Chapter Ten
Sexual Expression: Arousal and
Response
Agenda
 Discuss Influences on Sexuality
 Review Sexual Response
 Discuss Solitary Sexual Behavior
 Discuss Sexual Behavior with Others
 Discuss Sexual Behavior Later in Life
 Discuss Safer-Sex Behaviors
Class Discussion: Sexual Compatibility
 How would you define sexual compatibility?
What could a couple do to assess it?
 Should a couple try to have an orgasm at the
same time?
What are the benefits?
What are the disadvantages?
Influences on Sexuality
Hormones
Ethnicity
Religion
Hormones
 Both sexes produce estrogen & testosterone,
though in different amounts that decrease in
age
 Estrogen decline in older women slows
growth of vaginal cells, which thins the wall,
increases dryness, & decreases vaginal
sensitivity
 Testosterone levels remain constant in aging
women, which may increase sexual desire
 Aging men experience decreases in
testosterone, which can decrease sexual
desire and quality & quantity of erections
Ethnicity
 In male dominant cultures, women tend to be
less knowledgeable & less likely to discuss
sex
 Ethnicity can affect our sexual behaviors,
frequency, attitudes, communications
African American men & women have the
most partners
White & Hispanic women are more likely
than black women to be involved in a
variety of sexual behaviors
White women are more likely than black or
Hispanic women to give & receive oral sex
Religion
 In general, the more religious a person is:
the more conservative their sexual
attitudes and behavior
the less they have premarital intercourse
the less they engage in risky sexual
behavior
the less they approve of oral sex
the more guilt they experience about
sexual behavior
Sexual Response
Masters & Johnson’s Four-Phase Sexual
Response Cycle
The Sexual Response Cycle in Women
The Sexual Response Cycle in Men
Studying Sexual Response
 Sexual response – series of physiological &
psychological changes during sexual
behavior
Masters & Johnson’s Four-Phase
Sexual Response Cycle
 Four-phase model of physiological changes
that occur during sexual behavior, regardless
of sexual orientation
 Four phases:
Excitement
Plateau
Orgasm
Resolution
The Sexual Response Cycle
in Women
Sexual response varies in time spent in
each phase among women, & with
menstrual cycle
Women: Excitement Phase
 Excitement: Many stimuli induce excitement
 This phase may last minutes to hours
 Vasocongestion – increased blood flow to the
genitals and/or breasts
 Transudation (vaginal lubrication) occurs
within 30 seconds, longer if lying down
 Tenting effect – vaginal walls expand
Continued …
Women: Excitement Phase
 Breasts & areolas enlarge, nipples erect
 For childless women:
Labia majora thin & flatten out
Labia minora turn bright pink & swell
 For women with children:
Quick vasocongestion & enlargement of
labia majora & minora, clitoris may erect
 Sex flush on chest first, then spreads
Women: Plateu Phase
 May last between 30 seconds & 3 minutes
 Breast size continues to increase
 Clitoris retracts behind hood shortly before
orgasm
 Clitoral hood rubbing & pulling causes the
orgasm during sexual intercourse
 For childless women:
Flattened labia majora & red labia minora
 For women with children
Labia majora engorge & turn dark red
 Orgasm can release the pressure from
increased vasocongestion
Women: Orgasm Phase
 Orgasmic platform due to vasocongestion in
pelvic area
 When the vasocongestive pressure reaches a
threshold, a reflex of surrounding muscles is
triggered
 These contractions (primarily uterine
muscles) expel the pooled blood & causes
pleasurable orgasmic sensations
Women: Orgasm Phase
 Orgasmic contractions occur every 0.8
seconds
 There are 8-15 contractions in women, the
first 5-6 are felt most strongly
 This phase has the peak blood pressure and
respiration rates
 May reduce menstrual cramps by expelling
blood from the region
Women: Resolution Phase
 Takes about 5-10 minutes
 Body returns to preexcitement conditions
 Blood leaves the genitals, erections dissipate,
muscles relax, heart & breathing rates
decrease
 Some women can experience multiple
orgasms with further stimulation
 Clitoris may still be sensitive
The Sexual Response Cycle
in Men
The four-phases are less defined in
men
Men: Excitement Phase
 Often very short phase
 Tumescence – vasocongestive swelling of the
penis
 Erection is unstable
 Testicles increase by about 50% in size
 Testicles are pulled closer to the body
Men: Plateu Phase
 May develop a sex flush
 Nipple erections
 Glans penis engorges with blood
 Erection is more stable
 Preejaculatory fluid may appear on the head
of the penis
Men: Orgasm Phase
 Ejaculation does not always accompany orgasm;
men can learn to control it
 If ejaculation occurs with orgasm, there are 2 stages:
In a few seconds, the vas deferens, seminal
vesicles, & prostate gland contract
These contractions will to ejaculatory
inevitability
These initial contractions, though, can be
controlled.
