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Sexual experience and sexual responsiveness: sex differences
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|September 1, 1975
Summary
This study found that for women, heterosexual experience predicted sexual reactivity, while for men, masturbation experience was a stronger predictor. Affective reactions also play a role in sexual responsiveness.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Human Sexuality
- Sexual Behavior Research
Background:
- Previous research, including Kinsey et al. (1953), has explored factors influencing sexual reactivity.
- Understanding the relationship between sexual experiences and physiological/emotional responses is crucial in human sexuality research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential impact of heterosexual experience versus masturbation experience on sexual reactivity in college undergraduates.
- To assess the role of affective reactions in determining sexual responsiveness to erotic stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Participants (30 males, 30 females) viewed slides of heterosexual behaviors and same-sex solitary masturbation.
- Subjects rated sexual arousal, pleasantness/unpleasantness, and frequency of personal engagement in depicted activities.
- Post-exposure assessment of sexual arousal and emotional reactions.
Main Results:
- Female sexual reactivity was significantly correlated with heterosexual experience, surpassing masturbation experience.
- Male sexual reactivity was more strongly indicated by masturbation experience than heterosexual experience.
- Affective reactions to sexual stimuli were found to influence overall sexual responsiveness.
Conclusions:
- Findings challenge previous assumptions regarding predictors of sexual reactivity, particularly for females.
- Sexual experience type (heterosexual vs. masturbation) differentially predicts sexual reactivity based on gender.
- Emotional responses are important determinants of an individual's sexual responsiveness.