Women prefer a larger penis for a one-night-stand than for a long-term relationship, a new study has found. But even the ‘smaller’ option is bigger than the national averages in America and Britain.
Dr Nicole Prause, a neuroscientist at UCLA who specializes in sex drive, created 100 possible dimensions for an erect penis. Along with a team, she whittled that down to 33 options, which were then 3D-printed in blue rubber and placed in a basket.
Finally, 75 women were asked to select two ideal penises from the basket of 3D-printed penises – one for a one-night-only liaison, and one for a long-term partner.
The biggest one in the basket was just shy of 9 inches, and the smallest just over 4 inches. The study found that the ultimate size for a long-term boyfriend’s erect penis was 6.3 inches in length, and 4.8 inches in girth. For one night only, the average ideal was 6.4 inches in length, 5 inches in girth.
Both are bigger than the average penis length and girth in both the UK and the US. In the UK, the average erect penis is between 5.7 inches long, and between 4.9 inches in girth. In America, the average erect penis is just under 5.6 inches in length and 4.8 inches in circumference.
Speaking to Broadly about the study, Dr Prause said it all started with an investigation into the amount of pain women experience during sex. Collaborating with fellow neuroimaging researcher Geoffrey Miller, they decided to assess whether a partner’s penis size played a role.
Contrary to received wisdom, the study showed overwhelmingly that – although women prefer slightly bigger than average penises – they are more concerned with girth.
It is something Dr Prause has come to observe in her work, and she told Broadly the obsession with length is somewhat baffling given the studies and research.
‘Science has consistently shown girth is a stronger predictor of female preferences and satisfaction,’ she said. ‘It may be that surgeries for increasing length tend to have better outcomes, so men focus on length as something they can more likely affect.
‘Limited just to physical attractiveness, many indicators of health that are at least somewhat under our control affect women’s attraction. This includes things like weight, muscularity, skin pallor, and acne.’
