What is the Coolidge effect and how to avoid it

Most of the presidents of the United States are known for political or personal events in which they have been involved. However, few people know about former President Calvin Coolidge, whose name is tied to an aspect of sexuality. During a visit to a poultry farm, Mrs. Coolidge is said to have asked the farmer how she could produce so many eggs with so few roosters. The breeder proudly explained that his roosters were mating dozens of times a day, to which the first lady commented out loud, "Perhaps I should tell Mr. Coolidge." Upon hearing the comment, the president asked the breeder if the roosters always mate with the same hen, to which he received a negative answer. "Perhaps you should tell Mrs. Coolidge," the president then replied.

In this Psychology-Online article we will explain what is the coolidge effect and how to avoid it.

Index

1. What is the Coolidge effect
2. Origin of the Coolidge effect
3. How the Coolidge effect influences relationships
4. How to avoid the Coolidge effect in your relationship

The Coolidge effect, named after the 30th president of the United States, does not have to to do with labor relations, economics or leadership, but with an aspect of behavior sexual. Specifically, it refers to phenomenon present in many animal species consisting of males exhausted after mating experience a renewed interest in sex if a new female is available to them.

In technical terms, males show a shorter refractory period if a new partner is introduced, that is, the time that elapses between one mating and another is shorter.

The Coolidge effect was observed in the 1960s in an experiment conducted by scientists at the University of California. During the investigation, some psychologists working with mice introduced a female into the cage of a male who had been prevented from copulating for a long time. The male mouse mounted the female and repeated the act several times until apparently collapsing from sexual exhaustion.

The surprise came when psychologists introduced a new female into the cage. At that point, the male had intercourse with the female mouse repeatedly until, once again, he was exhausted. However, when a third female was introduced into the cage, the previous situation was repeated again.

This experiment is a demonstration of the powerful effect of novelty on attraction and sexual performance. Although the Coolidge effect is more consistent in males, this phenomenon has produced similar results in females, albeit to lesser degrees. This fact was demonstrated by Boris Gorzalka and Gillian Lester's team in subsequent research in which they developed a similar model using hamsters instead of mice.

The Coolidge effect symbolically describes the effect of novelty in the field of seduction and attraction. In this case, the seducer is attracted by the novelty and this, in turn, generates novelty for the partner, therefore, the "novelty effect" appears stronger than the "habit effect on the partner". On a biological level, the "novelty" effect in many animal species produces a rapid increase in testosterone and dopamine in males when they face a new female to "conquer":

Seduction is an adventure capable of following new and surprising paths. In the same way, there are always hidden corners to discover and explore, which is why a person who comes from the foreigner can exert a particular attraction, since it represents an unknown world, capable of exciting the fantasy and the imagination. It is the famous allure of the exotic that increases curiosity, due to both biological and cultural differences.

As a result, the feeling of novelty is an attraction multiplier and an excellent signal to understand the pattern of seduction. As long as the seducer makes her partner feel "new," passion will fuel your relationship. However, when routine, boredom and indifference dominate the relationship, it may mean the end of attraction and seduction. In the following article you will find How to surprise your partner in bed.

The Coolidge effect refers only to the physiological component of sexuality, that is, sexual behavior. A caged mouse has no interest in sexual activity other than reproduction. Fortunately, we are not caged rats or presidential chickens. For human beings, on the other hand, sex is another way of relating to one another in which our fears can intervene, wishes, expectations, needs for confirmation or closeness, as well as protection and dedication, among others factors.

Is there a way to avoid the Coolidge effect? Our partner is a person with whom we have spent a lot of time, so we know their habits and can predict their reactions. On a sexual level, we know your body, what you like and what you don't. If a couple gets bored, it may be because they only show themselves in the most superficial layers, or because they have lost the desire to experiment. For this reason, one of the most effective ways to prevent your partner from feeling bored is wonder if you are taking the other person for granted and start changing the dialogue to find out what he really thinks, feels, wants, fears.

Another way to avoid the Coolidge effect in your relationship is change the routine. The feeling of security in the couple is very good, but repeating the same thing day after day does not favor discovery and can cause stagnation in the relationship.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is the Coolidge effect and how to avoid it, we recommend that you enter our category of Social psychology.

• Anoli, L. (2014). The seduction Rome: Publisher Laterza.
• Giordano, C. (2018). SIs that with the stesso partner? Che noia! L'effetto Coolidge and how to avoid it. Recovered from: https://www.giordanochristian.com/2018/06/04/sesso-con-lo-stesso-partner-e-addio-eccitazione-leffetto-coolidge-e-come-evitarlo/
• Pinel, J., Barnes, J. (2022). Psychobiology. Eleventh edition. Milan: Edra.