SURVEY #3 (from October '97)

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SURVEY #3 (from October '97)

This Survey was held in October '97 over a period of about six days. A total of 1,208 responses were collected. Of the multiple-choice questions, fewer than 1% were not answered. If fewer than 1,200 people answered a given question, a "no answer" percentage is included with the results; otherwise, the percentages reflect only those who chose to answer the question.

Here is a list of the questions, followed by a breakdown of the responses:

1. Age

Average age	20.9
Low age	11
High age	74

2. Location

(a) U.S. - Pacific/ ......Rocky Mountains	15.8%
(b) U.S. - Midwest	21.5%
(c) U.S. - South	18.5%
(d) U.S. - Eastern Seaboard/ ......New England	22.1%
......(Total U.S. 78.0%)
(e) Canada	7.3%
(f) Mexico or Central/ ......South America	1.4%
(g) British Isles	4.0%
(h) Continental Europe	3.6%
(i) Continental Asia	1.7%
(j) Africa	0.2%
(k) Australia	3.5%
(l) Pacific Islands	0.4%

3. Ethnicity

(a) African (black)	1.7% (average age: 17.8)
(b) Asian/Pacific Islander	5.4% (average age: 16.0)
(c) European (white)	85.0% (average age: 21.3)
(d) Latin-American/ ......Hispanic	3.3% (average age: 19.3)
(e) Middle Eastern/ ......Semitic	0.6% (average age: 18.7)
(f) Native American	1.7% (average age: 18.0)
(g) Other	2.3% (average age: 22.0)

4. Religion

Question: How religious are you?

(a) not religious at all	32.0%
(b) raised religious, still accept ......religious teachings somewhat	40.2%
(c) have strong spiritual convictions ......associated with a major religion	22.8%
(d) have strong spiritual convictions not ......associated with a major religion	5.0%

Note: In the analyses of other questions in this Survey, a reference to "very religious readers" refers to those who answered (c) on this question.

5. Masturbation Frequency

Question: On the average, how many times per week do you masturbate to orgasm?

(a) Less than 1	1.2%
(b) 1 to 3	16.6%
(c) 4 to 6	33.6%
(d) 7 to 10	25.8%
(e) 11 to 14	12.8%
(f) 15 to 20	6.4%
(g) 21 to 30	2.9%
(h) more than 30	0.8%

This works out to a rough average of 7.9 times per week.*

Breaking out this average by age:

o ages 11-13	10.8 times per week
o age 14	8.8
o age 15	9.1
o age 16	8.8
o age 17	8.6
o ages 18-21	7.5
o ages 22-35	6.3
o ages 36 and up	5.3

Breaking out the overall average by ethnicity:

o African (black)	5.6 times per week
o Asian/Pacific Islander	7.8
o European (white)	8.1
o Latin-American/Hispanic	7.8
o Middle Eastern/Semitic	6.6
o Native American	6.5

Among very religious readers, the overall average is 7.7 times per week; among the non-religious, the average is 8.1.

Although there weren't enough responses by non-whites to make a definitive statistical analysis, it would appear white JackinWorld readers masturbate slightly more frequently than non-whites. Are white people the horniest folks on the planet, contrary to many racial stereotypes? Could be! (A larger sample is needed to test this further.) Also, religious readers masturbate slightly less frequently than non-religious readers (or at least report lower frequencies). Guilt may be a factor -- see #18 below.

*This figure, and those that follow, were calculated by assigning median values to responses (b) through (g), using 0.5 times per week for (a) and 35 times per week for (h), and averaging the resulting figures.

6. Masturbation Frequency Maximum

Question: What is the most number of times you've masturbated to orgasm in a 24-hour period?

(a) 1	1.2%
(b) 2	7.3%
(c) 3 or 4	46.6%
(d) 5 or 6	27.5%
(e) 7 to 10	13.8%
(f) more than 10	3.6%

7. Masturbation Abstinence

Question: Not counting your childhood, what is the most number of days you've gone without masturbating? (Note: Masturbating on Monday and Thursday but not Tuesday or Wednesday would count as 2 days.)

