Men who send unsolicited ‘d*** pics’ may be NARCISSISTS and usually expect to receive ‘something in return’
- They may also exhibit more ambivalent and hostile sexism, the study found
- Psychologists had asked 1,087 men if they shared images of their genitals
- Those who had believed that the photos would sexually excite the recipients
- The majority of men surveyed did not think sharing genital images causes harm
Men who send other people unsolicited images of their genitals are likely to be more narcissistic and sexist that those who do not, psychologists have found.
Researchers surveyed over a thousand men to compare the personalities and motivations of those who sent intimate images and those who did not.
Rather than for personal gratification, men who share images of their genitals typically do so hoping to arouse the recipient and get images back in return.
A small minority of participants reported sending the private photos in order to intentionally elicit a negative response from women.
The researchers conclude that the practice can neither be construed as solely sexist or as a positive sexual outlet.
Men who send other people unsolicited images of their genitals are likely to be more narcissistic and sexist that those who do not, psychologists have found
Psychologist Flora Oswald of the Pennsylvania State University and colleagues surveyed 1,087 men about whether they had ever sent photographs of their genitals — and, if so, why they did so and what reaction they expected to receive.
Researchers also asked questions to explore the participants’ personality traits — including their levels of exhibitionism, narcissism, sexism and openness to sex and sexuality.
The team found an association between certain character traits and the sending of genital images.
‘We determined that men who reported having sent unsolicited d*** pics demonstrated higher levels of narcissism and endorsed greater ambivalent and hostile sexism than their non-sending counterparts,’ the researchers wrote.
Researchers also found that men have a number of rationales for sending such photographs.
‘We determined that the most frequently reported motivational category for sending genital images was a transactional mindset — i.e., motivated by hopes of receiving images in return,’ they wrote.
The psychologists found that those who sent genital images for their own sexual or personal satisfaction were in the minority.
‘The most commonly desired reaction from recipients was that of sexual excitement,’ they wrote.
A small minority of participants, however, reported sending the intimate images in order to elicit negative reactions from women.
The psychologists found that those who sent genital images for their own sexual or personal satisfaction were in the minority
‘These results provide evidence to suggest that while unsolicited dick pic sending is motivated by sexist and misogynistic ideologies in some men, the majority do not intend to cause harm or negative psychological outcomes,’ the researchers said.
‘Thus, the unsolicited dick pic phenomenon cannot be viewed solely as a sexist campaign, nor as a positive outlet for sexuality.’
‘Instead, cases must be considered on an individual basis.’
‘The most commonly desired reaction from recipients was that of sexual excitement,’ the researchers wrote. A small minority of participants, however, reported sending the intimate images in order to elicit negative reactions from women
With their initial study complete, Ms Oswald and colleagues are looking to dig into this cultural phenomenon further.
‘The d*** pic lies at the intersection of the zeitgeists surrounding consent, gender, sexuality, and technology,’ the researchers concluded.
‘Further research on the subject could provide insights into myriad contemporary topics such as online sexual harassment, online dating culture, and gender relations.’
The full findings of the study were published in The Journal of Sex Research.