Expectancies, alcohol, and sexual arousal in male social drinkers.

Randomly assigned 40 undergraduate males, all social drinkers, to 1 of 2 expectation conditions in which they were led to believe that the beverage they were administered contained either vodka and tonic or tonic only. For half of the Ss in each expectation condition, the beverage contained vodka; the others drank only tonic. After their drinks, measures of penile tumescence were taken from Ss using a penile strain gauge during 2 erotic films, 1 depicting a heterosexual interaction, the other a male homosexual interaction. Although analyses of variance failed to reveal any effect of alcohol per se, there were significant effects of expectation on penile tumescence during both the heterosexual and homosexual films. Ss who believed that they had consumed an alcoholic beverage manifested significantly greater sexual arousal than those believing they had consumed a nonalcoholic beverage, regardless of the contents of their drinks. Although no consistent effects were observed on additional measures of sexual arousal, including the TAT, the Word Association Test, and forehead skin temperature, there was a significant positive correlation between self-report measures of sexual arousal and penile tumescence. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of alcohol and expectancy set on male sexual arousal.

Assigned 48 undergraduate males to 8 experimental groups. The 6 Ss within each group received 1 of 4 dose levels (.08, .4, .8, or 1.2 g/kg body weight) of beverage alcohol and 1 of 2 different sets of expectancy instructions regarding sexual arousal. Changes in penile tumescence, in response to an erotic film, were measured physiologically by a mercury-in-rubber strain gauge. Muscle tension levels were also monitored during the film viewing. The following adjunctive measures of sexual arousal were also employed: (a) sexual imagery, (b) the subjective report of arousal, and (c) the estimation of the extent of penile erection. Alcohol significantly reduced the levels of penile tumescence (negative linear relation). The expectancy instructions regarding alcohol's effect did not significantly influence the penile response. Sexual imagery was negatively correlated with penile tumescence, whereas the subjective reports of sexual arousal and the estimations of penile erection were positively correlated with the physiological measure of sexual arousal. Muscle tension levels were not significantly influenced by alcohol or the expectancy set; neither was muscle tension correlated with penile tumescence. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual arousal to erotic and aggressive stimuli in sexually coercive and noncoercive men.

Sexual arousal to erotic stimuli depicting various levels of force were examined among college men. Study 1 used phallometric indices to measure penile circumferential change during combined audiotape and slide presentations varying in degree of force. The results indicated that the sexually coercive group exhibited more penile tumescence than controls to scenes involving verbal pressure and verbal threats. Analyses across time blocks suggested that control participants inhibited sexual arousal with the introduction of force cues but that the sexually coercive group did not. Study 2 was a replication of Study 1 without slides. Both groups showed increases in penile tumescence in response to the consent scenario. Only the sexually coercive men demonstrated significant tumescence in response to force scenarios. The results indicated that the sexually coercive males had a lower threshold for arousal to sexual cues and did not inhibit sexual arousal when force cues were introduced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol, expectations, and sexual arousal in males: an information processing analysis

Using a balanced placebo drink administration procedure, 48 undergraduate male social drinkers were presented with erotic and nonerotic stimuli after completing the Mosher Forced-Choice Guilt Scale. Selective attention and recognition memory were measured in both visual and auditory modalities; penile tumescence was recorded continuously in reponse to auditory stimuli. The belief that alcohol had been consumed increased penile tumescence to both heterosexual and homosexual stimuli, but only in Ss high in sex guilt. Mild intoxication itself had no effect. Alcohol impaired memory for visual stimuli, while the belief that alcohol had been drunk facilitated memory for stimuli in the auditory modality. Correlational analysis did not support the hypothesis that alcohol expectation's impact on sexual responsiveness is mediated directly through its influence on selective attention and memory processes. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of alcohol and cognitive set on sexual arousal to deviant stimuli.

