Sex research gives us perspective on the similarities and differences between men and women. Be careful about information available in the media and on the Internet, as it is usually not based on reliable scientific research. Remember that we live in a commercial society where selling something as a problem and a product to fix it are common.
Surveys of particular groups like readers of Playboy or Glamour do not give the full picture of the entire community. A representative survey is scientifically structured to gain data from the entire community.
Consider that readers of Penthouse may answer differently than readers of the Christian Science Monitor. So rely on scientific studies for accurate information.
The National Health and Social Life (NHSL) data surveyed a large representative U.S. sample that includes different ages, racial, ethnic, religious, and geographic areas. Compare these scientific data with what you have heard on TV or read in magazines about the use of fantasy, erotic materials, the frequency of sex, number of partners, and behaviors such as oral sex, masturbation, and orgasm.
Sexual Thoughts (Fantasy) and Use of Erotic Materials
A major disparity between men and women is the level of sexual fantasy and their different use of erotic materials. Men have more frequent fantasies and make greater use of erotic materials than do women. The NHSL survey reported that 54% of men and 19% of women enjoyed fantasies at least “everyday” or “several times a day” while 43% of men and 67% of women reported “a few times a week” or “a few times a month.” Only 4% of men and 14% of women reported having sexual fantasies “less than once a month” or “never.” Canadian sildenafil citrate pharmacy
Comparisons that focus on visual erotica are uncertain because women’s erotica is less visual and more emotional, such as sexual stories with romantic content, romance novels, or movies like Gone with the Wind, Sleepless in Seattle, or Three Weddings and a Funeral. Romance movies and novels are sometimes described as “women’s pornography.” This is a healthy use of sexual fantasies as bridges to desire and/or bridges to high arousal and orgasm.
Frequency and Duration of Sex
The best scientific data regarding couple sex contrary to common media presentations show that adults do not have a secret life of abundant sex. Among Americans between the ages of 18 and 59, one third have sex as often as twice a week, one third a few times a month, and one third a few times a year. The average frequency of intercourse is 6–7 times a month. There is a slight decline in frequency with aging, and yet sexual satisfaction increases with age, especially among serious and married couples. For 70% of couples, their sexual encounters (not just intercourse) last between 15 minutes and 1 hour each time.