7 Facts About The Penis (VIDEO)

The penis is a fascinating piece of human anatomy; however, it turns out that most of us don’t actually know all that much about it. So, in the video below, I’ve compiled a list of seven of the most interesting facts about the penis–all tastefully displayed against the backdrop of some very phallic-looking fruits and vegetables. Because why not?

As you can see, I’ve started making my own sex *research* videos. If you like what you see and want stay up to date, please subscribe to my brand new YouTube channel.

For more information on each penis fact in the video, see below:

1. Men typically get 4-5 erections each night; however, it’s not because they constantly dream about sex. Instead, this is simply a natural occurrence as guys enter and exit different sleep cycles. If you’ve ever wondered why men often wake up with “morning wood,” well, now you know.

2. In a study of over 25,000 men, 55% reported being satisfied with the size of their penis. By contrast, 45% said they wanted it to be larger, while 0.2% wanted it to be smaller [1].

3. Contrary to popular belief, penis size and shoe size are unrelated. However, penis size is linked to mens’ height and weight, such that taller and thinner guys tend to be larger (click here to learn more about how penis size is related to other aspects of male anatomy).

4. Although there are no bones in the penis, it is still possible to “fracture” an erection. In the United States., the most common cause of penile fracture is forceful intercourse.

5. We cannot say for sure what the average penis size is; however, studies involving clinical measurements tend to place the average length at 5.1-5.7 inches and the average “girth” or circumference at 4.7-4.8 inches [2]. For more information on penis size, check out this article.

6.It’s quite rare, but some men have two penises, a rare anatomic variation known as diphallus. While it’s possible for both penises to be similar in size and fully functional, this isn’t true in most cases.

7. Studies find that most heterosexual women are satisfied with their partners’ penis size and, further, that penile length makes little difference with respect to their odds of reaching orgasm.

Watch more videos on the science of sex and relationships here.

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology ? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook (facebook.com/psychologyofsex), Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), or Reddit (reddit.com/r/psychologyofsex) to receive updates.

[1] Lever, J., Frederick, D. A., & Peplau, L. A. (2006). Does size matter? Men’s and women’s views on penis size across the lifespan. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 7, 129–143.

[2] Reece, M., & Herbenick, D. (2006). Rates of condom breakage and slippage using a condom fitted to penile length and circumference. European Journal of Sexual Health, 15(S1), 36.

Image Source: 123RF/Christos Georghiou