Women's interest in visual sexual stimuli varies with menstrual cycle phase at first exposure and predicts later interest

Abstract

This study investigated whether women’s interest in visual sexual stimuli varied with their hormonal state. Viewing times of 30 women, 15 normal cycling (NC) and 15 oral contracepting (OC), to sexually explicit photos were measured at three different times. NC Women were tested during their menstrual, periovulatory, and luteal phases, and OC Women were tested at equivalent temporal intervals. Subjects viewed stimuli as long as desired, thus viewing time measured subject interest. Subjective ratings of stimulus sexual attractiveness were obtained on each test. There was no overall relationship between menstrual cycle phase and viewing time. However the participant’s menstrual cycle phase during first exposure to sexual stimuli predicted subsequent interest in sexual stimuli during the next two tests. NC Women who first viewed stimuli during their periovulatory phase looked longer at the sexual stimuli across all sessions than did women first tested in their luteal phase. OC Women first exposed to the sexual stimuli during menstruation looked longer at the stimuli across all sessions than did OC Women first exposed at other test phases. Neither current test phase nor initial cycle phase influenced subjective ratings. Women had increased interest in sexual stimuli across all sessions if first exposed to sexual stimuli when endogenous estrogens were most likely highest. These data suggest that women’s interest in visual sexual stimuli is modulated by hormones such that the hormonal condition at first exposure possibly determines the stimuli’s emotional valence, markedly affecting subsequent interest in sexual stimuli.

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

“…Women in the follicular phase also reported heightened levels of sexual arousal to erotic films. Similarly, Wallen and Rupp (2010) reported that women first tested in the follicular phase showed increased visual sexual interest in sexual stimuli in subsequent sessions compared to women first tested in their luteal phase.…”

“…Little research has been conducted to explore whether hormones affect sexual fantasies and the category-specificity of visual sexual interests of women across the cycle (Bullivant et al, 2004;Slob et al, 1996;Wallen & Rupp, 2010). Few studies have been conducted to investigate changes in both the frequency and content of women's sexual fantasies continuously across an entire menstrual cycle using an accurate measure of ovulation.…”

Gender-Specificity in Viewing Time Among Heterosexual Women

“…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. Bossio et al, 2014 Another limitation in interpretation concerns our findings on WHR.…”

“…Some studies have demonstrated that fertility status at first exposure to sexual stimuli has a significant effect on subsequent sexual responses to such stimuli Wallen & Rupp, 2010). Thus cycle 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.…”

Effects of sexuality on female eye: a review

“…Oral contraceptive users reveal a progressive increasing interest if first tested during menstruation (9). The number of fixations on the body has the same significant increase in males and females in case of erotic versus non erotic body images (10).…”