Does Penis Size Matter? It's Complicated

Does penis size really matter?

As a new AsapScience YouTube video explains, there's a fascinating evolutionary history behind the human penis -- how it became the largest of any primate's both in absolute terms and in proportion to body size. But as to whether people find big penises particularly attractive, well, it's complicated.

"It would seem a penis in proportion may be most desirable," Mitchell Moffitt, co-creator of the ASAPScience series, says in the video. "After all, over-exaggerated traits, even those related to attractiveness, can often be a sign of problems."

A 2013 study suggested that while women may be more attracted to men with larger penises (particularly if they're also tall and fit) that interest starts to taper off when a penis measures larger than 7.6 centimeters in its flaccid state. But other studies cited in the video found that gay men do show marked preferences for larger penises.

Of course, some scientists will tell you that many things rank higher than penis size when it comes to picking a mate. As Moffitt says, "It turns out that the person attached to the penis makes a difference too."