Estimating the duration of sexual behavior: A laboratory analog study

Abstract

Estimate of male orgasm latency, a common parameter of the sex history, is hypothetically subject to retrospective distortion. This investigation attempted to assess the degree and direction of the distortion using a laboratory analog procedure. Groups of sophomore medical students were shown a movie depicting a couple engaging in continuous foreplay and coitus. About half were asked to estimate the length of the foreplay and coitus periods in minutes. The other half were required to judge whether time periods were average, below average, or above average in duration for people of their own age. Subjects tended to overestimate the length of the coitus period in the film, but not the foreplay period. Females tended to estimate both periods as significantly longer than males. Nearly half of the group judged the foreplay period to be average, and over 60% judged the coital period to be average. Less than 23% thought that the coital period was below average. Married subjects tended to regard both time periods as above average, compared to single subjects. A possible inference from this investigation is that the mean young adult male orgasm latency is probably in the range of 2–3 minutes.