48 undergraduate male social drinkers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 expectancy set conditions in which they were led to believe that the beverage they were administered contained alcohol or no alcohol. For half of the Ss in each expectancy condition, the beverage was an alcoholic malt liquor; the others drank a nonalcoholic malt beverage. After their drinks, changes in penile tumescence (PT) in response to normal and deviant tape recordings and to self-generated fantasy were measured physiologically by a mercury-in-rubber strain gauge. The cognitive set (expectancy) significantly increased PT in response to the various erotic recordings. Alcohol did not significantly influence levels of sexual arousal. Ss who believed they had consumed an alcoholic beverage evidenced significantly more arousal to the forcible rape recording and to the sadistic stimuli than Ss who believed that they had consumed a nonalcoholic beverage, regardless of the actual contents of the beverage. The cognitive set, as well as the alcohol, significantly influenced heart rate, skin temperature, and subjective reports of sexual arousal. Self-report measures of sexual arousal were positively correlated with PT. Mosher Forced-Choice Guilt Inventory scores were not significantly correlated with PT, although the Sex Guilt subscore was negatively correlated with the subjective measure of sexual arousal for the heterosexual intercourse and forcible rape tapes. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual arousal to rape depictions: Individual differences.

145 male undergraduates participated (a) in an orientation session in which personality variables, sexual motivations, sexual experience, and self-reported likelihood of raping were assessed and (b) in a laboratory session in which they listened to 1 of 8 audiotaped depictions of an interaction involving sexual acts between a man and a woman. The content of these depictions was systematically manipulated along the dimensions of consent, pain, and outcome. Later in the 2nd session, Ss listened to a 2nd audiotaped portrayal of either nonconsenting or consenting sex. Their sexual arousal was assessed throughout this 2nd session by penile tumescence and self-reports. Results highlight the importance of the interaction between individual differences variables and manipulations in the content of the portrayals in affecting sexual arousal to rape depictions. Support was obtained for the prediction that such arousal is not an isolated response but is associated with other measures of sexually aggressive tendencies. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity monitoring in young potent volunteers: reproducibility, evaluation criteria and the effect of sexual intercourse

PURPOSE: We studied the reproducibility of nocturnal penile tumescence, rigidity evaluation criteria and the possible effects of sexual intercourse in young, healthy, potent male volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 12 male medical students 21 to 24 years old into the study. A disorder-free medical history, availability of a sexual partner and normal erectile function were the inclusion criteria. All subjects completed 3 sessions of 3 nights of recording using the RigiScan* device with at least a 3-day interval between recordings. During the last 3-night recording subjects were asked to have sexual intercourse at least once. Analysis of the recordings was focused on the best erectile event as well as on rigidity and tumescence activity units normalized per hour. RESULTS: The subjects completed 36, 3-night recordings. Of the total of 108 sessions 18 occurred after sexual intercourse. We analyzed 562 erectile episodes. All 3-night recordings included at least 1 episode of rigidity at the penile tip greater than 60% and more than 10 minutes in duration. Sexual intercourse did not significantly affect nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity. When rigidity and tumescence activity unit values were normalized by the hour and expressed as mean values of the 3-night sessions, documented values became reproducible. CONCLUSIONS: At least 2 consecutive nights of recording are necessary to evaluate nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity recordings. Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity with at least 1 erectile episode of tip penile rigidity greater than 60% and 10 minutes in duration may be associated with potency. Mean rigidity and tumescence activity unit values per hour of a recording may be used as objective parameters to measure overall erectile activity. In addition, sexual intercourse seems to decrease nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity measurements, although not statistically significant. We anticipate that application of these criteria for nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity evaluation will improve the diagnostic validity of the test. Future research will determine whether these criteria are too strict for the evaluation of aging men.     

Effects of alcohol on sexual arousal in women.

