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This Week in Social and Scientific Studies: Drinking Bad, Oral Sex Good
This week's roundup of the latest scientific and social discoveries includes insights about everything from the real risks of hangovers, to the real benefits of going down on your lady...Let's just say some findings were more surprising than others. We rank the latest studies from "Obviously!" to "Seriously?"
This week in research: Drugs & alcohol are bad, cunnilingus is good
This week's roundup of the latest scientific and social discoveries includes insights about everything from the real risks of hangovers, to the real benefits of going down on your lady...Let's just say some findings were more surprising than others. We rank the latest studies from "Obviously!" to "Seriously?"
Obviously! Binge drinking is bad for your brain
So it turns out that pounding down six drinks a night might not do wonders for your brain function. A new Spanish study finds that when shown a series of stimuli, binge-drinkers' brain activity peaked at 18 microvolts, while non-drinkers' reached as high as 22 microvolts. Maybe our underwhelming reaction to this study is just the extended July 4th hangover talking...
Seriously? Frat bros are less sexually aggressive than non-Greek male students
Despite the fact that fraternity members are stereotypically "hypermasculine" compared to the rest of their male peers, a new study to be published in the "Journal of College Student Development" clarifies that this doesn't make them more likely to have weird ideas about acceptable sexual behavior. In fact, apparently, men in frats have fewer problematic ideas about acceptable sexual behavior (like date rape) than their non-Greek peers. Researchers hypothesized that the somewhat surprising results might be the result of improved consent training following a string of fraternity-related sexual assaults in recent years. Of course, lots of people are going to need more convincing before they believe in the mystical feminist frat boy.
Obviously! Smoking pot makes you lazy
Researchers have found that the more you smoke, the less likely you are to get off your couch and get sh*t done. No surprise there, but it is interesting to know the cause. Apparently, weed smokers produce significantly less dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation, than those who keep it clean. You know that superwoman feeling you get when you run that extra mile, get that promotion, or successfully someone out? That's dopamine at work. Turns out you also produce a lot of it when you hit the bong, which is what convinces your body to cut down on its natural supply. Unsurprisingly, the resulting dopamine deficit the next day could leave you feeling unmotivated.
Seriously? Nearly a quarter of young assault victims own a gun
The fact that a journal called "Pediatrics" has reason to publish a study about guns is shocking enough. The new study found that one-fourth of young people (aged 14-24) admitted to the emergency room for assault weapon injuries in Flint, Michigan (one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country) were themselves in possession of a firearm. Yeah, this country totally doesn't have a problem.
Toss-up: Men use oral sex to keep their women faithful
Okay, it's no surprise that ladies like their "kisses down low," but now, it turns out men may be motivated to go down on us because of sexy evolution. The "Journal of Evolutionary Psychology" reports that cunnilingus is really just a way for men way to make sure their cavewomen, *ahem*, girlfriends won't cheat on them. So really, cunnilingus may be a primal "mate retention" strategy. How romantic. Photo Credit: LyndaSanchez, Flickr.