semen is forced out of the urethra by muscle
contractions that occur every 0.8 seconds, the first
3-4 are felt most strongly
Men: Resolution Phase
 Resolution
Glans penis decreases in size
Refractory stage – period in which men
cannot be re-stimulated to orgasm
Time period increases as men age
Other Models of Sexual
Response
Class Discussion: Controversy about
Masters and Johnson Response Cycle
 Some disagree with Masters & Johnson’s
model because it focuses on orgasm
It lacks relational and emotional qualities
It is based on a male model of sexuality
 How do relational/emotional qualities
influence satisfaction?
 How can couples be encouraged to enjoy all
phases of the sexual response cycle?
Kaplan’s Triphasic Model
 Helen Singer Kaplan’s three-stage model of
sexual response includes the psychological
phase of sexual desire and two physiological
stages of excitement and orgasm.
 Sexual desire was of paramount importance
to Kaplan because, without it, the other two
physiological functions would not occur.
Helen Singer Kaplan’s Three Phase Model
Other Models of Sexual Response
 Reed’s Erotic Stimulus Pathway (ESP)
4 phases:
Seduction & sensation phases are
psychosocial, surrender (orgasm),
reflection (reflect on the experience)
David Reed’s Erotic Stimulus Pathway (ESP) model blends features of Masters and Johnson’s and
Kaplan’s models using four phases: seduction, sensation, surrender, and reflection.
Other Models of Sexual Response
 Tiefer’s New View model
Many important aspects of sexuality:
pleasure, emotionality, sensuality, cultural
differences, power issues, communication
Women’s sexual experiences don’t neatly
coincide with Master’s & Johnson’s model
Solitary Sexual Behavior
Sexual Fantasy
Masturbation
Sexual Fantasy – Enhancement or
Unfaithfulness?
 Sexual fantasies are normal and healthy
 They may be a driving force in human
sexuality
 Men tend to have sexual fantasies and
cognitions more often than women
 Similar fantasies regardless of sexual
orientation, with the exception of the gender
of the fantasized partner
 Most people have a select few fantasies
College Students and Sexual Fantasy
 The majority use sexual fantasy and feel little
guilt
 Some experience a lot of guilt and this may
decrease their engagement in intimate
behaviors
 Some college student reported jealousy over
their partner’s fantasies and equated it with
unfaithfulness in a relationship
Women’s Sexual Fantasies
 Sexual fantasy is used to increase arousal,
self-esteem, & sexual interest, as well as
cope with past hurts and relieve stress
 Age is unrelated to types of sexual fantasies
 Compared to men’s fantasies, women’s
fantasies tend to:
be more passive, submissive, romantic
include more touching, feeling, partner
response, and ambiance
Women’s Sexual Fantasies
 5 most common:
sex with current partner
reliving a past sexual experience
engaging in different positions
having sex in rooms other than the
bedroom
sex on a carpeted floor
Women’s Sexual Fantasies
 Many report using sexual force fantasies
May reduce guilt for having desires
May indicate openness to experiences
May be from past sexual abuse
 Women are in control in their fantasies
Men’s Sexual Fantasies
 Compared to women’s fantasies, men’s
fantasies tend to:
Be more active and aggressive
Are more frequent, impersonal, and visual
Involve explicit sex acts and focus on
partner as a sex object
Involve someone other than the current
partner
Men’s Sexual Fantasies
 5 most common:
different positions
having an aggressive partner
receiving oral sex
having sex with a new partner
having sex on the beach
Video: Seinfeld’s “The Contest”
Class Discussion: Masturbation
 Why do you think it is more common for men
than for women to masturbate?
