A comparison of male heterosexual and male homosexual patterns of sexual arousal

We examined both self‐reported and physiologically measured sexual arousal of male heterosexual and homosexual subjects to explore various parameters of sexual response in these two groups. Results clearly support previous work with these groups, demonstrating that films produce more arousal than either slides or audiotaped stimuli and that arousal to lesbian and male homosexual stimuli content were best able to discriminate heterosexual and homosexual arousal patterns for well matched groups of subjects. The previous finding that the correlation between the subjective and physiological measures is lower for male homosexual subjects than for male heterosexual subjects was replicated, but it was demonstrated that this result is a confound of the stimulus content employed. When the level of arousal, pleasantness of the stimulus, or quantity of partner preference cues was controlled, the group differences in correlation were no longer present. Finally, decreased sexual experience and information were found to predict, in both groups, lower concordance between self‐reported and physiological arousal. These results may clarify previous work which has indicated a relationship between the inaccurate tracking of physiological response and sexual dysfunction     

Peer modeling and college men's sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of peer modeling on sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory. Male participants with and without a self‐reported history of sexually aggressive behavior viewed video clips depicting nonaggressive and sexually aggressive behavior and then chose one of the clips to show to a female confederate. Half of the participants were first exposed to a male confederate who showed the sexually aggressive video clip to a female confederate. The other half of the participants were exposed to a male confederate who showed a nonaggressive video clip to a female confederate. Exposure to a male confederate who showed a sexually aggressive video clip to a female was associated with participants' choosing to engage in this same behavior. A self‐reported history of sexually aggressive behavior was also associated with participants' showing the sexually aggressive video clip in spite of believing the effect on the female viewer would be negative.     

Determinants of sexual arousal and the accuracy of its self‐estimation in sexually functional males

Men with and without sexual dysfunction present with varying patterns of agreement between subjective estimates of sexual arousal and more objective psychophysiological measures of the same construct. This relative accuracy seems to be associated with sexual function, with men who have sexual dysfunction presenting less accurate estimations (mostly reporting below measured arousal levels). The purpose of this study is to clarify the processes underlying sexual arousal and the accuracy of its self‐estimation. We looked at potential predictors of sexual arousal (subjective and physiological) and accuracy in estimating objective sexual arousal in a sample of 60 sexually functional males. Predictors included pre‐existing sexual attitudes (erotophobia), both trait and state positive and negative affect, self‐focused attention, and interoceptive awareness. Results indicate that this sexually functional sample generally reported below their own erection level. Interestingly, trait negative affect was associated with somewhat lower levels of subjective arousal and higher levels of physiological arousal. On the other hand, state positive affect facilitated both subjective and objective arousal and increased somewhat the accuracy of estimates of erectile responding. Pre‐existing sexual attitudes as well as variations in self‐focused attention and interoceptive awareness evidenced little effect on sexual arousal or the accuracy of its estimation.     

An individual treatment programme for sexually abused adult males: description and preliminary findings

Growing recognition of male sexual abuse and its potentially debilitating effects has underscored the need to develop effective treatment interventions for this population. The present study describes an individual treatment programme that was developed for adult males who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. The treatment programme focused on three areas related to sexual abuse, specifically feelings of self‐blame, anger and anxiety. The study also presents preliminary findings on treatment effects, using self‐report measures that five participants completed prior to treatment and at various assessments following treatment termination. Overall findings indicated improvements in behavioural self‐blame, anger, state anxiety and trait anxiety. Treatment did not appear to have an effect on characterological self‐blame over the long term. The study's findings are limited by the reliance on self‐report data and the absence of a comparison group. As such, our findings should be viewed as an initial contribution to the currently limited empirical data on treatment effects for sexually abused adult males. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subjective sexual arousal and involvement: Development of multiple indicators

Three measures of subjective sexual arousal were observed across four erotic conditions in a sample of 241 college men and women (a) to refine two multi‐item scales of subjective sexual arousal, (b) to determine the convergent and discriminant validity of three measures of sexual arousal, and (c) to relate these operational definitions of subjective sexual arousal to the construct of subjective sexual arousal within Mosher's (1980) involvement theory. From the perspective of involvement theory, subjective sexual arousal is conceived to be an affect‐cognition blend, consisting of awareness of physiological sexual arousal, sexual affects, and affect‐cognition blends, which is transmuted into consciousness and deepens involvement by amplifying the perception of sexual stimulation, sexual cognitions, sexual behavior, physiological sexual response, and itself. Evidence of convergent validity was strong with a median validity coefficient of .51 for the three measures across the four conditions.     