During weekly experimental sessions each of 16 university females received in counterbalanced order 4 doses of beverage alcohol prior to viewing a control film and an erotic film. Half of the Ss were instructed beforehand that alcohol would increase their degree of sexual arousal in response to the erotic film; the other half were told that alcohol would decrease their sexual arousal. Measures of vaginal pressure pulse obtained by means of a vaginal photoplethysmograph showed a significant negative linear relation with alcohol doses. A significant Sessions * Instructional Set interaction indicated that Ss in the increase-set condition experienced less sexual arousal. This result is attributed to performance pressure induced by the demand characteristics of the instructional set. Additional measures of sexual arousal, including TAT responses and self-report, showed no differences. With increasing levels of intoxication, however, a greater proportion of Ss reported enhanced sexual arousal. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of penile tumescence measurement in the behavioral treatment of sexual deviation: Issues of validity.

G. M. Farkas (see record 1979-26637-001) raised 3 specific issues concerning the validity of penile tumescence assessment of sexual arousal in the laboratory. Some of these issues were addressed in the present authors' (see record 1978-01511-001) original case study, and this reply to Farkas is intended to place the issues of validity in a broader perspective. While acknowledging the limitations of the erection measure, the authors see an important place for it in both the assessment and treatment of sexual disorders. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol and human sexuality: Review and integration.

Summarizes physiological findings and reviews the psychological experimental literature investigating the relationship between alcohol and human sexuality. Specifically, the authors attempt to reconcile the apparent contradictions found in the effects of alcohol on male and female sexual responding. The review concludes (a) that alcohol disinhibits psychological sexual arousal and suppresses physiological responding, the former effect being stronger at lower doses of alcohol and the latter effect at higher doses; (b) that although suppression is strictly pharmacological in nature, disinhibition appears to be both pharmacological (the result of cognitive impairment) and psychological (the result of socially learned expectancies); and (c) that expectancies and cognitive impairment can disinhibit separately or jointly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subjective versus objective measurements of deviant sexual arousal in clinical evaluations of alleged child molesters.

Psychological assessments of sex offenders involve evaluating deviant sexual arousal. We evaluated 24 male alleged child molesters and 23 normal control subjects, comparing self-reports of sexual interest with physiological responses during penile plethysmography. Alleged child molesters reported more subjective arousal to children than did normals; subjective and objective measurements were significantly correlated for alleged child molesters' response to children and normals' response to adults; alleged nonincestuous offenders had significantly higher subjective response to pictures of children than did alleged incestuous offenders; and both alleged child molesters and normals reported sexual arousal despite showing no penile responses, and repulsion despite showing significant penile responses. Results suggest that self-reports of deviant arousal in conjunction with penile plethysmography can help in differentiating pedophiles from normals and can provide critical information for clearer, more comprehensive assessments of deviant sexual arousal and denial of deviant sexual arousal than that obtainable from plethysmography alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual arousal in response to aggression: Ideological, aggressive, and sexual correlates.

In Exp I, 37 male and 42 female undergraduates reported more sexual arousal in response to nonaggressive than to aggressive depictions when the portrayals were sexually explicit, but the opposite occurred when the portrayals were nonsexual. In Exp II, 367 males were classified into no arousal, moderate arousal, or high arousal from force (AFF) groups on the basis of self-reports. To evaluate the veridicality of this classification, 118 Ss' penile tumescence in response to various depictions was assessed. Findings generally replicate those of the Exp I and confirm the accuracy of the AFF classification. The no- and the moderate-AFF Ss were less sexually aroused by aggressive than by nonaggressive portrayals, but the opposite was found for the high-AFF group. Strong differences between AFF groups were found on ideological factors, including acceptance of violence against and dominance over women, acceptance of nonsexual aggression, and Ss' beliefs that they might actually use force against women. In contrast, differences were not found on sexuality factors. Implications for theories on the causes of rape are discussed. (64 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol, sexual arousal, and self-control.

