Recession Sex Studies: Why They're All Bunk

The recession makes men cheat. And boosts the sales of sex toys. And inspires couples to reconnect in bed. And lowers men's libidos ... and women's. Wait, is anyone following this? In Salon, Tracy Clark-Flory traces the eye-rolling flow of studies and "expert insights" into how the recession has influenced Americans' sex lives. Among her insights: Quotes about how recession-struck America is seeking "sex as a cheap form of entertainment ... came from such unbiased sources as the PR teams behind condom brands."

In one amusing new study, researchers showed men visuals "to make them contemplate their own mortality," then found them "more responsive to sexual imagery"—and concluded that dire circumstances makes men stray. "The study serves as a reminder ... of how overreaching evolutionary psychology can be," writes Clark-Flory. "What’s clear is that even while losing jobs, plunging into debt and watching stocks plummet, we still use sex as a barometer of health and happiness." Click to read the entire piece. (More recession stories.)