Daily Sexual Desire and Its Impact on Next-Day Desire and Behavior in Mixed Sex Couples

Mark, Kristen P.; Leistner, Christine E.; Dai, Minhao

doi:10.1007/s10508-018-1320-6

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This means that both men and women may exhibit peaks in their sexual desire anywhere between once every seven to 30 days (approximately), and also are likely to maintain a similar level of sexual desire (and therefore be less likely to fluctuate) over the course of three days (approximately). In other words, consistent with previous research suggesting that the level of desire on one day predicts the level on the next day [30], if sexual desire is high one day then it is likely to remain high for approximately three days, and not peak again for at least another seven days.…”

Section: Fluctuation and Persistence In Individualssupporting

confidence: 88%

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Using spectral and cross-spectral analysis to identify patterns and synchrony in couples' sexual desire.

Vowels¹,

Mark²,

Vowels³

et al. 2018

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Sexual desire discrepancy and low sexual desire are two of the most frequently reported sexual concerns for individuals and couples and both have been shown to be negatively associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire has increasingly been examined as a state like construct that ebbs and flows, but little is known about whether there are patterns in the fluctuation of sexual desire. Utilizing spectral and cross-spectral analysis, we transformed 30 days of dyadic daily diary data for perceived levels of sexual desire for 133 couples (266 individuals) into the frequency domain to identify shared periodic state fluctuations in sexual desire. Spectral analysis is a technique commonly used in physics and engineering that allows time series data to be analyzed for the presence of regular cycles of fluctuation. Cross spectral analysis allows for dyadic data to be analyzed for shared rates of fluctuation between partners as well as the degree of (a)synchrony (or phase shift) between these fluctuations. Men and women were found to exhibit fluctuations in sexual desire at various frequencies including rates of once and twice per month, and to have sexual desire that was unlikely to fluctuate over periods of three days or less and therefore exhibited persistence. Similar patterns of fluctuation were exhibited within couples and these patterns were found to be largely synchronous. The results have important implications for researchers, clinicians, and educators in that they corroborate the supposition that sexual desire ebbs and flows and suggest that it does so with predictable regularity. Further, while instances of desire discrepancy may arise due to differences in rates of sexual desire fluctuation, such instances may be normal for romantic relationships.

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Section: Fluctuation and Persistence In Individualssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…However, positive factors also influence sexual desire, such as positive daily relational events [28], and fluctuations in sexual desire may not always be perceived as distressing [29]. Further, research has indicated that a previous day's desire may predict the following day's desire [30], indicating persistence or serial correlation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using spectral and cross-spectral analysis to identify patterns and synchrony in couples' sexual desire.

Vowels¹,

Mark²,

Vowels³

et al. 2018

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is unclear whether these findings may generalize beyond these life phases. In our review of the literature on short-term desire variability, some studies suggested that patterns of change were similar for women and men (e.g., Ridley et al, 2006 ; Vowels et al, 2018 ), whereas, two studies suggested that men's desire was more stable than women's desire (Diamond et al, 2017 ; Mark et al, 2019 ). However, these studies did not statistically compare women and men’s desire variability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, Mark et al ( 2019 ) assessed desire each day for 30 days among a sample of heterosexual couples. Men’s current desire was associated with their desire on the previous day, whereas women’s desire was not associated with their previous day’s desire.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Sexual Desire Fluctuate More Among Women than Men?

et al. 2023

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There is a lay assumption that women’s sexual desire varies substantially over time, whereas men’s is stable. This assumption is mirrored in prominent theories of desire, which posit that women are more variable than men in the extent to which they desire sex, and that women’s sexual desire is more contextually sensitive than men’s. We tested this assumption across three longitudinal studies. Study 1 assessed desire at 3 time points spanning 13 years (Nobservations = 5562), and Studies 2 and 3 (Nobservations = 11,282) assessed desire moment-to-moment over 7 days. When desire was measured over years, women were more variable in their sexual desire than men (Study 1). However, we found a different pattern of results when desire was measured over the short term. In Studies 2 and 3, we found no significant differences in women’s and men’s desire variability. The extent to which desire varied as a function of affective states (e.g., happiness) and relationship-oriented states (e.g., partner closeness) was similar for women and men, with some exceptions; women’s desire was more negatively associated with tiredness and anger in Study 2. These data qualify existing assumptions about sex differences in sexual desire variability.

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Discrepancy in Dyadic Sexual Desire Predicts Sexual Distress over Time in a Community Sample of Committed Couples: A Daily Diary and Longitudinal Study

et al. 2021

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Daily Sexual Desire and Its Impact on Next-Day Desire and Behavior in Mixed Sex Couples

Cited by 7 publications

References 21 publications

Using spectral and cross-spectral analysis to identify patterns and synchrony in couples' sexual desire.

Using spectral and cross-spectral analysis to identify patterns and synchrony in couples' sexual desire.

Does Sexual Desire Fluctuate More Among Women than Men?

Discrepancy in Dyadic Sexual Desire Predicts Sexual Distress over Time in a Community Sample of Committed Couples: A Daily Diary and Longitudinal Study

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