This week, we’re answering another great question in response to our anonymous online survey!
Question: “Does sex actually mean more emotionally to women than it does to men?”
Answer: Because each person has a unique personality and set of experiences, it’s difficult to say if engaging in sexual activity “mean[s] more emotionally to women than it does to men”. For example, some women may feel more emotionally connected as a result of having sex with their partner whereas some may not. Men may also experience varying levels of emotional attachment to their partner as a result of being sexually active. We can, however, turn to biology to better understand the relationship between emotional connection and sexual activity. A few different neurotransmitters are released during sexual activity – two of them being dopamine and oxytocin. While dopamine is linked to reward and pleasure, oxytocin promotes bonding and connection. Biology shows us that whether someone is engaging in sexual activity in a hook-up or committed relationship context, an emotional bond can form through the release of oxytocin.
If you have any questions you’ve been wanting to ask, feel free to fill out our survey here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B37V3W2
