Here's How Penis Size Actually Affects Pleasure During Sex

By now, you've probably heard about the study that measured the dick sizes of 15,000 men from all over the world.

And, chances are, you (or your date tonight) fall somewhere right in the "normal" range, which may not be such a bad thing. The truth is that there are so many widespread misconceptions about how penis size affects a partner's pleasure during sex, and that's a shame. Regardless of what the data says about how big or small penises really are, all bodies are normal, hot, sexy, desirable, and lovable.

So what's all the fuss over length?

In 2015, The Guardian reported the findings of a team of British researchers who examined 15,000 men and determined that the average length of an erect penis is 5.16 inches. And before you get worked up over that number, you might want to check out a 2007 study published in the British Journal of Urology International, which found that men are much more concerned with the size of their package than women are.

So does any of this really matter when it comes to pleasing a partner?Well, when it comes to female partners, the answer may actually be linked to what a woman is looking for.

In a 2014 study conducted by UCLA's Sexual Psychophysiology and Affective Neuroscience (SPAN) Laboratory, women were asked to view and touch 33 different 3D-printed models of penises in a variety of shapes and sizes. Participants were then asked to select their dick of choice (DOC) for a one-night stand, as well as a DOC for a long-term relationship. Yes, DOC is the scientific term we're going to use here.

LiveScience reports that, when it came to a one-night lover, women in the study picked a DOC that had a larger girth on average than the DOCs selected for a long-term partner. When it came to the length of the 3D penises, however, there was no difference between a one-night stand DOC and that of a potential long-term sex partner. That seems to point to the conclusion that some women might have slightly different preferences for short-term and long-term lovers, but not every woman or person fits that pattern.

A 2013 study shows that size apparently does matter, but only in relation to the height of the man being observed. Apparently, when a taller man is equipped with a lengthy tool, women tend to be more attracted to him than to a shorter man with a comparable package size.

Still, none of these studies or reports seem to answer the million-dollar question: How can we know what it is a person truly wants in bed?

It could be that there's no definitive answer as to what's actually on a woman's DOC checklist because a woman's preferences can't simply be boxed into scientific data and penis measurements. Nobody's can.

The key to being great in bed has nothing to do with size and everything to do with attitude. Do you ask for consent? Do you practice safe sex? Do you respect your partner's boundaries, prioritize their pleasure, and communicate well? If you can handle that, you're golden.