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Sexual Incentive Motivation and Sexual Behavior: The Role of Consent.
1Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway;
Annual Review of Psychology
|September 22, 2023
Summary
Consent is crucial at every stage of sexual interactions, from initial incentive to orgasm. Contrary to popular belief, increased sexual motivation does not impair cognitive control over sexual decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Psychology of Human Sexuality
Background:
- Sexual harassment and nonconsensual sex highlight the importance of consent in sexual interactions.
- Human sexual interactions involve a sequential process: incentive perception, approach, genital interaction, and orgasm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the role of consent at each stage of sexual interaction.
- To investigate the influence of sexual motivation on cognitive processes related to consent and sexual decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cognitive evaluations and predictions of consent likelihood.
- Examination of processes like communication of consent, decision-making, and cue interpretation.
- Review of available data on the effects of sexual motivation on these processes.
Main Results:
- Consent is required at all stages of sexual interaction.
- Cognitive evaluations and predictions of consent influence progression through sexual interaction phases.
- Processes such as communication, decision-making, and cue interpretation are critical.
- Enhanced sexual motivation has minimal to no effect on cognitive control, challenging previous assumptions.
Conclusions:
- Consent is a fundamental and continuous requirement throughout human sexual interactions.
- Cognitive control over sexual decision-making remains largely intact even with heightened sexual motivation.
- This research refutes the notion that increased sexual motivation inherently impairs an individual's control.
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