New research reveals masturbation is on the rise and challenges old ideas about its role

A new study analyzing over a decade of data from the British population has found that masturbation became more common for both women and men between the early 2000s and the early 2010s. The research also suggests that the traditional view of masturbation as a simple substitute for partnered sex for men and a supplement for women is incomplete, indicating it may serve as a replacement for both genders when partnered sexuality faces challenges. The findings were published in The Journal of Sex Research.

Researchers embarked on this investigation to address several gaps in our understanding of sexual self-pleasure. Historically, a gendered model has been proposed to explain masturbation patterns. This model suggests that for men, masturbation often serves a compensatory function, acting as a substitute when partnered sex is unavailable. For women, it has been thought to serve a complementary function, where solo sex is an addition to an active partnered sex life.

However, given that social attitudes toward sexuality and masturbation have evolved, the scientists questioned whether this gendered framework remains accurate. They also noted a lack of robust, large-scale research tracking masturbation prevalence over time using consistent methods, which has made it difficult to identify clear trends.

To conduct their analysis, the research team used data from two major British surveys: the second and third waves of the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. These are large, probability-based sample surveys, meaning they are designed to be representative of the general population in Britain. The second survey was conducted between 1999 and 2001 with 11,161 participants aged 16 to 44. The third survey took place between 2010 and 2012 and included 15,162 individuals aged 16 to 74. Participants were interviewed in their homes by trained interviewers, with a computer-assisted self-completion portion for sensitive questions, including those about masturbation.

The first part of the study focused on trends over time. To make a direct comparison, the researchers looked only at the data for individuals aged 16 to 44 in both surveys. They found a statistically significant increase in the proportion of people who reported masturbating in the past month. For women, the rate rose from 37.0% in the first period to 40.3% in the second. For men, the prevalence increased from 73.4% to 77.5%. The analysis also showed that the percentage of women who reported never having masturbated in their lifetime decreased from 28.5% to 24.1%.

When examining specific groups, the researchers found that the increase in recent masturbation was most pronounced among the youngest men, those aged 16 to 24. Looking at relationship status, the increase was significant for both women and men who had casual or steady partners. No significant change was observed for individuals who were single. The researchers suggest that broader cultural shifts, including increased access to the internet and online sexual content between the two survey periods, may have contributed to these changing patterns of sexual behavior.

The second part of the study used the more recent data from the third survey, which included a wider age range of 16 to 74 years, to identify which social, demographic, health, and relationship factors were associated with masturbation. Here, the findings challenged the simple gendered model of compensation versus complementation. When looking strictly at the frequency of intercourse, the old model appeared to hold. Women who had more frequent intercourse were more likely to report masturbating, supporting a complementary role. In contrast, men who reported the highest frequency of intercourse were less likely to report masturbating, which points to a compensatory pattern.

However, a more complex picture emerged when the researchers considered participants’ satisfaction and desires related to their sex lives. For both women and men, reporting masturbation in the past month was more likely if they wanted to have intercourse more often than they currently were. It was also more common among those who felt their level of sexual interest differed from their partner’s, were dissatisfied with their sex life, or felt distressed or worried about it.

Similarly, both women and men who reported having sexual difficulties themselves, or whose partners had sexual difficulties, were more likely to report recent masturbation. This suggests that when partnered sexuality is a source of dissatisfaction or presents challenges, masturbation may function as a replacement activity for both genders, not just for men.

The analysis also identified several other factors linked to masturbation. Younger age was consistently associated with a higher likelihood of reporting recent masturbation for both women and men. Individuals who considered their religious beliefs to be important were significantly less likely to report masturbating. Sexual orientation was also a factor, with gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals reporting higher rates of masturbation compared to their heterosexual counterparts. People with a greater number of sexual partners in the past year were also more likely to report masturbating.

In terms of personal attitudes, individuals who believed that sex without love is acceptable were more likely to have masturbated recently. Conversely, those who believed that people naturally want less sex as they get older were less likely to report the behavior. Poor self-reported health was also associated with a lower likelihood of masturbation for both women and men. When it came to relationships, individuals who were living with a partner were less likely to report masturbating compared to single individuals. For men specifically, being happy in their relationship was linked to a lower probability of reporting recent masturbation.

The authors acknowledge certain limitations to their study. The data is based on self-reports, which can be influenced by social desirability or memory recall biases, especially for sensitive topics like sexual behavior. The data used for the second part of the analysis was collected over a decade ago, between 2010 and 2012. Since then, the widespread adoption of smartphones and dating apps may have further influenced sexual behaviors.

Finally, because the data is cross-sectional, it shows associations between factors but cannot establish cause and effect. Future research could explore more recent trends and use methods that provide a deeper understanding of the motivations behind masturbation in different contexts.

The study, “Trends in Masturbation Prevalence and Associated Factors: Findings from the British National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles,” was authored by N. Fischer, M. Kozák, C. A. Graham, S. Clifton, C. H. Mercer, and K. R. Mitchell.