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The Motivation for Masturbation

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Reply 20
Avatar for cmoore094
cmoore094
8
Relieve Stress.. Sounds like an interesting topic that you're doing though :smile:
I wish I went to your uni!

But I think it's probably to do with the fact that we associate it with reproduction, which is what we're genetically programmed to do. It's like asking why do we have sex using protection if it's not going to do it's biological job. Plus it's pleasurable, and the pleasure reinforces the action therefore making it more likely that we'll try to achieve an orgasm again.
Reply 22
Avatar for spiral87
spiral87
19
Original post by aliluvschoc
Apparently women masturbate more during certain parts of their menstrual cycle, and men masturbate more regularly when they are cheating. I need to remember the sources for that, but I don't see how anything can be too simple to investigate.


Can't claim to be an expert, but sex/masturbation during periods can reduce/relieve period pains. From what I've heard.

Original post by aliluvschoc
Original post by spiral87


Still, some women can get to 20+ without ever touching themselves or having an orgasm, guys start at about 11 or 12 and do it as much as they can.


I wonder how true that really is.


I can believe it. Religious beliefs could easily be one reason. Guys don't have much choice, we get spontaneous boners (and obviously feelings of being super turned on) throughout adolescence and the only real way to relieve it is to...relieve yourself.
Reply 23
Avatar for Fuzzpig
Fuzzpig
OP
16
Sperm counts decrease with successive ejaculations in many
species [5,12–14], suggesting that the rate of sperm production or
maturation may be limited [13,15–17]. Thus behaviours that
waste sperm would appear to be maladaptive. For example,
masturbation (manual stimulation of the sex organs to ejaculation)
removes sperm without any possibility of fertilization. Yet,
masturbation has been observed in many primates, rodents, and
other species [18], suggesting it may have some adaptive function.



Only a few hypotheses have been proposed to explain the
occurrence of masturbation (Table 1). The sexual outlet hypothesis
suggests that masturbation is not adaptive but is instead merely a
by-product of selection for neuroendocrine mechanisms that lead
to increased sexual arousal and performance in promiscuous
groups [19]. Males that have not successfully copulated might
masturbate to ejaculation as a sexual outlet, particularly in species
where multiple mating has selected for high sexual arousal [19].
Alternatively, masturbation could be adaptive and function to
remove old sperm from the reproductive tract to increase the
proportion of competitive or fertile sperm in the next copulation
[20,21]. Under this hypothesis, increased sperm


Well I'm finding some interesting stuff, I definitely think I can write 3000 words on this, and your replies are helpful and interesting. I'm surprised so many of you think that there's just not much to it!
Come on, it's just a case of the software evolving faster than the hardware. Humans have realised they can get the pay-out without doing the evolutionarily vital task it was created to encourage. Evolutionary ideal might be for this to not work, but the ability to masturbate appeared too recently for such selection to have had any effect. There's no deeper meaning.
Reply 25
Avatar for Misery
Misery
8
Original post by aliluvschoc
- A psychological perspective.

I'm writing a 3000 word essay on human motivation, the topic I've chosen in masturbation. I chose masturbation because on the outside, it serves little purpose in terms of reproductive success or anything like that so it would be an interesting topic to look into. Plus, my lecturer is interested in sex-psychology so I might manage a few more marks for interest sake :tongue:

Have you come across anything of interest? Could this be described through a Darwinian perspective?

I'm thinking about things like it enabling a person to release tension from the libido perhaps, without risking either pregnancy or impregnation (and thus potentially losing your resources through having to pay for the child's upbringing (if you're male), personal safety (no risk of STD/harmful pregnancy or harm from male relations such as brothers and fathers, and harm from jealous partners).

And of course there's the fact that although it's not as good as sex, it's a damned site easier to masturbate than to get laid. Perhaps there's a psychological argument for lazy people, here..!


And of course, humans are not the only animals that masturbate. I propose that this proves that masturbation is not a cultural behaviour.

Regarder:

Spoiler




Does anyone have any helpful ideas about the human motivation to masturbate?


