New Research from Current Directions in Psychological Science

Psychological Detachment From Work During Leisure Time: The Benefits of Mentally Disengaging From Work

Sabine Sonnentag

Are you the type of person who still thinks about work during the weekend? In this article, Sonnentag reviews research examining the psychological benefits of mentally disengaging from work during leisure time — evenings, weekends, and vacations. She highlights main findings from studies examining the benefits of psychological detachment and discusses factors that help and hinder disengagement from work. She concludes by discussing the future directions and the practical implications of this research.

A Reexamination of Sex Differences in Sexuality: New Studies Reveal Old Truths

David P. Schmitt, Peter K. Jonason, Garrett J. Byerley, Sandy D. Flores, Brittany E. Illbeck, Kimberly N. O’Leary, and Ayesha Qudrat

Recent publications have suggested that evolutionary-based gender differences in sexuality are nonexistent. The authors of this review refute the claims that there are negligible differences in men’s and women’s mate preference, in their number of desired sexual partners, and in their attitudes towards casual sex. The authors stress that although researchers should be aware of new studies that could alter or refute old theories, they must be careful to interpret these new studies in the proper evidentiary context.

Group Affect: Its Influence on Individual and Group Outcomes

Sigal G. Barsade and Donald E. Gibson

Affect is often only examined at the individual level, but in this article, Barsade and Gibson review research examining the effects of group affect. The authors present research into the influence of group affect on individual members’ behavior and on group-level outcomes. They discuss how the affective culture of a group can shape individual and group outcomes and conclude by presenting future directions for research in this area.