Reported change in sexuality from young adulthood to old age

It was hypothesized and found that women, more than men, would report increases from young adulthood to old age on one or more of six measures: incidence of sexual activity, frequency of orgasm, interest in sexual activity, sexual urge, subjective pleasure regarding sexual activities, and satisfaction with sex life. In a volunteer sample of 62 women and 40 men aged 60 to 85 residing in the Northeast, self‐ratings of participation in sexual activities and feelings about sexual experience at the present time were contrasted with retrospective reports of respondents' activities and feelings between the ages of 20 and 30. Respondents' reasons for positive changes in any of the measures supported the theoretical assumptions underlying the hypothesis: Enhanced sexuality was attributed to role transitions, menopause, changing cultural standards for female sexuality, and increased control over one's sexual life. Results suggest the utility of a life‐span theory in explicating changes in sexuality during adulthood and emphasize the role of events in middle age or later in facilitating the changes that respondents themselves viewed positively