Sex Differences in Sexual Desires and Attitudes in Norwegian Samples

Abstract

Despite highly replicable predictable differences between the sexes on various sexual desires and attitudes, critics of evolutionary perspectives argue against the biological origins of such differences, highlighting cultural explanations. Critics suggest that there are no cross-cultural evolutionary predictable, systematic differences. Eagly and Wood (1999) suggest that in egalitarian cultures sex differences will be small or disappear. We tested whether Trivers’ (1972) Parental Investment Theory and Buss and Schmitt’s (1993) Sexual Strategies Theory predicted sex differences in sexuality within samples of students (N=1072) in egalitarian Norway. We expected similar interest in long-term relationships, but that females seek short-term partners less than males. Furthermore, males were expected to have less restricted sociosexuality, fantasize more, take more initiative to sex and be less satisfied with frequency of sex. The predictions were supported in the evolutionarily-predicted directions. Clinical consequences of claiming there are no sex differences in sexuality, when indeed they exist, are discussed.

Keywords

• sex desire
• sex differences
• Norway