Effects of Positive and Negative Mood on Sexual Arousal in Sexually Functional Males

Effects of positive and negative musical mood induction on subjective and objective sexual arousal were examined in a group of sexually functional males (N = 24). Subjects evidenced significantly greater objective and subjective sexual response in the positive mood induction condition relative to both baseline and a neutral control condition. In contrast, the negative mood induction condition yielded significantly less objective sexual arousal than baseline and a neutral control condition. Data provide additional empirical support for the hypothesized impact of mood on sexual arousal.     

Pavlovian Conditioning of Sexual Interests in Human Males

Pavlovian conditioning of the human male sexual response may be involved in the ontogenetic development of sexual interests and may be responsible for individual differences. We attempted to demonstrate Pavlovian conditioning of sexual interests in a nonclinical sample of adult males. Ten participants were exposed to 11 pairings of a slide of a moderately attractive, partially nude female adult (TARGET) and a highly arousing videotape depiction of heterosexual sexual interactions (US). Ten other participants were exposed to 11 presentations of the TARGET alone. Participants exposed to the TARGET-US contingency showed a 10% relative increase in sexual arousal to the TARGET; participants exposed to the TARGET-ALONE contingency showed an 11% relative decrease in sexual arousal to the TARGET. This group difference is interpreted as resulting from both conditioning and habituation.     

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Visually Evoked Sexual Arousal in Human Males

Brain areas activated in human male sexualbehavior have not been characterized precisely. For thefirst time, positron emission tomography (PET) was usedto identify the brain areas activated in healthy males experiencing visually evoked sexualarousal. Eight male subjects underwent six measurementsof regional brain activity following the administrationof [¹⁵O]H₂O as they viewedthree categories of film clips: sexually explicit clips,emotionally neutral control clips, and humorous controlclips inducing positive but nonsexual emotions.Statistical Parametric Mapping was used to identifybrain regions demonstrating an increased activity associatedwith the sexual response to the visual stimulus.Visually evoked sexual arousal was characterized by athreefold pattern of activation: the bilateralactivation of the inferior temporal cortex, a visualassociation area; the activation of the right insula andright inferior frontal cortex, which are two paralimbicareas relating highly processed sensory information with motivational states; and the activation ofthe left anterior cingulate cortex, another paralimbicarea known to control autonomic and neuroendocrinefunctions. Activation of some of these areas was positively correlated with plasma testosteronelevels. Although this study should be consideredpreliminary, it identified brain regions whoseactivation was correlated with visually evoked sexualarousal in males.     

Ethnic Differences in Sexual Decisions and Sexual Behavior

Previous investigators have reported ethnic differences in the expression of sexual decision making and sexual behaviors in women. In a sample of women of low socioeconomic status between ages 18 and 45, we examined the influence of ethnicity and other variables (age, education, marital status, and comfort in discussing sex) on (i) who makes decisions on the timing and type of sex, (ii) whether a woman engages in vaginal, oral, and anal sex, (iii) the frequencies of each type of sex, and (iv) whether or not a woman has multiple partners. Multivariate analyses showed that, independent of other independent variables, ethnicity had little direct effect on most variables. The notable exception was that ethnicity influenced joint decision making regarding the timing and type of sexual activities for Hispanic but not for African American women. We conclude that ethnicity contributes to differences in sexual behaviors but that other variables are equally important.     

Sexual Activity Prior to Coital Initiation: A Comparison Between Males and Females

The sexual activities college students reportedengaging in prior to their first coital experience wereinvestigated. A volunteer sample of 311 students (120male and 191 female) completed a self-report anonymous questionnaire. Both males and femalesreported considerable precoital sexual experience.Although males reported more frequent activity thanfemales on all items of assessment, the difference between groups, with the exception ofmasturbation, was not significant. The majority of bothmales and females reported at least one experience, anda sizable minority reported considerably moreexperience, with cunnilingus and fellatio, risk behaviorsfor the transmission of STDs, prior to their firstcoitus. Attention is drawn to the dearth of informationon sexual activity prior to coital initiation. Given the potential risks of some of theseactivities, recommendations to further explore andaddress the precoital sexual behavior of adolescents aresuggested.     

