Participants

Have you ever wanted to take part in a sex study? Here’s your chance! This page is updated regularly with calls for participation from sex scientists across the globe. Feel free to participate in as many studies as you would like. However, please be sure to review the eligibility criteria first to ensure that you’re a good fit for a given study before signing up. Thanks for contributing to the science of sex!

Participate in any of the active studies below.

Researchers

Would you like to add your study to this page? Just complete the form below. You will need to supply the title and weblink/contact information for your study, a sentence about the selection criteria, and a sentence or two describing what will be asked of participants. You will also need to provide the anticipated end date for data collection, as well as confirm that your study has been approved by an IRB or ethics committee.

Active Sex Studies

RESCUES Study

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The RESCUES Study is a paid virtual study conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with the WISH Lab focusing on how stress, mood, and sexual contexts influence substance use in young women. Participation involves completing a series of online surveys over the course of 6 months.

Please email wishlab@unl.edu if you have any questions about participating in the RESCUE study.

Eligibility:

  • If you’re between the ages of 18 and 24 and have access to a smart phone, computer, and/or other smart devices, click the “Participate” button below to take a brief eligibility survey.

[Added April 17. 2026]

Participate

Vulvar Pain and its Relation to Sexual Wellbeing and Sexual Knowledge

University of Latvia

This study purpose is to explore how vulvar pain is related to sexual wellbeing and knowledge about personal sexual preferences.

Participation involves completing an anonymous online survey. The survey takes up to 10 minutes to complete.

Eligibility:

  • Female
  • 18+ years old
  • Experienced vulvar pain
  • Have been in a sexual relationship

[Added April 13, 2026]

Participate

2026 Human Sexuality Student Research Survey

Center for Human Sexuality Studies, Widener University

Researchers at Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies are studying how aspects of sexual wellbeing — including sexual satisfaction, communication, desire, mindfulness, and esteem — relate to one another and to experiences like attachment, identity, and neurodivergence. The anonymous survey takes 10–30 minutes and can be done in English & Spanish. At the end, you can choose if you’d like the researchers to donate $1 to 1 of 3 charities (up to $1000). IRB-approved (#833-26)

Eligibility:

  • Open to all who are aged 18 or older.

The survey can be taken in English or Spanish.

[Added April 10, 2026]

Participate

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Body Image Concerns in Sexual Minority Men

King's College London

We are looking for sexual minority men (i.e. anyone who identifies as male), aged 16 and over, to take part in an online survey study of sexuality, adverse childhood experiences, and body image concerns. This study examines how childhood maltreatment can influence body image concerns in sexual minority men. Your participation will aid our understanding in this area. The online survey will involve completing a series of questionnaires (some will ask about your sexuality and childhood experiences which may be negative or potentially distressing). You are under no obligation to reply to this advertisement or the online survey. If you choose to, participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time during the survey. However, after you have submitted the survey, it will not be possible for us to withdraw your data.

Due to the nature of the study which asks you to disclose childhood maltreatment you may have experienced and/or threats you experienced, the research team will not be able to act on these disclosures or report these. The study is approved by King’s College London Health Faculties Research Ethics Subcommittee reference HR/DP HR-25/26-54027.

Eligibility:

  • Identify as a sexual minority man (i.e., anyone who identifies as male)
  • Be at least 16 years old
  • Be fluent in English

[Added April 6, 2026]

Participate

Personality and Psychological Needs in Sugar Dating

University of New Brunswick

Researchers at the University of New Brunswick want to understand the experience of sugar dating from the perspective of people who are actually in them. If you are interested in participating in this project, please click the “Participate” button below and complete the survey for a chance to win 1 of 20 $15 USD Amazon Gift Cards! This project is on file with the Research Ethics Board, University of New Brunswick (REB #2026-018). Thank you for contributing to science!

Eligibility:
To participate, you must be:

  • be a man or woman
  • be at least 18 years old
  • be a resident of U.S. or Canada
  • have been in at least one sugar dating relationship in the past year.