 The text suggests that there is a
“masturbation taboo” for women. What would
contribute to this taboo?
Masturbation – A Very Individual
Choice
 In the past, masturbation was feared as a
cause of mental & physical problems
 Currently it is viewed as a way to promote
healthy sexuality
It can decrease sexual tension & anxiety
It can be an outlet for sexual fantasy
It allows a person to test their own body
Couples can use it during intercourse
(mutual masturbation)
Masturbation – A Very Individual
Choice
 Masturbation is the main sexual outlet in
adolescence
 In some cultures it is openly accepted, in
some religions it is forbidden
 People with regular sex masturbate more
than those without regular sex
Female Masturbation
 The average women has an orgasm in 95%+
of her masturbatory attempts
 Masturbation tends to produce the most
intense orgasms in women
 Masturbation taboo for women, based on the
double standard that women are not sexual
 May use vibrators or dildos
 Some concentrate on the clitoris, vulva,
vagina, or anus
Male Masturbation
 The largest gender difference in sexual
behavior is in masturbation frequency
 Masturbatory men do so 3x more than
women
 48% of single men & 28% of women
masturbate weekly or more
 Not all men feel comfortable masturbating
Sexual Behavior with Others
Foreplay
Manual Sex
Oral Sex
Heterosexual Sexual Intercourse
Same-Sex Sexual Techniques
Class Discussion: Safer Sex
 There are no sexual behaviors that protect a
person 100% of the time—with the exception of
solo masturbation and sexual fantasy.
 “Safer sex” refers to specific sexual behaviors
that are safer to engage in because they protect
against the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted
infections.
 Identify as many specific activities as
possible that offer some protection against
STIs.
 What factors influence safer sexual
practices?
Foreplay – The Prelude?
 Typically defined as everything that happens
before penetration
 A male dominated view
 Many lesbians do not use the term foreplay
as all sexual behavior is “sex”
Manual Sex – A Safer-Sex Behavior
 “Hand jobs”
 Physical caressing of the genitals in solo or
partner masturbation
 Bodily fluids are not exchanged; safer sex
 Women differ in clitoral touching preferences
 Many men like strong, consistent strokes of
the penis, some light strokes of the scrotum;
do not restrict the urethra (underside of penis)
 More nerve endings at the tip of the penis
Oral Sex – Not So Taboo
 Cunnilingus – oral sex on a woman
 Fellatio – oral sex on a man
 Majority of Americans have oral sex
 Many engage in oral sex before they had
their first intercourse experience
 Black women engage in less oral sex than
white women
 People with higher education levels tend to
engage in more oral sex
Oral Sex – Not So Taboo
 Oral sex is often used as part of foreplay, or
instead of other sexual behaviors
 69 – mutual oral sex
 Anilingus (rimming) – oral stimulation of the
anus
Hygiene practices are important to reduce
possible spread of infections
 Most would rather receive, than give, oral sex
 Cold sores can transmit infections in oral sex
Cunnilingus
 Some women have cleanliness concerns
 Anxieties may prevent women’s enjoyment
 Many men find it erotic
 Most women prefer it begin slowly, gradually
 Some enjoy simultaneous digital stimulation
of the vagina or anus
 Air embolisms may form and be fatal if air is
blown into a pregnant woman’s vagina
 Most popular lesbian sexual behavior
Fellatio
 Most popular sexual behavior for gay men
 Some men enjoy having one testicle in their
partner’s mouth with the tongue stroking it
 Many enjoy simultaneous hand stimulation of
the penile shaft, while the head is sucked on
 Teeth can cause pain if not covered by the
lips
Fellatio
 If the male is not infected, swallowing
ejaculate is fine
 Ejaculate is usually larger if a long time has
passed since the last ejaculation
 1-2 teaspoons of semen are ejaculated
 Ejaculate contains 5 calories of fructose,
enzymes, vitamins
 Ejaculate taste can vary depending on the
man’s diet & stress level
Heterosexual Sexual Intercourse
 3 American categories
1/3 have intercourse at least 2x/week
1/3 have intercourse a few times a month
1/3 have intercourse a few times a year or
not at all
 National average is once a week
Class Discussion
 If a person can’t reach orgasm during a
sexual interaction but doesn’t want to hurt
his or her partners’ feelings, do you think it
would be OK to fake the orgasm just once?
