The Four Phases of the Human SexualResponseCycle

855 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Human sexuality research paper

One aspect of human sexuality that sometimes goes unknown or misunderstood is the sexual response cycle of men and women. You may be wondering what exactly is a sexual response cycle. In very general terms, the sexual response cycle is the sequence of events that happens physiologically when we become sexually aroused and participate in sexually stimulating activities, including intercourse, heavy petting, masturbation, etc.

Two researchers in the area of human sexuality are William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Masters and Johnson conducted studies beginning in the 1950’s. They wanted to learn more about what physically happened to the body during sexual arousal and activity. Through their research, they determined that there are at least four different stages that someone goes through from the beginning of arousal to the time after orgasm. These phases, in order, are excitement, plateau, orgasmic, and resolution. Both men and women go through these stages, however the timing is usually different. I will discuss this more later, but please keep in mind as you read my essay that there is much variety from person to person in the amount of time spent in each phase and how each person responds in each phase.

The first phase in the sexual response cycle is called excitement. In women, lubrication occurs in the vaginal lining. This usually begins between 10 and 30 seconds after erotic stimulation. This lubrication make...

Show More
Related

  • Reasons and Treatments for Premature Ejaculation

    549 Words  | 2 Pages

    A lot of men experiencing Premature Ejaculation also say that they have less control over ejaculating, with virtually everyone suffering from this wishing that they are able to go longer. When a man is affected with early climax, it-not just allows him from totally appreciating his sex-life, but in addition it leads to defeat, emotional and connection tension. The companion of someone experiencing Premature Ejaculation can be left frustrated and unsatisfied, and it’s that this deficiency of an effective sex-life which results in mental and relationship strain and worry. Although lesser ...

    Read More

  • Nature vs Nurture: The Evolution of Sexuality

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sexuality over the years has been defined and reshaped in many ways by different researchers and experts. In the CNN article, “Being Gay is not a Choice,” James Hormel defines sexuality as something that you are born with and cannot hide or ignore your true identity. In the article, Hormel recalls the times in his life where he felt alone and when he hid the truth. Hormel goes on to state how he “spent the first 35 years of my life trying real hard not to be gay”(Hormel, pg. 1). However, despite Hormel 's views I disagree with this article in many ways as it shows little evidence on how someone could in fact be born gay. An individual decides his identity and sexuality, which in most cases is tied together with how one is raised and the environment in which one is raised in. John Hormel’s article on sexuality can be countered by an article written John D’Emilio. His article, “Capitalism

    Read More

  • Human Sexuality Research of Masters and Johnson

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    Masters and Johnson were a pioneering team in the field of human sexuality, both in the domains of research and therapy. William Howell Masters, a gynecologist, was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1915. Virginia Eshelman Johnson, a psychologist, was born in Springfield, Montana in 1925. To fully appreciate their contribution, it is necessary to see their work in historic context. In 1948, Alfred C. Kinsey and his co-workers, responding to a request by female students at Indiana University for more information on human sexual behavior, published the book Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. They followed this five years later with Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. These books began a revolution in social awareness of and public attention given to human sexuality. At the time, public morality severely restricted open discussion of sexuality as a human characteristic, and specific sexual practices, especially sexual behaviors that did not lead to procreation. Kinsey's books, which among other things reported findings on the frequency of various sexual practices including homosexuality, caused a furor. Some people felt that the study of sexual behavior would undermine the family structure and damage American society. It was in this climate - one of incipient efforts to break through the denial of human sexuality and considerable resistance to these efforts - that Masters and Johnson began their work. Their primary contribution has been to help define sexuality as a healthy human trait and the experience of great pleasure and deep intimacy during sex as socially acceptable goals. As a physician interested in the nature of sexuality and the sexual experience, William Masters wanted to conduct research that would lead to an objective understanding of these topics. In 1957, he hired Virgina Johnson as a research assistant to begin this research issue. Together they developed polygraph-like instruments that were designed to measure human sexual response. Using these tools, Masters and Johnson initiated a project that ultimately included direct laboratory observation and measurement of 700 men and women while they were having intercourse or masturbating. Based on the data collected in this study, they co-authored the book Human Sexual Response in 1966. In this book, they identify and describe four phases in the human sexual response cycle : excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. By this point in time, the generally repressive attitude toward sexuality was beginning to lift and the book found a ready audience.

    Read More

  • The Headache Medicine

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    When it comes to sex, some people seem to have more knowledge on the subject than others, and some people know way too much. One very intriguing aspect that is often taken for granted is the orgasm and it’s miraculous powers. This is a list of 10 fun facts on the subject.

    Read More

  • Psychodynamic Theory

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through case study, the psychodynamic approach was developed by Sigmund Freud. Freud visited Charcot’s, a laboratory in Paris investigating people suffering from hysteria. There, Freud began patient case studies (Crain, p. 254). Freud developed 5 stages of human development known as the Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital stages. The Oral stage is from the ages of birth to 18 months. This stage engages in oral activities such as sucking. Next the Anal stage begins around age 18 months to 3 years of age. Freud suggests that during the Anal stage a child focuses on the pleasure of purging from the rectal area. The Phallic stages, none as the masturbation stage, when a child get’s pleasure from focusing on his genital areas usually happens during ages 3 years to 6 years of age. After the Phallic stage come the Latency stages. Latency is when children at the ages of 6 to 12 years old work to develop cognitive and interpersonal skills suppressing sexual interests but those 12 years and older fall into the Genital stages. During the Genital stage those suppressed sexual interests re-occur and the need to find gratification dependent on finding a partner (Craig & Dunn, p 12)

    Read More

  • Erotic Plasticity: A Symbolic Interaction Perspective

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    The community plays a key role when it comes to erotic plasticity, and the person’s sexual identity. Women’s sexual identity is seen as be adventures. Exploring ones sexual attitude, desire, decisions, and behavior. There sexual acts do not defined them, and can go through life without their high sex drive decreasing. However it is different for men when it comes to exploring their sex drive. Male sexuality is evolutionary and biological factor playing key roles in their life course. When a man experience sex with another man it is assumed they will always be gay. The so called deviant act, unlike to women defines their sexually identity. (McElwain, Grimes, & Melissa L. McVicker, 2009, p.

