Sexual Fantasies and Viewing Times Across the Menstrual Cycle: A Diary Study

Dawson, Samantha J.; Suschinsky, Kelly D.; Lalumière, Martin L.

doi:10.1007/s10508-012-9939-1

Cited by 49 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…This is especially true given that women experience greater variability in hormone levels than do men, and women's sexuality appears to be sensitive to these fluctuations across the menstrual cycle [for a review, see 97] and to oral contraceptive use [for a review, see [98]. Prospective studies of naturally-cycling women's sexual desire, as measured by sexual fantasies and sexual thoughts recorded daily across entire menstrual cycles, show marked increases during ovulation [e.g., 46,47,99,100], suggesting a greater sensitivity to sexual cues at midcycle. Unfortunately, there are very few equivalent studies examining fluctuation in men's sensitivity to sexual incentives over time.…”

Section: Sexual Desire Across Timementioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences and Similarities in Sexual Desire

Dawson

Chivers

2014

Curr Sex Health Rep

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Sexual desire can be operationalized as the motivation to seek out solitary or partnered sexual experiences. A large body of evidence suggests that men experience sexual desire more strongly and more frequently than do women; however, it is not clear whether sexual desire is truly gendered or if gender differences are influenced by how sexual desire is operationalized and assessed. Moreover, little research has examined similarities and differences in trait versus state sexual desire in women and men. Recent changes to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) reflect the movement away from situating desire as the onset of the traditional linear model to framing desire as a state emerging from sexual excitement. We examine evidence for gender differences and similarities in trait and state sexual desire in both clinical and nonclinical populations. We conclude that sexual desire emerges similarly in women and men and that other factors may influence the observed gender difference in sexual desire. We then discuss the implications of conceptualizing desire as responsive for sexual medicine practitioners.

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Section: Sexual Desire Across Timementioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences and Similarities in Sexual Desire

Dawson

Chivers

2014

Curr Sex Health Rep

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“…Bullivant et al, 2004 cf. Dawson, Suschinsky, & Lalumière, 2012). Some studies also indicate that menstrual phase during the initial exposure to sexual stimuli may have a stronger effect on women's sexual responses than the actual cycle phase at the time of testing but other studies do not (e.g., Suschinsky et al, 2014;Wallen & Rupp, 2010cf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Specificity in Viewing Time Among Heterosexual Women

Rahman

Zheng

2016

Arch Sex Behav

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Measures of sexual interest tend to be more gender-specific in heterosexual men than in heterosexual women. Cognitive measures, such as viewing time to attractive stimuli, may also show similar patterns of gender-specificity or non-specificity among men and women, and thus serve as useful adjuncts to more direct measures of sexual interest. The objectives of the present research were to determine the extent of gender-specificity in women's viewing times for female pictures (varying in their perceived physical attractiveness) and explore the influence of social comparison of physical appearance on these patterns of responses. In Study 1, we recorded only women's viewing times for pictures of both genders, measured self-reported menstrual cycle phase, and manipulated the waist-to-hip ratio of the women in the female pictures. In Study 2, we recorded women's and men's viewing times, self-reported sexual attraction to pictures of males and females, and physical appearance social comparison.Study 1 found that heterosexual women's viewing time towards female pictures was not associated with manipulation of the perceived attractiveness of those pictures. Study 2 found that heterosexual men were more gender-specific than heterosexual women in their viewing time patterns. We also found that reported sexual attraction and physical appearance social comparison were associated with heterosexual women's viewing times for female pictures, while heterosexual men's viewing times were associated with sexual attraction only. Our results are discussed in relation to the utility of viewing time as an indicator of visual attention towards attractive or sexually appealing visual stimuli.

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“…Baumeister [74] noted that there is greater flexibility among androphilic women's sexuality compared with men's. Studies consistently find significant variability in the gender of the sexual target reported in the sexual fantasies [75,76] and sexual experiences [63,77] of androphilic women, despite these women reporting predominant or exclusive sexual attractions to men. Together, these findings add credence to the idea that preferred and nonpreferred targets may hold incentive value for androphilic women; this, coupled with concomitant arousal, would result in activation of the motivational system, leading to nonspecific patterns of sexual desire.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Specificity of Solitary and Dyadic Sexual Desire among Gynephilic and Androphilic Women and Men

Dawson¹,

Chivers²

2014

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

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Introduction Incentive motivation theory proposes that sexual desire emerges from sexual arousal, and is triggered by sexually competent stimuli. Research demonstrates gender and sexual orientation differences in the features that contribute to the competency of sexual stimuli. Men's and gynephilic women's genital arousal tends to be gender-specific with preferred gender eliciting significantly greater genital arousal than nonpreferred gender. In contrast, stimuli depicting preferred and nonpreferred gender elicit similar degrees of genital arousal among androphilic women, termed a gender-nonspecific pattern. Given these differences in the features that elicit a sexual response, and that sexual desire is proposed to emerge from sexual arousal, the question remains as to whether sexual desire would emerge only through exposure to preferred stimuli or whether patterns of responsive desire would parallel those observed for genital arousal. Aim The study aims to examine patterns of dyadic and solitary sexual desire in response to stimuli differing in incentive value. Methods Thirty androphilic women, 21 gynephilic women, 21 gynephilic men, and 16 androphilic men participated in a sexual psychophysiological session. Participants viewed sexual stimuli that varied the gender of the actors and the intensity of sexual activities depicted. Main Outcome Measures Participants reported their degree of desire for sex with a partner (dyadic desire) and desire to masturbate (solitary desire), before and after each film. Results Men and gynephilic women exhibited gender-specific patterns of sexual desire. Androphilic women's dyadic desire showed significantly less differentiation between genders, and their solitary desire did not differentiate at all. No gender difference was observed for either type of desire. All groups reported greater desire as stimulus intensity increased. Conclusions Gender-nonspecific sexual response is not limited to the sexual arousal patterns of androphilic women, but extends to include responsive sexual desire. Men and gynephilic women, however, show gender-specific responsive sexual desire that parallels their sexual arousal patterns.

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Sexual Fantasies and Viewing Times Across the Menstrual Cycle: A Diary Study

Cited by 49 publications

References 42 publications

Gender Differences and Similarities in Sexual Desire

Gender Differences and Similarities in Sexual Desire

Gender-Specificity in Viewing Time Among Heterosexual Women

Gender-Specificity of Solitary and Dyadic Sexual Desire among Gynephilic and Androphilic Women and Men

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