<< Correlations with Other Outlets >>

It has not been possible to make precise correlations between the frequencies of the various types of sexual outlet for the present study; and at this time the relations between masturbation and the other outlets may only be suggested in the most general terms.

Tables 96-97. Sources of sexual outlet for single and married males, at three educational levels
Sources Sources of Orgasm
% of Total Outlet
Single Males Married Males
Adol.-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50
Educational Level 0-8
Masturbation 52.26 29.15 20.15 20.68 24.24 28.95    2.40 2.43 2.44 1.79 1.59 1.41 1.4
Nocturnal emissions 1.82 4.83 5.02 6.26 5.49 5.97    3.08 2.79 3.41 3.03 1.85 2.25 2.6
Petting to climax 1.06 1.66 1.23 1.96 0.68 0.05              
Intercourse, marital             79.92 81.03 86.15 88.07 88.09 89.96 89.9
Intercourse with companions 35.00 50.62 52.84 42.71 23.74 23.08    10.91 11.62 6.38 5.51 7.24 4.84 4.7
Intercourse with prostitutes 0.97 6.21 12.55 14.34 18.42 23.35    0.61 0.80 1.16 1.46 0.93 1.46 1.4
Homosexual outlet 8.03 6.85 8.06 14.04 27.43 18.60    3.08 1.33 0.46 0.14 0.30 0.08 0.0
Animal contacts 0.86 0.68 0.15 0.01                 
Total outlet 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00    100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.0
Number of cases 712 720 361 159 61 47    158 324 292 186 143 100 70
Total solitary outlets 54.08 33.98 25.17 26.94 29.73 34.92    5.48 5.22 5.85 4.82 3.44 3.66 4.0
Total heterosexual outlets 37.03 58.49 66.62 59.01 42.84 46.48    91.44 93.45 93.69 95.04 96.26 96.26 96.0
Total homosexual outlet 8.03 6.85 8.06 14.04 27.43 18.60    3.08 1.33 0.46 0.14 0.30 0.08 0.0
Educational Level 9-12
Masturbation 59.09 37.17 29.67 27.69 18.48      2.75 3.70 5.05 4.04 3.15 1.68 2.8
Nocturnal emissions 4.44 6.33 8.10 7.48 8.21      2.04 2.85 3.22 3.79 4.48 5.29 2.9
Petting to climax 1.46 2.37 2.77 1.82 1.35               
Intercourse, marital             82.19 81.56 81.67 85.18 88.19 89.18 91.0
Intercourse with companions 24.93 39.49 38.02 29.75 42.81      9.43 9.35 7.61 4.62 1.76 3.15 3.1
Intercourse with prostitutes 0.44 2.75 4.66 6.46 10.32      1.48 1.49 1.49 0.99 1.69 0.70 0.2
Homosexual outlet 8.73 10.81 16.31 25.95 18.83      2.11 1.05 0.96 1.38 0.73   
Animal contacts 0.91 1.08 0.47 0.85                 
Total outlet 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00     100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.0
Number of cases 606 607 263 117 41      87 164 135 82 58 34 24
Total solitary outlets 63.53 43.50 37.77 35.17 26.69      4.79 6.55 8.27 7.83 7.63 6.97 5.7
Total heterosexual outlets 26.83 44.61 45.45 38.03 54.48      93.10 92.40 90.77 90.79 91.64 93.03 94.3
Total homosexual outlet 8.73 10.81 16.31 25.95 18.83      2.11 1.05 0.96 1.38 0.73   
Educational Level 13+
Masturbation 79.61 66.37 53.30 45.88 44.28      8.53 8.79 8.67 9.28 8.26 9.71 9.0
Nocturnal emissions 12.15 15.65 15.67 11.93 10.67      2.99 4.65 4.69 5.71 6.06 5.87 5.4
Petting to climax 1.54 5.26 7.50 5.17 4.98               
Intercourse, marital             85.41 83.94 82.76 78.34 74.41 76.39 68.5
Intercourse with companions 2.74 9.13 18.45 24.97 21.52      2.86 1.86 2.72 5.51 9.85 6.07 13.7
Intercourse with prostitutes 0.11 0.80 1.27 3.16 0.65      0.05 0.23 0.20 0.41 0.53 0.32 0.4
Homosexual outlet 3.14 2.43 3.72 8.82 17.90      0.16 0.53 0.96 0.75 0.89 1.64 3.0
Animal contacts 0.71 0.36 0.09 0.07                 
Total outlet 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00     100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.0
Number of cases 2799 2861 1898 487 87      46 440 532 301 189 138 81
Total solitary outlets 91.76 82.02 68.97 57.81 54.95      11.52 13.44 13.36 14.99 14.32 15.58 14.4
Total heterosexual outlets 4.39 15.19 27.22 33.30 27.15      88.32 86.03 85.68 84.26 84.79 82.78 82.6
Total homosexual outlet 3.14 2.43 3.72 8.82 17.90      0.16 0.53 0.96 0.75 0.89 1.64 3.0

