New research shows that there is hardly any difference between the sexes when it comes to desire
- The new study from the University of Melbourne examines the way men and women deal with sex
- It found that there is hardly any difference between genders when it comes to desire
Men think about it all the time, but women have to be in the mood.
That has long been the accepted wisdom about male and female libido.
But a new study shows that there is actually very little difference between the sexes when it comes to desire.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne conducted a series of studies to measure how sex drive varied between men and women.
The results, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior, showed that men are not obsessed with sex around the clock and that, like women, their libido fluctuates along with stress levels, fatigue and mood.
Female passion, on the other hand, doesn’t fluctuate as often as thought.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne conducted a series of studies to measure how sex drive varied between men and women
The findings contradict previous studies that suggested that women’s sexual desire was more unpredictable than men’s.
Psychologists have long believed that men have a greater sex drive because of an evolutionary biological drive to reproduce and pass on their genes.
Researchers conducted three separate studies, involving nearly 16,000 men and women, to assess differences in desire between the sexes.
For example, in one they asked volunteers, “When you have sexual thoughts, how strong is your desire to engage in sexual behavior with a partner?” and ‘How much sexual desire do you feel for your partner right now’?
The online surveys were repeated at various points over the course of about a week to track changes in libido.
The results showed that patterns of desire were remarkably similar, the researchers said.
Over the seven-day period, there were “no significant differences” in levels of passion.
In a report on the findings, psychologists said: ‘Sex drive fluctuated throughout the week, but it did the same for men and women.
“We found no evidence that women’s short-term desire was more variable than men’s.”
They added that men’s libidos are just as likely as women’s to be affected by stress and how close they feel to their partner at the time.
“Men’s desire may be more malleable and sensitive to social factors than previously thought,” the report said.