[Added April 2, 2026]

Participate

Romantic Relationships after Sexual Assault

Memorial University of Newfoundland

This online study explores how both members of a romantic couple are impacted by one partner’s prior experience of sexual assault. Your participation will involve completing an online survey on the Qualtrics survey platform, which will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

We will be asking questions related to how you behave with your partner, including intimate and sexual behaviours and feelings towards them. We will also ask about and assess your own psychological traits. For compensation, you will be entered into a draw to win one $100 Amazon gift card.

Eligibility:

  • You must be 18 years old or older, in a committed relationship with your romantic partner (for at least 1 year), and live with your partner.
  • Importantly, you or your partner (not both) must have experienced sexual assault before your current relationship began, happening at age 16 or older.

[Added February 12, 2025]

Participate

Romantic Relationships after Adverse Childhood Experiences

Memorial University of Newfoundland

This online study explores how both members of a romantic couple are impacted by one partner’s prior experience of adverse childhood experiences. Your participation will involve completing an online survey on the Qualtrics survey platform, which will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

We will be asking questions related to how you behave with your partner, including intimate and sexual behaviours and feelings towards them. We will also ask about and assess your own psychological traits. For compensation, you will be entered into a draw to win one $100 Amazon gift card. 

Eligibility:

  • You must be 18 years old or older, in a committed relationship with your romantic partner (for at least 1 year), and live with your partner.
  • Importantly, you and/or your partner experienced potentially traumatic events before the age of 18, and before your current relationship began.
  • Additionally, you and your partner are co-parenting at least one child (biological, step, or foster) who lives in your home for at least three days per week.

[Added February 12, 2025]

Participate

Just Friends or Something More? Gendered Expectations in Cross-Gender Friendships

Kwantlen Polytechnic University
This anonymous online study (Ethics Approval #2025-47) explores what people expect from their close friendships with someone of another gender (for example, a man with a close woman friend, or a woman with a close man friend). We also explore how self-reported masculinity and femininity relate to expectations of emotional closeness, support, and potential romantic/sexual attraction in these friendships.
On the survey platform Qualtrics, you will be asked to think about one of your close other-gender friends and respond to several questions about your expectations and perceptions of that friendship. You will also complete a short questionnaire about your gender-role orientation and a few demographic questions.
The study will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You have the option to enter into a draw to win one-of-four $25 pre-paid Visa gift cards as a thank-you for your participation.
Eligibility: Open to men and women, over 16 years of age, with at least one other-gender friend.
[Added December 3, 2025]
Participate

Breast of Both Worlds – Investigating Perceptions of Female Breasts

Kwantlen Polytechnic University
This anonymous online study (Ethics Approval #2025-42) explores opinions about the appearance of female breasts. Additionally, we assess whether gender role attitudes and endorsement of femininity influence those opinions.
You will be directed to the Qualtrics survey platform to answer four evaluation questions about various images of breasts. Following, you will answer questions about your gender role attitudes, self-ascribed masculinity-femininity, and some demographic questions (e.g., age, relationship status).
This study will take ~25 minutes and your answers will remain anonymous and confidential. At the end of the survey, you will have the option to be entered into a draw to win one-of-four Amazon gift cards as a thank you for your participation.
Eligibility: Open to all participants over 16 years of age.
[Added November 29, 2025]
Participate

Provider Perceptions of Women's Sexual Substance Use (PROWESS)

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

This study focuses on health providers’ perceptions of their clients’ experiences of recreational substance (like alcohol, cannabis, or other recreational drugs) involved sexual activity. Our purpose is to collect general information about health providers’ perceptions of client experiences and motivations for use of alcohol or other recreational substances with sexual activity. Data from this study will help us to better understand recreational substance use trajectories. Further, future studies on this topic may help doctors and researchers better help women who may engage in a maladaptive use of recreational substances with sex.

