Faking of Orgasms

Erin Cooper and other researchers at  Temple University and Kenyon College have recently looked into the faking of orgasms by women, using a Faking Orgasm Scale for Women and querying 481 heterosexual women who were sexually active yet not yet in committed relationships about why they do so.

http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2014/05/ill-have-what-shes-having-developing.html

They determined that there were four motives for their doing so:

1)  Altruistic deceit -- To spare the feelings of one's sexual partner ("Poor baby!  He tries so hard . . . . he needs to be encouraged.")
2)  Fear and insecurity -- To avoid the negative emotions that might go with the disappointment that bells did not ring on that occasion.
3)  To speed up the end of the sexual activity -- ("Maybe if I act out an orgasm, he will stop in time for me to watch The Good Wife.")
4)  To increase their own arousal -- ("If I act out an orgasm, maybe it will follow.  Much like 'If you build it, they will come.'")  

(Over two years ago, I suggested that this might be a reason for women faking orgasms.)

http://evil-pop-tart.blogspot.com/2012/04/pascals-wager-and-faking-orgasms.html


While altruistic deceit was the most commonly-reported reason, fear and insecurity came in second.  Interestingly, to increase their own arousal was the third most commonly-cited reason.  In general,  pretending to enjoy sex can actually make the whole experience more pleasurable, according to their published research in the Journal of Sexual Archives.

The team found that women were more likely to fake orgasms to turn themselves on, rather than to do it to end sex.

But the most common reason for faking an orgasm was altruism, with women reporting they did not want to hurt their sexual partner’s feelings.  However, the Faking Orgasm Scale for Women provided quantitative evidence suggesting women may also fake orgasm for far more ‘selfish’ reasons, like increasing their own arousal.   

http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2014/05/ill-have-what-shes-having-developing.html