A CE certificate from CES for Alexandra Zidenberg
🎓 Just received my Credentialed Evaluator (CE) designation from @evaluationcanada.ca! Proud to be one of only ~30 CEs in Quebec.
Excited to continue advancing evidence-based evaluation in forensic psychology and community research.
#Evaluation #ProfessionalDevelopment #ProgramEvaluation
A poster for the study specifying that the study is 20 minutes long and to contact Kerri Thomson for more information
Humane Canada is looking to connect with organizations and individuals that are studying, supporting or working with young people, particularly in online spaces. If you’re seeing signs of online radicalization, take the survey: qualtricsxmnxnww5vzq.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
#PsychSciSky
📊 New research on femcels and sexual well-being with @alexandrazidenberg.bsky.social
Femcels reported significantly:
⬇️ lower sexual esteem, satisfaction, and agency
⬆️ higher sexual preoccupation, anxiety, depression, and fear of sexual relationships
doi.org/10.13140/RG....
Don't have library access? DM or email me for a copy of the paper! Always happy to share research with those who want to learn more about this understudied area.
#SexResearch #AcademicTwitter #Zoophilia #QualitativeResearch #Psychology #Paraphilia #Sexology #PsychSciSky
This research was collaborative, community-informed, and included member checking with the zoophile community to ensure accuracy and trustworthiness.
Grateful to co-authors Payton McPhee & Mark Olver!
The findings reveal complex tensions between participants' ethical concerns and their understanding of animal behavior/communication.
Important implications for clinical practice, animal welfare, and theoretical frameworks of human sexuality.
Using thematic analysis, we identified 3 key themes:
Parallels with human attraction
Animal welfare ethics & consent frameworks
Species-specific appeal (including anatomical attraction)
Big shoutout to Payton McPhee for incredible coding work! 🙌
A screenshot of the title and abstract of the article (accessible by screen reader by clicking the link)
🎉 Thrilled to announce our new paper in the Journal of Sex Research! "Exploring Sexual Attraction to Animals: A Qualitative Analysis of Zoophile Experiences"
One of the largest qualitative studies on this topic, with 960 participants sharing their experiences.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Another preprint hot off the press 🔥 Interviews with 12 incels found that social exclusion, loneliness, and knowledge-seeking trigger incel identity adoption—NOT extremist ideology.
doi.org/10.13140/RG....
New preprint 📑: @jessmaxwell.bsky.social, @alexandrazidenberg.bsky.social, Arthur Woods, and I found that fear of being single (FOBS) is associated with more dating anxiety, lower self-esteem, and greater depressive symptoms in an online dating context
doi.org/10.13140/RG....
Thank you!!
Nous recherchons des professionnels de la #SantéMentale pour participer à une étude sur les clients ayant un intérêt sexuel pour les animaux. Si vous êtes un professionnel de santé mentale/étudiant dans un programme clinique, veuillez participer ! pacificu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... #psych
We are looking for #MentalHealth professionals to participate in a study looking at clients with a sexual interest in animals. If you are a mental health care professional or a student in a clinical program, please consider participating! pacificu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... #Psych #SocialWork
There is very little evidence that criminal profiling works at all. However, television has made many of us far more confident in the process than is likely warranted. Listen to Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg on the newest episode of Mind Full wherever you get your podcasts.
buff.ly/113s3RH
This exploratory study provides initial insights into a previously unexamined aspect of sexual expression. Full article: doi.org/10.1080/1941...
#SexualityResearch #HarmReduction #AcademicResearch
These results have important implications for clinicians, policymakers, and professionals dealing with human sexuality topics, particularly regarding ethical approaches to paraphilic interests.
The harm reduction theme parallels recent findings on sex doll ownership that challenge assumptions about increased risk behaviors. This suggests these products may serve beneficial purposes beyond mere novelty.
The findings extend previous research beyond conventional "fun" and "novelty" factors to include aesthetic considerations and harm-reduction frameworks. Notably, preference for non-anatomical designs aligns with emerging evidence that realistic features don't predict sex toy popularity.
3. Finding Pleasure in the Taboo: arousal from transgressive elements
4. Paraphilic Harm Reduction: ethical outlets for certain attractions without causing harm
We identified four key motivational themes through thematic analysis:
1. Seeking Novelty: pursuit of diverse tactile sensations
2. Valuing Aesthetics Over Verisimilitude: preference for artistic design over anatomical realism
Working with TJ Runyon from University of West Alabama, we analyzed Reddit forum discussions to understand why people choose these products. Despite their commercial availability, research on non-human sex toys is notably absent from scholarly literature.
A screenshot of the study described in the thread
Our new study "Exploring motivations for using fantasy-themed and animal-shaped sex toys" is now published in Psychology & Sexuality. This is the first study of motivations behind non-traditional sex toy use. #PsychSciSky #SexToys #FantasyCreatures
50 free copies: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/XSRU3...
A poster with the details of the conference (same as in post)
👥 CONFÉRENCE
📌 La Zoophilie : Recherches Actuelles et Orientations Futures - Par Alexandra Zidenberg
📅 Mercredi 24 septembre 2025, de 11h45 à 13h
👉 La présentation sera en français
🔗 Détails et inscription : www.cicc-iccc.org/fr/evenement...
Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg from Université de Montréal joins Mind Full to talk about criminal profiling. How much does binge-watching TV enhance our ability to profile a suspect? Do true-crime podcasts skew our beliefs about the effectiveness of law enforcement?
buff.ly/gYZyWpM
📢 Psychologists, psychological associates, trainees, and allies: Big changes proposed by CPBAO could erode psychologist registration standards in Ontario. I’ve partnered with Dr. Jenn Bossio to launch a petition in opposition. Sign & share: chng.it/6hKSNnJnkv #onpsych #ProtectOurProfession
A screenshot of the paper, titled "Bridging qualitative methods and open research"
My comment about open research and qualitative methods is out! I argue that open research needs to take seriously the notion that "rigour" looks different for different methods and can learn from qualitative traditions. It feels very apt to be at #QMIP2025 for this publication day rdcu.be/evEpk
💭 Makes you wonder - what other "expertise" do we think we've gained from TV that doesn't actually translate to real skills?
Congrats to Vivian on excellent work! 👏
🎯 Key takeaway: If criminal profiling is to be considered reliable in investigations, it must withstand external influences from media-induced biases and perceptions.
⚖️ Even more surprising - military training in analysis and risk assessment didn't provide any advantage in profiling tasks. Human judgment remains vulnerable to biases regardless of training.