Dissociation During Sex and Sexual Arousal in Women With and Without a History of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) experience dissociative symptoms and sexual difficulties with greater frequency than women without a history of CSA. Current models of sexual dysfunction for sexual abuse survivors suggest that dissociation may mediate the relationship between CSA and sexual arousal difficulties. Dissociation, however, is often conceptualized as a single construct in studies of CSA and not as separate domains as in the dissociation literature. In the present study, women with (CSA, N = 37) and without (NSA, N = 22) a history of CSA recruited from the community were asked to indicate the frequency and intensity of their experience in two dissociation subgroups, derealization and depersonalization, during sex with a partner and in their daily life. Findings showed that, in the NSA group, more depersonalization during sex with a partner was associated with lower sexual arousal functioning. However, for both the NSA and CSA groups, more derealization during sex was associated with higher sexual arousal functioning. No measure of dissociation was significantly associated with sexual responses in the laboratory. These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between different forms of dissociation (i.e., derealization and depersonalization) in the study of sexual arousal functioning. In addition, the findings challenge the notion that dissociation is a main predictor of sexual arousal problems in survivors of CSA and suggest that a more nuanced relationship may exist.     

The Frequency of Sexual Dysfunctions in Patients Attending a Sex Therapy Clinic in North India

Analyzed data on 1000 consecutive patients with sexual disorders attending the psychosexual clinic at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The majority of patients were educated males between 21 and 30 years of age, belonging to the middle class. There was a slight preponderance of married patients. Fifty-two percent of patients had premarital or extramarital sexual contact; less than 5% had had homosexual contact; 10% had no sexual contact. Most patients had more than one complaint. Premature ejaculation (77.6%) and nocturnal emission (71.3%) were the most frequent problems followed by a feeling of guilt about masturbation (33.4%) and small size of the penis (30%). Erectile dysfunction was a complaint of 23.6%. Excessive worry about nocturnal emission, abnormal sensations in the genitals, and venereophobia was reported in 19.5, 13.6, and 13% of patients, respectively. Only 36 female patients attended the clinic with their spouses.     

Sexual Desire Discrepancies: Effects on Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction in Heterosexual Dating Couples

Sexual desire discrepancies and the associationsbetween desire discrepancies and relationship adjustment(i.e., sexual and relationship satisfaction) inheterosexual dating couples (N = 72) were examined. Desire discrepancies were assessed via twomethods: (1) a couple-based index created using bothindividuals' reports of sexual desire and (2) anindividual-based index using each person's ownsubjective perception of a desire discrepancy within thecouple. Both indices were associated with women'sadjustment, whereas only individual perceptions ofdiscrepancies were associated with men's adjustment. The association between desire discrepancies andgeneral relationship satisfaction was fully mediated bylevel of sexual satisfaction for both men and women.Women whose sexual desire level was lower than their partners' endorsed lower levels of relationshipadjustment relative to women whose desire was eithergreater than or similar to their partners'. Implicationsfor the assessment of sexual desire differences in couples are discussed.     

Classical Conditioning of Female Sexual Arousal

The classical conditioning of subjective and physiological aspects of female sexual arousal was examined. Experimental subjects were run in a delayed conditioning design, where an amber light was paired with excerpts from erotic videos. Control subjects received presentations of the same amber tight and videos, but these presentations did not overlap with one another. Dependent variables included subjective ratings of arousal to the light and the videos as well as change in vaginal pulse amplitude assessed during exposure to the different stimuli. Experimental subjects evidenced increased arousal to the light over conditioning trials, as assessed by subjective ratings of sexual arousal. This finding is suggestive of a learned effect. However, results failed to indicate significant differences between experimental and control groups. Therefore, the increased arousal to the light evidenced by experimental subjects may not be due to classical conditioning. Suggestions regarding these findings, clinical implications, and future research are discussed.     

