Finally, we know why some men send dick pics – to get nudes in return, or sex.
It’s perhaps the least-surprising result of any scientific research in history, but apparently had to be done.
“We were interested in this topic because, until now, there had not been any empirical research into the motives men having for sending unsolicited pictures of their genitals,” study author Cory Pedersen told PsyPost.
“There were plenty of hypotheses, theoretical musings, and anecdotal postulations, but no actual scientific investigation.”
He got more than 1000 guys to fill out a questionnaire – half of them admitting to sending historical dick pics.
“We determined that the most frequently reported motivational category for sending genital images was a transactional mindset,” the study reported. In other words, the men usually wanted something from the recipient in return – a reciprocal nude, or sex.
Less than one-in-five reported doing it purely for their own satisfaction.
Though it might seem obvious, Pedersen said there was one surprise.
“People often believe that the main reason men send unsolicited dick pics is because they dislike women/are sexist and wish to anger, shame, or otherwise express their hostility toward women,” he told PsyPost.
But it’s actually because they just want ‘some’. Okay, there is a little bit of sexism, too – but they’re just a “significant minority”. And dick pic senders in the study “demonstrated higher levels of narcissism” as well.
Just what women actually think of receiving dick pics will likely be the focus of a future study at Pedersen’s ORGASM Research Lab.
Check out the full study here.
