Every relationship is different, but who doesn’t sometimes wonder if they’re having as much sex as the couple next to them.
A new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality by researchers at Florida State University looked at the frequency of sex in couples to find out reasons why some have more sex than others, as well as how satisfied they are between the sheets.
The study examined 278 heterosexual newlywed couples with a personality test based on the big five personality traits: extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.
Couples were also told to keep a diary to measure how often they were having sex and how satisfied they were a seven-point scale.
The study revealed that the couples averaged sex 3-4 times over the two-week period, and that the men were the main initiators.
What they also found however was that the frequency of sex varied according to the woman’s rating of agreeableness and openness to experience traits from the personality test.
“What I can say is that, in a number of studies of newlywed couples (most of whom are extremely happy), couples report having sex approximately every three to four days. I am not sure, however, how frequently ‘happy’ couples who have been married longer (or even dating couples) have sex” Psychologist Andrea L. Meltzer told NY Mag of their findings.
As for satisfaction, the study found that both partner’s personalities weighed in, with higher levels of neuroticism linked to lower levels of satisfaction. If the man scored higher on the openness scale, the couple was actually less satisfied, however it was the opposite for the women.
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