To participate, you must be 18 years or older and work in any of the following health professions: Gynecologist, Endocrinologist, Urologist, Sex Therapist, Therapist/Counselor. Clinical Psychologist, Physical Therapist, Family Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Basic Scientist, Clinical Researcher, Patient Advocate, Sex Educator, Medical Student, or Student/Trainee in the above fields. [Added May 29, 2025]

Participate

An Exploration of Relationship Doubts and Sexual Well-Being in Couples

University of Prince Edward Island
This study examines persistent and distressing doubts about one’s partner and/or relationship that some individuals experience. These doubts and behaviours may be symptoms of relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD), which is a mental health condition involving obsessions and compulsions regarding romantic relationships. To minimize these doubts, individuals may seek frequent reassurance that their relationship is “right” or avoid aspects of a partner that are upsetting. ROCD has been associated with sexual challenges in the past; however, at present, no one has researched ROCD in couples. This study aims to understand the impact of relationships and/or partner doubts and ROCD symptoms on couples’ sexual well-being. Results from this study may be used to inform treatment for couples navigating these challenges.

If you choose to participate, you will be asked to complete an online survey that includes questionnaires and open-ended questions about relationship and partner doubts and your sexual well-being. The survey will take approximately 45 minutes.

To participate, you and your partner:
(1) Must be 18 years or older and have been in a romantic relationship for at least one year.
(2) You and/or your partner experience persistent and distressing doubts about your relationship or report ROCD symptoms.
(3) Couples of all gender/sex identities and sexual orientations are encouraged to participate.
Note: Additional criteria may apply. [Added May 25, 2025]

Participate

Exploring Feelings and Beliefs about Sexlessness and Sexual Activity

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Researchers at Kwantlen Polytechnic University are recruiting for a 30-minute study examining people’s feelings about their sex lives and social beliefs.

We know there is a wide range of values and opinions contributing to reasons why people do, and do not, engage in sexual activity, and your participation will help us understand how these values and opinions shape behaviour. If you participate in this study, you will first answer some questions about yourself (i.e., demographic questions) on the survey platform Qualtrics. You will then be asked to answer questions regarding your personal beliefs about sex and sexuality, satisfaction with your sex life, and social beliefs around sex and sexuality.

To take part in the study, participants must be over 16 years of age. 

Participate

Navigating Partnered Sex: Women's Experiences of Faking Orgasm or Exaggerating Pleasure

University of Guelph
This study is an online survey designed to explore how women who have faked their orgasm, pleasure, or satisfaction navigate and negotiate their pleasure/orgasms in their intimate relationships. It will take approximately 10-20 minutes. Taking part in this survey is completely voluntary. Participants are eligible if they are: over 18 years old; identify as a woman; reside in Canada or the US; and have faked an orgasm or exaggerated pleasure at least once. [Added Feb 13, 2025]
Participate

TIPURQ: Similarities and Differences in Sexual Interests

Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium)
The purpose of this study is to investigate how similarities and differences in partners’ sexual interests are related to their perceptions of relationship quality.  This study is intended for couples/two partners, including those involved in LGBTIQA+ and CNM relationships. Compensation of an $11 USD Amazon gift code is offered for EACH participant (i.e., $22 USD per couple). Couples are eligible if they are: in a romantic relationship of at least 6 months, and further, both members of each couple must consent to participate and be 18 years of age or older.  Those in CNM relationships are encouraged to participate, though this study can only collect data from two partners in each relationship. [Added February 23, 2024]
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Threesome Experiences and Expectations

University of Minnesota Duluth
Individuals are invited to participate in a research study assessing stigma toward and willingness to engage in sexual activity. As part of this study, participants will be asked to read vignettes describing a particular sexual experience and then complete various surveys on their opinions toward those behaviors. The study should take about 15 minutes to complete and is entirely voluntary without compensation. Participants are eligible if they are: 18 years of age or older, currently residing in the United States, speak fluent English, and identify as cisgender (i.e., your gender identity is the same as your sex assigned at birth) and heterosexual. [Added January 10, 2024]
Participate

