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Severe and impulsive promiscuity, along with a compulsive urge to engage in illicit sex with attached individuals is a common symptom of borderline personality disorder, but most promiscuous individuals do not have this disorder.[2]

What sexual behavior is considered promiscuous varies between cultures, as does the prevalence of promiscuity, with different standards often being applied to different genders and civil status. Feminists have traditionally argued a significant double standard exists between how men and women are judged for promiscuity. Historically, stereotypes of the promiscuous woman have tended to be negative, such as "the slut", while male stereotypes have been more varied, some expressing approval, such as "the stud" or "the player", while others imply societal deviance, such as "a womanizer". A scientific study published in 2005 found that promiscuous men and women are judged equally harshly[3] and a recent poll showed that both genders tend to express strong preference for sexually conservative partners.[4] Although later studies show evidence that a double standard does show up within group settings.[5]

Promiscuity is common in many animal species. Some species have promiscuous mating systems, ranging from polyandry and polygyny to mating systems with no stable relationships where mating between two individuals is a one-time event. Many species form stable pair bonds, but still mate with other individuals outside the pair. In biology, incidents of promiscuity in species that form pair bonds are usually called extra-pair copulations.[citation needed]

Human promiscuity[edit]




A 2006 comprehensive global study (analyzing data from 59 countries worldwide) found no firm link between promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases, with poverty and mobility being more important factors.[8][9] This contradicts other studies.[10][11] In 2004, "HIV infection rates had fallen from 15% to 5% in Uganda over the past decade. The experts said a nationwide campaign encouraging people to stick with regular partners contributed to the fall."[10]

Global studies[edit]




A nonscientific survey conducted in 2007 by condom-maker Durex measured promiscuity by a total number of sexual partners. The survey found Austrian men had the highest number of sex partners of males globally with 29.3 sexual partners on average. New Zealand women had the highest number of sex partners for females in the world with an average of 20.4 sexual partners. In all of the countries surveyed, except New Zealand, men reported more sexual partners than women.[15]



Male promiscuity[edit]

Portrait of Giacomo Casanova

A 1994 study in the United States, which looked at the number of sexual partners in a lifetime, found 20% of heterosexual men had only one partner, 55% had two to 20 partners, and 25% had more than 20 partners.[17] More recent studies have reported similar numbers.[18] Earlier studies found homosexual men were more likely to have very large numbers of sexual partners. A 1989 study found a very high number of partners (over 100) to be present though rare among gay males.[19]

The words 'womanizer', 'playboy', 'stud', 'player', 'ladies' man', 'lady killer', and 'rake' may be used in reference to a man who has romantic affairs or sexual relations, or both, with women, and who will not marry or commit to a relationship. The names of real and fictional seducers have become eponymous for such promiscuous men. The most famous are Lord Byron, John F. Kennedy, Wilt Chamberlain, Howard Hughes, the historical Giacomo Casanova (1725–98),[20] the fictional Don Juan, who first appeared in the 17th century, the fictional Vicomte de Valmont from Choderlos de Laclos's 18th-century novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons), and Lothario from Nicholas Rowe's 1703 play The Fair Penitent. James Bond, Chuck Bass, James T. Kirk, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, Charlie Harper, Sam Malone, Joey Tribbiani, Popeye Doyle, Donald Draper, and Barney Stinson are fictional characters who can be considered womanizers.


Female promiscuity[edit]

Main article: Female promiscuity

In 1994, a study in the United States found almost all married heterosexual women reported having sexual contact only with their husbands, and unmarried women almost always reported having no more than one sexual partner in the past three months. Lesbians who had a long-term partner reported having fewer outside partners than heterosexual women.[19] More recent research, however, contradicts the assertion that heterosexual women are largely monogamous. A 2002 study estimated that 45% to 55% of married heterosexual women engage in sexual relationships outside of their marriage.[21] While the estimates for heterosexual males in the same study were greater (50%–60%), the data indicate a significant portion of married heterosexual women have or have had sexual partners other than their spouse, as well.[21]

Since at least 1450, the word 'slut' has been used, often pejoratively, to describe a sexually promiscuous woman.[22] In and before the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, terms like "strumpet" and "whore" were used to describe women deemed promiscuous, as seen, for example, in John Webster's 1612 play The White Devil. In some tribes of Sierra Leone, "A woman who is a Paramount Chief may have sexual intercourse with as many men as she pleases."[23]

