Gaby
A new study by a team of social psychologists from Rutgers University in New Jersey has revealed that women are less likely to expect the “big O” during one-night stands. They don’t place much hope on achieving orgasm during brief encounters. Meanwhile, men anticipate ejaculation every time, regardless of the duration of the sexual act. (The study focuses on heterosexual relationships. – Ed.)
It turns out that women have significantly lower expectations regarding reaching the peak of pleasure compared to men. Additionally, women find it more challenging to achieve orgasm with selfish partners.
According to Grace Wetzel, the lead author of the study, there are contextual, social, and personal factors that create barriers to female orgasms. These barriers prevent women from feeling “capable of actively achieving orgasm,” as reported by the Daily Mail.
What the Researchers Discovered
During the study, the team focused on examining the so-called orgasm gap. This phenomenon refers to the fact that men reach orgasm significantly more often than women during heterosexual sex. The researchers aimed to assess how specific situations influence expectations of orgasm.
Women participating in the experiment were asked to imagine themselves in various hypothetical sexual scenarios. These scenarios differed in terms of the duration of contact and the behavior of their partners. For instance, in some situations, sexual contact lasted 20 minutes, while in others, it extended for several hours. Some partners were described as being focused on the woman’s pleasure, while others behaved quite selfishly.
The researchers asked the women to report how strongly they would desire orgasm and how likely they thought it was in each of the proposed situations.
The results showed that women were less inclined to orgasm during short sexual encounters and with selfish men.
As Grace Wetzel explained, if orgasm is important to women and they believe it is possible, they will strive for it more intensely. However, it became clear that in their pursuit of orgasm, women pay attention to environmental cues and signals from their partners. This should not be overlooked, the researcher noted.
The study suggests that ideally, male partners should create a sexual environment where female orgasm is more likely.
According to Wetzel, men should demonstrate that a woman’s pleasure is a priority during sex. They should also avoid pressuring their partners to achieve orgasm. Such a shift in male behavior could ultimately increase women’s chances of reaching orgasm.
What Do Other Researchers Say?
In recent years, other scientists studying sexual satisfaction have also made several intriguing discoveries. For example, psychologists at the University of South Florida found that women who earn more money than their male partners are twice as likely to fake orgasm in the bedroom.
In this way, women kindly attempt to create conditions where their partner feels less financially inadequate. However, according to psychologists, this protective measure for a partner’s sense of masculinity is quite questionable. It does not contribute to sexual satisfaction or honest communication.
A woman prioritizes not her own sexual needs but what she believes her partner requires. As Professor Jessica Jordan pointed out, when society creates an unrealistic standard of masculinity, no one wins.
Another study conducted in 2005 by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison showed that 91 percent of men always experience orgasm during sexual intercourse. Only 39 percent of women can say the same.
In contrast, a 2016 study by a team from three American universities, which included over 52,000 volunteers, adjusted previous findings. According to this study, 65 percent of heterosexual women “usually or always” experience orgasm during sex. Among men, that figure is 95 percent.
