Which Gender Has a Higher Sex Drive?

We all have heard the stereotype that men get turned on easier and want sex more often. But does this really hold true?

Across many different studies and measures, it has been found that on average, men report higher sexual motivation (meaning their libidos are stronger). However, there’s plenty of variation within gender.

Men

The age-old question of whether men have a stronger or weaker sexual drive than women is one that has been debated for decades. Many researchers claim that the difference in sex drives between genders can be explained by hormonal differences, while others believe that a combination of social and biological factors plays a role. In general, however, studies have found that men have a higher sex drive than women, and this has been consistent across a number of different studies and measures.

Men sex drive is at its peak between the ages of 20 and 30 and then begins to decline as they get older. This is due to the natural decline of hormones such as testosterone that is responsible for stimulating a man’s sexual desire. In addition, men have a tendency to focus more on sex and physical contact with other men than they do with women, which also helps fuel their desire.

In terms of how often a man feels sexually motivated, the peak period for a man is usually around five or six times per week. In fact, a recent study published in Psychological Bulletin found that the average male is sexually active more than twice as frequently as the average female.

Women’s sex drive fluctuates and can be affected by numerous things including hormonal changes, chronic illnesses, and even pregnancy. This makes it difficult to measure and compare a woman’s libido in comparison to a man’s. However, it has been reported that women experience a stronger sex drive than men during certain stages of their lives. This includes the ‘spring’ of a woman’s life when she is at her most physically attractive and can have the strongest libido, as well as during periods of stress or depression that can cause a sharp decrease in sexual desire.

Throughout most of human history, the sex drive of women has varied greatly depending on the culture, but in general, women have shown less restrictive attitudes towards sex than men. This has been reflected in their willingness to make sacrifices for sexual pleasure, how often they have sex with a partner, and whether or not they are willing to initiate or refuse sex. In addition, the majority of men show a more favourable attitude towards casual sex and promiscuous sex than women.

These conclusions should not be misinterpreted to mean that women don’t want sex or that their sexual needs and desires are any less important than those of men. It simply means that when all factors are considered, the majority of research reveals that men have on average a stronger sex drive than women. However, this doesn’t necessarily apply to all individuals as each person is unique and has their own personal libido and level of sexual motivation. This is something that can be determined by taking a Desire Test to understand what causes your sex drive. Click here for more information on a free Desire Test!. ***Updated October 2019***. This is a guest post by Julius Frankenbach, a PhD student of psychology at Saarland University in Germany.