ABSTRACT
Pretending orgasm is a relatively common phenomenon, with about 25–60 percent of both men and women reporting pretending an orgasm at least once in their lifetime (Bryan, 2001; Darling & Davidson, 1986; Muehlenhard & Shippee, 2010; Wiederman, 1997), yet the amount of research does not match the commonness of this experience; it often focuses on descriptions of pretending behavior, rather than reasons for pretending orgasm (Darling & Davidson, 1986; Hite, 1976). Much of the literature has been qualitative and not driven by theory. We used an empirical approach to develop the 48-item Pretending Orgasm Reasons Measure (PORM; Goodman, Gillath, & Haj-Mohamadi, 2017). The PORM assesses both men’s and women’s reasons for pretending orgasm. The scale measures six factors: Feels Good, For Partner, Not Into Sex, Manipulation/Power, Insecurity, and Emotional Communication. Several factors were made up of subfactors, including For Partner (Protect Partner, Please Partner, and Increases Partner’s Arousal), Manipulation/Power (Manipulation and Power), Insecurity (Desire to Fit In and Fear of Rejection), and Emotional Communication (Reassurance/Feel Loved, Express Love, and Closeness).
