It's a step up from "why not"
goddammit, these returning hiccups will be the death of me
i suspend the victim below the diaphram, but i must suffer alone--

"I'm a damn good kisser"

Full list of reasons (Word doc).
Actual study (.PDF)

I notice the survey was only of Psychology undergrads though, not a random population sample.

yes, 400 gave original answers and the rest picked (mostly) from those. NYT refers to them as UT undergrads. Still not random.

The paper says it also included grad students and community volunteers.

You know, I was already to sneer at this and pick it apart, but I actually found it thought-provoking. Regardless of what it says about percentages of people who do these things, just the sheer list of reasons was interesting. I wish I'd seen these reasons when I was 15 or 16; it might have helped me think more clearly about how much bigger sex is than "two people hot for each other."

The range of reasons really shows that people engage in sex for a whole variety of odd reasons, not all of which have to do with pleasure, positive emotions, or procreation.

See, this is the kind of thing I wish people would teach in sex education classes. Not honorable abstinence vs. sinful sluttiness, but why do people engage in sex? How do you manage it? How do you know when and when not to? What are good and not so good reasons for choosing to do it? What problems can ensue? Is sleeping with someone to make someone else jealous really an effective tool for personal growth and healthy relationships? What are the potential risks and rewards? And so on.

This was realistic.

It's funny, I thought there were only a couple of reasons to have sex. Then I started reading the list of reasons and going, "oh yeah, I've done that."

Tangentially related--I went to the groinocologist for a check-up the other day and he asked about "frequency." When I answered, he said, "Seriously? At 35? With two kids? Good for you!" Then he gave me a high five! A HIGH FIVE!!! Who gets high fived at the OB/GYN office? I still giggle every time I think about it.

My favorite was, "To support the patriarchy."

OK that's hilarious, jrossi.

Genuinely curious question: Why would an OB-GYN want to know about frequency?

It's a step up from "why not"

Heh, and that's how I lost my virginity. With a shrug.

We were discussing birth control options, gaspode.

Oh duh. That makes sense.