The Impacts of Sexual Arousal and Its Suppression on Executive Functioning

Suppression of certain types of reflexive emotional responses is thought to temporarily deplete executive functions (EF), as evidenced by poorer performance on measures of EF, but does not deplete other, lower-order cognitive processes. This study examined whether similar decrements in performance on EF tests would occur following suppression of sexual arousal. A sample of 44 male college students underwent baseline cognitive assessment (EF and lower-order cognitive processes), followed by experimental manipulation consisting of exposure to sexually explicit audiovisual stimuli. Sexual arousal was monitored using penile plethysmography. In this study, 21 participants were assigned to a suppression condition and were instructed to suppress sexual arousal during the video, while 23 were assigned to an arousal condition and were instructed to allow themselves to become aroused. Following experimental manipulation, cognition was reassessed. Unexpectedly, results showed EF decrements in the arousal group but not in the suppression group. As expected, only EF was affected by experimental manipulation, with no group differences in lower-order cognitive processes. Thus, the findings suggest that sexual arousal is associated with temporary decrements in EF performance, at least among young, primarily White, male college students. The results contribute to understanding why sexually charged situations are sometimes associated with poor decisions or unsafe/reckless sexual practices.     

Genital perceptions and sexual activity in a college population

Anecdotal evidence suggests that perceptions of the genitals—one's own and one's partner's—may be related to enjoyment of sexual activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among genital perceptions and performing and receiving oral sex, penile‐vaginal intercourse, and masturbation. Participants were 160 male and 160 female students at a large Midwestern university. Participants completed a questionnaire in which they indicated how well self‐statements describing genital perceptions and reasons for engaging in and not engaging in sexual activity applied to themselves. The results showed significant correlations between genital perceptions and sexual activity, such that higher levels of participation in and enjoyment of sexual activity, especially oral‐genital behavior, were associated with more positive and fewer negative genital perceptions. Men had more positive genital perceptions than did women for both their own and their sexual partner's genitals. These results are consistent with cultural sexual stereotypes and have implications for sex education and clinical work.     

The attraction to sexual aggression scale: Part two

In this second article of a two‐part series, data from three separate studies are presented supporting the reliability, discriminant, and construct validity of the Attraction to Sexual Aggression (ASA) scale. Higher scores on this scale were associated with attitudes supporting aggression against women, affective reactions to media portrayals of forced sex, physiological and self‐reported sexual arousal, hostility toward women, dominance motives, and antisocial personality characteristics. Based on data with low sexual aggressors, higher ASA scores were associated with greater similarity (on relevant dimensions) to high sexual aggressors, suggesting that ASA may help identify potentially sexually aggressive men at “risk” for future sexual coercion. However, caution in the use of such identification is urged. Finally, it is concluded that although the data support the usefulness of earlier work with self‐reported likelihood measures, the use of ASA is an improvement in this line of research. Directions for future development of this scale and research are also discussed.     

Factors affecting the sexual arousal value of pictures

This study examines factors that contribute to the sexual arousal value of pictures of a nude model. One male and one female model were photographed separately in an indoor setting. The following dimensions were factorially manipulated across pictures: male or female model, front or back view, standing or reclining position, semi‐nude or nude. Male and female subjects viewed slides of these pictures one at a time and rated the degree of sexual arousal value of each picture. Significant main effects of position, view, and clothing resulted, as well as a significant interaction of sex of subject x sex of model x position x clothing. These results suggest that with so many uncontrolled, extraneous factors in this type of research, studies in which global aspects of erotic stimuli are manipulated should be evaluated with caution. More systematic consideration of the micro‐variables that change from picture to picture is advisable to evaluate clearly what factors truly contribute to changes in sexual arousal value of erotic pictures.     

