Adult Sexual Behaviors and Attitudes

Ethnic differences in behavior•Only 40% of African-American men masturbated in the past year, while 2/3 of white andLatino men, and slightly fewer Asian-American men did.•White Americans are most likely to engage in oral-genital sex; African-Americans the leastlikely.•Latino-Americans are the group most likely to engage in anal intercourse.Sexual fantasies•Women’s fantasies tend to be more romantic and emotional while men’s tend to be moreexplicit and visual.•Most common is a fantasy of a present, former or imaginary partner.•Four main categories–Exploratory – never-tried behaviors–Intimacy – sex with a known partner–Impersonal – sex with strangers–Dominance-submission themesFantasy sex: Its only a movie•Although a common fantasy is to imagine having sex with someone other than your partner(replacement fantasy), it does not indicate a desire to do so in real life.•Sexual fantasies are often an indicator of having a healthy sexuality.•Fantasies provide a safe and private outlet for thoughts that, if actually engaged in, might beconsidered improper and/or illegal.•Positions for sexual intercourse•Coitus = sexual intercourse•Missionary position – woman lying face upwith man on top, facing her; so named for theChristian missionaries who taught Polynesiansthat any other position was sinful.•The woman-on-top position is most popular incultures in which women enjoy high socialstatus. Women are more likely to achieveorgasm during coitus in this position.Man-on-top (missionary position)

Woman-on-topPros and cons to consider•For each position, consider–Is face-to-face contactimportant to me?–Am I able to orgasm in thisposition?–Do I reach orgasm tooquickly in this position?–Is this position physicallycomfortable?–Are my hands free to touchmy partner or myself?–Do I feel safe and cared for in this position?–How does this position feel to my partner?–Has this position become routine for us?Man-from-behindIntercourse while sittingCoital variations•Not pictured is a side-by-side variation,also common. Variations are as numerousas a couple’s imagination, flexibility andstrength.•A recent survey of college students foundthat 45% of men preferred woman-on-top;1/3 of college women also preferred thatposition

–25% men preferred man-on-top; another 25% preferred man-from-behind–48% women preferred man-on-top; another 15% preferred man-from-behindOral-genital sex•Kissing is often our first sexual behavior; kissing during other sexual behaviors is verycommon. Oral sex is possible next step.•Fellatio – oral stimulation of the penis–“Giving Head” usually refers to fellatio but could be used to describe cunnilingus as well.•Cunnilingus – oral stimulation of the vulva•Oral sex may be part of “foreplay” or may be the preferred sexual behavior.CunnilingusMany women report that oralstimulation of the areaaround the clitoris is morepleasurable than coitus.FellatioMany men find fellatio to be more intense(especially orgasm during fellatio) than coitus.But isn’t oral sex pretty weird?•70-90% of sexually active teens and youngadults engage in oral-genital sex.•People tend to become more accepting of asexual behavior when they learn that it is notabnormal – remember how you first felt when youlearned about “French” kissing?•Some people worry about cleanliness – peoplewho are healthy and bathe regularly pose no risk.Your mouth carries more germs than your genitalsdo.What about “69?”•“69” in which both partners pleasure each other orally at the same time is not as common asrumors would lead one to believe; many individuals prefer to focus on either giving or receivingthe pleasures of oral sex.•Giving oral sex can represent moments of extreme intimacy, to be savored.•Receiving oral sex can be an opportunity to let your partner give you a gift.