Parameters of masturbation: effects of gender and sexual orientation

Abstract

It has been proposed that the study of masturbation requires the analysis of several parameters (i.e. age at first masturbation, negative attitudes towards masturbation, solitary sexual desire, current frequency of masturbation and subjective orgasm experience). This study examines the effects of gender and sexual orientation on these parameters. A total of 1568 cisgender adults (493 heterosexual men, 478 gay men, 490 heterosexual women and 107 lesbian women) participated. The results indicate that, with respect to gender, men, compared to women, begin masturbating earlier, report more negative attitudes towards masturbation, experience greater solitary sexual desire, and masturbate more frequently, whereas women report a more intense subjective orgasm experience. In relation to sexual orientation, gay people, compared to heterosexual people, initiate masturbation earlier. The results also show that patterns differ between men and women depending on their sexual orientation. Specifically, whereas gay men scored higher than heterosexual people on solitary sexual desire, frequency of masturbation and subjective orgasm experience, lesbian women reported lower scores than heterosexual women on these variables. The roles of gender and sexual orientation in understanding masturbation are also discussed.