Investigating Experiences of Physical Pain in Impact Play

Modern Sex Therapy Institutes
Researchers at Modern Sex Therapy Institutes are interested in investigating the experiences of physical pain among female bottoms engaged in impact play in BDSM community dungeon play spaces versus private play settings. Participation will involve a short questionnaire and a scheduled interview with the investigator. Use the link below to express interest in participating. [Added November 7, 2023]
Participants are eligible if they:
     – are 18 years old or older;
     – are cisgender female or transgender female on hormone therapy;
     – engage in impact play in both private and BDSM dungeon play space as a bottom within the past 6 months
     – are English speaking and understanding;
     – have no history of diagnosed chronic pain, dissociative disorder, borderline personality disorder, PTSD, or an episode
of psychosis within the past two years; and
     – have no use of drugs or alcohol during impact play.
Participate

Sexual Assault Among University Students in Canada: A Minority Stress and Intersectional Perspective

Kwantlen Polytechnic University
The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of sexual assault in university students, especially in situations that involve the consumption of alcohol or other substances. We are interested in the types and levels of stress experienced in such incidents and how these connect to various identities that students may possess, including, but not limited to, sexual and racial identities. Participation requires answering some demographic questions (i.e., gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, body size [body weight and height], current student status, place of residency, and disability status) and completing questionnaires assessing sexual assault exposure, alcohol use, drug use, overall physical and mental health, and experiences with minority stress on the online survey platform Qualtrics. This study will take approximately 30 minutes. Participants are eligible if they are: 18 years of age or older and current OR former students at a Canadian post-secondary institution (i.e., university/college).  [Added October 2, 2023]
Participate

Intimacy, Relational, and Sexual Satisfaction in Couples

University of Texas at Austin
The purpose of this study is to evaluate how intimate interactions relate to satisfaction in romantic relationships. This study is a couples study, so you and your partner would both participate. You will be asked to fill out demographics, questions about your relationship and sexuality, and identify different interactions that make you feel intimacy/intimate with your partner.  This study will have 1 one-on-one session with a researcher via Zoom and at least two online surveys over 4 weeks. The first session will take approximately 1 hour. You will be asked to complete the first online survey two weeks after your first session and the final survey 28 days after your first session. You must complete a phone screen with our team in order to determine if you are eligible to participate. You and your partner will receive $50 (i.e., $25 each) for the completion of the full study. Participants are eligible if both partners are: 18 years of age or older, in a committed relationship together for 6+ months, and fluent in and able to read and write in English. Please note that partners do not have to be cohabiting, but cannot be in a long-distance relationship. Couples from all over the world are welcome to participate! However, both partners will need either a U.S. phone number or a Google Voice number for this study. [Added August  28, 2023]
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Psychosocial influences on the decision to take PrEP

Nottingham Trent University
This study is exploring the psychosocial influences on the decision to take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among Gay, Bi, and Straight Men who have sex with Men in the UK. This research aims to explore the specific nuances around PrEP decision-making to develop interventions to empower people to have the kind of sex they want – as safe as possible. A 15-minute online survey will ask about current PrEP usage and then a multitude of psychometric variables. It can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer device. Participants are eligible if they: were assigned Male at birth, are at least 16 years of age, are based in the United Kingdom (UK), and have access to the internet on a smartphone, tablet, or computer device. Please note that it does not matter if you take, have taken, or have never taken PrEP. [Added July 31, 2023]
Participate

Cross-Sex Mind Reading

University of Texas at Austin

Researchers are investigating how accurate (or inaccurate) each sex is at guessing the sexual desires of the other sex. Participants are eligible if they are: 18 years of age or older and fluent in English. You may be of any sex or gender and of any sexuality to take part. [Added April 25, 2023]

Participate

For Participants

Additional Opportunities

For other research participation opportunities, check out the sites below.

For Researchers

Submit Your Study

If you are a researcher and would like your study added to this page, simply complete this form. Please note that only IRB-approved studies are eligible for inclusion.