Why or why not?
Number of sexual partners reported by females and males, 18-59 years old. Source: National Health
and Social Life Survey, as reported in Laumann et al., 1994.
Heterosexual Sexual Intercourse
 Pornography reinforces idea that women like
fast & rough thrusting
 Longer thrusting does not mean a woman is
closer to an orgasm
 Most people do not make eye contact in
intimate situations
Positions for Sexual Intercourse
 There are many positions for intercourse
 Each has advantages and disadvantages
 Four main positions are:
Male-on-top
Female-on-top
Side-by-side
Rear entry
Male-on-Top
 “Missionary” “male superior”
 Male controls the thrusting
 Advantages: eye contact, kissing, hugging,
most effective for procreation
 Disadvantages: uncomfortable if obese or
pregnant, large penis can bump the cervix,
difficult to stimulate the clitoris, man must
support his weight, difficulties in controlling
erection & ejaculation
Female-on-Top
 “Female superior”
 Advantages: woman has greater control,
more clitoral stimulation, her partner’s hands
are free for further stimulation, eye contact,
kissing, hugging
 Disadvantages: intromission (insertion of
penis), some women may be uncomfortable
being in an active role, some men may be
uncomfortable with their partner in control
Side-by-Side
 Advantages: can take it slow & extend
intercourse, hands free for caressing each
other, eye contact, kissing, talking
 Disadvantages: difficulties with penetration,
keeping momentum going, and deep
penetration
Rear-Entry
 One variation is “doggie-style”
 Advantages: this can be fast or slow, provide
opportunity for clitoral stimulation by either
partner, may directly stimulate the G-spot,
helps those who are overweight or obese
Class Discussion
 Male-on-top position seems to be the most
common position for heterosexual couples
despite the fact that there are some
significant disadvantages (e.g., muscle strain
may led to earlier ejaculation).
Why do you think it remains so common?
What could help couples try more
positions?
Anal Intercourse
 Practiced by men & women of all sexual
orientations
 May lead to orgasm, especially with
simultaneous clitoral or penile stimulation
 1/4 of adults have had anal sex at least once
 Lubrication is required; the tissue is fragile
and does not self-lubricate
 Anal sphincter needs to be relaxed
 One of the riskiest sexual behaviors
Same-Sex Sexual Techniques
 Gay men use many sexual techniques
 Most common is fellatio, followed by mutual
masturbation, anal sex, & body rubbing
 Also enjoy hugging, kissing, caressing
 Fisting/Hand-balling - the insertion of the fist
& sometimes part of the forearm into the anus
 Interfemoral intercourse – thrust penis
between the partner’s thighs
 Buttockry – penile rubbing in the buttocks
Same-Sex Sexual Techniques
 Lesbians enjoy many sexual behaviors:
kissing, body contact, caressing
 Manual stimulation is the most common
practice for lesbians, followed by cunnilingus
 Tribadism – women rub their genitals together
 May also use fisting, dildos, vibrators
 Lesbian erotic role identification – “butch” &
“femme”; biological & social explanations
Sexual Behavior Later in
Life
Physical Changes
Changes in Sexual Behavior
Physical Changes
 Many decreases in sexual functioning are
exacerbated by sexual inactivity
 Good nutrition, physical fitness, adequate rest
& sleep, reduced alcohol intake, & positive
self-esteem can enhance sexuality
throughout life
Changes in Sexual Behavior
 2 most frequent complaints of elderly men:
Decrease in sexual desire
Decreased ability to perform
 Therefore, intercourse decreases, but
masturbation increases
 Physical problems can interfere with sexual
functioning: arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis
Safer-Sex Behaviors
 Some sexual behaviors are safer to engage
in because they protects against the risk of
acquiring a STI
 Only abstinence, solo masturbation, & fantasy
protect 100% of the time
 Some safer practices: decrease number of
partners, know backgrounds of partners,
have protected sex, use barrier
contraception, limit alcohol intake