Sex
How often should you get tested for STIs?
For most people the anchor is once a year while sexually active, and again with each new partner. Sexually active women under 25 are advised to…
Strong evidence12 min read
Evidence
The research
Every answer here carries a rating for how much the literature actually supports it. Most relationship questions score limited or contested, and that is not us hedging. It is the honest state of the field.
- Strong evidence
- Multiple independent studies, including replications or meta-analyses, point the same way. Browse these
- Moderate evidence
- Several studies support this, but samples are limited or findings vary by population. Browse these
- Limited evidence
- Early, small, or single-study evidence. Treat this as a reasonable hypothesis, not a settled fact. Browse these
- Contested
- Credible researchers disagree, or the evidence points in conflicting directions. Browse these
Best supported
Where the evidence is strongest
- Sex
Is it okay to say no to sex in a marriage?
Yes. Marriage does not transfer consent in advance, and in most jurisdictions the law is explicit that it does not. That part is not a matter of…
Strong evidence11 min read
Genuinely open
Where credible researchers disagree
- Cheating
Should you tell your partner about a one-night stand?
The evidence settles less than people want, but one finding is decision-relevant: how a partner finds out predicts what happens next.…
Contested1votes15 min read - Sex
Does body count actually matter?
Two things are true and they pull in different directions. Large studies do find modest associations between more past partners and lower…
Contested14 min read - Cheating
What counts as emotional cheating?
There is no clinical definition and no research consensus on a threshold. What clinical practice and the research on extramarital involvement…
Contested13 min read - Intimacy
Do phones ruin closeness between couples?
Not on the evidence available, though something real is being measured. Pooling 52 studies, perceiving a partner as snubbing you for a phone…
Contested15 min read - Cheating
Can watching porn be considered cheating?
There is no objective line. It depends on what you and your partner actually agreed, and most couples have never had that conversation. Where it…
Contested4votes11 min read