.9] lifetime sexual partners, among them M = 7.3 [5.3; 9.4] paid partners. MPS described their paid sex predominantly as vaginal intercourse in domestic brothels. Regarding socio - demographic characteristics, MPS differed from men not paying for sex (MNPS) in terms of age, immigration status, and sex education. Compared to MNPS, MPS reported significantly more HIV/STI risk-taking, including multiple sex partners in the past year (OR adjusted for age, immigration status, sex education; AOR 3.55) and STI diagnosis in the past 5 years (AOR 1.96) as well as more prevention behaviors (e.g., condom use in the past year: AOR 3.13). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MPS suggests physicians should address the topic with their patients to protect and improve the sexual health of MPS and their paid and unpaid partners.