Download Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?

Psychology 320:
Gender Psychology
Lecture 41
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Sexuality:
1. Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour?
(continued)
2. Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?
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Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour? (continued)
Wells and Twenge (2005)
 Found that:
(a) age of first intercourse has decreased across time,
with the most dramatic change occurring among
females.
(b) the percentage of people who are sexually active
has increased across time, with the most dramatic
change occurring among females.
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Mean Age of First Intercourse Across Time
(Wells and Twenge, 2005)
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Percent of Participants Reporting Sexual Activity
Across Time (Wells and Twenge, 2005)
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• Consistent with research findings that show that female
sexuality has changed more across time than male
sexuality, some theorists (Baumeister, 2000) argue
that females are higher in “erotic plasticity” than males.
• Research findings that support the view that
females are higher in erotic plasticity than males:
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1. Research has shown that sociocultural factors have a
greater effect on female sexuality than male sexuality:
 The women’s movement influenced female sexual
behaviour more than male sexual behaviour
(Laumann et al. 1994):
Change in percent of males who reported 5+ sexual
partners by age 30: 11% (from 38% to 49%).
Change in percent of females who reported 5+
sexual partners by age 30: 20% (from 2% to 22%).
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 There is greater cross-cultural variation in the sexual
behaviour of females than males (Barry & Schlegel,
1984).
 Female sexual behaviour changes as a consequence
of acculturation; male sexual behaviour does not
change as a result of acculturation (Ford & Norris,
1993).
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 Female sexual behaviour varies more than male
sexual behaviour as a function of education (Wilson,
1975).
 Females are more likely than males to demonstrated
changes in attitudes about sex as a result of exposure
to sex education programs (Weis et al., 1992).
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 Church attendance is more strongly associated with
reduced sexual permissiveness and masturbation
among females than males (Adams & Turner, 1985;
Reiss, 1967).
 Female Catholic clergy are more successful at
fulfilling their vows of celibacy than male Catholic
clergy (Murphy, 1992).
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 Peer group behaviour is more strongly linked to the
sexual behaviour of females than males (Sack et al.,
1984).
 Daughters’ sexual attitudes and behaviours are more
closely related than sons to parental attitudes about
sex (Thornton & Camburn, 1987).
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2. Research has shown that females exhibit greater
intra-individual variation in sexuality across time than
males.
 Females report more permissive sexual attitudes
after dating experience. Males report no change in
sexual attitudes after dating experience (Harrison
et al., 1974; Reiss, 1967).
 Females report increases in masturbation across
the lifespan; males report no change in masturbation across the lifespan (Adams & Turner, 1985).
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 Among couples who choose to “swing,” females
adapt more quickly than males (Smith & Smith,
1970).
 Lesbians (80%) are more likely than gay males to
have had heterosexual intercourse (56%;
Rosario et al., 1996).
 Lesbians (72%) are more likely than gay males to
have had a “meaningful heterosexual relationship”
(45%; Whisman, 1996).
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 More females than males describe themselves as
bisexual (Laumann et al., 1994; Whisman, 1996).
 In prisons, more females (50%) than males (30%)
engage in consensual same-sex sexual activity;
most of these individuals regard their homosexual
behaviour to be a temporary adaptation to prison
life (Gagnon & Simon, 1968; Ward & Kassebaum,
1965).
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• Explanations for higher erotic plasticity among females
than males (Baumeister, 2000):
1. Greater male power: Requires that females
accommodate and adapt to male desires.
2. The female sexual script: Associated with a “noto-yes” pattern (i.e., refusal to acceptance).
3. Differential sex drive: Females have a milder and,
therefore, more malleable sex drive.
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Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?
• Research on sex differences in sexual satisfaction has
produced discrepant findings:
 Oliver and Hyde’s (1993) meta-analysis found no
sex differences in sexual satisfaction.
 However, a recent cross-cultural investigation
suggests that females may be less sexually satisfied
than males:
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Laumann et al., 2006
 Assessed sexual satisfaction among 27,000 men and
women in 29 countries (e.g., Algeria, Australia, Brazil,
Canada, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, South Africa, the US).
 Examined the relationships among sexual
satisfaction, national views on gender equity, and
general happiness.
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 Found that:
(a) across cultures, males reported greater sexual
satisfaction than females.
(b) across cultures, similar factors predicted sexual
satisfaction among females and males.
(c) sexual satisfaction was higher in cultures
with gender-equal regimes than male-centered
regimes.
(d) across cultures, sexual satisfaction was
positively correlated with general happiness.
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Percent of Respondents Reporting Satisfaction
in their Sexual Relationships
Cluster 1: Gender-Equal Regimes
(Laumann et al., 2006)
80
Percentage
70
60
Women
Men
50
40
30
20
Physical
Satisfaction
Emotional
Satisfaction
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Percent of Respondents Reporting Satisfaction
in their Sexual Relationships
Cluster 2: Male-Centered Regimes
(Laumann et al., 2006)
80
Percentage
70
60
Women
Men
50
40
30
20
Physical
Satisfaction
Emotional
Satisfaction
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Sexuality:
1. Are there sex differences in sexual behaviour?
(continued)
2. Are there sex differences in sexual satisfaction?
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