RESEARCH_FILE
Edward O. Laumann
University of Chicago
Known for:Lead investigator of the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS), the first large-scale probability sample of American sexual behavior, providing the foundational prevalence data for understanding how common sexually inactive relationships are
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“They don't desire me anymore”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“Desire discrepancy is a scheduling and communication problem, not a verdict on my body.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Write down one moment you interpreted as rejection, then list one alternative explanation unrelated to attraction. Repeat three times without telling them.
Key findings
- 1994
Laumann and colleagues conducted the NHSLS, surveying 3,432 Americans using probability sampling, establishing that approximately 15–20% of married couples had sex fewer than 10 times per year. The study also documented the wide natural variance in sexual frequency across the population, demonstrating that 'sexless' relationships are epidemiologically common rather than aberrant. The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States ↗