Why do people have sex?
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‘Nobody’s ever looked at why people have sex!’ ” says Cindy Meston, psychologist at the University of Texas– Austin, and author of the book Why Women Have Sex.
She and Buss rectified that: 1,549 undergraduates settled on 237 reasons for sex. Women listed as their top ten reasons: (1) I was attracted to the person; (2) I wanted to experience the physical pleasure; (3) It feels good; (4) I wanted to show my affection for the person; (5) I wanted to express my love for the person; (6) I was sexually aroused and wanted the release; (7) It’s fun; (8) I was horny; (9) I realized I was in love; and (10) I was in the heat of the moment.
Men had the same top three, with numbers 2 and 3 switched. Lower in the top ten, men mix in “I wanted to achieve orgasm” and “I wanted to please my partner.”
“The stereotype that men have sex for pleasure and women have sex for love is unfounded,” says Meston. But while the top ten show significant overlap, distinctions emerge lower in the list. “Women don’t have sex because they’re in love,” says Meston, “but because they’re protecting love, stealing love, trying to create love, or doing it out of duty.”
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