Linking Self‐Regulation and Risk Proneness to Risky Sexual Behavior: Pathways through Peer Pressure and Early Substance Use

The linkages between self‐regulation in childhood, risk proneness in early adolescence, and risky sexual behavior in mid‐adolescence were examined in a cohort of children (N=518) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The possible mediating role of two early adolescent variables (substance use and negative peer pressure) was also examined. Self‐regulation was assessed by maternal report at ages 8–9, and risk proneness, comprising aspects of sensation seeking and decision making, was assessed by adolescent self‐report at ages 12–13. Structural equation models predicting risky sexual behavior at ages 16–17 indicated that self‐regulation operated partly through early adolescent substance use, whereas risk proneness operated through early adolescent substance use and negative peer pressure. The overall model did not differ significantly for boys and girls, although there were gender differences in the strength of particular paths. These long‐term longitudinal results support the importance of early self‐regulation and risk proneness in setting the stage for adolescent sexual risk taking and implicate substance use and negative peer pressure as processes through which risk proneness and poor self‐regulation lead to risky sexual behavior.     

The experience of sexual desire: Psychological correlates in a college sample

In order to elaborate on available models of sexual desire, we administered a sexual desire questionnaire to 144 college students, ages 18 to 54. Included in this measure were questions concerning the frequency of sexual desire, whether the respondent had participated in sexual activity without desire, or vice versa, experienced desire without sexual behavior, and a question assessing which cues are used by the subject to gauge sexual desire (e.g., frequency of intercourse, sexual dreams). Subjects also completed the Passionate Love Scale, Sexual Arousal Inventory, and Crowne‐Marlowe Social Desirability Scale. The results indicate that as a group, males report experiencing sexual desire more frequently than females. Males appeared to rely on similar indicators of desire as females, specifically genital arousal and sexual daydreams. For both males and females, sexual desire was significantly correlated with sexual arousal (r = 0.50, females; r = 0.44, males) while the correlation of desire and love was nonsignificant for both sexes. However, desire and sexual behavior did not necessarily co‐occur, as both males and females reported engaging in sexual behavior without desire. These data suggest that greater attention be paid to the definitional features of sexual desire in nonclinical samples, in an effort to clarify current diagnostic categories and to provide population base rates.     

Peer modeling and college men's sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of peer modeling on sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory. Male participants with and without a self-reported history of sexually aggressive behavior viewed video clips depicting nonaggressive and sexually aggressive behavior and then chose one of the clips to show to a female confederate. Half of the participants were first exposed to a male confederate who showed the sexually aggressive video clip to a female confederate. The other half of the participants were exposed to a male confederate who showed a nonaggressive video clip to a female confederate. Exposure to a male confederate who showed a sexually aggressive video clip to a female was associated with participants choosing to engage in this same behavior. A self-reported history of sexually aggressive behavior was also associated with participants showing the sexually aggressive video clip in spite of believing the effect on the female viewer would be negative.     

Effects of erotic guided imagery on female sexual arousal and emotional response

The discrepancy between survey findings that women require a romantic context for arousal to erotica and the results of laboratory research which have failed to confirm this effect has led to continued controversy over the role of context in female sexual arousal. Methodological criticisms of laboratory research have focused on the passive nature of cue manipulations utilized to create casual versus committed contexts and failure to validate the effectiveness of context manipulations. The present study investigated the effects of erotic guided imagery on female sexual arousal in committed and casual contexts. Sixty‐five women listened to tapes of erotic guided imagery. Participants imagined either themselves or another woman engaging in a committed or casual sexual relationship. Dependent variables consisted of three measures of subjective sexual arousal and the Differential Emotions Scale. A self‐report measure revealed that subjects clearly differentiated the two contexts. Examination of mean scores on the dependent variables indicated that all subjects were sexually aroused by the guided imagery, experienced moderate interest and enjoyment, and experienced minimal negative emotional responses. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed no significant differences for the main effects of context, person, or the interaction between person and context. The findings reaffirm previous laboratory research indicating that women do not require a committed context as a prerequisite for sexual arousal and positive emotional response to imagined erotic stimuli     

Using Eye Tracking to Identify Faking Attempts During Penile Plethysmography Assessment

