Most aging males continue to experience considerable pleasure from their orgasmic responses. In fact, 73% of older men in one study reported that orgasm was "very important" in their sexual experiences (Starr & Weiner, 1981). However, they may note a decline in intensity. Frequently absent are the sensations of ejaculatory inevita­bility that correspond with the […]

Older men do not typically experience as much myotonia (muscle tension) during the plateau phase as when they were younger. Complete penile erection is frequently not obtained until late in the plateau phase, just before orgasm. One result of these changes is that an older man is often able to sustain the plateau phase much […]

Most changes in the sexual response cycle of older men involve alterations in the inten­sity and duration of response (Masters & Johnson, 1966; Segraves & Segraves, 1995). Excitement Phase During youth, many males can experience an erection in a few seconds. This ability is typically altered with the aging process. Instead of requiring 8 to […]

During the plateau phase, the vaginal orgasmic platform develops, and the uterus ele­vates. In a postmenopausal woman these changes occur to a somewhat lesser degree than before menopause (Masters & Johnson, 1966). Orgasm Phase Contractions of the orgasmic platform and the uterus continue to occur at orgasm, although the number of these contractions is typically […]

As people grow older, they will notice changes in sexual arousal and response patterns. In this section we briefly summarize some of the more common variations that occur in the sexual response cycles of women and men. The Sexual Response Cycle of Older Women In general, all phases of the response cycle continue to occur […]

A number of studies have reported that some women are capable of experiencing orgasm, and perhaps an ejaculation of fluid, when an area along the anterior (front) wall of the vagina is vigorously stimulated (Levin, 2003a; Whipple & Komisaruk, 1999). This area of erotic sensitivity, mentioned in Chapter 3, has been named the Grafenberg spot […]

Subjective Descriptions of Orgasm The following accounts, selected from our files, illustrate the diversity of orgasmic descrip­tions. The first account is by a woman and the second by a man. The final three descrip — tions—labeled Reports A, B, and C—contain no specific references that identify the sex of the describers. Perhaps you would like […]

Masters and Johnson distinguish four phases in the sexual response patterns of both men and women: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. I Figures 6.3 and 6.4 illus­trate these four phases of sexual response. These charts provide basic maps of com­mon patterns characterized by strong similarities in the responses of men and women to sexual stimuli. […]

Kaplan’s model of sexual response, an outgrowth of her extensive experience as a sex therapist, contains three stages: desire, excitement, and orgasm (see I Figure 6.2). Kaplan suggested that sexual difficulties tend to fall into one of these three categories and that it is possible for a person to have difficulty in one while continuing […]

Human sexual response is a highly individual physical, emotional, and mental pro­cess. Nevertheless, there are a number of common physiological changes that allow us to outline some general patterns of the sexual response cycle. Masters and John­son (1966) and Helen Singer Kaplan (1979), a noted sex therapist and author, have described these patterns. We briefly […]