(a) 0	0.7%
(b) 1	2.5%
(c) 2	5.2%
(d) 3 or 4	19.2%
(e) 5 or 6	22.7%
(f) 7 to 30	41.7%
(g) more than 30	8.0%

8. Sexual Activity

Question: On the average, not counting mutual masturbation, how many times per month do you have sexual contact to orgasm with another person?

(a) rarely or never	72.9%
(b) 1 to 4	16.0%
(c) 5 to 10	6.6%
(d) 11 to 20	2.7%
(e) more than 20	1.7%

9. Bedroom-Sharing

Question: Most of the time, does somebody else sleep in the same bedroom with you?

(a) yes	17.9%
(b) no	82.1%

For this question, the "no" percentage seems high. Perhaps some people misread the word "bedroom" as "bed."

10. Masturbation Locations

Question: Where do you masturbate?

(a) always or almost always in the bedroom	33.8%
(b) always or almost always in the bathroom at home	7.4%
(c) usually in the bedroom, but sometimes in the bathroom	33.5%
(d) usually in the bathroom, but sometimes in the bedroom	15.5%
(e) usually somewhere other than the bedroom or bathroom at home	9.8%

Among those who share a bedroom, 24.1% chose response (a).

11. Public Masturbation

Question: How often do you masturbate in a public bathroom or other public place?

(a) rarely or never	70.9%
(b) sometimes (5 to 50% of the time)	28.6%
(c) most of the time	0.5%

12. Privacy

Question: How often are you able to take as much time as you want to masturbate?

(a) rarely or never	3.4%
(b) sometimes (5 to 50% of the time)	38.7%
(c) most of the time	57.9%

Among those who share a bedroom:

(a) rarely or never	6.0%
(b) sometimes	48.1%
(c) most of the time	45.8%

13. Session Duration -- Leisurely

Question: When you're able to take your time, about how long (on average) does it take you, from beginning to orgasm?

(a) less than 5 minutes	9.9%
(b) 5 to 10 minutes	36.6%
(c) 10 to 20 minutes	32.8%
(d) longer than 20 minutes	20.8%

This works out to a rough average of 14.0 minutes per leisurely masturbation session.*

Breaking out this average by age group:

o ages 11-15	11.7 minutes (9.6 minutes for ages 11-13 only)
o ages 16-21	14.3 minutes
o ages 22 and over	16.4 minutes

*Calculated using the same method as in question #5, with 3 minutes for response (a) and 30 minutes for (d).

14. Session Duration -- Hurried

Question: When you want to orgasm quickly, about how long (on average) does it take you, from beginning to orgasm?

(a) less than 1 minute	9.8%
(b) 1 to 2 minutes	44.7%
(c) 3 to 5 minutes	36.4%
(d) 5 to 10 minutes	8.3%
(e) longer than 10 minutes	0.9%

This works out to a rough average of 2.9 minutes per hurried masturbation session.*

Breaking out this average by age group:

o ages 11-15	2.7 minutes (similar for ages 11-13 only)
o ages 16-21	2.9 minutes
o ages 22 and over	3.1 minutes

The ability to deliver a quick orgasm doesn't wane as much with age as you might think. However, as we get older, we learn to take more time with our leisurely sessions.

*Calculated using the same method as in question #5, with 30 seconds for response (a) and 15 minutes for (e).

15. Age of First Orgasm

Question: At what age did you begin to masturbate to the point of orgasm?

(a) 11 or younger	26.6%
(b) 12	34.8%
(c) 13	22.2%
(d) 14	10.4%
(e) 15	3.9%
(f) 16 or older	2.2%

This works out to a rough average of 12.1 years. People who started masturbating at age 12 or younger (average present age: 20.3) currently masturbate an average 8.7 times per week; those who started at age 13 or older (average present age: 21.7) currently masturbate an average 6.7 times per week.*

Readers who masturbate often are more likely to have begun masturbating at an early age. It's also possible that early masturbation tends to result in more frequent masturbation later on.

