title: Testing the mate-choice hypothesis of the female orgasm: disentangling traits and behaviours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The evolution of the female orgasm in humans and its role in romantic relationships is poorly understood. Whereas the male orgasm is inherently linked to reproduction, the female orgasm is not linked to obvious reproductive or survival benefits. It also occurs less consistently during penetrative sex than does the male orgasm. Mate-choice hypotheses posit that the wide variation in female orgasm frequency reflects a discriminatory mechanism designed to select high-quality mates.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine (1) whether women report that their orgasm frequency varies between partners, (2) whether this variation reflects mates' personal characteristics, and (3) whether this variation reflects own and partner sexual behaviour during intercourse.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected survey data from 103 women who rated (1) the extent to which their orgasm frequency varied between partners, (2) the characteristics of previous sexual partners who induced high-orgasm frequency and those who induced low-orgasm frequency, and (3) the specific behaviours during sex with those partners. This is the first study to test within-woman variation in orgasm and partner traits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, women reported variation in their orgasm rates with different partners. Partners who induced high-orgasm rates were rated as more humorous, creative, warm, faithful, and better smelling than partners who induced low-orgasm rates, and also engaged in greater efforts to induce partner orgasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some assumptions and predictions of mate-choice hypotheses of female orgasm were supported, while other aspects of our findings provide reasons to remain sceptical.
authors: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; james.sherlock@uqconnect.edu.au.
authors: James M
authors: JM
authors: Sherlock
authors: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Morgan J
authors: MJ
authors: Sidari
authors: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Emily Ann
authors: EA
authors: Harris
authors: Menzies Health Institute Queensland and School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Fiona Kate
authors: FK
authors: Barlow
authors: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Queensland, Australia; zietsch@psy.uq.edu.au.
authors: Brendan P
authors: BP
authors: Zietsch
keywords: evolution; mating; partner choice; relationships; sex