In Survey of Second Life Sexual Activity, Over One-Third of Participants Find Virtual Sex More Fun Than the Real Thing

Canary Beck has a really interesting summary of a survey she conducted of Second Life users, asking them about their SL-based sexual activity. Of the 267 who responded, 172 reported that they were sexually active in Second Life. From that data set, some striking results emerged, including:

• "36% of the respondents find Second Life sex more fun than real life sex."
• "74% wished their real life sexual experiences were like their Second Life sexual experiences."
• "92% of those that find Second Life sex more fun wished their real life sexual experiences were more like their Second Life sexual experiences."

Her data suggests the latter result is attributable to the ability to engage through Second Life the kind of sexual activity that's likely less frequent in real life for many people for various reasons ("kinky sex (87%), and sex with different partners (89%)"). The top item mirrors the results of an academic study from leading virtual world academic Edward Castronova, co-authored with Gert G. Wagner, that people get more happiness from being in Second Life than good news from real life. Indeed, Canary concludes "The data suggests those who like Second Life Sex more are having less real-life sex than those who prefer real-life sex over Second Life sex."

That's not to say everyone's like that -- Canary's survey included an open question which includes answers like this:

“They’ve made me fantasize more, and made me want to better learn all that my body likes, sexually. I feel less repressed, meaning, I allow myself to fantasize and feel more than I used to, because I’ve realized that playing some fantasies in my mind doesn’t mean that I want them really happening in the real world. I enjoy the risk without the possible dangerous consequences, because it all happens in my mind.”

Much more to read at the source -- go here and dive in.

Image from Jenn Frank's "SL Sex with a RL Lover".

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Comments

[Cube Republic]

Virtual sex isn't sex, so there can be no correlation. Here's a keyboard, here's a hot female/male RL person naked. I feel when presented with these choices, only the most strange people would choose logging in over some RL jiggy.

[Flo2]

Cube, you are double wrong, because of the following contradicting RL facts:
- Virtual sex is sex. It is, because both virtual and RL sex happens very mostly in our brain cells. In SL, our fantasy, imagination, memories and visuals (like the sight of a pixel partner), and the typed or voice communication with a virtual partner can make us aroused physically. Just like watching porn video. It happens so it's sex.
- In RL I dare to assume that most of us are not "presented with a choice of a hot partner". Sorry. Wakey wakey, it's RL everydays, not a movie where every protagonists find a hot partner for life. And this is why 36% finds SL sex more fun than RL sex: because they either don't have a sex partner in RL, or if they have, he/she is not exciting enough. Very likely that's why they seek excitement of these pleasures in SL. It's not a shame, or a good or bad thing, it's very likely a mere fact. The good thing is, that RL sex (or more precisely, the lack of it) has an alternative in virtual reality, and people find it.

[Hanna]

oh boy, Really! cartoon sex with a voyeuristic aspect lol. Yes, of course sex resides in the brain, I agree. Many of us fantasize, and virtual worlds brings it to a whole new level with all it's weird mechanisms and purchases. But I personally am not convinced that this is a healthy expression. People can get so caught up in the anonymous ease of the fantasy, of deceptions, adulteries and anything goes. Hot partners aside (is that the criterion for good sex?) I'd like to see a psychological study done on how beneficial virtual sex (or virtual promiscuity) really is emotionally (and spiritually). Truly people should be exploring their first life options rather than getting caught up in watching an representation of themselves performing on a monitor screen.

[thoughtless]

One of the other reasons why some people may prefer virtual sex to the real sex is their physical condition since real life sex can be a tough physical excersice to someone. You need to work your muscles to keep the pace, you sweat, etc. While in SL you just sit still, type on your keyboard and work your imagination.
Another reason may be materialistic one. In order to have a relationship with a girl, you need to buy her presents, pay for her in cafe, clubs and so on, which is much cheaper in SL than in RL.