Men's Perspectives On Partnered Sex Toy Use: Psychological Insights and Implications - David Hattie, Kari A. Walton, & Cory L. Pedersen

 

Sex toys are designed to create, improve, or enhance sexual experiences for individuals and/or their sexual partners. Historically, the use of sex toys for pleasure has been considered taboo, often accompanied by shame and social stigma. Today, recent trends show that sex toy use has been a source of empowerment, playfulness, creativity, and sexual exploration for women. However, little research has explored how men perceive sex toy use and, to an even lesser extent, how men feel about using various sex toys on/with their female partners. Despite some evidence that men enjoy using vibrators during sex with women, little is known about why some men do not enjoy partnered sex toy use. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore psychological differences between cisgender men who do and do not use sex toys with cisgender female partners, and (2) ​reasons behind men's decisions to engage or abstain from sex toy use with partners.

 

Analyses of  575 men suggested that those who use sex toys on their female partners report greater male genital body image esteem, higher overall sexual esteem, and lower levels of hostile sexism compared to men who do not use sex toys on their female partners. Further, men who reported enjoying the use of sex toys reported greater sexual esteem. Those who do not enjoy using sex toys - but use them anyway - reported greater hostile sexism and precarity of manhood (the belief that masculinity is hard to win and easy to lose).

 

Men's most common reported motivations for sex toy use (the top 3 reasons of "select all that apply" options) included that sex toys are a good way to spice up a their sex life (81%), to increase sexual satisfaction (77%), and because their partner enjoys sex toys (67%).

 

Collectively, our findings underscore the importance of considering psychological factors in men's engagement with sex toys and their attitudes toward sexual experiences.

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Poster presentation delivered at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, San Diego, 2024.