PsychologyJuly 15, 2026

sociosexuality

/ˌsoʊsi.oʊˌsɛʃuˈælɪti/

Definition

A personality trait reflecting an individual's level of comfort with and willingness to engage in casual sexual relationships without the requirement of a long-term emotional bond.

Etymology

The word is a compound formed from 'socio-', relating to social aspects or society, and 'sexuality,' derived from the Latin 'sexualis.' It gained prominence in psychology to describe individual differences in sexual strategies.

In the news

In this article, sociosexuality is identified as a key factor that influences a person's sexual behavior, specifically linking a higher drive for casual sex to more frequent pornography use.

New study explores the psychological chain behind involuntary sexual thoughts

Read the full article ↗

PsyPost

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.