The Relation Between Sexual Orientation and Penile Size

The relation between sexual orientation andpenile dimensions in a large sample of men was studied.Subjects were 5122 men interviewed by the KinseyInstitute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction from 1938 to 1963. They were dichotomouslyclassified as either homosexual (n = 935) orheterosexual (n = 4187). Penile dimensions were assessedusing five measures of penile length and circumferencefrom Kinsey's original protocol. On all fivemeasures, homosexual men reported larger penises thandid heterosexual men. Explanations for these differencesare discussed, including the possibility that these findings provide additional evidence thatvariations in prenatal hormonal levels (or otherbiological mechanisms affecting reproductive structures)affect sexual orientation development.     

Changes in the Sexual Orientation of Six Heterosexual Male-to-Female Transsexuals

Researchers traditionally have assumed that sex reassignment procedures do not change sexual orientation. Of 20 transsexuals of various types that were interviewed, 6 heterosexual male-to-female transsexual respondents reported that their sexual orientation had changed since transitioning from male to female. These respondents stated that before transitioning they had been sexually orientated towards females. After transitioning, these same respondents reported that they were sexually orientated towards males. Five of the six respondents reported having various sexual encounters with males since transitioning. The respondents explained the changes in their sexual orientation as part of their emerging female gender identities. Three of the respondents claimed that the use of female hormones played a role in changing their sexual orientation. It did not appear that the respondents' post-transitional sexual attractions towards males were similar to autogynephilic images and fantasies described by Blanchard (1991).     

Effects of Experimentally Adopted Sexual Schemas on Vaginal Response and Subjective Sexual Arousal: A Comparison Between Women with Sexual Arousal Disorder and Sexually Healthy Women

The present study evaluated and compared the effects of experimentally adopted sexual schemas on vaginal response, subjective sexual arousal, and affect in 17 women with Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD) and 17 sexually healthy women. Positive and negative cognitive schemas were presented to participants before viewing sexually explicit video segments. They were asked to temporarily adopt both schemas, and vaginal response, subjective sexual arousal, and affect were measured in each schema condition. Participants in both groups had significantly greater vaginal response and reported more subjective sexual arousal in the positive schema condition than in the negative schema condition. Sexually healthy women demonstrated significantly higher subjective sexual arousal than women with FSAD, but there were no significant group differences in vaginal response. Moreover, participants in both groups reported higher levels of Positive Affect and Vigor in the positive schema condition than in the negative schema condition but higher levels of Negative Affect, Tension-Anxiety, and Anger-Hostility in the negative schema condition than in the positive schema condition. These findings demonstrate the impact of cognitions on sexual arousal, which has important implications for addressing cognitions in the treatment of FSAD. Moreover, these findings have implications for the conceptualization of FSAD, which may be best characterized as a complex, heterogeneous cluster of symptoms.

Specificity of Sexual Arousal for Sexual Activities in Men and Women with Conventional and Masochistic Sexual Interests

Prior studies consistently report that men’s genital responses correspond to their sexual activity interests (consenting vs. coercive sex) whereas women’s responses do not. For women, however, these results may be confounded by the sexual activities studied and lack of suitable controls. We examined the subjective and genital arousal responses of men and women with conventional (22 men and 15 women) or masochistic sexual interests (16 men and 17 women) to narratives describing conventional sex or masochistic sex. The aims of the studies were twofold: (1) to examine whether gender differences in the specificity of sexual arousal previously observed for gender also exist for sexual activity interests; and (2) to examine whether men and women with masochistic sexual interests demonstrate specificity of sexual response for their preferred sexual activities. Surprisingly, the pattern of results was very similar for men and women. Both men and women with conventional sexual interests (WCI) reported more sexual arousal, and responded more genitally, to conventional than to masochistic sex, demonstrating specificity of sexual arousal for their preferred sexual activities. Despite showing specificity for conventional sexual activities, the genital responses of WCI were still gender nonspecific. In contrast, women and men with masochistic sexual interests demonstrated nonspecific subjective and genital responses to conventional and masochistic sex. Indices of genital and subjective sexual arousal to masochistic versus conventional stimuli were positively and significantly correlated with self-reported thoughts, fantasies, interests, and behaviors involving masochism. The results suggest that gender similarities in the specificity of sexual arousal for sexual activity exist despite consistent gender differences in the specificity of sexual arousal for gender.     

