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American Journal of Public Health Feb 2020
Topics: Humans; Pleasure; Public Health
PubMed: 31913673
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305496 -
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics Apr 2021How many pleasures can you track? In a previous study, we showed that people can simultaneously track the pleasure they experience from two images. Here, we push...
How many pleasures can you track? In a previous study, we showed that people can simultaneously track the pleasure they experience from two images. Here, we push further, probing the individual and combined pleasures felt from seeing four images in one glimpse. Participants (N = 25) viewed 36 images spanning the entire range of pleasure. Each trial presented an array of four images, one in each quadrant of the screen, for 200 ms. On 80% of the trials, a central line cue pointed, randomly, at some screen corner either before (precue) or after (postcue) the images were shown. The cue indicated which image (the target) to rate while ignoring the others (distractors). On the other 20% of trials, an X cue requested a rating of the combined pleasure of all four images. Later, for baseline reference, we obtained a single-pleasure rating for each image shown alone. When precued, participants faithfully reported the pleasure of the target. When postcued, however, the mean ratings of images that are intensely pleasurable when seen alone (pleasure >4.5 on a 1-9 scale) dropped below baseline. Regardless of cue timing, the rating of the combined pleasure of four images was a linear transform of the average baseline pleasures of all four images. Thus, while people can faithfully track two pleasures, they cannot track four. Instead, the pleasure of otherwise above-medium-pleasure images is diminished, mimicking the effect of a distracting task.
Topics: Emotions; Humans; Pleasure
PubMed: 33205370
DOI: 10.3758/s13414-020-02175-z -
Psychiatry Research Mar 2021Anticipation of pleasure - a key aspect of hedonic experience - is a motivating factor for engaging in activities. Low levels of anticipatory pleasure and activity are...
Anticipation of pleasure - a key aspect of hedonic experience - is a motivating factor for engaging in activities. Low levels of anticipatory pleasure and activity are found in individuals with psychosis. Cognitive factors (e.g., working memory and IQ) have been a focus of explanation for anticipation of pleasure in psychosis. However, cognitive factors do not fully account for such difficulties. It is plausible that emotional factors (e.g., depression, self-beliefs) also contribute. We examined anticipatory pleasure in relation to cognitive and emotional processes in patients with current psychosis. 128 patients with persecutory delusions in the context of non-affective psychosis completed assessments of anticipatory pleasure, cognitive functioning, emotional processes, and activity. Lower anticipatory pleasure was significantly associated with depression, insomnia, negative-self beliefs, suicidal ideation, poorer psychological wellbeing, and paranoia-related avoidance. There were no significant associations with working memory, physical activity, or meaningful activity. Emotional factors may play a more significant role than cognitive difficulties in the experience of anhedonia in psychosis. However, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inferences. Future research should examine whether, for example, improving self-concept or reducing paranoia-related avoidance leads to improvement in anticipatory pleasure in patients with psychosis.
Topics: Adult; Anhedonia; Anticipation, Psychological; Cognition; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emotions; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Paranoid Disorders; Pleasure; Psychotic Disorders
PubMed: 33465523
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113697 -
Experimental Dermatology May 2015The skin senses serve a discriminative function, allowing us to manipulate objects and detect touch and temperature, and an affective/emotional function, manifested as... (Review)
Review
The skin senses serve a discriminative function, allowing us to manipulate objects and detect touch and temperature, and an affective/emotional function, manifested as itch or pain when the skin is damaged. Two different classes of nerve fibre mediate these dissociable aspects of cutaneous somatosensation: (i) myelinated A-beta and A-delta afferents that provide rapid information about the location and physical characteristics of skin contact; and (ii) unmyelinated, slow-conducting C-fibre afferents that are typically associated with coding the emotional properties of pain and itch. However, recent research has identified a third class of C-fibre afferents that code for the pleasurable properties of touch - c-tactile afferents or CTs. Clinical application of treatments that target pleasant, CT-mediated touch (such as massage therapy) could, in the future, provide a complementary, non-pharmacological means of treating both the physical and psychological aspects of chronic skin conditions such as itch and eczema.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Grooming; Humans; Massage; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated; Physical Stimulation; Pleasure; Pruritus; Skin; Somatosensory Cortex; Touch
PubMed: 25607755
DOI: 10.1111/exd.12639 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Feb 2019
Topics: Dopamine; Emotions; Music; Pleasure; Reward
PubMed: 30770455
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900369116 -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aug 2021Compared to studies on sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy prevention, sexual pleasure has received limited attention in the adolescent sexual development...
