Ambient temperature and sexual activity: Evidence from time use surveys

Abstract

BACKGROUNDPrevious research has found that unusually hot temperatures reduce birth rates eight to ten months later. OBJECTIVEWe examine one of the potential mechanisms behind this relationship: the connection between ambient temperature and sexual activity. METHODSWe use individual-level data provided by three waves of the Hungarian Time Use Survey between 1986 and 2010 and daily weather data from the European Climate Assessment & Dataset project. RESULTSHot temperatures do not have a significant effect on sexual activity on a given day. Studying the dynamics of the relationship, we found that temperature does not influence sexual activity on subsequent days either. CONCLUSIONSSince high temperatures seem to have no negative effect on sexual activity, the relationship between temperature and sexual activity might be a mechanism of minor importance in the relationship between temperature and birth rates. CONTRIBUTIONOur paper is the first study of the relationship between ambient temperature and sexual activity that uses time use data.

Prenatal Exposure to Heat Waves and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…This is consistent with recent evidence reported for the US by Barreca et al (2018), who find that although hot days in the US tend to reduce birth rates 8 to 10 months later, the main mechanism is a reduction of reproductive health rather than reduced sexual activity. Similar conclusions, that sexual activity is unlikely to be the main explanation for the ambient temperature-birth rate nexus are drawn by Hajdu and Hajdu (2019) for Hungary.…”

Temperature, climate change, and human conception rates: evidence from Hungary

“…In contrast,Wilde et al (2017) find that high temperature slightly decreases sexual activity in sub-Saharan Africa.7 For further details on this approach, see, e.g.,Greene (2002), and for an applicationBarwick et al (2018). These results are very similar even if a 5th or 7th order polynomial is used.Temperature, climate change, and human conception rates: evidence...…”

Temperature, Climate Change, and Fertility

“…The direct connection between temperature and sexual activity was rarely examined. Besides, the results of the few existing studies are inconclusive (Hajdu and Hajdu 2019;Wilde et al 2017). Hajdu and Hajdu (2019) used Hungarian time-use survey data and found no significant relationship between daily temperature and sexual activity.…”

“…Besides, the results of the few existing studies are inconclusive (Hajdu and Hajdu 2019;Wilde et al 2017). Hajdu and Hajdu (2019) used Hungarian time-use survey data and found no significant relationship between daily temperature and sexual activity. In contrast, Wilde et al (2017) reported that both sexual activity and internet searches of sexually-themed expressions decrease with increasing temperature in sub-Saharan Africa.…”