Men's masculinity and attractiveness predict their female partners' reported orgasm frequency and timing

Evolution and Human Behavior

Volumn 33, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 1-9

  Puts, David A ^a   Welling, Lisa L M ^a   Burriss, Robert P ^a   Dawood, Khytam ^a  

^a PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Evolution; Female orgasm; Good genes; Mate choice

Indexed keywords

EID: 83355173993     PISSN: 10905138     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2011.03.003     Document Type: Article

References (66)

1. Andersson M. Sexual selection 1994, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
2. Baker R.R., Bellis M.A. Human sperm competition: ejaculate manipulation by female and a function for the female orgasm. Animal Behaviour 1993, 46:887-909.
3. Berglund A., Bisazza A., Pilastro A. Armaments and ornaments: an evolutionary explanation of traits of dual utility. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 1996, 58:385-399.
4. Beyer C., Anguiano G., Mena F. Oxytocin release by stimulation of the cingulate gyrus. American Journal of Physiology 1961, 200:625-627.
5. Blaicher W., Gruber D., Bieglmayer C., Blaicher A.M., Knogler W., Huber J.C. The role of oxytocin in relation to female sexual arousal. Gynecologic Obstetric Investigation 1999, 47(2):125-126.
6. Brody S., Weiss P. Vaginal orgasm is associated with vaginal (not clitoral) sex education, focusing mental attention on vaginal sensations, intercourse duration, and a preference for a longer penis. Journal of Sexual Medicine 2010, 7:2774-2781.
7. Burriss R.P., Roberts S.C., Welling L.L.M., Puts D.A., Little A.C. Heterosexual romantic couples mate assortatively for facial symmetry, but not masculinity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2011, 37(5):601-613.
8. Carmichael M.S., Humbert R., Dixen J., Palmisano G., Greenleaf W., Davidson J.M. Plasma oxytocin increases in the human sexual response. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1987, 64(1):27-31.
9. Carmichael M.S., Warburton V.L., Dixen J., Davidson J.M. Relationships among cardiovascular, muscular, and oxytocin responses during human sexual activity. Archives of Sexual Behavior 1994, 23(1):59-79.
10. Chaix R., Cao C., Donnelly P. Is mate choice in humans MHC-dependent?. PLoS Genetics 2008, 4(9):e1000184.
11. Cohen D.L., Belsky J. Avoidant romantic attachment and female orgasm: Testing an emotion-regulation hypothesis. Attachment and Human Development 2008, 10(1):1-10.
12. Darling C.A., Davidson J.K., Cox R.P. Female sexual response and the timing of partner orgasm. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy 1991, 17(1):3-21.
13. Davidson J.K., Darling C.A. Self-perceived differences in the female orgasmic response. Family Practice Research Journal 1989, 8(2):75-84.
14. Dawood K., Kirk K.M., Bailey J.M., Andrews P.W., Martin N.G. Genetic and environmental influences on the frequency of orgasm in women. Twin Reseach and Human Genetics 2005, 8(1):27-33.
15. Dunn K.M., Cherkas L.F., Spector T.D. Genetic influences on variation in female orgasmic function: A twin study. Biology Letters 2005, 1(3):260-263.
16. Eschler L. Prize Essay: The physiology of the female orgasm as a proximate mechanism. Sexualities. Evolution & Gender 2004, 6(2-3):171-194.
17. Folstad I., Karter A.J. Parasites, bright males and the immuno-competence handicap. The American Naturalist 1992, 139:603-622.
18. Fox C.A., Fox B. A comparative study of coital physiology, with special reference to the sexual climax. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 1971, 24(3):319-336.
19. Fox C.A., Wolff H.S., Baker J.A. Measurement of intra-vaginal and intra-uterine pressures during human coitus by radio-telemetry. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 1970, 22:243-251.