Showing percentages of total outlet derived by each group from each source.


There may be some correlation between the frequencies of masturbation and the frequencies of nocturnal dreams. In general, the males who have the highest frequencies of nocturnal emissions may have somewhat lower rates of masturbation. Some of these males credit the frequent emissions to the fact that they do not masturbate; but it is just as likely that the reverse relationship is true, namely, that they do not masturbate because they have frequent emissions.

On the other hand, there is little evidence that high frequencies of masturbation reduce the frequencies of nocturnal emissions. Even where there are high masturbatory frequencies and low frequencies of nocturnal emissions, the possibility should not be overlooked that those particular males never would have had frequent emissions, even if they had stopped masturbating.


Figures 106-107. Patterns of sexual behavior at three educational levels, among single and married males
“Educ. level 0-8” are the males who never go beyond grade school.
“Educ. level 9-12” are the males who enter high school but never go beyond.
“Educ. level 13+” are the males who will ultimately go to college.

For 3 age groups (Adolscent-15, 16-20, 21-25) of single men and 4 age groups (16-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-35) of married men.
Each horizontal line extending across the page summarizes the pattern for one of the educational levels.
Relative lengths of bars in each outlet show average mean frequencies for the group.
The scales vary for different sources of outlet, but there is an approximate indication of the relative importance of each source in the total outlet.


There may be some relationship between masturbation and pre-marital petting with females. Both of these activities are most frequent at upper levels, but it is probable that both are the products of the upper level sexual philosophy, rather than the products of each other. Nevertheless, the genital manipulations which are employed in masturbation may provide some introduction to the techniques of heterosexual petting.

Masturbation sometimes shows a complementary relationship with premarital coitus. Where the one is high, the other is likely to be lower. Where there is sufficient coitus, it may be that there is not much need for masturbation. On the other hand, it remains to be demonstrated that a sufficiency of masturbation reduces the incentive to find a socio-sexual outlet. There are those who believe so, and recommend masturbation as a means of controlling what they consider the more immoral pre-marital activity. There are also those, including not a few psychiatrists, who feel that it would be unfortunate if pre-marital masturbation reduced the urge to make a heterosexual adjustment. It will take a carefully objective study to show what the real relationships may be.

Any relation which may exist between masturbation and the homosexual similarly needs to be studied in detail (Taylor 1933). It has already been suggested that an interest in one’s own genitalia may be transferred to an interest in the genitalia of another individual of the same sex. Certainly there are some records of the sort in the histories now at hand; but the number of clear-cut cases is not large. Careful analyses of a considerable series of individual histories should be made before any conclusion is reached on these matters.

Even some of the animal contacts which the farm boy has may have been inspired by his own masturbatory experience, for the masturbation of farm animals and of household pets is about as frequent as coitus or oral relations with the animals. In a considerable number of cases the boy’s relation is had with a male animal which he masturbates. If the boy is erotically aroused in such a case, the relationship may involve some homosexual element, as well as the zoophilic.

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