Keep up with current research with these quick and easy fact bits

By Laura Finaldi, News Staff

1) Google savvy? Think again.

A study conducted by a collaboration of five Illinois universities found although college kids are some of the world’s most active Google users, they’re not as good as it as they may think. Students from all five schools – 156 in total – mentioned they used the Google search engine more than any other search engine, but according to observations of the researchers, they weren’t very good at it.

Researchers observed 60 students while they studied in the library and found students had difficulty refining their searches to get the results they wanted. A story about the study on Mashable.com said a few students interviewed said they use Google because they don’t know how else to get their information.

2) Sexual health linked to self-esteem.

Sexual satisfaction means self-confidence according to research done at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where data from 3,237 respondents ages 18 to 26 from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was examined. Adena Galinsky, a co-author of the study, said self-esteem, autonomy and empathy are linked to sexual pleasure, with empathy being the most prevalent.

Galinsky said in an interview with psychcentral.com that the theory is so because empathetic people are more responsive to the wants and needs of others, creating a better rate of satisfaction. This study was published in the June issue of “The Journal of Adolescent Health.”

3) Sexual behaviors of gay/bisexual men.

The largest comprehensive study conducted on the sexual behaviors of gay and bisexual men will appear in the November issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The study, which was conducted by Indiana University (IU) and George Mason University in collaboration with the OLB Research Institute at Online Buddies, Inc., gathered responses from almost 25,000 men, according to a press release on IU’s website, and focused on participants’ most recent sexual encounter. Study participants reported 1,308 different kinds of sexual behavior. The study found that more than 40 percent of men surveyed reported that their most recent sexual partner was someone they were dating. It also said about 82 percent of men reported having an orgasm in their most recent sexual encounter (that number was higher for men in relationships).

4) Strong women are taking over.

Nielsen research company’s annual “Women of Tomorrow” report examines what women watch and buy on a comprehensive level.

“Women are increasing their spending power, and with that they gain more control and influence over key household decisions. As a result the women of today and tomorrow are powerful consumers, and understanding their habits and attitudes is critically important for marketers and advertisers,” Susan Whiting, vice chair of Nielsen, said.