Anonymous data provided by 417 female and 179 male sexually active heterosexual respondents showed that in long term sexual relationships, sexual satisfaction was positively correlated with two different intimacy variables, the respondent's orgasm likelihood, and negatively correlated with conflict in the relationship. Multiple linear regression permitted us to measure the effect sizes of these variables as predictors of sexual satisfaction. These findings have important implications for treatment of symptomatic couples.

We used data provided by 417 Kinsey-0 and Kinsey-1 heterosexual women using an anonymous computerized survey to determine the adult correlates of two female-female behaviors that occurred before age 18; 25.4% of participants reported engaging in one or both behaviors. Sexual experimentation with females and masturbating using images of females before age 18 were statistically significant predictors of four different female-female behaviors in adulthood: sexual contact with females, masturbating using images of females, preferring a female fantasy partner while having sex with a favorite (male) partner, and voyeurism directed at females; 27.3% of the participants reported engaging in one or more of the latter four behaviors. The analogous early female-male behaviors were not statistically significant predictors of female-female behaviors in adults. Conditioning resulting from participation in these early female-female behaviors might explain the correlations between the two early behaviors and the subsequent four adult same-gender behaviors. The earliest and latest ages that participants engaged in each early behavior and case-by-case analysis showed that the sequence of events leading to the female-female adult behaviors was initial sexual experimentation with similar age females (at a median age of 9 years) followed by masturbating using images of females (at a median age of 15). These results suggest that conditioning and other forms of learning play an important role in establishing coexisting same-gender orientations in heterosexual women.

Masturbation was observed in 9 of 52 captive adult Hylobates (gibbons) over a period of 17 years at the International Center for Gibbon Studies (ICGS). Four females and 5 males masturbated with varying degrees of regularity. The behavior may be related to a disruption in early rearing experiences of Hylobates. This is the first report on masturbation in these animals and documents that this behavior occurs infrequently in captive Hylobates.

No abstract

Immature captive gibbons are often housed together to facilitate healthy social development. Zoo personnel have wondered if the familiarity acquired during peer-rearing results in sexual aversion at maturity. We discuss whether housing gibbons together before sexual maturity causes them to later reject each other as mates and therefore inhibits their reproductive potential. We conducted a survey of gibbons housed at zoos, conservation centers, and with private individuals. Our data suggest that early rearing experiences with potential mates do not prevent mating between gibbons housed together while immature. Using studbook data, we compared infant mortality in inbred and outbred captive gibbons. We found no significant difference in mortality rates for the 2 samples, though adverse effects of inbreeding may become apparent at later ages and in future generations. Our results indicate that early cohabitation is a feasible housing strategy for breeding programs and for rehabilitation/rescue projects in habitat countries where the main concern is the reproductive viability of gibbons.