A new study tells us why guys are compelled to send dick pics.
The study published in the Journal of Sex Research, surveyed 1,087 men and assessed demographic information, narcissism, sexual behavior, sexism, and motivations behind sending pictures of their genitals. About half of the men also reported sending dick pics unsolicited at least once. Turns out, these men were typically younger, more narcissistic, and even more typically sexist.
But what was the biggest motivations for sending a dick pic? Honestly, the answers won’t surprise most of you. These men hoped to either receive sexual pictures in return or were hoping to turn on the recipient. (If that isn’t a big “Duh,” we don’t know what is). That said, the researchers were just happy to have research data to officially state that case.
“We were interested in this topic because, until now, there had not been any empirical research into the motives men having for sending unsolicited pictures of their genitals. There were plenty of hypotheses, theoretical musings, and anecdotal postulations, but no actual scientific investigation,” said study author Cory L. Pedersen of Kwantlen Polytechnic University and founder of the ORGASM Research Lab.
Pederson then doubled down on the importance of this research data.
“People should revel in the importance of science. That is, people often believe that the main reason men send unsolicited dick pics is because they dislike women/are sexist and wish to anger, shame, or otherwise express their hostility toward women,” Pedersen told PsyPost.
“This study revealed something quite different. This study revealed that the main reasons men send dick pics are for those of transaction (‘I’ll show you mine and you show me yours’) or partner hunting (‘you’ve seen my dick, let’s hook-up’).”
That said, Pederson wanted to remind people that sending unsolicited dick pics is wrong (and a chargeable crime in at least one state).
“That doesn’t mean to suggest we should blindly accept this type of activity — or not censure men for sending unsolicited images. Consent is sexy, and the sending of unsolicited images violates consent. But it does mean that without science to guide our understanding of people’s behaviour, we may surely be making unfounded assumptions.”
But, what do women and men who have sex with other men think of receiving these personal images? Pederson wants to know.
“We still need to examine women’s responses and reactions to receiving unsolicited dick pics, because again, the assumption is that women universally find the receipt of such images repugnant. Without science, we don’t yet know the varied responses women have to receiving dick pics (and they certainly must be varied, as women are not all the same and human sexuality itself is exceptionally diverse),” Pedersen added.
“We are in the process of collecting data regarding women’s reactions to receiving unsolicited dick pics in order to more fully understand this phenomenon.”