HIV Risk Among Homosexual, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Male and Female Youths

Variations in sexual risk acts and thesocial-cognitive mediators of sexual acts were examinedamong young homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual malesand females (N = 478; 13-21 Years of age) from four community-based agencies in New York City, SanFrancisco, and Los Angeles (29% African American, 36%Latino, 36% White/other). The prevalence and frequencyof sexual risk acts varied by gender but were similar across youth of different sexualorientations, ethnicities, and ages. Condom use and thesocial-cognitive mediators of risk varied by sexualorientation and gender. Homosexual youths reported a gap between their positive attitudes toward HIVprevention and their skills to implement safer sex acts,particularly under social pressure. Bisexual youthsappeared at greatest risk; their reports of sexual risk were the highest, yet their perceived riskfor HIV was relatively low and skills and knowledge weremoderate (relative to their peers). Heterosexual youthsappear at high risk for HIV based on reports of low rates of condom use and HIV-relatedbeliefs and attitudes. However, heterosexual youthsdemonstrated the highestlevelofcondom skills. The numberofsexual partners was not associated with anyHIV-related social cognitive mediator, suggesting thatalternative theoretical models must be proposed forpartner selection. Longitudinal research with similarsubgroups of youths is needed.     

The Effects of False Positive and False Negative Physiological Feedback on Sexual Arousal: A Comparison of Women with or without Sexual Arousal Disorder

The effects of false positive and false negative physiological feedback (vaginal photoplethymograph response print-out) on women's sexual arousal were examined. Participants included women without sexual dysfunction (n=16) and women with Sexual Arousal Disorder (SAD; n=15). Measures of subjective sexual arousal, physiological sexual arousal (vaginal pulse amplitude), expectancies, affect, and anxiety were obtained in response to viewing an erotic film. Results indicated that false positive feedback significantly increased subjective levels of sexual arousal, whereas false negative feedback significantly decreased subjective levels of sexual arousal in both groups. Sexually functional women had overall higher expectancies for sexual arousal than women with SAD. Unexpectedly, false positive feedback did not significantly impact physiological sexual arousal in sexually functional women; however, it resulted in significantly decreased responses in physiological sexual arousal in women with SAD. False negative feedback had no significant effect on physiological sexual response in sexually functional women or women with SAD.     

Estimation of the Number of Sexual Partners for the Nonrespondents to a Large National Survey

For a random sample of 4548 respondents to theBritish National Survey of Sexual Attitudes andLifestyles, item nonresponses were assessed by utilizingalternating least squares and optimal scaling. Of men who did not answer the question on numberof lifetime partners, 61% were estimated to have had 10or more partners, whereas 48% of female nonrespondentswere estimated to have had no partners. Among the latter, the percentage of those with 10 ormore partners was also elevated to the level almosttwice that of respondents. However, the overall impactof the estimates on the distribution of lifetime partners was hardly noticeable due to therelatively small proportion of incomplete answers tothis question. Those who did not respond to the questionof number of lifetime partners were likely to be over 45 years, of lower social class, and poorereducation in comparison with those who answered thequestion fully. A larger proportion of the former wereof Asian extraction and non-Christian in comparison to the latter, particularly among women. Notproviding a complete answer to the question on thenumber of lifetime partners was associated with thenonresponse rate in the range of 90% on the questions of STD clinic attendance and drug abuse. Heavysmoking was more prevalent among male nonrespondents incomparison to those who provided a full answer to thequestion on the number of lifetime partners.     

