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CROSS-CULTURAL OBSERVATIONS: FREQUENCYAverage frequencies of marital coitus among groups vary from about two to five times per week (Gebhard). The Ecuadorian Cayapa Indians described by Altschuler thought that twice a week was an occasion for bragging by new husbands. This group has an exceptionally low level of sexuality, accompanied by avoidance of women, anxiety, inhibition about sexual matters, and much homo-erotic behavior among the men. Even the more virile and forward men can go for long periods with little sexual activity. Male sexual inadequacy is the norm, resulting apparently from high-anxiety socialization practices in the weaning and toilet training of children. The Inis Beag, an Irish folk community studied by Messenger has very strict rules of modesty and separation of the sexes from childhood on. Frequency of marital coitus is not known but is probably low. Men believe that intercourse is debilitating and drains energy needed for other work. Sexual inhibitions extend to avoidance of nudity at all times and shunning of sexual innuendoes and jokes, even with the most pallid content. Asked to compare the sexual desires of men and women, a married woman said, “Men can wait a long time before wanting it, but we can wait longer”. Other people described by Davenport, Marshall, and Merriam, value sex highly, frequent copulation being an important part of their life styles. The Mangaians (Marshall) of central Polynesia engage in a high level of sexual activity before marriage, valuing frequent coitus, many partners, and multiple orgasms for their women. After marriage the male wishes to copulate with his wife every night, beginning to skip nights only after a decade or so of marriage. Davenport’s East Bay Melanesian group expects that sexual excitement will remain high during the early years of marriage, and it is usual for couples to have intercourse each day while they are in their garden and again at night after going to bed. Frequencies of three times in a twenty-four-hour period were not uncommon. Merriam, in his study of the Bala, a people of the Congo, collected data on frequency of intercourse by asking men, each morning, how many times they had had intercourse in the preceding twenty-four hours. Although the data may be less than reliable, the average over a ten-day period ranged from 1.2 to 1.9 acts of marital coitus per day. Even the men in their fifties and sixties reported having intercourse more than seven times per week. These examples only suggest the variability of frequency of marital coitus among human groups. Obviously, it depends on factors such as attitudes toward sex, availability (as when the men are absent for long periods), restrictions and taboos, and the woman’s right of refusal. In general, if teachings are repressive with many negative sanctions and taboos, and if sex is thought to be dangerous and tinged with evil, frequency is low. But if attitudes are permissive, children’s exploratory activity indulged or encouraged, and people are rewarded for sexual interest and exploits, frequency is high. *89/187/5* Related Posts:Tags: Men’s Health Leave OneYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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