Editing Social environment (section)

==== Sexual and intimate relationships ====
{{Main|Intimate relationship}}
[[File:Adult couple holding hands.jpg|thumb|[[Holding hands]] is a form of intimacy]]
An '''intimate relationship''' is an [[interpersonal relationship]] that involves emotional or physical closeness between people and may include [[sexual intimacy]] and feelings of [[Romance (love)|romance]] or love.<ref name="Wong">{{cite book |last1=Wong |first1=D. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dnYcBgAAQBAJ |title=Counseling Individuals Through the Lifespan |last2=Hall |first2=K. R. |last3=Justice |first3=C.A. |last4=Wong |first4=L. |publisher=[[SAGE Publications]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-4833-2203-2 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dnYcBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA326 326] |quote=Intimacy: As an intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate attachment or sexual activity.}}</ref> Intimate relationships are [[Interdependence theory|interdependent]], and the members of the relationship mutually influence each other.<ref>{{Citation |last=Rusbult |first=Caryl E. |title=Interdependence in Close Relationships |date=2003 |work=Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology: Interpersonal Processes |pages=357–387 |editor-last=Fletcher |editor-first=Garth J. O. |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9780470998557.ch14 |access-date=2023-10-30 |edition=1 |publisher=Wiley |language=en |doi=10.1002/9780470998557.ch14 |isbn=978-0-631-21228-7 |editor2-last=Clark |editor2-first=Margaret S.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The [[Relationship Quality|quality]] and nature of the relationship depends on the interactions between individuals, and is derived from the unique context and history that builds between people over time.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Finkel |first1=Eli J. |last2=Simpson |first2=Jeffry A. |last3=Eastwick |first3=Paul W. |date=2017-01-03 |title=The Psychology of Close Relationships: Fourteen Core Principles |url=https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044038 |journal=Annual Review of Psychology |language=en |volume=68 |issue=1 |pages=383–411 |doi=10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044038 |issn=0066-4308 |pmid=27618945 |s2cid=207567096|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wiecha |first1=Jan |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_1240-1 |title=Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior |date=2023 |publisher=[[Springer, Cham]] |isbn=978-3-031-08956-5 |pages=1–11 |language=en |chapter=Intimacy |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_1240-1}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jankowiak |first1=William |date=2015 |title=Intimacy |journal=The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality |pages=583–625 |doi=10.1002/9781118896877.wbiehs242|isbn=978-1-4051-9006-0 }}</ref> Social and legal [[Institution|institutions]] such as [[marriage]] acknowledge and uphold intimate relationships between people. However, intimate relationships are not necessarily [[Monogamy|monogamous]] or sexual, and there is wide social and [[Culture|cultural]] variability in the [[Social norm|norms]] and practices of intimacy between people.

In intimate relationships that are sexual, sexual satisfaction is closely tied to overall relationship satisfaction.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maxwell |first1=Jessica A. |last2=McNulty |first2=James K. |date=2019 |title=No Longer in a Dry Spell: The Developing Understanding of How Sex Influences Romantic Relationships |journal=Current Directions in Psychological Science |language=en |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=102–107 |doi=10.1177/0963721418806690 |issn=0963-7214 |s2cid=149470236 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Sex promotes intimacy, increases happiness,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cheng |first1=Zhiming |last2=Smyth |first2=Russell |date=2015-04-01 |title=Sex and happiness |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268115000050 |journal=Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization |volume=112 |pages=26–32 |doi=10.1016/j.jebo.2014.12.030 |issn=0167-2681|url-access=subscription }}</ref> provides [[pleasure]], and reduces stress.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Meston |first1=Cindy M. |last2=Buss |first2=David M. |date=2007-07-03 |title=Why Humans Have Sex |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9175-2 |journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=477–507 |doi=10.1007/s10508-007-9175-2 |issn=0004-0002 |pmid=17610060 |s2cid=6182053|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ein-Dor |first1=Tsachi |last2=Hirschberger |first2=Gilad |date=2012 |title=Sexual healing: Daily diary evidence that sex relieves stress for men and women in satisfying relationships |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265407511431185 |journal=Journal of Social and Personal Relationships |language=en |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=126–139 |doi=10.1177/0265407511431185 |issn=0265-4075 |s2cid=73681719|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Studies show that couples who have sex at least once per week report greater well-being than those who have sex less than once per week.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Muise |first1=Amy |last2=Schimmack |first2=Ulrich |last3=Impett |first3=Emily A. |date=2016 |title=Sexual Frequency Predicts Greater Well-Being, But More is Not Always Better |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1948550615616462 |journal=Social Psychological and Personality Science |language=en |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=295–302 |doi=10.1177/1948550615616462 |issn=1948-5506 |s2cid=146679264|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Research in [[human sexuality]] finds that the ingredients of high quality sex include feeling connected to your partner, good communication, vulnerability, and feeling present in the moment. High quality sex in intimate relationships can both strengthen the relationship and improve well-being for each individual involved.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kleinplatz |first1=Peggy J. |last2=Menard |first2=A. Dana |last3=Paquet |first3=Marie-Pierre |last4=Paradis |first4=Nicolas |last5=Campbell |first5=Meghan |last6=Zuccarino |first6=Dino |last7=Mehak |first7=Lisa |date=2009 |title=The components of optimal sexuality: A portrait of "great sex" |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232545283 |journal=Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality |volume=18 |issue=1–2}}</ref>