Catherine Salmon29 September 2022

Do We Know What Turns Women On? - Catherine Salmon - #532

0Frameworks

7Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 1

Myth Buster18:00

Women Don’t Watch Less Porn—They Just Consume It Differently

Contrary to assumptions, women are highly engaged with sexual content—but mostly through reading romance novels and fan fiction rather than watching visual porn. The format better serves their interest in emotional and long-term mating narratives.

Top sites for women are romance novel platforms and fan fiction sites like AO3, not visual porn hubs.
Erotica for women often centers on long-term commitment and emotional investment, not just sex.
Visual media may fail to appeal because it can't convey internal character depth as well as text.

“For women, none of the top ones were visual. They were all either romance novel authors' websites or Archive of Our Own.”
Catherine Salmon · 20:00

#female-arousal#erotica#romance-novels#media-consumption

Hot Take· 1

Hot Take29:00

Why Romance Novel Heroes Are Still Alpha Males

Despite cultural pushes for softer, more agreeable men, romance novels continue to feature dominant, muscular, protective heroes. These fantasies reflect evolved female preferences for providers and protectors, not everyday compatibility.

Softer, gentler male characters in romance novels sold poorly, suggesting fantasy differs from real-life preferences.
Cover models are consistently strong-jawed, lean, and muscular—traits signaling protection and status.
Women may want agreeable partners in daily life, but fantasize about powerful, dominant men.

“Years ago they really tried to push the softer, gentler, kinder view of guys in romance novels and they didn't sell well.”
Catherine Salmon · 32:00

#romance-novels#male-ideal#fantasy-vs-reality#hypergamy

Explainer· 2

Explainer09:30

Why Rough Sex May Be About Novelty, Not Aggression

Salmon explains that recent research suggests rough sex is more linked to novelty-seeking than aggression. Women may initiate it not out of anger, but as a way to test male strength or break sexual monotony.

Rough sex is often misinterpreted as aggression, but studies link it more to openness to experience.
Women may initiate it to test a partner’s physical prowess, similar to female animals selecting strong mates.
Jealousy in men can trigger rougher sex, which women report leads to faster orgasm.

“Rough sex may be more indicative of novelty-seeking than aggressive tendencies.”
Host · 09:30

#rough-sex#novelty-seeking#evolutionary-psychology#female-desire

Explainer35:00

Why Women Are Drawn to True Crime

Women’s obsession with true crime may stem from both survival instincts and attraction to 'apex predator' men. Learning about killers helps avoid danger, while fictional portrayals like Dexter romanticize dangerous masculinity.

True crime helps women learn how to avoid becoming victims.
Some women are fascinated by serial killers as 'apex predators'—dangerous but potentially protective.
Women prefer fictional killers like Dexter who are dangerous but emotionally loyal.

“If you are in a dangerous environment, what better man to have by your side than the apex predator?”
Catherine Salmon · 37:00

#true-crime#female-psychology#apex-predator#survival-instinct

Q&A· 1

Q&A47:00

Is Evolutionary Psychology Sexist?

Catherine Salmon argues that recognizing sex differences isn’t sexism—it’s reality. Evolutionary psychology describes patterns shaped by biology, not prescriptions for how people should behave.

Acknowledging differences between men and women doesn’t imply inequality.
Women and men consume erotic content differently, reflecting evolved mating strategies.
Stereotypes often arise from real, common patterns, not cultural invention.

“I don't even know what it means to say that somebody is sexist other than that somehow they recognize that there are differences between the…”
Catherine Salmon · 47:30

#evolutionary-psychology#feminism#sex-differences#biology

Takeaway· 1

Takeaway40:00

Stated vs. Revealed Preferences in Dating and Media

Public narratives often promote progressive ideals—like women preferring effeminate men—but actual behavior (book covers, dating choices) reveals different desires. Culture may push one message, but attraction follows deeper patterns.

Media promotes feminine, agreeable men, but romance covers and dating behavior favor dominant, masculine types.
Women say they want equality, but still prefer taller, higher-status partners.
True preferences are revealed in consumption and partner choice, not opinion columns.

“The people that wrote those articles that said it's time for men to get over their fear of tall women will date a man that's…”
Host · 41:00

#mate-selection#cultural-narrative#sexual-markets#hypocrisy

study· 1

study00:30

What Women and Men Really Think About 'Jizz on the Face' in Porn

Catherine Salmon discusses her study on how people react to images of faces with ejaculate, varying by gender and expression. The research explored whether such imagery is perceived as degrading or arousing, and how sexual orientation and other psychological traits influence reactions.

The study showed men preferred images where women looked happy about the act, indicating enjoyment matters more than the act itself.
Straight men disliked images of men with ejaculate on their faces, while gay men preferred them.
Women overall liked such images less, but bisexual women showed higher acceptance than heterosexual or lesbian women.

“What makes coming on somebody's body degrading and coming inside them sacred?”
Catherine Salmon · 01:30

#pornography#sexual-psychology#gender-differences#bisexuality