The reasons people have sex have been assumed to be few in number and simple in nature–to reproduce, to experience pleasure, or to relieve sexual tension.
However, several theoretical perspectives suggest that motives for engaging in sexual intercourse may be larger in number and psychologically complex in nature.
InA study published in 2007 at University of Texas titled Why Humans Have Sex provides an astonishingly lengthy list of motives for which a woman would have sex.
One of the key motivations for this study, according to Cindy M. Meston and David M. Buss, the researchers, was to identify a broader array of potential reasons that motivate people to engage in sexual intercourse.
The results of the study show the top 50 reasons (in descending order) why women have sex:
- I was attracted to the person
- I wanted to experience the physical pleasure
- It feels good
- I wanted to show my affection to the person
- I wanted to express my love for the person
- I was sexually aroused and wanted the release
- I was ‘‘horny’’
- It’s fun
- I realized I was in love
- I was ‘‘in the heat of the moment’’
- I wanted to please my partner
- I desired emotional closeness (i.e., intimacy)
- I wanted the pure pleasure
- I wanted to achieve an orgasm
- It’s exciting, adventurous
- I wanted to feel connected to the person
- The person’s physical appearance turned me on
- It was a romantic setting
- The person really desired me
- The person made me feel sexy
- The person caressed me
- It seemed like the natural next step in my relationship
- I wanted to become one with another person
- It just happened
- I wanted to increase the emotional bond by having sex
- I wanted the experience
- I wanted the adventure/excitement
- The person had an attractive face
- The person was a good kisser
- I wanted to intensify my relationship
- My hormones were out of control
- I wanted to try out new sexual techniques or positions
- I wanted to feel loved
- The person had a desirable body
- I wanted to celebrate a birthday or anniversary or special occasion
- I wanted to communicate at a ‘‘deeper’’ level
- I was curious about sex
- It was a special occasion
- The person was intelligent
- I wanted to say ‘‘I’ve missed you’’
- I wanted to keep my partner satisfied
- I got ‘‘carried away’’
- The opportunity presented itself
- The person had a great sense of humor
- I wanted to improve my sexual skills
- I was curious about my sexual abilities
- The person seemed self-confident
- I wanted to make up after a fight
- I was drunk
- I was turned on by the sexual conversation.
During the study, 203 men and 241 women ranging in age from 17 years to 52 years took part in an initial study― Initial Item Generation―which produced 237 distinct reasons.
Then, a total of 1,549 undergraduate students (503 men, 1046 women) aged 16 years to 42 and distinct from those who took part in Study 1 participated the second study: Psychometric Analyses.
There you have it. So what motivates you to do the thing?