*Calculated using the same method as in question #5, with 10 for response (a) and 18 for (f).

16. Age of First Ejaculation

Question: At what age did you begin to ejaculate semen? (Skip if you don't yet ejaculate semen.)

(a) 11 or younger	8.6%
(b) 12	34.1%
(c) 13	35.0%
(d) 14	14.8%
(e) 15	5.0%
(f) 16 or older	1.6%
no answer	0.9%

This works out to a rough average of 12.8 years.*

This question did not distinguish between masturbation and nocturnal emissions. Someone who began masturbating after having nocturnal emissions could answer this question two ways, depending on how he interpreted it.

*Calculated using the same method as in question #5, with 11 for response (a) and 16 for (f).

17. Ejaculation Force

Question: In one of your better ejaculations (while lying on your back), how far does the semen get ejected from your penis? (Skip if you don't yet ejaculate semen.)

(a) less than an inch/dribble	4.9% (average age: 19.1)
(b) 1 to 6 inches -- around your ......belly button or lower chest	26.7% (average age: 19.4)
(c) 5 to 15 inches -- your upper chest	36.6% (average age: 20.8)
(d) more than 15 inches -- past your ......chest	31.0% (average age: 22.5)
no answer	0.9%

Percentage of readers responding (c) or (d), by age group:

11-14	52.6%
15-16	64.8%
17-21	72.0%
22-35	80.2%
36 and over	72.0%

Percentage of readers age 16 and over responding (c) or (d),
by penis length (see question #26):

Shorter than 6"	66.7%
7" or longer	81.8%

Ejaculation force generally increases with age, peaking in early adult life; it seems to drop off slightly at middle age. Readers with longer penises tend to ejaculate their semen further than those with shorter penises. Why is this? There are two possibilities: First; it may be that certain readers exaggerated their penis size and also tended to exaggerate their ejaculation force. Or, it may be physiological: The wave-like nature of the muscular contractions of ejaculation actually causes a wave-like contraction of the corpus spongiosum all the way up the length of the penis. This might cause a kind of acceleration that would explain the findings of the Survey. (For more on the ejaculation mechanism, see JackinWorld Science Corner.

18. Feelings After Ejaculation

Question: How do you usually feel after you ejaculate?

(a) happy/relaxed	89.2%
(b) guilty/depressed/upset at myself	9.5%
(c) nervous/uptight/angry at the world	1.3%

Among the very religious, the guilty percentage rises to 14.6%. Among the very religious who have been reading JackinWorld for less than 2 months (see question #20), this percentage rises further to 18.6%. Among non-religious readers overall, the percentage who feel guilty after ejaculating is 7.0%. Among non-religious people who have been reading JackinWorld for at least 6 months, the percentage falls further to 4.3%.

Religious readers are twice as likely to feel guilty after masturbating than non-religious readers. The longer someone reads JackinWorld, though, the less likely he is to feel guilty after masturbating.

19. JackinWorld Influence

Question: What is the biggest effect JackinWorld has had on you?

(a) now I feel much better about ......masturbating	19.0%
(b) I've learned new techniques	21.8%
(c) I've been able to see how other ......people experience masturbation	47.7%
(d) it hasn't had much effect at all	11.5%

Among the very religious, the percentage that chose (a) is 18.7%; among the non-religious, the percentage is 16.1%.

Religious readers don't consider guilt-reduction JackinWorld's greatest value much more than non-religious readers do -- even if the site does reduce their guilt somewhat over time (as question #18 would indicate).

20. JackinWorld Reader Tenure

Question: How long have you been reading JackinWorld?

