The sexy study comes courtesy researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was led by Professor George Leowenstein, a professor of economics and psychology. The professor and his colleagues wanted to see if prior studies suggesting more sex meant more happiness were true.
They were skeptical because they felt those studies may have gotten the order of things mixed up and that it is more happiness that leads to more sex, and not more sex leading to more happiness.
“Although it seems plausible sex could have beneficial effects on happiness,it is equally plausible that happiness affects sex,” the researchers wrote. “Or (even) that some third variable, such as health, affects both.”
In their study abstract they note that their work was “the first experimental study to address the question of causality” meaning they believe themselves to be the first to investigate whether sex leads to happiness, or vice versa. Their conclusion, they say, suggests attaining greater happiness leads to more sex, not so much the other way around.
“We recruited couples and randomly assigned half to double their frequency of intercourse,” they wrote. “We find that increased frequency does not lead to increased happiness, perhaps because it leads to a decline in wanting for, and enjoyment of, sex.”
So — believe them? Whether you do or don’t there’s nothing like putting the theory to the test and finding out for yourselves. “Honey? Busy?”
Go on, get happy.
