The two most measured organs of the male body throughout history have been the nose and the phallus. The nose, being located right in the middle of the face, is the first thing that stands out on a face, but why do we obsess about increasing the size of the penis when it is not visible because it is hidden by clothing?
Since time immemorial man has covered his nakedness, initially the purpose of doing so has been to protect us from the cold, but also to protect us from external threats. The human skin seems to have evolved to feel and perceive pleasurable sensations such as caresses or embrace, hundreds of nerve endings have provided this ability to our skin.
If we compare ourselves to other animals with exoskeletons, or covered with thick fur, our body is defenseless against any aggression, be it climatic or by another living being.
So why are we so concerned about the normal size of the penis?
Historical and anthropological reasons
Nudity and concern for penis size
This is the main reason why we avoid nudity, and yet we are still concerned about the ideal penis size, it will be interesting to look for the explanation and we will try to find it by diving into different disciplines such as anthropology, physiology, biology, ethology, sociology and psychology.
All these branches of knowledge can provide interesting insights and perhaps we will find a common link to answer our question about the size of the erect penis and the size of the flaccid penis.
Ethology and sexual competence
We can dwell on one of the most important animal instincts, reproduction or survival of the species that would determine the behavior of the first hominids.
In the discipline of ethology, we find an interesting study from the American Ornithological Society Journals that demonstrates how sexual competition between ducks determines the size of their penis.
The study reveals that the length and morphology of ducks’ genitalia change according to their social environment. Thus, males that suffer great competition tend to develop larger phalluses than those of males that live in a less competitive environment. This is a clear strategic response to the difficulty of having to compete among a large number of males to copulate with the same female.
The evolution of the human penis
Sage Journals suggests that the human penis has evolved in this way to displace the semen of rivals in sperm competition.
Analyzing the study, it can be observed that the anatomy of the human penis has evolved to enter the woman’s vagina and, during intercourse, the mission of the glans penis would be to extract from the vagina the semen of another male if any, leaving free the entrance of the uterus to later inseminate the woman with his own sperm.
Changes in human society
Humans have gone from being a nomadic and hunting group to promoting stable settlements with crop gathering to ensure food for their population.
Numerous anthropological studies such as, “Evolutionary history of partible paternity in lowland South America”, indicate that in many Amazonian Indian tribes it is thought that a woman needs to receive semen from different males to become pregnant. Women would seek to have relations with several men so that their child could inherit the best of each: the best hunter, the strongest.
Evolutionary anthropology
According to evolutionary anthropologist Kit Opie of University College London, “our ancestors, the first primates, were solitary males who preferred to live in isolation, joining together only for mating”. Homo sapiens evolved, became gregarious, formed small settlements, created societies, and promoted monogamy, but there remained the phylogenetic vestige of the importance of penis size in man. This raises the question of whether penis size is inherited and how it influences sexual and social competence.
The transition from matriarchy to patriarchy
At the beginning of the early civilizations of Western culture, a matriarchy spread throughout most of the Mediterranean. With the invasions of the peoples of the sea brought patriarchy, marrying the male gods to the ancient goddesses, relegating them to the background. Where before the matriarchy exalted the ancient goddesses of fertility with developed secondary sexual characteristics with large breasts and hips praising the magical power of women in reproduction.
With the imposition of patriarchy, the importance of the penis, symbol of male power, began to be highlighted. Known with the images of the god Priapus with a large erect phallus or the god Dionysus, satyrs, etc.. In the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum one can distinguish on the lintel of many houses the representation of a penis associated with fortune and prosperity.
It has not been unusual in conflicts to find the victors using rape against the vanquished as a demonstration of power and triumph.
Sociological and psychological aspects
Freud and the theory of psychosexual development
Sociologists, psychiatrists and psychologists have picked up this deep interest in the male phallus in multiple studies. Freud the father of psychoanalysis states in the theory of psychosexual development that during the phallic phase of the child it is in the area of the urethra where his libidinal point resides.
The theory suggests that the phallus becomes of primary interest to both sexes, catalyzing fundamental events in psychosexual development. These events are later embodied in the Freudian theory of the Oedipus complex, where the boy develops his first sexual impulses toward his mother. The child realizes that she does not have a penis to have a heterosexual relationship with her mother and then desires it, this is described as penis envy.
Behavioral psychology and sociology
Subsequently from behavioral psychology framed with the identification of environmental variables that interact with the man and produce a response. For years sociologists have been asking the question “does size matter?”.
We can find studies that affirm and disaffirm, but it is true that sociological studies can be biased by the author to tip the balance to one side or the other. For this reason we abandon the sociological study to focus on psychology.
Influence of Penis Size on Sexual Response
Several studies show that the visualization of a large penis influences the sexual response of the sexual partner.
If we use the language of behavioral psychologists, an unconditioned stimulus (Ei) would generate an unconditioned physiological response (Ri), the larger that stimulus (larger penis), the greater the likelihood of a greater response (more desire).
Subsequently new stimuli that would initially be neutral were associated with that response, for example a muscular body, wealth or power would become a conditioned stimulus (Ed) that would also provoke a response of sexual desire, this time differential for being of different stimuli (Rd).
Association of penis size with success and power
The male associates power, money or having a large phallus to achieve desire responses in women, then operant behaviors are produced and will enhance all these attributes associated with earnings and success.
In the same way, if we buy a suit and many people flatter us (social reinforcement), it will increase the probability that we will put on the suit again to be reinforced.
The locker room syndrome
We live in large urban centers where we must constantly compete with our neighbors to achieve our goals.
There is a constant comparison, and just as males fight to get mates, sometimes males compare themselves with each other, where the average penis size comes into play.
This is the case of the locker room syndrome or penis dysmorphophobia coined for the first time by the psychologist Fernando Molina-Campuzano, men compare the size of other men’s penis with their own.
In this comparison we find reaffirmation if the size is above average or also a feeling of complex if he finds that the size is inferior. In addition, it is relevant to know the average size of the male member at 22, 25, 40 or 50 years of age to understand these comparisons.
Psychological consequences and solutions
Small penis complex
Suffering from a small penis complex or micropenis complex can lead to maladjustment, insecurity and avoidance behaviors in which nudity may be exhibited. It can produce anxiety and in some cases depression in the patient.
Penile Traction Therapy (PTT)
Nowadays, science has been able to offer a therapy to solve this situation. In 1996 Dr. Eduardo Gomez de Diego invented a traction device, called Andropenis, which allows the penis to grow permanently.
This technique was called Penile Traction Therapy (PTT). Scientific studies confirmed this invention, such as the one carried out at the University of Turin by the urologist Dr. Gontero. The medical indications of penile traction therapy are applied in more treatments, such as Peyronie’s disease, which, thanks to the traction device, corrects penile curvatures and restores the lost length.
In addition to traction therapy, there are exercises to increase the size of the penis that have proven to be effective in some cases. These exercises can complement the use of traction devices and provide faster results.
Penis size determinations
If we integrate the different disciplines of knowledge and their respective studies, we can approach in a broad way to the question formulated at the beginning, there would not be a single reason but the sum of multiple reasons that would explain the importance that we humans give to the length of the penis.
The genes we carry, social and cultural influences, biological and psychological aspects play an important role in answering why penis size is important.
In addition, the question of how penis size is measured and what is the average girth of the male member are crucial aspects in this discussion.
It is also relevant to know the penis size by country and whether it is possible to increase penis size, in order to understand the social differences and similarities globally.
