In steady heterosexual relationships men masturbate more than women because of gender differences in sex drive

In steady heterosexual relationships men masturbate more than women because of gender differences in sex drive. Wim Waterink. Submitted to New Voices in Psychology, http://www.gerontoseksuoloog.nl/Artikelen/Sex%20drive,%20masturbation%20and%20partnered%20sex.pdf

Abstract: In general, men and women differ with regard to the frequency of masturbation. Masturbation is more common among men than women. Masturbation is also more common among men than women in relationships. In a relationship this not always an appreciated fact. Relationship dissatisfaction can arise when a woman considers masturbation of her partner a substitute for partnered sex. This study investigated the suggestion that gender differences in the frequency of masturbation exists due to a gender difference in sex drive and that therefore masturbation of men engaged in a relationship is not a substitute for partnered sex. The research sample consisted of 554 Dutch participants of which were 355 women (mean age 42.02 years with a range of 20 to 72 years) and 199 men (mean age 44.62 years with a range of 22 to 76 years). All participants were engaged in a steady heterosexual relationship. In general it was found that a higher sex drive was associated with more masturbation and more partnered sex. More specific, women reported a masturbation frequency of about once per two weeks, that significantly differed from men. Men reported a masturbation frequency of about twice per week. Regarding reported frequency of partnered sex, no significant gender difference was found. Both, women and men, reported a frequency of about three times per two weeks. With regard to masturbation, a mediation analysis controlled for age with sex drive as a mediator, showed that sex drive significantly mediated, although not completely, the relationship between gender and the reported frequency of masturbation. The same mediation analysis was performed regarding the reported frequency of partnered sex. For partnered sex, sex drive also had significant mediation effect, but as a suppressor. It is concluded that in steady heterosexual relationships, the gender difference in sex drive is responsible for the fact that men masturbate more than wo men. Men masturbate more, because it is an easier outlet of sex drive than initiating partnered sex. Most important, for women in steady heterosexual relationships, as compared to men in steady heterosexual relationships, sex drive seems to be a less essential factor for partnered sex .

Keywords: gender differences; heterosexual relationship; masturbation; mediation analysis; partnered sex; sex drive