Religious views[edit]

Main article: Fornication


Main article: Nature versus nurture


Primitive promiscuity[edit]

Primitive promiscuity (or original promiscuity) was the (largely discredited) 19th-century hypothesis that humans originally lived in a state of promiscuity or "hetaerism" prior to the advent of society as we understand it.[25][26][27][28][29]

Extra-pair copulation in nonhumans[edit]

Further information: Animal sexual behavior

In the animal world, some species, including birds such as swans and fish such as Neolamprologus pulcher, once believed monogamous, are now known to engage in extra-pair copulations. Although social monogamy occurs in about 90% of avian species and about 3% of mammalian species, an estimate 90% of socially monogamous species exhibit individual promiscuity in the form of extra-pair copulations.[30][31][32]

One example of extra-pair fertilization (EPF) in the birds is the black-throated blue warblers. Though it is a socially monogamous species, both males and females engage in EPF.[33]

See also[edit]


  2. ^ Hull, J. W.; Clarkin, J. F.; Yeomans, F. (1993). "Borderline personality disorder and impulsive sexual behavior". Psychiatric Services 44 (10): 1000–1001. 
  3. ^ Michael Marks, R. Fraley. "The Sexual Double Standard: Fact or Fiction?". Sex Roles, Volume 52, Numbers 3-4, February 2005 , pp. 175-186(12)
  4. ^
  5. ^
  6. ^ Clark, Russell D. III; Hatfield, Elaine (1989). "Gender Differences in Receptivity to Sexual Offers". Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality 2 (1): 39–55. doi:10.1300/J056v02n01_04. 
  7. ^
  8. ^ a b Westerners 'are more promiscuous' BBC
  9. ^ Wellings K, Collumbien M, Slaymaker E, et al. (2006). "Sexual behaviour in context: a global perspective". Lancet 368 (9548): 1706–28. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69479-8. PMID 17098090. 
  10. ^ a b Promiscuity fuels spread of HIV/AIDS BBC
  11. ^ Relation between sexual promiscuity, drugs abuse and HIV infection in Buenos Aires, Argentina. study available at National Library of Medicine
  12. ^ a b c Waite, Roger (2008-11-30). "Britain on top in casual sex league". The Times (London). Retrieved 2010-05-22. 
  14. ^ a b c
  15. ^ New Zealand women most promiscuous The Sydney Morning Herald
  16. ^ , page 6
  17. ^ Seidman SN, Rieder RO. A review of sexual behavior in the United States" Am J Psychiatry 1994;151:330-341.
  18. ^ Lehmiller, J. J. (2012). What’s Your Number? The Psychology of Human Sexuality.
  19. ^ a b Friedman, Richard C.; Downey, Jennifer I. (1994). "Homosexuality". New England Journal of Medicine (Massachusetts Medical Society) 331 (October 6, 1994, Number 14): 923–930. doi:10.1056/NEJM199410063311407. PMID 8078554. 
  21. ^ a b Atwood, Joan D.; Limor Schwartz (2002). "Cyber-Sex The New Affair Treatment Considerations". Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy: Innovations in Clinical and Educational Interventions 1 (3): 37–56. doi:10.1300/J398v01n03_03. 
  22. ^ Harper, Douglas. "slut". Online Etymology Dictionary. 
  23. ^ Vergette : Certain Marriage Customs of some of the Tribes in Sierra Leone, p. 10. quoted in Edward Westermarck : The History of Human Marriage. Allerton Book Co., New York, 1922. vol. 3, p. 153
  25. ^ Westermarck, chap. 3 p. 103-4
  26. ^ Bachofen, Das Mutterrecht, pp. xix-xx, 10
  27. ^ Bachofen, Antiquarische Briefe pp.20-
  29. ^ Bloch, Iwan Sexual Life of Our Time, pp. 188-194
  33. ^ Chuang, H.C.; Webster, M.S.; Holmes, R.T. (1999). "Extrapair Paternity and Local Synchrony in the Black-Throated Blue Warbler". The Auk. 3 116 (3): 726–736. doi:10.2307/4089333.