In our society visual stimuli appear to be of great importance. Prime evidence is the emphasis we often place on physical appearance, including such activities as personal grooming, wearing the right clothes, and the extensive use of cosmetics. Therefore it is not surprising that vision is second only to touch in the hierarchy of stimuli […]

It has been said that the brain is the most important sense organ for human sexual arousal. This observation implies that any sensory event, if so interpreted by the brain, can serve as an effective sexual stimulus. The resulting variety in the sources of erotic stimulation helps explain the tremendous sexual complexity of humans. Of […]

Cutting-edge research has demonstrated the benefits of using a powerful technology to map or record brain activ­ity during sexual arousal. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a research and diagnostic device that provides images of the soft tissues of the brain, blood flow in various brain regions, and indications of which regions of the brain […]

Although the biological mechanisms underlying human sexual arousal and response are essentially universal, the particular sexual stimuli and/or behaviors that people find arous­ing are greatly influenced by cultural conditioning. For example, in Western societies, in which the emphasis during sexual activity tends to be heavily weighted toward achiev­ing orgasm, genitally focused activities are frequently defined […]

The brain plays an important role in our sexuality. Our thoughts, emotions, and mem­ories are all mediated through the brain’s complex mechanisms. Sexual arousal can occur without any sensory stimulation; it can result from fantasy (for example, thinking of erotic images or sexual interludes). Some individuals can even reach orgasm during a fantasy experience without […]

The Brain and Sexual Arousal In what ways does the brain influence sexual arousal? The Senses and Sexual Arousal How do the senses of touch, vision, smell, taste, and hearing contribute to erotic arousal? Aphrodisiacs and Anaphrodisiacs in Sexual Arousal What substances have been shown to either heighten or reduce sexual arousal? The Role of […]

The word androgyny (an-DRAW-ji-nee), meaning "having characteristics of both sexes,” is derived from the Greek roots andr-, meaning "man,” and gyne-, meaning "woman.” The term is used to describe flexibility in gender role. Androgynous individuals have integrated aspects of masculinity and femininity into their personalities and behavior. Androgyny offers the option of expressing whatever behavior […]

Perhaps one of the most undesirable of all gender-role stereotypes is the notion that being emotionally expressive, tender, and nurturing is appropriate only for women. Men are often socialized to be unemotional. A man who is trying to appear strong might find it difficult to express vulnerability, deep feelings, and doubts. This conditioning can make […]

Many women grow up believing that men always have sex on their minds. For such a woman, it may be a logical next step to become the controller of what takes place during sexual interaction. By this we do not mean actively initiating certain activities, which she sees as the prerogative of men, the movers. […]

A long-standing, mistaken assumption in many Western societies is that women are inherently less sexually inclined than men. Such gender stereotypes can result in women being subjected to years of negative socialization during which they are taught to suppress or deny their natural sexual feelings. Although these stereotypes are begin­ning to fade as people strive […]