Men are more romantic than women. Or at least according to Dr Liz McLoughlin, a DCU staff member, who gave a talk on the psychology behind sexuality during SHAG week.
She said that it is proven that when you first have sex in a relationship, it makes no difference to the outcome of the relationship. She added that friends are better than the couple themselves at predicting the fate of relationships.
One major reason people are attracted to each other is physical looks.
McLoughlin says “beauty matters even when it shouldn’t” and people who are physically attractive are assumed to be happier with better career options and prospects for relationships.
Familiarity, she said, breeds contentment not contempt. A crucial determinant of whether we like someone is the extent to which we believe they like us.
She also said those who believe they are being subtle about their feelings of attraction are most likely wrong. The talk was organised by the DCU Physchology Society.
SHAG week ran from October 15th-19th and the aim of the week was to encourage students to have safe sex and educate them on the benefits of doing so. The theme of the week was ‘Do the Maths’ to inform students that unprotected sex could link them to hundreds of other people.
Other events during the week included sex magician, Shane Quilty, a SHAG quiz in The NuBar and an information fair. There was a ‘Sexpression Board’ in The Hub where students anonymously wrote down what they love or hate about sex, which was then revealed on Wednesday, also known as, ‘Girls carry condoms too’ day.
The Interfaith Centre held a service to remember those who have died from AIDS. The Spar on campus got involved by giving students 50% off tea and coffee when they presented a condom at the counter. The restaurant gave away a free bottle of water for doing the same.
One of the annual SHAG week events is ‘The SHAG Pad’ where students tell their sex confessions. This is recorded every year by MPS and DCUtv and was broadcast on Thursday in the Students’ Union.
There was free stage 1 (gonorrhea and chlamydia) STI testing for all students at the Student Health Centre if they made an appointment during SHAG week. Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Neil Collins even allowed himself to be filmed getting a STI test to encourage students to do the same.
Aisling Kett
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