These Are the Most Popular Sex Acts in the U.S.

Lily Herman
Updated

A new study is shedding light on which sex acts are most popular and appealing among U.S. adults, and it seems that romance and affection are high priorities in bed.

For the study, published in the journal PLOS One, researchers from Indiana University Bloomington surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,021 adults about which sexual behaviors they most enjoyed and which they had tried. Over 80 percent of the 975 men and 1,046 women who responded reported that they had ever tried masturbation, vaginal sex, and oral sex. Meanwhile, 37 percent of women and 43 percent of men said they'd ever taken part in anal sex (in which women received and men gave). Interestingly, 10 times more respondents said they had ever had anal as said they'd had it in the past month. When it came to threesomes, 10 percent of women and 18 percent of men answered they'd engaged in them at some point. Less than eight percent of responders said they'd participated in group sex, sex parties, or BDSM parties.

looked at sexual diversity and the appeal of different sexual behaviors. They surveyed over 2,000 respondents (roughly half men and half women) and asked them about if they'd participated in 30 different sexual experiences and the appeal of over 50 sexual acts. The study's authors noted that what was different about this particular research is that it looked at a wider range of sexual behaviors and expressions over a longer period of time than previous work in the field. This was especially important given that sexual exploration is much more accepted today than before.

Researchers also asked people which behaviors they found the most appealing, finding that romantic and affectionate ones were high on the list. “These included kissing more often during sex, cuddling, saying sweet/romantic things during sex, making the room feel romantic in preparation for sex, and so on,” Indiana University applied health science professor and lead author Debby Herbenick said in a press release. The study's authors also noted huge gaps between how many people said they had ever engaged in a given sex act and how many people said they'd done that sex act in the past month, meaning that many behaviors — notably anal, bondage, and public sex — are ones people tried a while ago but didn't continue.

The researchers say they hope that by looking at a greater mix of sexual behaviors than is usually assessed, their work will help sex educators and clinicians better meet the diverse needs of the people they serve.

The study's author's believe their work is helpful for practitioners working on sexual behavior, they also hope it shows the importance for couples to communicate. They hope it will also open opportunities for partners to talk openly with each other about what turns them on. “Together they may find new ways of being romantic or sexual with one another, enhancing both their sexual satisfaction and relationship happiness," Herbenick said.

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