Why are Sex Drives Different?

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What comes to mind when male and female sex drives are mentioned? The stereotype as stated by Roy F. Baumeister (2000) would be females have a lower sex drive then males. This statement tends to be accepted by most people in society as the standard, so why would looking into this question be important? Having a “standard” can be dangerous, because not everyone fits that standard. Thus, understanding the differences can show society what is normal, and how to change the standard that is accepted. Roy F. Baumeister at Case Western University, Alicia Barr at South Plains College, and many others sought to understand why do females have a lower sex drive.

Understanding the importance of a sex drive is the first step in the process of exploring the differences. The sex drive refers to the strength of sexual motivation (Baumeister, Catanese, & Vohs, 2001). Humans want to fill their needs and when a sexual motivation is high enough that motivation will outcompete the importance of other motivations. Basically, when the two sex drives are equal the relationship can focus on other issues. Thus, allowing the relationship to move on and be more successful.

What must be looked at next is the difference of sex drives between males and females. There is a lot of evidence that Baumeister and his colleges have looked at to validate this trend. They found that across all ages females are significantly less sexual than men, and females are will to wait longer in terms of time before engaging in sexual activity (Baumeister, et al,. 2001, 246). Evidence of masturbation frequency, and homosexual relationships both correlate with the idea of men being more sexual. In homosexual relationships it was found that lesbians had less sex than...

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... and what society dictates. To begin understanding this complex problem is the key to individualism and breaking free from societies constraints.

Works Cited

Baumeister, R. F., Catanese, K. R., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Is there a gender difference in strength of sex drive? Theoretical views, conceptual distinctions, and a review of relevent evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Review, 5(3), 242-273. doi:10.1207/S15327957PSPR0503_5

Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Gender differences in erotic plasticity: The female sex drive as socially flexible and responsive. Psychological Bulletin, 126(3), 347-374. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.347

Barr, A., Bryan, A., & Kenrick, D. T. (2002). Sexual peak: Socially shared cognitions about desire, frequency, and satisfaction in men and women. Personal Relationships, 9(3), 287-299. doi:10.1111/1475-6811.09305

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