- Phone:
- (812) 855-7686
- Email:
- elkauf@iu.edu
- Department:
- Kinsey Institute
- Campus:
- IU Bloomington
Lindley Hall
Bloomington, IN 47405
Bloomington, IN 47405
Lindley Hall
Bloomington, IN 47405
Bloomington, IN 47405
Ellen M. Kaufman is an interdisciplinary researcher and Senior Research Associate at the Kinsey Institute. Her research focuses on the intersection of sexuality and technology, exploring how our relationships and overall sexual and emotional wellbeing are shaped by new modalities of connection.
Education
- Ph.D., Indiana University, 2023
- M.A. Georgetown University, 2018
- B.A. Kenyon College, 2013
Dr. Kaufman is particularly interested in computer-mediated intimacy within the context of erotic labor and social robotics, and her most recent work examines how intimacy is “engineered” in technology-mediated contexts with both human and artificial or virtual partners. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals including Psychology & Sexuality and the Journal of Sex Research.
Selected publications
- Kaufman, E. M., Gesselman, A. N., & Bennett-Brown, M. (2024). Clients’ Perceptions of Authentic Intimate Connection on Erotic Webcam Modeling Sites. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-11.
- Gesselman, A. N., Kaufman, E. M., Marcotte, A. S., Reynolds, T. A., & Garcia, J. R. (2022). Engagement with emerging forms of sextech: Demographic correlates from a national sample of adults in the United States. The Journal of Sex Research, 0(0), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.2007521
- Marcotte, A. S., Kaufman, E. M., Campbell, J. T., Reynolds, T. A., Garcia, J. R., & Gesselman, A. N. (2021). Sextech use as a potential mental health reprieve: The role of anxiety, depression, and loneliness in seeking sex online. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 8924. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178924
- Kaufman, E. M. (2020). Reprogramming consent: Implications of sexual relationships with artificially intelligent partners. Psychology & Sexuality, 11(4), 372-383
Research Interests
- Emerging forms of sextech and their impact on emotional and sexual wellbeing
- Technologically-mediated intimacy
- Use and implications of artificial intelligence within the context of romantic and sexual relationships