Sexual Behavior: What People Do

Sexual Behavior: What People Do

What People Do To Have Sexual Pleasure Sexual pleasure has a behavioral component and a cognitive component. • We will first examine the behavioral component and try to answer the question: • “What do people do to produce sexual pleasure?”

Nocturnal Orgasm While not done purposefully, some people experience nocturnal orgasms or “wet dreams.” • often accompanied by erotic dreams • more common among males than females (90% vs 40%) • most frequent for later adolescent males (3-11 per year), but in their 40’s for women (3-4 per year) • perhaps it is “acting out” during erotic dreams in sleep stages 3 or 4

Masturbation Despite all the guilt, fear, and anxiety that has historically surrounded masturbation, “self-stimulation” (or “self-abuse” ) is still: • most common form of sexual outlet for most people in our culture • usually the first form of “intentional” sexual outlet for most people

Popularity of Self-Stimulation Janus & Janus (1988-1992) 81% 72

Masturbation (con’t) As discussed previously, masturbation has been considered “sinful” and later, the cause of a variety of mental and physical problems (e.g., insanity, loss of memory, etc.). • it feels good • provides sexual release when partner is unavailable • provides intimate self-knowledge you can share with someone else • provides mutual stimulation with partner available Masturbation is still confronted with benign repulsion by some, even though many consider it to serve several functions:

Masturbation (con’t) • Male Techniques • Approximately 95% of all males have masturbated (and a common addition is that “the other 5% are lying.”). • usually stroke penis up-and-down while sitting, lying, or standing; may rub or squeeze scrotum • seldom use vibrators, but may employ erotic/pornographic magazines or feminine clothing (e.g., a fetish) • may last several minutes or as little as 30 sec. before ejaculation • typically slow-down or stop stimulation during orgasm

Masturbation (con’t) • Female Techniques • Approximately 65% of all females have masturbated The methods are more diverse than male methods. • typically lie down or sit and stroke clitoral shaft, glans, and general clitoral area • mostly use fingers or hand, but vibrators are used more frequently than by males (“Ben Wa” balls (one hollow, the other filled with mercury so that it vibrates) have been used for centuries in the Far East) • can have an orgasm as quickly as males • tend to continue stimulation during orgasm

Kissing and Oral Sex The lips and tongue are some of the most sensitive organs in the human body. A considerable area of the somatosensory cortex is devoted to sensations of the lips and tongue. While our culture views a passionate kiss as a sign of intimacy and sexual attraction, kissing is not a part of sexual interactions for many cultures. In those cultures, faces are often held close together, but more for olfactory stimulation.

Kissing and Oral Sex (con’t) Oral stimulation of the genitals occurs across a variety of species including humans. • more than 50% of all people have engaged in oral sex • cunnilingus • fellatio • analingus • sometimes used in foreplay and other times to bring a partner to orgasm

Kissing and Oral Sex (con’t) Danger: oral sex can be dangerous (and illegal) • it is wise to have both partners checked for STDs prior to engaging in oral sex • semen and vaginal lubrication are not harmful if swallowed, but small cuts or scrapes in the mouth or on the tongue can allow STDs to be transmitted during oral sex • it is illegal to engage in oral sex in some states (e.g., Ohio)

Foreplay and Coitus Foreplay - sexual behavior occurring before intercourse. • kissing, oral sex, touching, or massaging various parts of the body • in fact, any activity prior to coitus can be considered as foreplay • average duration of foreplay is approximately 12-15 minutes (women, however, prefer an average of about 17 minutes)

Foreplay and Coitus Most animals use the rear-entry position (i.e., doggy style). For humans, however, the “missionary” position may be the first one that comes to mind. • freedom of hands for touching your partner • freedom of pelvic movement • direct and indirect stimulation of various genital structures Vatsyayana wrote the Kama Sutra, identifying more than 100 coital positions. Coital positions can be compared on the basis of several characteristics:

Coital Positions face-to-face, man above • face-to-face, man above, • woman’s legs raised • face-to-face, man kneeling face-to-face, side-by-side face-to-face, woman above face-to-face, woman sitting above man

Coital Positions (con’t) face-to-face, both sitting face-to-face, both standing rear entry (doggy style) rear entry, “spoon” position

Coital Miscellany • Frequency of Coitus - the typical American couple has coitus 1-3/week in their early 20s. That frequency decreases to about once/week by age 45 and older • Simultaneous Orgasm - thought to be the ultimate in love making in the 60s-early 70s, simultaneous orgasm may not be the most mutually satisfying situation for both partners and may add undue anxiety to succeed

Sexual Response Cycle: Female According to Masters and Johnson, there are four phases in the sexual response cycle: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. • Excitement Phase • vasocongestion results in swelling of the clitoral shaft and glans, the labia minora, and the vaginal walls • swelling of those structures forces a clear fluid through the tissue of the vaginal wall -- vaginal lubrication

Sexual Response Cycle: Female (con’t) • Excitement Phase (con’t) • inner two-thirds of the vagina begin to lengthen and expand and the uterus elevates • labia majora flatten and move apart exposing the labia minora, clitoris, and vaginal opening • heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and muscle tension begin to increase and a “sex flush” may begin to appear (e.g., on face, neck, chest, etc.)