Motivation? Release.. pleasure.. et cetera... oh, and for some for 'practice', I guess. Once every three days is the optimum frequency for vastly increasing the time you can last during intercourse. Sceptical? Give it a... shot.
Reply 26
Avatar for Fuzzpig
Fuzzpig
OP
16
Original post by DynamicSyngery
Come on, it's just a case of the software evolving faster than the hardware. Humans have realised they can get the pay-out without doing the evolutionarily vital task it was created to encourage. Evolutionary ideal might be for this to not work, but the ability to masturbate appeared too recently for such selection to have had any effect. There's no deeper meaning.


Where is this information from? Plus, I have open a very interesting paper about masturbating squirrels.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by aliluvschoc
Where is this information from?


Occam's razor.
Original post by aliluvschoc
- A psychological perspective.

I'm writing a 3000 word essay on human motivation, the topic I've chosen in masturbation. I chose masturbation because on the outside, it serves little purpose in terms of reproductive success or anything like that so it would be an interesting topic to look into. Plus, my lecturer is interested in sex-psychology so I might manage a few more marks for interest sake :tongue:

Have you come across anything of interest? Could this be described through a Darwinian perspective?

I'm thinking about things like it enabling a person to release tension from the libido perhaps, without risking either pregnancy or impregnation (and thus potentially losing your resources through having to pay for the child's upbringing (if you're male), personal safety (no risk of STD/harmful pregnancy or harm from male relations such as brothers and fathers, and harm from jealous partners).

And of course there's the fact that although it's not as good as sex, it's a damned site easier to masturbate than to get laid. Perhaps there's a psychological argument for lazy people, here..!


And of course, humans are not the only animals that masturbate. I propose that this proves that masturbation is not a cultural behaviour.

Regarder:

Spoiler




Does anyone have any helpful ideas about the human motivation to masturbate?


Because it feels good.
Why?
Because if sex did not, then how many people could be bothered with sex? Unlike animals we do not have mating seasons and sometimes we like to suppress primal actions, thus if it did not feel good, no one would have sex and we would have died out a long time ago.
Ok I've finally given in to my cynicism. There are people doing serious subjects such as Computer Science and Medicine, whilst you're doing an assignment on why animals have a ****.
Wait until the tabloids get hold of this.

"Kent university in David Beckham masturbation studies shocker."
From an evolutionary point of view to clear out old sperm and replace with more fertile ones.
Reply 32
Avatar for Steezy
Steezy
15
It allows me to have mental sex with a variety of women without cheating on my girlfriend.
Reply 33
Avatar for Fuzzpig
Fuzzpig
OP
16
Original post by The_master616
Ok I've finally given in to my cynicism. There are people doing serious subjects such as Computer Science and Medicine, whilst you're doing an assignment on why animals have a ****.


Yep. I suppose I should hang my head in shame. My dissertation should hopefully lessen some of the shame though, it's a rather more serious topic.

This is however just a topic I've chosen purely for interests sake to lessen the stress this year. If we were always serious, the world (and my degree) would be a very boring place.
Reply 34
Avatar for Fuzzpig
Fuzzpig
OP
16
Original post by Akuma
Wait until the tabloids get hold of this.

"Kent university in David Beckham masturbation studies shocker."


I'm a student at kent who decided to write about masturbation. This is for the Motivational Psychology module, the lecturer did not himself decide on any of the titles. I suppose I'm one of those shocking students that aren't mainstream enough. I'm greatly enjoying this thread though :biggrin:
Reply 35
Avatar for lcsurfer
lcsurfer
18
errrr.... Pleasure??
Reply 36
Avatar for ERdoctor
ERdoctor
9
Original post by rugbyladosc
Revision


Haha :')
Reply 37
Avatar for xiodinex
xiodinex
Classical conditioning.

Orgasm feels good therefore it's motivation to keep doing it. Whereas, in sex with another person there are expectation on you, pressure to do well, masturbation's the easier option.
I know, talking about ****ing is so taboo and 'alternative'....
Original post by ForgettingWhatsername
I usually do it when I have trouble getting to sleep :erm:


Well if insomnia or sleep difficulties are routinely observed in other animals, craving oxytocin and ADH release from masturbation as a means of getting to sleep easier might not be an altogether implausible idea :holmes: It needs a lot more research since it's a pretty tenuous link, but it could be something to investigate.

Also, Pulp are amazing. Excellent sig :top:

I feel violated on behalf of that frog though. It really ought to press charges.

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