A hands-free method of sexual arousal called syntribation is surprisingly common, study finds

A large study of adults in the United States shows that people arouse themselves sexually in a wide variety of ways, many of which are completely ignored by researchers. By looking closely at nine specific types of arousal, the findings show how past surveys have likely missed common behaviors by relying on vague definitions. The research was published recently in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.

For decades, investigations into sexual habits have struggled with a basic problem of terminology. When a survey simply asks participants if they have masturbated, respondents interpret the query in wildly different ways. Some people assume the word only refers to touching their own genitals. Others might include the use of sex toys, or anal stimulation, or touching other sensitive areas of the body.

Demographic factors heavily shape these personal interpretations. Past research shows that older adults often define the concept more narrowly than younger adults. This varying understanding means that when a survey reports a decline in the behavior among older populations, it might partly reflect this generational gap in terminology rather than an actual drop in sexual activity.

Some past surveys have tried to solve this ambiguity by providing specific definitions, but these attempts often create new problems. For example, some common questionnaires define the activity as touching oneself for sexual pleasure. This phrasing excludes people who might engage in the behavior for reasons other than pleasure, such as stress relief, an avoidance of risky encounters, or a sense of behavioral compulsion.

Researchers have long debated whether solitary sexual habits complement a healthy relationship or compensate for a broken one. Trying to answer that question without knowing if the person is touching themselves alone, engaging in mutual touch with a partner, or just reading erotic fiction makes the answer near impossible to untangle. This creates a mess in the scientific literature, with some studies showing mental health benefits and others showing declines in well-being.

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Broad definitions in giant international surveys can also skew geographical data. Some national surveys just ask when the person last aroused themselves sexually, which could theoretically include watching a provocative dance performance or reading a romance novel. Using similarly vague questions, one past study found that Norwegians reported vastly higher rates of the behavior than researchers tracked in Portugal. It remains unknown if this reflects a true behavioral gap or just a cultural difference in how the survey wording was interpreted.

David C. de Jong, a psychologist at Western Carolina University, led a team of international researchers to address these ongoing issues. They wanted to demonstrate how a lack of precise definitions has held back our understanding of human sexuality. They argued that vague survey items make it exceedingly difficult to figure out how varying forms of sexual self-arousal relate to psychological or physical wellness.

To capture a more accurate picture, the researchers developed a questionnaire based on the foundational work of early sexologist Alfred Kinsey. In the middle part of the twentieth century, Kinsey defined the concept as any deliberate self-stimulation designed to bring sexual arousal. This broad view recognizes that people can intentionally trigger arousal without necessarily touching their genitals or seeking a physical climax.

Using this historical framework, the team created specific descriptions for nine distinct behaviors. These activities were divided into three main settings: solo experiences, partnered experiences, and group experiences. For the partnered and group settings, the survey further distinguished between whether the other people were physically present in the room or connected remotely through the internet or a phone line.

The researchers recruited 3,423 adult participants from across the United States. They matched this large sample to national demographic census data to ensure it represented a broad cross-section of the population regarding age, race, and geographic region. They also intentionally included sizable numbers of older adults, religious individuals, and sexual minorities to gather diverse perspectives. Participants were asked how recently they had engaged in each of the nine specific activities.

Traditional solo masturbation was the most common activity reported. Around 77 percent of men and 59 percent of women reported engaging in this specific behavior during the past month. For participants identifying as a gender other than man or woman, this past-month rate climbed higher, reaching nearly 90 percent.

The survey also revealed high rates for behaviors that many people might not categorize under the typical umbrella of sexual self-stimulation. Well over half of the men and nearly a third of the women reported recently using sexually arousing media without physically touching themselves. A similar number reported using sexual fantasy alone to become aroused.

The researchers drew special attention to a practice called syntribation. This involves intentionally flexing core, pelvic, or thigh muscles to create sexual arousal and sometimes climax. This hands-free method has received almost no attention in modern scientific literature, despite early sex studies noting its existence as a highly effective technique for some people.

The team found that syntribation is actually quite common among the public. About 20 percent of women and 15 percent of men practiced syntribation in the past month. When the researchers cross-checked the data, they noticed that many of the participants who reported syntribation did not count it as masturbation when answering broader questions. This suggests that without a specific prompt about muscle flexion, standard surveys routinely miss this hidden form of sexual expression.

Partnered behaviors also emerged as a somewhat regular occurrence in the data. About a quarter of men and women reported touching themselves during sex with a partner. Engaging in mutual physical stimulation with a physically present partner was also reported by around 17 percent of women and 23 percent of men over the prior thirty days.

Remote partnered sessions over the phone or internet were less common than in-person ones. Still, they were practiced by over one in ten men and slightly fewer women in the past month. This indicates that digital connections and remote interactions play a regular role in modern sexual routines.

Group scenarios, by contrast, were very rare across all demographic categories. Whether in the same physical room or connected over a remote internet stream, group events were reported by fewer than five percent of the sample. To catch any missing activities, the questionnaire included an open-ended text box. A few participants typed out unique methods of self-arousal, such as practicing controlled breathing, focusing on emotional intimacy, or cross-dressing, but these written answers were incredibly sparse.

The high prevalence of using fantasies or media without physical touching challenges older scientific models of sexual response. Usually, scientists describe a linear sequence where sexual desire leads to physical stimulation, which then culminates in climax and a refractory period where desire drops. The researchers suspect that some people intentionally arouse themselves with thoughts or images while avoiding physical release. This might act as a strategy to sustain and enhance overall sexual desire within long-term relationships without triggering the biological drop in motivation that follows climax.

The study did rely on a sample recruited through an online platform. Because of this opt-in design, the participants might be more comfortable discussing sexuality than the general public. This could mean the reported numbers are slightly higher than the true national average, requiring future studies using different recruitment methods to verify the exact rates.

The authors suggest that future studies must specify exactly what behaviors they want to measure before drawing conclusions. Evolving technologies, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence companions, will only make it harder to rely on single, vague words. Recognizing hidden methods like syntribation could also help sex educators and therapists better support people who face privacy limits or physical restrictions during partnered intimacy.

The study, “The Varieties of Masturbatory Experience: Prevalences in a U.S. National Sample and Recommendations for Future Investigations,” was authored by David C. de Jong, Maximiliane Uhlich, Nantje Fischer, Christopher Ginn, Andrew Baker, Ryan Rahm-Knigge, Madison L. Moore, Jessie V. Ford, Heather Hoffmann, Eli Coleman, and Neil Gleason.