Women still fake orgasms to make men feel less ‘fragile,’ study says

It’s not uncommon for women to fake it occasionally in the bedroom – but a new study has discovered exactly why we do it.

Women are still faking orgasms to make their male partners feel more less “fragile”, a new study has found.

The academic investigation — published in the January issue of the journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science — collected data from over 600 women, many of whom admit forsaking their own sexual pleasure in order to placate insecure men.

“Women are prioritising what they think their partners need over their own sexual needs and satisfaction,” said lead study author Jessica Jordan, doctoral student at the University of South Florida, in a statement.

The new study — which was co-authored by three men — sought to answer that age-old question, theorising that long-held cultural ideas that masculinity may be responsible for the fakery.

A new study has determined women still fake orgasms to make men feel less ‘fragile’. Picture: iStock

Researchers first collected data from 283 women, asking them about the perceived masculinity of their partners.

Interestingly, they found that the more women saw their partner’s masculinity was precarious, the more anxiety they had. This in turn lowered their own sexual pleasure and the rate at which they orgasmed.

Next, the researchers quizzed an additional 196 women, discovering that participants who assumed their male partner’s manhood was “fragile” were less likely to provide honest sexual communication due to “anxiety.”

Meanwhile, a third component of the study asked 157 straight women in relationships to complete an anonymous survey about their sex lives.

Interestingly, results showed that women who made more money than their partners were twice as likely to fake orgasms — giving new meaning to the expression “Fake it ’til you make it”.

It also discovered women who earn more money than their male partners are twice as likely to fake it. Picture: iStock

The researchers theorised these women possibly felt they were emasculating their husbands in a financial sense, and therefore had to make it up to them in the bedroom.

But while some women may believe they are protecting their male partners by faking ecstasy, Jordan believes that the deception inadvertently ends up hurting men as well.

“When society creates an impossible standard of masculinity to maintain, nobody wins,” she said.

In short, honest communication and putting effort into understanding your partners’ sexual needs will also benefit men when it comes to getting off at peak levels.

The study did not detail whether a woman’s age affects whether she is willing to fake an orgasm.

This article originally appeared on The NY Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Women still fake orgasms to make men feel less ‘fragile,’ study says