20. Frederick D.A., Haselton M.G. Why is muscularity sexy? Tests of the fitness indicator hypothesis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 2007, 33(8):1167-1183.
21. Gangestad S.W., Buss D.M. Pathogen prevalence and human mate preferences. Ethology and Sociobiology 1993, 14(2):89-96.
22. Garver-Apgar C.E., Gangestad S.W., Thornhill R., Miller R.D., Olp J.J. Major histocompatibility complex alleles, sexual responsivity, and unfaithfulness in romantic couples. Psychological Science 2006, 17(10):830-835.
23. Grammer K., Fink B., Moller A.P., Thornhill R. Darwinian aesthetics: Sexual selection and the biology of beauty. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 2003, 78(3):385-407.
24. Harris J.M., Cherkas L.F., Kato B.S., Heiman J.R., Spector T.D. Normal variations in personality are associated with coital orgasmic infrequency in heterosexual women: A population-based study. Journal of Sexual Medicine 2008, 5(5):1177-1183.
25. Hodges-Simeon C.R., Gaulin S.J., Puts D.A. Voice correlates of mating success in men: Examining "contests" versus "mate choice" modes of sexual selection. Archives of Sexual Behavior 2010.
26. Hughes S., Gallup G. Sex differences in morphological predictors of sexual behavior: Shoulder-to-hip and waist-to-hip ratios. Evolution and Human Behavior 2003, 24:173-178.
27. Johnston V.S., Hagel R., Franklin M., Fink B., Grammer K. Male facial attractiveness: Evidence of hormone-mediated adaptive design. Evolution and Human Behavior 2001, 22:251-267.
28. Komisaruk B.R., Whipple B., Crawford A., Liu W.C., Kalnin A., Mosier K. Brain activation during vaginocervical self-stimulation and orgasm in women with complete spinal cord injury: fMRI evidence of mediation by the vagus nerves. Brain Research 2004, 1024(1-2):77-88.
29. Lever J., Frederick D.A., Peplau L.A. Does size matter? Men's and women's views on penis size across the lifespan. Psychology of Men and Masculinity 2006, 7:129-143.
30. Levin R.J. The physiology of sexual arousal in the human female: A recreational and procreational synthesis. Archives of Sexual Behavior 2002, 31(5):405-411.
31. Lie H.C., Rhodes G., Simmons L.W. Genetic diversity revealed in human faces. Evolution 2008, 62(10):2473-2486.
32. Lloyd E.A. The case of female orgasm: Bias in the science of evolution 2005, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
33. Meston C.M., Levin R.J., Sipski M.L., Hull E.M., Heiman J.R. Women's orgasm. Annual Review of Sex Research 2004, 15:173-257.
34. Miller G.F. The mating mind: How sexual choice shaped the evolution of human nature 2000, Doubleday, New York.
35. Penton-Voak I.S., Perrett D.I. Female preference for male faces changes cyclically: Further evidence. Evolution and Human Behavior 2000, 21:39-48.
36. Perusse D. Cultural and reproductive success in industrial societies: testing the relationship at proximate and ultimate levels. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 1993, 16:267-283.
37. Plutchik R. A general psychoevolutionary theory of emotion. Emotion: Theory, research, and experience: Vol. 1, Theories of emotion 1980, 3-24. Academic Press, New York. R. Plutchik, H. Kellerman (Eds.).
38. Potts W.K., Wakeland E.K. Evolution of MHC genetic diversity: a tale of incest, pestilence and sexual preference. Trends in Genetics 1993, 9(12):408-412.
39. Puppo V. Embryology and anatomy of the vulva: The female orgasm and women's sexual health 2010, European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology.
40. Puts D.A. Mating context and menstrual phase affect women's preferences for male voice pitch. Evolution and Human Behavior 2005, 26:388-397.
41. Puts D.A. And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Response to Wallen. Archives of Sexual Behavior 2006, 35(6):637-639.
42. Puts D.A. Of bugs and boojums: Female orgasm as a facultative adaptation. Archives of Sexual Behavior 2007, 36(3):337-339.
