Moderation Is Most Socially Acceptable, Not Extremes
More Partners Lead to Negative Perceptions... Double Standards for Men and Women
A recent study has drawn attention by revealing that having a moderate number of sexual experiences is considered the most socially acceptable, rather than having too many or too few. According to the research, the optimal number of sexual partners is up to five for men and up to three for women.
On May 9 (local time), the New York Post and other outlets reported these findings, citing a study recently published in the international journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
For this study, the researchers surveyed the social perceptions of the sex lives of 25-year-olds among more than 340 Germans. Participants were asked about various sexual behaviors, including the number of partners, frequency of sexual activity, and masturbation habits.
A study has found that having a moderate number of sexual experiences is socially more acceptable than having too many or too few. Getty Images
The results showed that the ideal number of sexual partners for men over a lifetime was four to five. Of these, two to three were relationships formed through casual encounters. The study also found that men typically had their first sexual experience between the ages of 18 and 20.
For women, the ideal number of partners was two to three, with one to two of these being relationships formed through casual encounters. Women generally had their first sexual experience somewhat earlier than men, between the ages of 16 and 18.
The researchers analyzed that the standards for the ideal number of sexual partners identified in the survey were closely linked to social evaluation. As the number of partners increases, individuals are more likely to face negative perceptions and social stigma from others.
The research team pointed out that these social evaluation standards apply to both men and women, regardless of gender. They explained, "Contrary to common assumptions, both genders are most highly valued when their level of sexual activity is moderate, rather than being extremely low or excessively high."
However, the researchers also noted that "there are both similarities and differences in how society evaluates male and female sexuality," confirming that a double standard based on gender still exists.
In the case of men, a lack of sexual experience tends to result in criticism and social pressure regarding sexual competence, whereas women receive more negative evaluations when they have a higher number of partners.
Meanwhile, according to World Population Review (WPR), a U.S.-based demographic analysis firm, the country with the highest average number of lifetime sexual partners in the world last year was Turkiye, with an average of 14.5 partners.
Australia and New Zealand ranked second and third, with 13.3 and 13.2 partners on average, respectively. They were followed by Iceland (13.0), South Africa (12.5), Finland (12.4), Norway (12.1), Italy (11.8), Sweden (11.8), and Switzerland (11.1). Except for South Africa, all of these are European countries.
In Asia, Thailand had the highest number of sexual partners at 10.6, followed by Japan at 10.2. South Korea was found to have one of the lowest averages in the world, with around two partners.
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