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 the major senses, touch tends to predominate during sexual intimacy. However, all the senses have the potential to become involved; sights, smells, sounds, and tastes can all be important contributors to erotic arousal. There are no blueprints for the what and how of sensory stimulation. Each of us is unique; we have our own individual triggers of arousal.
Touch
Stimulation of the various skin surfaces is probably a more frequent source of human sexual arousal than any other type of sensory stimulus. The nerve endings that respond to touch are distributed unevenly throughout the body, which explains why certain areas are more sensitive than others. Those locations that are most responsive to tactile pleasuring are commonly referred to as the erogenous zones. A distinction is often made between primary erogenous zones and secondary erogenous zones.
Primary erogenous zones are those areas that contain dense concentrations of nerve endings. A list of primary erogenous zones generally includes the genitals, buttocks, anus, perineum, breasts (particularly the nipples), inner surfaces of the thighs, armpits, navel, neck, ears (especially the lobes), and the mouth (lips, tongue, and the
entire oral cavity). It is important to remember, however, that just because a given area qualifies as a primary erogenous zone does not guarantee that stimulating it will produce arousal in a sexual partner. What is intensely arousing for one person may produce no reaction—or even irritation—in another.
Secondary erogenous zones are other areas of the body that have taken on erotic significance through sexual conditioning. Secondary erogenous zones include virtually all other regions of the body aside from the primary erogenous zones named earlier. For example, if your lover tenderly kissed and stroked your upper back during each sexual interlude, this area could be transformed into an erogenous zone. Such secondary locations become eroticized because they are touched within the context of sexual intimacies. A man and a woman describe how touch enhances their sexual experiences:
I love being touched all over, particularly on my back. Each touch helps to develop trust and a sense of security. (Authors’ files)
Soft touches, not necessarily genital, arouse me most. When he lightly traces my neck and back with his fingers, my nerves become highly sensitive, and my entire body starts tingling with arousal. (authors’ files)