Sexual Arousal and Response

29 Pages·2015·2.03 MB·English

by  Luke & Virginia

Chapter 10
Sexual Arousal and Response
Slide Show Prepared by:
Richard C. Krejci, Ph.D.
Professor of Public Health
Columbia College of SC
11.23.15

Major Topics in this Chapter
• Sexual Interest – willingness to have experiences
• Sexual Desire – urge for pleasure
• Sexual Decision Making – implies behavior
• Sexual Participation – having sex
• Sexual Response (following slides)
– Sexual Excitement
– Orgasm
– Sexual Resolution
– Evaluation
Major Topics (cont.)
• Sexual Difficulties
• Sexual Communication
• The Impact of Drugs on Sexual Function
• Self-Stimulation (Masturbation)
• Sexual Abstinence
Sexual Interest
• A willingness to have sexual experiences
• 50% of adult men 20% of adult women report
thinking about sex each day
• Hormones and Sexual Interest
• Hormones have a profound effect on sexual interest
• Low levels of androgens in men usually cause low
interest
• Women who have had ovaries and adrenal glands
removed report low interest.
Sexual Desire
• An urge that motivates a person to experience
sexual pleasure and/or sexual intimacy
• More periodic than sexual interest
• Sex Drive
• Sexual desire that occurs spontaneously within oneself
and produces a state of biological or psychological
hunger, tension, or need
• a.k.a. Libido
• Comes from neurological activity in brain or non-
brain centers or from stimulation of the
genital region
Sexual Incentives
• Promote sexual desire that arises from a particular
environmental cue, event or situation
• Cues that suggest another’s sexual availability
and desire to be sexually involved
• Positive vs. negative expectations effect sexual
desire
• Relationship status effects sexual desire
e.g. commitment and/or marriage
Sexual Decision-Making
• Sexual interest does not automatically lead to sexual
behavior
• Decision to have sex is influenced by many factors
including context, willingness, feelings, fantasies and
expectations.
Sexual Participation
• Affected by time constraints and partner availability.
• Sexual Transition
• A progressive mental and physical setting separate from typical
everyday concerns, so that a near total mental focus on erotic
experience can occur.
• Private location and time facilitate the transition process.
Sexual Arousal
• Feelings of excitement, joy and erotic pleasure
brought about by activation of specific nerve networks
in the brain.
• Activated by thoughts, fantasies, day or night dreams
and interpretation of nerve signals.
• Certain areas of the brain are activated when
presented with erotic stimuli.
• Validated via PET and MRI scans