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Around half of the people in Western Europe and in the United States have engaged in casual sex or one night stands and in some countries, the number rises to seven out of ten people. A recent study examined the differences between men and women when it comes to casual sex regrets.

The current study conducted in Norway builds upon the findings of previous studies on the sex differences when it comes to regret. However, the research headed by Professor Kennair and Bendixen along with evolutionary psychologist David Buss, examined if the previous findings regarding differences in men and women regarding sexual regret can be reproduced in a sexually liberal, secularized, and highly egalitarian culture.

Norway and other Scandinavian countries, where the study was done, top the recent Global Gender Gap Report. These countries are also the least religious and most sexually liberal. The researchers recruited a total of 263 male and female students for the study between the ages of 19 and 37 years old.

The study had tested five hypotheses on sex differences and sexual regret. The first hypothesis tested if more women regretted having casual sex more than men. The second hypothesis tested if more men regretted passing up casual sex more than women. The third hypothesis tested if women worried more about casual sex consequences more than men. The fourth hypothesis tested if sexual satisfaction contributed to the differences in sexual regret for both men and women and the last hypothesis tested if restricted social-sexuality contributed to the differences in sexual regret.

Published in Evolutionary Psychology, the findings of the study show that 34.2 percent of women regretted their most recent casual sex encounter compared to the 20.4 percent of men. Around 28.9 percent of men regretted passing up casual sex to just 3.6 percent of women. In addition, 79.3 percent of women were glad to pass up casual sex and 43.3 percent of men echoed that sentiment. Older participants regretted less compared to the younger participants.

In addition, women are more likely to regret having engaged in casual sex if they worry more about their reputation, who experienced low physical gratification, and who have a restricted sociosexuality.

On the other hand, men are more likely to regret having engaged in casual sex if they also experienced low physical gratification and who also have a restricted sociosexuality. Men are six times more likely to regret having passed up potential casual sex experienced compared to women.

The findings of the study replicate the findings of previous studies which supports parental investment and evolutionary hypothesis as an explanation on the differences between men and women when it comes to regret with casual sex experience. Regardless of how modern the society has become, the same concerns, worries, and regrets still affect women and men when it comes to sexual relationships.