Reported sexual pleasure among heterosexual men and women: An empirical investigation

Although numerous studies have explored factors related to overall sexual enjoyment among heterosexuals, few studies have investigated the pleasure associated with specific sexual activities. This cross-sectional study explored ratings of sexual pleasure among inexperienced and experienced men and women with regard to 15 specific sexual activities. Results indicated that inexperienced individuals consistently attributed less pleasure to sexual behavior in general than experienced individuals. Despite significant gender differences found in this study, when looking at individuals who had engaged in specific sexual activities previously, differences in ratings of sexual pleasure among men and women were not as apparent. Sexual pleasure (overall) was significantly related to age, ethnicity, and relationship status; however, no significant association was found between overall sexual pleasure and relationship satisfaction, or relationship length.