Compared to studies on sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy prevention, sexual pleasure has received limited attention in the adolescent sexual development literature. In the present study, we used data from 157 adolescents (66 females; 14 to 17 years old), with a partnered sexual experience in the past 12 months to explore adolescents' sexual pleasure. First, we examined adolescents' perceptions of pleasure during their most recent partnered sexual experience. We then used information about those sexual experiences to identify correlates of sexual pleasure. Adolescents' reports of sexual pleasure were mixed. Although 17.8% reported their sexual experience was extremely pleasurable and 36.5% reported it was quite pleasurable, 26.6% indicated moderate pleasure, 13.1% a little pleasure, and 3.3% reported no pleasure. Sexual pleasure was primarily associated with aspects of sexual experiences that reflected socioemotional intimacy and desire. Specifically, cuddling with partners, emotional intimacy, and wantedness were all associated with greater sexual pleasure. Additionally, adolescents found sex more pleasurable when it occurred with a friend, but less pleasurable when it involved genital rubbing. Most sexual behaviors, having experienced orgasm, and the situational context of sexual experiences were not associated with sexual pleasure. Thus, specific sexual behaviors and orgasm may have less impact on sexual pleasure than feelings of emotional intimacy and desire. The diversity of perceived sexual pleasure and its associations with intimacy and desire suggest that, during adolescence, partnered sexual experiences are not primarily motivated by anticipated physical pleasure.
Topics: Adolescent; Female; Humans; Orgasm; Pleasure; Pregnancy; Probability; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 34373980
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02026-4 -
Trends in Cognitive Sciences Feb 2011Rapid advances have recently been made in understanding how value-based decision-making processes are implemented in the brain. We integrate neuroeconomic and... (Review)
Review
Rapid advances have recently been made in understanding how value-based decision-making processes are implemented in the brain. We integrate neuroeconomic and computational approaches with evidence on the neural correlates of value and experienced pleasure to describe how systems for valuation and decision-making are organized in the prefrontal cortex of humans and other primates. We show that the orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal (VMPFC) cortices compute expected value, reward outcome and experienced pleasure for different stimuli on a common value scale. Attractor networks in VMPFC area 10 then implement categorical decision processes that transform value signals into a choice between the values, thereby guiding action. This synthesis of findings across fields provides a unifying perspective for the study of decision-making processes in the brain.
Topics: Animals; Choice Behavior; Decision Making; Humans; Models, Economic; Pleasure; Pleasure-Pain Principle; Prefrontal Cortex; Primates; Reward
PubMed: 21216655
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2010.12.004 -
Emotion (Washington, D.C.) Aug 2021When left to their own devices, people could choose to enjoy their own thoughts. But recent work suggests they do not. When given the freedom, people do not...
When left to their own devices, people could choose to enjoy their own thoughts. But recent work suggests they do not. When given the freedom, people do not spontaneously choose to think for pleasure, and when directed to do so, struggle to concentrate successfully. Moreover, people find it somewhat boring and much less enjoyable than other solitary activities. One reason for this is that people may not know how to think for pleasure. Specifically, they may not know what to think about to make this both a meaningful and pleasant experience. We tested this prediction in two preregistered studies, by providing specific examples of meaningful topics (Study 1) or instructing participants to think "meaningful" thoughts (Study 2). Although providing specific examples of meaningful topics boosted how meaningful and enjoyable people found thinking for pleasure (Study 1), asking people to think "meaningful" thoughts (as compared with pleasurable ones) did not, because some of the meaningful topics people thought about were negative (Study 2). In order for thinking for pleasure to be pleasurable, people need to focus on topics that are both meaningful and positive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Emotions; Humans; Pleasure
PubMed: 33661664
DOI: 10.1037/emo0000941 -
Journal of American College Health : J... Nov 2023ObjectiveWe explored college students' sexual pleasure using a new self-report measure, the Body, Emotions, Sensations, Touch/Trust (B.E.S.T.) Scale of Sexual Pleasure....
ObjectiveWe explored college students' sexual pleasure using a new self-report measure, the Body, Emotions, Sensations, Touch/Trust (B.E.S.T.) Scale of Sexual Pleasure. Data were from 3997 randomly sampled students with a partnered sexual experience. Students completed an online survey about their most recent partnered sexual experience. Data was collected in January 2020. Students find the nonphysical aspects of partnered sex (e.g., emotions, trust, connection with partners) as pleasurable as physical aspects (e.g., behaviors engaged and received, bodily sensations). Self-reported arousal, wantedness, and emotional intimacy were the strongest correlates of male, female, and transgender/gender non-binary students' sexual pleasure. Few sexual behaviors were associated with sexual pleasure and only one - cuddling for women - was associated with greater sexual pleasure. : Students find their partnered sexual experiences pleasurable. Students' sex may be more pleasurable when they feel ready for sex, desire sex, and feel close to their partners.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Pleasure; Students; Universities; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 34634225
DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1978461 -
Trends in Cognitive Sciences Nov 2009The pursuit of happiness is a preoccupation for many people. Yet only the pursuit can be promised, not happiness itself. Can science help? We focus on the most tractable... (Review)
Review
The pursuit of happiness is a preoccupation for many people. Yet only the pursuit can be promised, not happiness itself. Can science help? We focus on the most tractable ingredient, hedonia or positive affect. A step toward happiness might be gained by improving the pleasures and positive moods in daily life. The neuroscience of pleasure and reward provides relevant insights, and we discuss how specific hedonic mechanisms might relate to happiness or the lack thereof. Although the neuroscience of happiness is still in its infancy, further advances might be made through mapping overlap between brain networks of hedonic pleasure with others, such as the brain's default network, potentially involved in the other happiness ingredient, eudaimonia or life meaning and engagement.
Topics: Animals; Brain Mapping; Cerebral Cortex; Happiness; Humans; Neuroanatomy; Pleasure
PubMed: 19782634
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2009.08.006