Abstract
The orgasm experience refers to the psychological self-evaluation of the orgasm. No previous research has compared the characteristics of the orgasm experience between men and women creating a ranking of the adjectives that better represent it. The main objective of this study was to analyze gender differences in the global orgasm experience, its dimensions, and its descriptive words to examine how do heterosexual people rate their orgasms. A sample of 1619 heterosexual adults (793 men, 826 women) completed a background questionnaire and the Orgasm Rating Scale. Results showed that there were significant gender differences in the global orgasm experience and three of its dimensions. Furthermore, fourteen of the 25 descriptive words showed differences between genders. In the ranking, the top five adjectives that better described the orgasm experience were the same in both genders. In conclusion, although differences across gender in the orgasm experience were observed, heterosexual men and women share similar adjectives to rate their orgasms.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 8 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $32.38 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Get just this article for as long as you need it
$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Data availability
Data will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
References
Arcos-Romero AI, Sierra JC. Factors associated with subjective orgasm experience in heterosexual relationships. J Sex Marital Ther. 2020;46:314–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1711273.
Opperman E, Braun V, Clarke V, Rogers C. “It feels so good it almost hurts”: Young adults’ experiences of orgasm and sexual pleasure. J Sex Res. 2014;51:503–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/002244992012753982.
Mah K, Binik YM. The nature of human orgasm: a critical review of major trends. Clin Psychol Rev. 2001;21:823–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(00)00069-6.
Arcos-Romero AI, Granados MR, Sierra JC. Relationship between orgasm experience and sexual excitation: validation of the model of the subjective orgasm experience. Int J Impot Res. 2019;31:282–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-018-0095-6.
Herbenick D, Fu TC, Arter J, Sanders SA, Dodge B. Women’s experiences with genital touching, sexual pleasure, and orgasm: Results from a US probability sample of women ages 18 to 94. J Sex Marital Ther. 2018;44:201–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1346530.
Paterson L, Jin ES, Amsel R, Binik YM. Gender similarities and differences in sexual arousal, desire, and orgasmic pleasure in the laboratory. J Sex Res. 2014;51:801–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/002244992013867922.
Salisbury CM, Fisher WA. “Did you come?” A qualitative exploration of gender differences in beliefs, experiences, and concerns regarding female orgasm occurrence during heterosexual sexual interactions. J Sex Res. 2014;51:616–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/002244992013838934.
Garcia JR, Lloyd EA, Wallen K, Fisher HE. Variation in orgasm occurrence by sexual orientation in a sample of US singles. J Sex Med. 2014;11:2645–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12669.
Barnett MD, Moore JM, Woolford BA, Riggs SA. Interest in partner orgasm: Sex differences and relationships with attachment strategies. Pers Individ Dif. 2018;124:194–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.12.015.
Dubray S, Gérard M, Beaulieu-Prévost D, Courtois F. Validation of a self-reported questionnaire assessing the bodily and physiological sensations of orgasm. J Sex Med. 2017;14:255–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.12.006.
Mah K, Binik YM. Do all orgasms feel alike? Evaluating a two‐dimensional model of the orgasm experience across gender and sexual context. J Sex Res. 2002;39:104–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490209552129.
Frederick DA, John HKS, Garcia JR, Lloyd EA. Differences in orgasm frequency among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual men and women in a US national sample. Arch Sex Behav. 2018;47:273–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-0939-z.
Kontula O, Miettinen A. Determinants of female sexual orgasms. Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016;6:31624. https://doi.org/10.3402/snpv631624.
Vance EB, Wagner NN. Written descriptions of orgasm: a study of sex differences. Arch Sex Behav. 1976;5:87–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542242.
Palmer CF. Comparing orgasm descriptions between the sexes. Master’s thesis, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, USA; 2014. https://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1301&context=etd.
Arcos-Romero AI, Moyano N, Sierra JC. Psychometric properties of the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS) in context of sexual relationship in a Spanish sample. J Sex Med. 2018;15:741–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.03.005.
Arcos-Romero AI, Sierra JC. Factorial invariance, differential item functioning, and norms of the Orgasm Rating Scale. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2019;19:57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2018.11.001.