    Read More

  • Victimition In The Male On Male Rape By Michael Scarce

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    These feelings may especially occur when the male victim experiences an erection and/or ejaculation. What is more, the male victim may begin to question his sexual orientation (rape of male by male), due to these involuntary physiological responses he may believe he enjoyed himself. And many of the perpetrators may use these responses to keep the victim from reporting what has happened by saying things like “You know you liked it” (Sexual Assault of Men and

    Read More

  • Summary Of Human Sexuality In Cross-Culture Perspective

    212 Words  | 1 Pages

    The behaviors of the Pokot wives and husbands illustrated in the article “Human sexuality in cross-culture Perspective” show the norms of sexuality behaviors that are different from the U.S norms. The Pokot wives believe that their behaviors are right things to be done or are the appropriate sanctions given to a husband who is not able to sexually satisfy his wife. However, the US perceives these behaviors differently. In the US perspective, it is considered to be a deviance that is against the law within the society. It is considers to be domestic abuse which might lead some individuals involved in this behaviors to be given a negative sanctions like sending them to prison.

    Read More

  • Erectile Dysfunction

    2690 Words  | 6 Pages

    The means of achieving an erection in males is a very complicated process. In the interest of conciseness and efficiency, only a brief overview will be given.

    Read More

  • Oedipus the King and Oedipus Complex

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    Among those individuals that do not progress in the proper way into the genital phase, can still be playing out the psychodrama in various displaced, abnormal, or exaggerated ways. Primal desires of course can be quickly repressed but even among the mentally sane they could always rise again in dreams and in literature. The most critical conflict that the child must successfully resolve. healthy personality and sexual development and this all occurs during... ...

    Read More

  • Human Sexuality: How Do Men and Women Differ?

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    The beginning of this short research essay began with the author explaining what the essay will be about. This essay primarily focuses on the differences and similarities of sexuality between men, women, gays, and lesbians. It also focuses on time, because throughout time, human sexuality has changed. New scientific evidence has also helped give new insight to the human mind and their most basic needs.

    Read More

  • The Sexual Response Cycle in Men and Women

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men and women sexually go through a cycle. This cycle is known as the sexual response cycle. The sexual response cycle is made up of four different phases, the excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution phases. The cycle is also categorized in two ways, vasocongestion and myotonia. Vasocongestion is where swelling occurs because blood rushes to certain areas of the body such as earlobes, for women to the opening of the vaginal area, and for men around the testes, it also causes the erection of the penis. Myotonia is what causes hands and feet to spasm, affects the face, and the involuntary movements of orgasm, these occur because the muscles are tightening creating these movements and spasms to occur. (Nevid & Ruthus, 2005).

    Read More

  • Essay On Sigmund Freud And Erikson

    684 Words  | 2 Pages

    Freud believed that a person’s personality is most influenced by the first three stages of psychosexual development: the oral, anal, and phallic. The development of a person in these three stages occurs between the first five years of his or her life. After he or she go through a latency stage before entering the final stage, also known as the genital stage, which occurs around puberty through adulthood. Erikson agrees with Freud on his theory of infantile sexuality, but disagrees that a person’s personality is only based on that aspect. All of Erikson’s stages are present at birth, in latent form, and gradually unravels according to their social surroundings. According to Manning (1988), “The Identity vs. Role Confusion is the most crucial stage of the developmental process. Adults and peers that the person surrounds themselves with ultimately determines whether or not...

    Read More

  • Optimal Sex Essay

    2195 Words  | 5 Pages

    The initial study, implemented in 2005, surveyed thirty people, who proclaimed they have “great sex”; the initial finding of these thirty people found six different components of optimal sexuality. With their follow up study,

    Read More

  • Understanding Human Sexual Behavior

    2125 Words  | 5 Pages

    A fundamental step for understanding the links between human nature and intimate relationships is by understanding human sexuality. Alfred Kinsey, in his pioneering study on human sexual behaviour, illustrated the degree to which individuals differ in their sexual attitudes, beliefs and preferences (Kinsey, Pomeroy & Martin, 1948). In particular, a marked difference was highlighted in individuals’ sociosexual attitudes and behaviours. Following this, many of the sociosexual features individuals differ in, including preferred frequency of sexual intercourse, the number of different sexual partners they predict to have in the future, and their willingness to engage in uncommitted relationships, have shown to covary (Eysenk, 1976, as cited in Barnes, Malamuth & Check, 1984). Considered together, these features compose an individual difference dimension named sociosexuality (Snyder, Simpson & Gangestad, 1986). Sociosexuality reflects the tendency to engage in uncommitted, casual sexual encounters (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Those with a restricted sociosexual orientation typically prefer closeness and commitment from their romantic partner before engaging in sex (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Such individuals claim they rarely have one-night stands, and require emotional intimacy within a romantic relationship before feeling comfortable with sex (Simpson & Gangestad, 1991). Conversely, unrestricted individuals require little or no emotional bond with a partner in order to have sex. These individuals are more likely to be involved in extra-marital relationships (Seal, Agostinelli & Hannett, 1994), and exhibit more frequent displays of sexual assertiveness such as flirting (Simpson, Gangestad & Nations, 1996).

    Read More

More about The Four Phases of the Human SexualResponseCycle

Open Document