Emotional Satisfaction and Physical Pleasure in Sexual Unions: Time Horizon, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Exclusivity

Waite, Linda J.; Joyner, Kara

doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2001.00247.x

Cited by 171 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Mutual affection may enhance sex whether or not it is accompanied by a long-term commitment. Waite and Joyner (2001b) find that men and women report greater emotional satisfaction in sexually exclusive relationships that they expect to last a long time. Other scholars have found that relationship satisfaction influences sexual satisfaction and vice versa (Christopher and Sprecher 2000;Parish et al 2007).…”

Section: Conceptions Of the Sources Of Sexual Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Accounting for Women’s Orgasm and Sexual Enjoyment in College Hookups and Relationships

2012

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This article investigates the determinants of orgasm and sexual enjoyment in hookup and relationship sex among heterosexual college women and seeks to explain why relationship sex is better for women in terms of orgasm and sexual enjoyment. We use data from women respondents to a large online survey of undergraduates at 21 U.S. colleges and universities and from 85 in-depth interviews at two universities. We identify four general views of the sources of orgasm and sexual enjoyment-technically competent genital stimulation, partnerspecific learning, commitment, and gender equality. We find that women have orgasms more often in relationships than in hookups. Regression analyses reveal that specific sexual practices, experience with a particular partner, and commitment all predict women's orgasm and sexual enjoyment. The presence of more sexual practices conducive to women's orgasm in relationship sex explains some of why orgasm is more common in relationships. Qualitative analysis suggests a double standard also contributes to why relationship sex is better for women: both men and women question women's (but not men's) entitlement to pleasure in hookups but believe strongly in women's (as well as men's) entitlement to pleasure in relationships. More attention is thus given to producing female orgasm in relationships.

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Section: Conceptions Of the Sources Of Sexual Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Accounting for Women’s Orgasm and Sexual Enjoyment in College Hookups and Relationships

2012

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“…Women, in particular, appear to regard sexuality from a relational orientation in which sexuality is viewed as one aspect of an intimate relationship (Waite & Joyner, 2001). Therefore, an encompassing theory of female sexuality needs to consider the larger relationship context and it needs to address all women, not merely heterosexual women.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Models of Sexual Satisfaction among Lesbian/Bisexual and Heterosexual Women

2008

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Sexual satisfaction is an integral component of sexual health and well-being, yet we know little about which factors contribute to it among lesbian/bisexual women. To examine a proposed ecological model of sexual satisfaction, we conducted an internet survey of married heterosexual women and lesbian/bisexual women in committed same-sex relationships. Structural equation modeling included five final latent variables for heterosexual women and seven final latent variables for lesbian/bisexual women. Overall, results indicated that, for both groups of women, a similar constellation of factors (depressive symptoms, relationship satisfaction, sexual functioning, and social support) was related to sexual satisfaction. In lesbian/bisexual women, internalized homophobia was an additional factor. Contrary to expectations, the presence of children in the home and a history of childhood sexual abuse did not contribute significantly to the model for either group. Findings support the idea that gender socialization may influence sexual satisfaction more than socialization around sexual orientation. Additionally, given that for both groups of women relationship satisfaction explained a substantial amount of variance in sexual satisfaction, sexual concerns may be better addressed at the relationship than the individual level.

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“…Women with dyspareunia have selfreported more negative feelings surrounding sexual activity (Nunns & Mandal, 1997;Wouda et al, 1998), less sexual pleasure (Reissing, Binik, Khalifé, Cohen, & Amsel, 2003), more feelings of depression about sexuality (Gates & Galask, 2001), and negative sexual attitudes (Meana et al, 1997). Furthermore, one's sexual schema can be influenced by a number of sexual experiences, including age of sexual intercourse debut (Haavio-Mannila & Kontula, 1997;Sprecher, Barbee, & Schwartz, 1995), early non-intercourse sexual experience (Davis & Lay-Yee, 1999), number of sexual partners, exclusivity within a sexual relationship (Waite & Joyner, 2001), and importance of sex (Byers, 2005). Attitudes about gender-typical sexual behavior may also impact future sexual activity (Milhausen & Herold, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of Genital Pain in Young Women

2007

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Despite the high prevalence of genital pain in healthy young adult women, limited research has addressed genital pain during intercourse using contemporary models of multidimensional sexual function. The objectives of this study were threefold: (1) to identify differences in sexual functioning in women who experience genital pain compared to pain free women; (2) to identify predictors of sexual functioning in women with and without genital pain; and (3) to identify predictors of sexual satisfaction in women with and without genital pain. Sexually active female undergraduates (n = 651) were administered the Female Sexual Function Index and the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory. We evaluated the sexual factors that impact the sexual function of women with any pain (including high and low pain groups) versus women with no history of pain. Women with genital pain reported greater rates of sexual dysfunction as compared to pain-free women; however, sexual functioning in the high versus low pain groups was distinguished primarily by vaginal lubrication. Women in the high pain group showed negative correlations between domains of sexual satisfaction and genital pain frequency and intensity that were not found in the low pain group. For pain-free women, intercourse played a strong role in sexual satisfaction, whereas non-intercourse sexual behavior was central to sexual satisfaction in women who reported pain. The evaluation of levels of genital pain may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the impairment of sexual function, sexual behavior, and sexual satisfaction. KeywordsGenital pain; Dyspareunia; Female sexual dysfunction; Sexual satisfaction; Sexual communication IntroductionContemporary models of female sexual response reflect the intercept of multiple dimensions of sexuality (Basson, 2001). Whereas sexual desire and arousal have often been the focus of these revised conceptualizations of sexual function, little attention has been given to the impact of different levels of genital pain (but see Abarbanel, 1978). This omission is surprising in light of the 15-20% of the female population aged 18-29 who experience dyspareunia (Laumann, Paik, & Rosen, 1999;Mercer et al., 2003). Dyspareunia is defined as the experience of pain during sexual intercourse and/or nonsexual pain with vaginal penetration (Binik, 2005). The symptom of pain in dyspareunia may be caused by multiple disease states, including underlying infection, allergies, muscle tension, hormone NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript deregulation, genital abnormalities, endometriosis or tissue damage following pelvic injury or surgery (Basson et al., 2004). Although women with dyspareunia may have pain with localized or generalized genital contact, the most common type of dyspareunia is Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome (VVS, also known as vestibulodynia), or pain concentrated at the vaginal vestibule (Friedman, 1995).In addition to the physical pain, dyspareunia may result in a cascade of psychological, s...

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Emotional Satisfaction and Physical Pleasure in Sexual Unions: Time Horizon, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Exclusivity

Cited by 171 publications

References 26 publications

Accounting for Women’s Orgasm and Sexual Enjoyment in College Hookups and Relationships

Accounting for Women’s Orgasm and Sexual Enjoyment in College Hookups and Relationships

Ecological Models of Sexual Satisfaction among Lesbian/Bisexual and Heterosexual Women

Predictors of Genital Pain in Young Women

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