Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Introduction: This study explores how a woman's sexual expectations and experiences change when she introduces an electrical vibrator into her sexual activity.

Aim: Examine participants' behavioral changes and changes in attitude and expectations after introducing a vibrator.

Methods: Seventeen heterosexual women, ages 23-55, who had never used a vibrator, used one at least once a week for 1 month and then participated in interviews about their experiences. The "grounded theory method," provided qualitative data from the interview transcripts.

Main Outcome Measures: Repeating ideas and themes were extracted and coded from all interviews. The researcher assessed whether the initial sample size was large enough to provide "saturation" (that is, did it appear that the same themes kept emerging) and continued interviewing until such a sample was determined.

Results: Six recurring concerns emerged: (i) change in orgasmic patterns; (ii) fear of using an outside, "unnatural" object; (iii) dependency; (iv) entitlement; (v) reaction of partners; and (vi) changes in sexual attitudes.

Conclusions: Clinicians recommending vibrator use to women, whether because of anorgasmia, female sexual arousal disorder, or any other sexual problems, should prepare their patients for changes in these areas.