Sexual satisfaction, considered as a key factor in quality of life and overall well-being, is associated with various components of sexual response, such as sexual desire. Desire, defined as the interest in engaging in sexual activities, has three dimensions: dyadic toward a partner, dyadic toward an attractive person, and solitary.
A sexual attitude that has been associated with both satisfaction and sexual desire is the sexual double standard. The sexual double standard, considered an attitude based on gender prejudice, involves evaluating sexual behavior with different criteria depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. Individuals may adhere to a sexual double standard man-favorable, woman-favorable, or define themselves as egalitarian, in two areas of sexual behaviors (sexual freedom and shyness).
Association of desire with sexual satisfaction: Does it vary based on adherence to the sexual double standard?
In the study conducted by Óscar Cervilla, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Lola Jimeno Fernández, and Juan Carlos Sierra, members of CIMCYC Lab Sex, published in Sexuality & Culture, the question is raised whether the association between desire and sexual satisfaction might differ depending on the type of adherence to the sexual double standard. To address this question, these variables were assessed in 444 men and 499 women in heterosexual relationships.
The results reflected that the sexual double standard is a variable that determines the relationship between satisfaction and sexual desire. Firstly, the three dimensions of sexual desire are confirmed, as all three types of desire exhibit different behaviors in their association with sexual satisfaction.
Partner-focused dyadic sexual desire was positively associated with sexual satisfaction in all typologies of the sexual double standard (man-favorable, woman-favorable, and egalitarian). This result highlights the socio-emotional aspects of romantic relationships, as greater sexual desire toward the partner implies greater satisfaction in sexual relations, unlike dyadic sexual desire for an attractive person, which was not associated with sexual satisfaction.
On the other hand, solitary sexual desire was negatively associated with sexual satisfaction in the woman-favorable typology in the context of sexual freedom, in both men and women, and in the egalitarian typology, in the context of sexual shyness, in men. This finding seems to support the compensatory hypothesis of masturbation, attributing to this behavior the function of compensating for lack or dissatisfaction with sexual relations.
It is noteworthy that, in both men and women, this negative association is observed in typologies of the sexual double standard that reflect new sexual scripts (i.e., the woman-favorable typology). From this perspective, men with an attitude that favors their own inhibition and promotes women's readiness to initiate sexual activity may express more solitary sexual desire and resort to masturbation to compensate for their unmet expectations; while in women, masturbation could be compensating for dissatisfaction during sexual activity with their partner, when the responsibility for achieving orgasm would largely fall on them.
Furthermore, the finding in the egalitarian typology in the context of sexual shyness emphasizes the importance of studying continence, chastity, and decorum, as even though these individuals consider a single standard for men and women, approval of sexual shyness for both could negatively influence their experience of sexuality.
In summary, the findings reveal that partner-focused dyadic sexual desire is positively associated with sexual satisfaction in all typologies of the sexual double standard, highlighting the relevance of this type of desire for the couple. Additionally, a negative association is found between solitary sexual desire and sexual satisfaction in typologies contrary to traditional sexual double standard, supporting the compensatory hypothesis of masturbation. Finally, these results support the three-dimensional model of desire, due to the relative independence observed in its three types.
Reference
Cervilla, O., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Jimeno Fernández, L. y Sierra, J. C. (2024). Relation between desire and sexual satisfaction in different typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard. Sexuality & Culture, 28, 1626-1642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-024-10196-1