1 in 4 Men Say They Have Faked an Orgasm

This is an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, which surveyed respondents over the course of three weeks to reflect an accurate representation of the U.S. population.

Most people remember the scene from “When Harry Met Sally” in which Meg Ryan faked an orgasm in a deli to prove she could make it look like the real thing.

As it turns out, men in real life may be just as good at faking it.

In a sweeping sex study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, 22% of U.S. males said they have faked an orgasm. Males in the 25 to 34 age range were nearly three times more likely to have faked an orgasm than those aged 18 to 24.

Also among the most likely groups to have faked an orgasm are African-American males, who were 65% more likely than white males and 50% more likely than Hispanic males to say they have faked an orgasm.

High-income males were among the least likely groups to answer in the affirmative. Those who earn more than $125,000 annually had a 27% lower likelihood to have faked an orgasm than lower wage-earners.

“Males aged 25 to 34 were three times more likely

to have faked an orgasm than those 18 to 24.”

According to psychologist and DatingAdvice.com expert Dr. Wendy Walsh, men who fake orgasms do so because they lack the communication skills needed to be honest with their partners.

“We have a very narrow definition of male sexuality, which is take any and all sex at any cost if you’re a real man. Thus, many men are pressured to comply with sexually aggressive women even when they’re not in the mood. Their exit strategy is to fake the orgasm,” she said.

Dr. Walsh said another contributing factor is many couples have difficulty being honest about their sexual needs.

“So many couples put the cart before the horse and engage in sex before they have emotional intimacy, so they aren’t at the stage where they can express emotional intimacy,” she said. “They have no skills to decline sex and as a result feel more comfortable faking it.”

Dr. Walsh suspects more men have faked an orgasm than the survey shows, as men tend to embellish the sexual activity they engage in.

“It’s important to note men normally ‘lie up’ rather than ‘lie down’ on sexual behavior surveys, reporting more sexual activity than they actually engage in, so I suspect the number is far greater than one in four,” she said.

The study surveyed 1,080 respondents over the course of three weeks, balancing responses by age, gender, income, race, sexuality and other factors in order to accurately represent the U.S. population. The study has a margin of error of +/- 2.8%.

By sexuality:

• Straight: 21%

• Gay: 31%

By marital status:

• Single, Never Married: 18%

• Married: 24%

• Divorced: 30%

By age:

• 18 to 24: 12%

• 25 to 34: 33%

• 35 to 44: 23%

• 45 to 54: 29%

• 54 to 64: 15%

• 65 and older: 16%

By race:

• White: 20%

• African-American: 33%

• Hispanic: 22%

• Asian: 18%

By income:

• Under $25,000: 19%

• $25,000 to $49,999: 22%

• $50,000 to $74,999: 30%

• $75,000 to $99,999: 21%

• $100,000 to $124,999: 26%

• $125,000 or higher: 16%

By region:

• Northeast: 21%

• Midwest: 23%

• South: 23%

• West: 23%

Dr. Wendy Walsh is the author of “The 30-Day Love Detox.”