A study published in the American Journal of Sociology has reported that men who experience erectile dysfunction actually blame their wives for the condition and suggest that suffering the condition is directly related to their wives becoming friends with their own friends. The sociologists at Cornell University who publish the report call this situation ‘partner betweenness’. This term is given to the experience of a man whose partner has greater contact to some of his closest friends than he does.
The researchers say that erectile dysfunction occurs when the male’s female partner comes between him and his friends. When their female partner is close to the same males as he is, this intimidates the male and according to the research, men who experience ‘partner betweenness’ are 92% more likely to have trouble achieving an erection or reaching orgasm.
Supposedly, central to traditional notions surrounding masculinity are feelings of independence and privacy and when these feelings are disturbed, sexual problems with their partners ensue.
The study’s participants were all aged between 57 and 85 years and although the risk of this condition increases with age, and is related to cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, ‘partner betweenness’ affected even the healthy men among the participants. They were at an increased risk of experiencing problems if their partners were closer to their shared friends than he was.
The statistics show that at least 25% of men experience this problem within at least one of their close relationships but the effects of this situation tend to lessen as the male gets older.