Penile plethysmography (PPG) is considered the most rigorous method for sexual interest assessment. Nevertheless, it is subject to faking attempts by participants, which compromises the internal validity of the instrument. To date, various attempts have been made to limit voluntary control of sexual response during PPG assessments, without satisfactory results. This exploratory research examined eye-tracking technologies' ability to identify the presence of cognitive strategies responsible for erectile inhibition during PPG assessment. Eye movements and penile responses for 20 subjects were recorded while exploring animated human-like computer-generated stimuli in a virtual environment under three distinct viewing conditions: (a) the free visual exploration of a preferred sexual stimulus without erectile inhibition; (b) the viewing of a preferred sexual stimulus with erectile inhibition; and (c) the free visual exploration of a non-preferred sexual stimulus. Results suggest that attempts to control erectile responses generate specific eye-movement variations, characterized by a general deceleration of the exploration process and limited exploration of the erogenous zone. Findings indicate that recording eye movements can provide significant information on the presence of competing covert processes responsible for erectile inhibition. The use of eye-tracking technologies during PPG could therefore lead to improved internal validity of the plethysmographic procedure.     

Conscious Regulation of Sexual Arousal in Men

The goals of this study were to examine the effectiveness of emotional reappraisal in regulating male sexual arousal and to investigate a set of variables theoretically linked to sexual arousal regulation success. Participants first completed a series of online sexuality questionnaires. Subsequently, they were assessed for their success in regulating sexual arousal in the laboratory. Results showed that the ability to regulate emotion may cross emotional domains; those men best able to regulate sexual arousal were also the most skilled at regulating their level of amusement to humorous stimuli. Participants, on average, were somewhat able to regulate their physiological and cognitive sexual arousal, although there was a wide range of regulation success. Whereas some men were very adept at regulating their sexual arousal, others became more sexually aroused while trying to regulate. Age, sexual experience, and sexual compulsivity were unrelated to sexual arousal regulation. Conversely, sexual excitation, inhibition, and desire correlated with sexual arousal regulation success. Increased sexual excitation and desire were associated with poorer regulatory performance, whereas a propensity for sexual inhibition due to fear of performance consequences was related to regulatory success.     

Sexual behavior in female transsexuals and lesbians

This study was designed to look at the role sexual arousal and behavior play in confirming or resolving gender identity confusion, and at how female‐to‐male transsexuals (FTs) and lesbians (Ls) differ in this area. Detailed interview data on sexual behavior from a clinical sample of 15 FTs compared to a matched research sample of 15 Ls are presented. The mean age for the FTs group was 21 years, 10 months and 23 years, 8 months for the Ls group. The two groups were matched by age, educational background and parental socioeconomic status. The results indicated that the majority of women in both groups had had sexual experience with men as well as women. All clearly preferred women as partners, but the FTs fantasized being men in encounters with women, while the Ls were completely identified women. The Ls sample tended to go through a heterosexual phase before they had their first relationship with another woman, which was typically not until approximately age 20. However, the FTs tended to have their first sexual relationship with a woman in early or middle adolescence. The two groups also differed in various aspects of sexual arousal and behavior, with Ls reporting a higher frequency of orgasms and being more at ease in engaging in intense and satisfactory sexual relations.

The primary value of this study has to be seen as hypothesis rendering. The conclusions are tentative because of the limited sample size. The data add to our knowledge on aspects of female sexuality in general, and the reported differences between the two groups will assist in formulating a differential diagnosis between FTs and Ls in clinical practice.     

Automatic processes and the appraisal of sexual stimuli: Toward an information processing model of sexual arousal

A model of sexual arousal is presented that highlights the interaction between automatic and controlled cognitive processes and proposes that different levels of cognitive processing can differentially affect subjective and physiological sexual arousal. In addition, two studies are presented in which the role of automatic processes was explored using a priming paradigm. Subjects were sexually functional men. In the first study an effect of priming was found on penile erection. Unexpectedly, responses were lower in sexual than in neutral trials. In the second study support was found, using a behavioral measure (decision time), for the notion that the meaning of sexual stimuli can be perceived in a fast, automatic manner. Priming was most successful at lower levels of stimulus accessibility. The model and experimental approach presented in this article render starting points for new research on response discordance, gender differences in the processing of sexual stimuli, and inhibition of sexual response.