Orgasm, gender, and responses to heterosexual casual sex. (1st December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Piemonte, Jennifer L.; Conley, Terri D.; Gusakova, Staci
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 151(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12-01
• Subjects: Casual sex -- Gender differences -- Emotional reactions -- Orgasm -- Emerging adults; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2019.06.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: There is a persistent gender difference in how positively young adults react to casual sex, with men reporting slightly more positive responses than women. Multiple factors have been studied as possible explanations for the gender difference, but nothing has completely accounted the variance between women and men's responses to casual sex. Although prior research identifies sexual pleasure as a primary factor associated with positive responses, women and men may understand or report on this construct differently due to gendered socialization, making it difficult to compare responses across groups. One measure that is less subject to subjective interpretation or response bias may be whether a person orgasms during a given casual sex encounter. In the present research, we test the relationships between gender, orgasm, and reactions following most recent casual sex encounter across three samples of young adults. Results indicate that orgasm mediates the gender difference in how positively participants respond to casual sex. Specifically, men are more likely to orgasm during casual sex, and people who orgasm during casual sex are more likely to experience positive reactions afterwards. Therefore, while gender may be one way to describe the discrepancy in how positive people feel following casual sex, orgasm explains it.