Sexual disconnections can lead to miscommunication between partners, which is known as "misreading" in psychology literature. This means that one partner thinks they are receiving certain signals from their partner that were never intended. Sexual dissatisfaction has been linked to communication problems in many studies. When people feel uncomfortable talking about sex, it's difficult for them to express themselves openly and honestly. It might be hard for them to hear what their partner needs without assuming that their actions are interpreted correctly.
Misinterpretations happen when someone doesn't listen well enough or respond appropriately based on how others communicate.
If you think your partner isn't interested in having sex because he/she didn't kiss you goodbye when leaving work, but then you realize that this was just because she forgot something else she needed from her office desk before going home, then you've misread the situation. If there is no physical intimacy involved, then this type of mistake could easily turn into resentment and anger.
People who have trouble connecting physically may also struggle with verbal communication skills. They might find it challenging to talk about feelings and emotions freely. As a result, they may avoid doing so altogether and instead rely solely on nonverbal cues such as body language and tone of voice. These forms of communication don't always tell us exactly how someone feels inside. So when our partners aren't able to communicate effectively verbally or physically, we end up feeling confused or frustrated because we can't figure out why they aren't reciprocating our efforts.
Research shows that couples who experience sexual disconnection tend to interpret gestures differently than those who enjoy regular intimacy. A study published in 2018 found that women who had less frequent sex were more likely to report perceiving negative facial expressions in men compared to those who had more often. Another research article states that men who were dissatisfied with their relationships tended to be sensitive to positive facial expressions. And another one found that married people without sexual satisfaction saw greater differences between themselves and their spouses regarding how they interpreted certain words like "love" and "hate."
According to some theories, these discrepancies arise due to differences in neurochemistry. People whose brains process dopamine differently are thought to respond differently to rewards, including pleasure derived from romantic experiences. When people feel rewarded by something, dopamine levels increase in the brain. This creates motivation for repeat behavior.
If there is no actual physical contact involved during intimate interactions, then there will be little dopamine released to stimulate this response.
This could lead to a lack of interest in continuing with the relationship altogether.
How does sexual disconnection influence partners' interpretations of daily gestures, facial expressions, or tone of voice?
The lack of physical intimacy in relationships can have various implications on how couples perceive each other's behavior, including their nonverbal cues such as gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. When individuals are sexually connected with one another, they tend to pay closer attention to these subtle signs of affection and may interpret them more positively than when there is no sexual connection present.