(a) since late '96 -- I'm a lifer!	17.0%
(b) I found it in winter or spring of ......this year	23.3%
(c) I found it last summer	24.7%
(d) I just found it within the last one ......or two months	35.0%

21. Handedness

Question: Are you right- or left-handed?

(a) right	85.8%
(b) left	13.4%
no answer	0.8%

22. Hands Used in Masturbation

Question: Which hand or hands are you usually using when you ejaculate?

(a) right	68.5%
(b) left	16.2%
(c) both	15.4%

Among right-handed readers:

(a) right	74.4%
(b) left	10.3%
(c) both	15.3%

Unfortunately, this question was poorly phrased; the word "using" wasn't clearly defined. It should have read, "Which hand are you usually using to stimulate your peniswhen you ejaculate?" There also should have been an option for no hands, since some people masturbate without using the hands by rubbing their penis on something. We'll have to re-ask this question in the next Survey.

23. Free-Hand Use

Question: If you have a free hand, what is it usually doing when you ejaculate?

(a) not much	36.2%
(b) massaging my scrotum or crotch	40.3%
(c) stimulating my anus	8.8%
(d) massaging my chest, nipples, ......or elsewhere	13.5%
no answer	1.2%

24. Penis Hang

Question: When you stand up, does your non-erect penis hang to the left or right at all?

(a) no -- it hangs straight down	56.7%
(b) it hangs to the left slightly	27.2%
(c) it hangs the right slightly	15.3%
no answer	0.7%

Among right-handed readers who masturbate with the right hand only:

(a) straight	57.0%
(b) left	27.2%
(c) right	15.8%

Among left-handed readers who masturbate with the left hand only:

(a) straight	65.5%
(b) left	25.0%
(c) right	9.5%

It's commonly believed that a penis hanging to one side is caused by the person masturbating with the other hand. From this Survey's findings, this appears to be a myth. It probably has to do with how the penis is usually positioned in one's pants; over the years, this may cause the penis to hang to that side.

25. Penis Curve

Question: When you look at your erect penis from above, does it curve to the left or right at all?

(a) no -- it's straight	55.5%
(b) it curves to the left slightly	29.1%
(c) it curves to the right slightly	12.8%
(d) it curves sharply to the left or right ......(more than 20 degrees or so)	2.6%

Among right-handed readers who masturbate with the right hand only:

(a) straight	54.9%
(b) slight left curve	30.4%
(c) slight right curve:	11.9%
(d) sharp curve:	2.9%

Among left-handed readers who masturbate with the left hand only:

(a) straight	62.7%
(b) slight left curve	27.7%
(c) slight right curve	8.4%
(d) sharp curve	1.2%

Among those who began masturbating to orgasm at age 11 or earlier:

(a) straight	55.5%
(b) slight left curve	28.5%
(c) slight right curve	12.9%
(d) sharp curve	3.1%

It's been said that someone who begins to masturbate well before the penis is fully grown will be more likely to have a penis that curves to one side. From this Survey's findings, though, this doesn't seem to be the case. However, for some reason, a penis that curves to the left is much more common than one that curves to the right -- even among left-handed people. And for some reason, left-handed people report significantly straighter penises overall than right-handed people. This is very mysterious.

26. & 27. Penis Size

Readers were asked to measure their erect penis for length and circumference using uniform, precise methods. They were told: "If you have even the slightest temptation to lie or exaggerate your measurements on this survey, or if you aren't interested in getting a precise measurement by using the methods outlined below, please do us all a favor and skip the next two questions."

Length

This was the measuring method given for length:

With a rigid ruler handy, get a full erection. Lay the ruler along the top of your penis, and press the end of the ruler firmly against your body (where the pubic hair is). Hold your penis against the ruler with your hand, straighten out as much as possible any curvature that may exist, and try to hold your penis so that it's sticking straight out from your body. Then determine the ruler reading at the very end of your penis.