Sierra JC, Ortiz A, Calvillo C, Arcos-Romero AI. Subjective orgasm in the context of solitary masturbation. Rev Int Androl. 2021;19:93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/jandrol201910001.
Álvarez-Muelas A, Gómez-Berrocal C, Sierra JC. Study of sexual satisfaction in different typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard. Front Psychol. 2021;11:609571. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.609571.
Carreno DF, Eisenbeck N, Cangas AJ, García-Montes JM, Del Vas LG, María AT. Spanish adaptation of the personal meaning profile-brief: meaning in life, psychological well-being, and distress. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2020;20:151–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2020.02.003.
Sierra JC, Moyano N, Vallejo-Medina P, Gómez-Berrocal C. An abridge Spanish version of Sexual Double Standard Scale: factorial structure, reliability and validity evidence. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2018;18:69–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/jijchp201705003.
Cabin RJ, Mitchell RJ. To Bonferroni or not to Bonferroni: when and how are the questions. Bull Ecol Soc Am. 2000;81:246–8. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20168454.
Nobre PJ. Sexual dysfunction. In: SG Hofmann, editor. Clinical psychology: a global perspective. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, New Jersey, USA; 2018. pp. 225–42.
Lee DM, Nazroo J, O’Connor DB, Blake M, Pendleton N. Sexual health and well-being among older men and women in England: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Arch Sex Behav. 2016;45:133–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0465-1.
Moura C, Tavares I, Nobre PJ. Cognitive-Affective factors and female orgasm: a comparative study on women with and without orgasm difficulties. J Sex Med. 2020;17:2220–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/jjsxm202008005.
Sakaluk JK, Todd LM, Milhausen R, Lachowsky NJ. Undergraduate Research Group in Sexuality. Dominant heterosexual sexual scripts in emerging adulthood: conceptualization and measurement. J Sex Res. 2014;51:516–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/002244992012745473.
Piemonte JL, Conley TD, Gusakova S. Orgasm, gender, and responses to heterosexual casual sex. Pers Individ Dif. 2019;151:109487. https://doi.org/10.1016/jpaid201906030.
Nobre PJ, Pinto-Gouveia J. Emotions during sexual activity: differences between sexually functional and dysfunctional men and women. Arch Sex Behav. 2006;35:491–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-006-9047-1.
Arcos-Romero AI, Expósito-Guerra D, Sierra JC. Sexual desire and its relationship with subjective orgasm experience. Int J Impot Res. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00375-7.
Herbenick D, Fu TC, Owens C, Bartelt E, Dodge B, Reece M, et al. Kissing, cuddling, and massage at most recent sexual event: findings from a US nationally representative probability sample. J Sex Marital Ther. 2019;45:159–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2018.1494648.
Townes A, Thorpe S, Parmer T, Wright B, Herbenick D. Partnered sexual behaviors, pleasure, and orgasms at last sexual encounter: findings from a US probability sample of black women ages 18 to 92 years. J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47:353–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X20211878315.
Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Fortenberry JD. An event-level analysis of the sexual characteristics and composition among adults ages 18 to 59: results from a national probability sample in the United States. J Sex Med. 2010;7:346–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/j1743-6109201002020x.
Lucena BB, Abdo CHN. Personal factors that contribute to or impair women’s ability to achieve orgasm. Int J Impot Res. 2014;26:177–81. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2014.8.
Cervilla O, Vallejo-Medina P, Gómez-Berrocal C, de la Torre D, Sierra JC. Validation of the orgasm rating scale in the context of masturbation. Psicothema. 2022;34:151–9. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2021.223.
Mangas P, Granados R, Cervilla O, Sierra JC. Validation of the orgasm rating scale in context of sexual relationships of gay and lesbian adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19:887. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020887.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Conceptualization: AIAR and JCS. Methodology: AIAR and JCS. Data analysis: AIAR. Writing and editing: AIAR and JCS. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the paper.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arcos-Romero, A.I., Sierra, J.C. How do heterosexual men and women rate their orgasms in a relational context?. Int J Impot Res 35, 164–169 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-022-00558-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-022-00558-4