Effects of Appraisal of Sexual Stimuli on Sexual Arousal in Women with and Without Superficial Dyspareunia

This study examined the effects of appraisal of sexual stimuli on sexual arousal in women with superficial dyspareunia (n = 50) and sexually functional women (n = 25). To elicit different appraisals of an erotic film fragment, participants received an instruction prior to viewing it, with a focus on genital pain or on sexual enjoyment. A neutral instruction served as a control condition. Assignment to instruction condition was randomized. Genital arousal (vaginal pulse amplitude) and self-report ratings of affect and genital sensations were obtained in response to the erotic stimulus. As predicted, appraisal of the erotic stimulus affected genital responding, albeit marginally significant. Follow-up tests indicated that women who received the genital pain instruction responded with marginally significant lower genital arousal levels than women who received the sexual enjoyment instruction (d = 0.67). A significant instruction effect for negative affect was found, signifying that negative affect ratings were highest after the genital pain instruction and lowest after the sexual enjoyment instruction (d = 0.80). A marginally significant group by instruction interaction effect was observed for positive affect, indicating that women with dyspareunia reported significantly less positive affect than controls after the sexual enjoyment instruction (d = 1.48). Whereas women with dyspareunia reported overall marginally significant more negative affect than controls (d = 0.48), there were no differences in genital responsiveness between groups. These results provided preliminary evidence for the modulatory effects of appraisal of sexual stimuli on subsequent genital responding and affect in women with and without sexual complaints.     

Patterns of Sexual Arousal in Homosexual,Bisexual, and Heterosexual Men

The purpose of this study was to determine if self-identified bisexual, heterosexual, and homosexual men show differential genital and subjective arousal patterns to video presentations of bisexual, heterosexual, male homosexual, and lesbian sexual interactions. It was predicted that, relative to heterosexual and homosexual stimuli, bisexual men would show the highest levels of sexual arousal to bisexual erotic material, while this stimulus would induce relatively low levels of response in heterosexual and homosexual men. A sample of 59 men (19 homosexual, 13 bisexual, and 27 heterosexual) were presented with a series of 4-min sexual videos while their genital and subjective sexual responses were measured continuously. Bisexual men did not differ significantly in their responses to male homosexual stimuli (depicting men engaging in sex) from homosexual men, and they did not differ significantly in their responses to heterosexual (depicting two women, without same-sex contact, engaged in sex with a man) and lesbian (depicting women engaging in sex) stimuli from heterosexual men. However, bisexual men displayed significantly higher levels of both genital and subjective sexual arousal to a bisexual stimulus (depicting a man engaged in sex with both a man and a woman) than either homosexual or heterosexual men. The findings of this study indicate that bisexuality in men is associated with a unique and specific pattern of sexual arousal.     

Effects of Sexual Arousal and Alcohol Cues on Acute Motivation for Alcohol

Reward-related stimuli can induce motivation to obtain rewards both within and across domains. We tested within- and cross-domain effects of environmental context (mock bar vs. laboratory) and sexually arousing stimuli (pornography vs. nature film) on acute motivation for alcohol as measured by a state-based alcohol purchase task in 109 male and female college students. Our results showed significant effects of both sexual arousal and environmental context on acute motivation for alcohol. A limited subsample analysis (N?=?84) revealed significant effects of both sexual arousal and environmental context conditions on elasticity. Consistent with hypotheses, the presence of either sex- or alcohol-related cues increased acute motivation for alcohol and decreased sensitivity to costs of drinking. Furthermore, there was a significant video?×?laboratory condition interaction in the elasticity analysis. Our findings suggest that both sexually arousing stimuli and incidental environmental alcohol cues may significantly increase the effort one will expend to consume alcohol and thus the potential for risky drinking behavior. We believe this is the first experiment to use demand curves to present evidence of cross-domain effects of sexually arousing stimuli on acute motivation for alcohol.