Question: The non-exaggerated length of your erect penis, as measured by the above method (please don't fill in if you didn't follow the directions):

Overall average: 6.07"

By age:

o age 12	4.47"
o age 13	5.28"
o age 14	5.67"
o age 15	5.95"
o age 16	6.14"
o age 17	6.20"
o age 18	6.13"
o ages 19 and older	6.30"

By ethnicity (age 15 and over only):

o Blacks	6.89"
o Asians	5.33"
o Whites	6.22"
o Hispanics	6.15"
o Native Americans	5.66"

Among those who began masturbating to orgasm at age 11 or earlier: 6.08".
Among those who began masturbating to orgasm at age 14 or later: 6.03".

Readers age 16 and over whose penis is shorter than 6" masturbate an average of 6.8 times per week; those with a penis 7" or longer masturbate an average of 8.0 times per week.

In the average male, the penis reaches close to its adult length by about age 14 but continues to grow slowly until about age 16. Again, the sample size of some minority groups was too small for definitive statistical analysis, but according to these findings, people of African heritage report the longest penises on the whole, followed by whites, Hispanics, and Native Americans. As a group, Asians reported the smallest penis sizes among the ethnicities. Penis size and masturbation at an early age are probably unrelated. However, readers with larger penises currently masturbate slightly more frequently than those with smaller penises. Why? Who knows?

Circumference

This was the measuring method given for circumference:

With a flexible tape measure or piece of string handy, get a full erection. Measure the distance around (NOT across) the fattest part of your penis. In other words, wrap the tape measure or string around the shaft and measure it that way.

Question: The non-exaggerated circumference (not diameter) of your erect penis, as measured by the above method (please don't fill in if you didn't follow the directions):

Overall average: 4.37"

By age:

o age 12	2.98"
o age 13	3.88"
o age 14	3.99"
o age 15	4.19"
o age 16	4.33"
o age 17	4.31"
o age 18	4.60"
o age 19 and over	4.63"

By ethnicity (age 15 and over only):

o Blacks	4.55"
o Asians	4.20"
o Whites	4.48"
o Hispanics	4.42"
o Native Americans	3.74"

Among those who began masturbating to orgasm at age 11 or earlier: 4.43"
Among those who began masturbating to orgasm at age 14 or later: 4.35"

On the average, the penis seems to grow in circumference slightly longer than it grows in length, reaching a maximum in the late teens. Findings in relation to ethnicity and age of first masturbation were similar to the findings for length.

28. Hypothetical Question #1

Question: If you were with a group of three or four male peers and the topic of masturbation came up (without anyone saying they did it), and someone asked you point-blank if you masturbated, what would you say?

(a) I'd say I masturbate	70.3%
(b) I'd say I don't masturbate	9.4%
(c) I wouldn't answer, would ask ......someone else, or would change ......the subject	19.6%
no answer	0.7%

Percentage that answered yes, by age group:

o 11-14	53.0%
o 15-16	64.7%
o 17-21	74.2%
o 22-35	82.5%
o 36 and over	90.8%

Of those who usually feel guilty after masturbating:

(a) yes	48.7%
(b) no	23.9%
(c) change subject	27.4%

Not surprisingly, younger people are less likely to admit they masturbate than older people. In the 36-and-over group, only two respondents -- both in their 70s -- would deny that they masturbate. Also, people who feel guilty about masturbating are much more likely to deny that they do it.

29. Hypothetical Question #2

Question: Would you ask a male friend to masturbate with you if you knew for a fact he'd say yes and wouldn't tell anyone about it?

(a) yes	79.2%
(b) no	20.8%

Among the very religious:

(a) yes	80.1%
(b) no	19.9%

Surprisingly, religion has little or no impact on how a reader would handle this situation.

30. Hypothetical Question #3

Question: If a male friend asked you to masturbate with him and you knew for a fact nobody would find out about it, would you do it?

(a) yes	83.9%
(b) no	16.1%

Among the very religious:

(a) yes	83.5%
(b) no	16.5%

Again, religion has little or no impact on how a reader would handle this situation.