Women underestimate sexual partners, while men exaggerate, says study
Rapper J. Cole once rhymed (though using more explicit lyrics):
"Yeah, I heard stories about different dudes, her man on campus but it's fine by me. Say she only [engaged in sexual activity with] like 4-5 [males], so you know you gotta multiply by 3."
According to a new study, Cole's reasoning was not completely off.
Researchers at the University of Ohio found that both men and women lie about their sexual experiences – only they do so in opposite ways.
The study looked at 293 college students between the ages of 18 and 25.
Scientists surveyed the students about their sexual history, particularly how often they engaged in 124 specific behaviors.
The questions were asked both in an anonymous paper survey and again while hooked up to a polygraph machine.
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The results may not surprise most: men tended to exaggerate claims like the number of partners they slept with and how early they had sex in the paper survey.
Women, on the other hand, downplayed their sexual activities.
Yet, when hooked to the polygraph, the answers became more truthful.
"It was the exact opposite," said study author Terri Fischer.
"There is something unique about sexuality that led people to care more about matching the stereotypes for their gender," she added.
Researchers blamed gender roles and the need to show normal or acceptable behavior depending on the person's sex.
The study was published in the journal Sex Roles.
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