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Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Standard

Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences. / Frankenbach, Julius; Weber, Marcel; Loschelder, David D. et al.
In: Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 148, No. 9-10, 01.11.2022, p. 621-661.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Frankenbach, J, Weber, M, Loschelder, DD, Kilger, H & Friese, M 2022, 'Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences', Psychological Bulletin, vol. 148, no. 9-10, pp. 621-661. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000366

APA

Frankenbach, J., Weber, M., Loschelder, D. D., Kilger, H., & Friese, M. (2022). Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences. Psychological Bulletin, 148(9-10), 621-661. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000366

Vancouver

Frankenbach J, Weber M, Loschelder DD, Kilger H, Friese M. Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences. Psychological Bulletin. 2022 Nov 1;148(9-10):621-661. Epub 2022 Oct 13. doi: 10.1037/bul0000366

Bibtex

@article{bac71f73a6d1403bb4aa96f3f65c3ea3,
title = "Sex Drive: Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences",
abstract = "Few spheres in life are as universally relevant for (almost) all individuals past puberty as sexuality. One important aspect of sexuality concerns individuals{\textquoteright} sex drive—their dispositional sexual motivation. A vigorous scientific (and popular) debate revolves around the question of whether or not there is a gender difference in sex drive. Several theories predict a higher sex drive in men compared to women, with some theories attributing this difference to biased responding rather than true differences. Currently, there is little consensus on how to conceptualize sex drive, nor does a quantitative summary of the literature exist. In this article, we present a theory-driven conceptualization of sex drive as the density distribution of state sex drive, where state sex drive is defined as momentary sexual motivation that manifests in sexual cognition, affect, and behavior. We conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of gender differences in sex drive based on 211 studies, 856 effect sizes, and 621,463 persons. The meta-analysis revealed a stronger sex drive in men compared to women, with a medium-to-large effect size, g = 0.69, 95% CI [0.58, 0.81]. Men more often think and fantasize about sex, more often experience sexual affect like desire, and more often engage in masturbation than women. Adjustment for biased responding reduced the gender difference (g = 0.54). Moderation analyses suggest that the effect is robust and largely invariant to contextual factors. There was no evidence of publication bias.",
keywords = "Business psychology, Individual differences, Masturbation, Sexual desire, Sexual motivation, Sexual thoughts",
author = "Julius Frankenbach and Marcel Weber and Loschelder, {David D.} and Helena Kilger and Malte Friese",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 American Psychological Association",
year = "2022",
month = nov,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1037/bul0000366",
language = "English",
volume = "148",
pages = "621--661",
journal = "Psychological Bulletin",
issn = "0033-2909",
publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",
number = "9-10",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex Drive

T2 - Theoretical Conceptualization and Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences

AU - Frankenbach, Julius

AU - Weber, Marcel

AU - Loschelder, David D.

AU - Kilger, Helena

AU - Friese, Malte

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 American Psychological Association

PY - 2022/11/1

Y1 - 2022/11/1

N2 - Few spheres in life are as universally relevant for (almost) all individuals past puberty as sexuality. One important aspect of sexuality concerns individuals’ sex drive—their dispositional sexual motivation. A vigorous scientific (and popular) debate revolves around the question of whether or not there is a gender difference in sex drive. Several theories predict a higher sex drive in men compared to women, with some theories attributing this difference to biased responding rather than true differences. Currently, there is little consensus on how to conceptualize sex drive, nor does a quantitative summary of the literature exist. In this article, we present a theory-driven conceptualization of sex drive as the density distribution of state sex drive, where state sex drive is defined as momentary sexual motivation that manifests in sexual cognition, affect, and behavior. We conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of gender differences in sex drive based on 211 studies, 856 effect sizes, and 621,463 persons. The meta-analysis revealed a stronger sex drive in men compared to women, with a medium-to-large effect size, g = 0.69, 95% CI [0.58, 0.81]. Men more often think and fantasize about sex, more often experience sexual affect like desire, and more often engage in masturbation than women. Adjustment for biased responding reduced the gender difference (g = 0.54). Moderation analyses suggest that the effect is robust and largely invariant to contextual factors. There was no evidence of publication bias.

AB - Few spheres in life are as universally relevant for (almost) all individuals past puberty as sexuality. One important aspect of sexuality concerns individuals’ sex drive—their dispositional sexual motivation. A vigorous scientific (and popular) debate revolves around the question of whether or not there is a gender difference in sex drive. Several theories predict a higher sex drive in men compared to women, with some theories attributing this difference to biased responding rather than true differences. Currently, there is little consensus on how to conceptualize sex drive, nor does a quantitative summary of the literature exist. In this article, we present a theory-driven conceptualization of sex drive as the density distribution of state sex drive, where state sex drive is defined as momentary sexual motivation that manifests in sexual cognition, affect, and behavior. We conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of gender differences in sex drive based on 211 studies, 856 effect sizes, and 621,463 persons. The meta-analysis revealed a stronger sex drive in men compared to women, with a medium-to-large effect size, g = 0.69, 95% CI [0.58, 0.81]. Men more often think and fantasize about sex, more often experience sexual affect like desire, and more often engage in masturbation than women. Adjustment for biased responding reduced the gender difference (g = 0.54). Moderation analyses suggest that the effect is robust and largely invariant to contextual factors. There was no evidence of publication bias.

KW - Business psychology

KW - Individual differences

KW - Masturbation

KW - Sexual desire

KW - Sexual motivation

KW - Sexual thoughts

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140767565&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/a5558bc7-2e0c-3ed9-b42f-f00f0dd123d3/

U2 - 10.1037/bul0000366

DO - 10.1037/bul0000366

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 36227317

VL - 148

SP - 621

EP - 661

JO - Psychological Bulletin

JF - Psychological Bulletin

SN - 0033-2909

IS - 9-10

ER -

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DOI