43. Puts D.A. Beauty and the beast: Mechanisms of sexual selection in humans. Evolution and Human Behavior 2010, 31:157-175.
44. Puts D.A., Dawood K. The evolution of female orgasm: Adaptation or byproduct?. Twin Research and Human Genetics 2006, 9(3):467-472.
45. Puts D.A., Gaulin S.J.C., Verdolini K. Dominance and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in human voice pitch. Evolution and Human Behavior 2006, 27:283-296.
46. Richters J., Visser R., Rissel C., Smith A. Sexual practices at last heterosexual encounter and occurrence of orgasm in a national survey. Journal of Sex Research 2006, 43(3):217-226.
47. Roberts S.C., Little A.C. Good genes, complementary genes and human mate preferences. Genetica 2008, 134(1):31-43.
48. Roberts S.C., Little A.C., Gosling L.M., Jones B.C., Perrett D.I., Carter V., et al. MHC-assortative facial preferences in humans. Biology Letters 2005, 1(4):400-403.
49. Scheib J.E., Gangestad S.W., Thornhill R. Facial attractiveness, symmetry and cues of good genes. Proceeding Biological Sciences 1999, 266(1431):1913-1917.
50. Setekleiv J. Uterine motility of the estrogenized rabbit. V. Response to brain stimulation. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 1964, 62:313-322.
51. Shackelford T.K., Weekes-Shackelford V.A., LeBlanc G.J., Bleske A.L., Euler H.A., Hoier S. Female coital orgasm and male attractiveness. Human Nature 2000, 11:299-306.
52. Singer I. The Goal of Human Sexuality 1973, W.W. Norton, New York.
53. Singh D., Meyer W., Zambarano R.J., Hurlbert D.F. Frequency and timing of coital orgasm in women desirous of becoming pregnant. Archives of Sexual Behavior 1998, 27(1):15-29.
54. Smith R.L. Human sperm competition. Sperm competition and the evolution of animal mating systems 1984, 601-660. Academic Press, London. R.L. Smith (Ed.).
55. Smith T.T. The modulation of sperm function by the oviductal epithelium. Biology of Reproduction 1998, 58(5):1102-1104.
56. Suarez S.S. The oviductal sperm reservoir in mammals: Mechanisms of formation. Biology of Reproduction 1998, 58(5):1105-1107.
57. Symons D. The evolution of human sexuality 1979, Oxford University Press, New York.
58. Thornhill R., Gangestad S.W., Comer R. Human female orgasm and mate fluctuating asymmetry. Animal Behavior 1995, 50:1601-1615.
59. Wallen K., Lloyd E.A. Female sexual arousal: Genital anatomy and orgasm in intercourse. Hormones and Behavior 2011.
60. Wedekind C., Seebeck T., Bettens F., Paepke A.J. MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans. Proceeding of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 1995, 260(1359):245-249.
61. Weiss P., Brody S. Women's partnered orgasm consistency is associated with greater duration of penile-vaginal intercourse but not of foreplay. Journal of Sexual Medicine 2009, 6(1):135-141.
62. Wildt L., Kissler S., Licht P., Becker W. Sperm transport in the human female genital tract and its modulation by oxytocin as assessed by hysterosalpingoscintigraphy, hysterotonography, electrohysterography and Doppler sonography. Human Reproduction Update 1998, 4(5):655-666.
63. Williams G.C. Adaptation and natural selection 1966, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
64. Zahavi A., Zahavi A. The handicap principle 1997, Oxford University Press, New York.
65. Zervomanolakis I., Ott H.W., Hadziomerovic D., Mattle V., Seeber B.E., Virgolini I., et al. Physiology of upward transport in the human female genital tract. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2007, 1101:1-20.
66. Zervomanolakis I., Ott H.W., Muller J., Seeber B.E., Friess S.C., Mattle V., et al. Uterine mechanisms of ipsilateral directed spermatozoa transport: Evidence for a contribution of the utero-ovarian countercurrent system. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology 2009, 144(Suppl 1):S45-S49.