Sexual Response Cycle: Female (con’t) • Plateau Phase • outer third of vagina narrows and, with the swollen labia minora, form the orgasmic platform (grips the penis) • clitoris retracts under clitoral hood • myotonia begins (i.e., involuntary pelvic thrusting) and heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and muscle tension continue to increase • Orgasm Phase • may make noise (e.g., Oh God, oh God. Yes, yes.) • contractions of the orgasmic platform, uterus, and fallopian tubes occur at .8 sec. intervals

Sexual Response Cycle: Female (con’t) • Resolution Phase • without further stimulation, all systems return to preexcitement stages • continued stimulation may result in a return to the plateau phase

Sexual Response Cycle: Male • Excitement Phase • corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum become engorged with blood resulting in an erection • testes elevate • heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and muscle tension begin to increase and a “sex flush” may begin to appear (e.g., on face, neck, chest, etc.)

Sexual Response Cycle: Male (con’t) • Plateau Phase • testes enlarge by as much as 50% • few drops from Cowper’s gland may escape tip of penis • heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and muscle tension continue to increase • Orgasm Phase - There are two stages involved in the male orgasm: emission and ejaculation

Sexual Response Cycle: Male (con’t) • Stage 1 - Emission • sperm and fluid are expelled from vas deferens, seminal vesicles, and prostate gland into the base of the urethra causing the urethra to expand • Stage 2 - Ejaculation • internal sphincter between urethra and bladder contracts • external sphincter contracts propelling semen into and then out of the urethra • may make noises (e.g., “ugh”) • contractions occur 4-8 times at .8 sec. intervals

Sexual Response Cycle: Male (con’t) • Resolution Phase • all systems return to preexcitment levels • most men experience a refractory period during which time they cannot become aroused and start the cycle again • refractory period may range from 20-90 minutes (or longer) • “Coolidge Effect” may significantly reduce refractory period

Orgasms The nature of male and female orgasms has prompted considerable discussion and disagreement over the years. • Freud argued females had clitoral and vaginal orgasms: • vaginal orgasms - mature forms of orgasm indicating a psychologically healthy female • clitoral orgasms - considered “infantile” and suggested some unresolved conflict in the unconscious • Masters and Johnson suggested physiological measures of orgasms showed no difference in female orgasms, regardless of the focus of stimulation

Orgasms (con’t) Singer and Singer argued there are psychological differences that must be considered: • vulval orgasm -- contraction of orgasmic platform and no refractory period (clitoral stimulation) • uterine orgasm -- involuntary gasping of breath and breath-holding, then release at orgasm (vaginal stimulation) • blended orgasm -- felt as deeper than vulval orgasm and includes breath-holding and contraction of orgasmic platform (clitoral and vaginal stimulation)

Orgasms (con’t) Subjective differences in female orgasm have lead to questions of whether or not there are differences in subjective experiences between male and female orgasm. Vance and Wagner (1976) asked males and females to describe what an orgasm feels like. They removed any gender indicators from the descriptions and then asked other subjects to determine if the descriptions were written by males or females. Subjects were only accurate at a chance (i.e., 50%) level. Let’s see how you do:

Read each of the following descriptions of orgasms and try to identify whether the description was written by a male or by a female. I have attempted to eliminate any gender references (e.g., ...my erection), but have otherwise reproduced the descriptions verbatim. I will give you the correct answers when everyone has finished.

1. An orgasm is an intense outpouring of feelings and emotions that had been held back for what seemed like forever. It is sort of like water pressing against a dam that finally breaks through and can flow freely.

2. My orgasm feels like a tight sensation, in which everything is released. It’s sort of like relief, but I don’t want it to happen. I like the feeling right before everything is released, once it is released I know it’s over. It’s a strange feeling because the feeling before makes me work harder for that release, but I don’t really want that. The feeling before probably feels so tight because I’m holding my breath. I sort of experience the sensation that I have to urinate, but not quite that intense. After orgasm I want to be left alone for a while.

3. To experience an orgasm is a temporary escape from reality. For those brief moments, you lose all your frustrations, inhibitions, & fears. It puts you in our own little heaven where nobody or nothing can reach you. It is the climax to your sexual excitement and the release of your physical tension. It is one of the more pleasurable experiences that life holds.

4. For me an orgasm is more like a release of sexual tension and energy. It begins with a delicious friction which evolves into a turmoil within my body and mind. Then my body takes over completely, reaching for that elusive something. Then the tension breaks into a wave of sensation which ripples through my body. Immediately following that, there is a lazy peace within my body and mind, complemented by a warm exhaustion.

5. It is the release of built up sexual tension that is experienced from foreplay and a desire to be as close as you possibly can with another sexually driven person. Aftermath of a lengthy pleasing relationship. When your muscles become tense and rigid, and ending with a spasm of pure delight and relief that is beyond any verbal description. If God has something better than sex, He must be keeping it to Himself.

6. The feeling I get when having an orgasm is hard to describe. I feel tingly through my whole body. I can feel my muscles contracting. It is a great feeling, it makes me feel good & warm all over. The feeling is kind of numb & tingly, but in a good way.

7. It’s a release of tension, both physical and mental. Afterwards there’s a great, mellow relaxation yet also a sense of being energized.

8. It’s like a chain reaction. First I can feel my legs starting to shake then I become very hot and it happens. It’s a great feeling that you feel deep inside.

9. The slow build up is more exciting that the act itself. My muscles tighten & get tighter as I come closer. Then when I do cum, every muscle is flexed to the max. I become almost absent-minded thinking only of it. Then all my muscles relax & this is the best part. I use sex as a stress release & the relaxation part is the best. All my stress is gone.

Variations in Responses Not every sexual encounter is the same. It should come as no surprise that psychologists observe considerable variation in the sexual response cycle. Sometimes the pattern of sexual response is “textbook.” However, there are other times when the duration of the phases or their intensities will differ. Such variations are normal… even if orgasm does not occur.

Sexual Behavior: What People Do