Being “Good in Bed”—Body Concerns, Self-Perceptions, and Gender Expectations Among Swedish Heterosexual Female and Male Senior High-School Students

Abstract

We investigated gender differences regarding body perceptions, self-perceptions, values and expectations in sexual situations, and factors associated with expectations, among Swedish heterosexual female and male high-school students. A total of 2,765 students (aged 18 to 22) completed questionnaires. Women reported lower satisfaction with themselves and their body appearance (p < 0.001), and felt more inferior to their partner (p < 0.001). Men felt more superior to their partner, and felt higher expectations (p < 0.001). Male sex, difficulty saying no to sex, dissatisfaction with the body, feeling inferior or superior to partner, and considering partner's satisfaction as more important, were all associated with feeling expectations during sex.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are most grateful to the women and men who participated in this study.