Investigated the effects of alcohol on self-regulation using delay of gratification for viewing time for an erotic film as the primary dependent measure. Other measures included reflection–impulsivity, locus of control, sexual-guilt scores, and continuous recording of Ss' penile tumescence. Using a balanced placebo design with 50 undergraduate men, Ss were led to believe that they had consumed an alcoholic or a nonalcoholic beverage, and half of each of these 2 groups received either alcohol or tonic water. In addition, the effects of 3 doses of alcohol (placebo, low dose, high dose) were investigated. Instructional set, regardless of drink content, resulted in longer delay times and increased thoughts with sexual content. Although there was no significant relation between increasing dose of alcohol and delay time, there was an interaction between scores on Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale and alcohol dose. Externalizers showed an inverse linear relation between increasing dose of alcohol and delay time. Internalizers showed the opposite trend. Results support other research showing that expectations about drinking can be more potent predictors of behavior than the pharmacological impact of alcohol. Implications for the self-regulation of sexual behavior under the influence of alcohol are discussed. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

EEG hemispheric asymmetry during sexual arousal: Psychophysiological patterns in responsive, unresponsive, and dysfunctional men.

Investigated patterns of EEG hemispheric asymmetry and penile tumescence in 12 sexually functional and 6 dysfunctional men. All Ss were aged 31–60 yrs. Six sexually functional Ss were responsive and 6 were unresponsive to laboratory presentations of erotic stimuli. Each S was exposed to a counterbalanced sequence of visual and auditory conditions over 2 sessions of testing. Response measures included bilateral temporal and occipital EEG amplitude integrated over 5-sec epochs, strain gauge measures of penile tumescence, and subjective estimates of arousal. Analysis of the hemispheric laterality results indicated a pattern of right-temporal activation in association with maximum tumescence responses in the high-normal Ss. In contrast, the dysfunctional Ss showed moderate tumescence in response to the visual erotic stimuli but greater right-hemisphere activation in response to the auditory erotic stimuli. These psychophysiological patterns are consistent with the literature on cerebral asymmetry and affective arousal. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectancies, alcohol, and sexual arousal in women.

A total of 40 university female volunteers, all social drinkers aged 18–35 yrs, were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 expectancy conditions in which they were led to believe that the beverage they were administered contained either vodka and tonic or tonic only. For half the Ss in each expectancy condition, the beverage actually contained vodka; for the other half, tonic only. After their drinks, measures of vaginal pressure pulse obtained with a vaginal photoplethysmograph were recorded during a nonerotic control film and 2 erotic films depicting a heterosexual or a homosexual interaction. The 2 groups that received alcohol, regardless of whether they believed that their drinks contained alcohol, showed significantly reduced sexual arousal during both erotic films. No effects of expectancy or an interaction between alcohol and expectancy were obtained. Ss' subjective estimates of intoxication were significantly correlated with their self-report of sexual arousal during both erotic films. The differences between these results and previous findings using similar procedures with male social drinkers are discussed. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI and MIT discriminators of biogenic and psychogenic impotence.

Administered the Male Impotence Test (MIT) and the MMPI to 32 17-67 yr old male patients complaining of impotence. Subsequently, the tumescence of these patients was recorded for 1-3 nights. An attempt was made to evaluate the predictive validity of the MIT and the MMPI in discriminating between those who produced normal penile tumescence during sleep and those who did not. Normal nocturnal tumescence was taken to indicate the physiological capacity for achieving arousal and hence was suggestive of psychogenic impotence. Results suggest that the MIT is without value for differentiating between psychogenic and biogenic impotence, whereas 2 rules from the MMPI (Mf scale scores above 60 and one or more scales above a T score of 70) appropriately classified 90% of the cases. The samples of biogenic and psychogenic impotence did not differ, however, in degree or pathology nor was there any specific profile related to either condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol and erectile response: The effects of high dosage in the context of demands to maximize sexual arousal.

Although drinking often precedes men's sexual activity, basic questions about alcohol's effects on men's sexual arousal remain unanswered. Inconsistencies in findings from studies examining subjective and physiological effects on erectile functioning suggest these effects are context specific, for example, dependent on whether a man wants to maximize or suppress his arousal. To address unresolved questions about alcohol and erectile functioning, the authors evaluated the effects of high blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and arousal instructional demands on indices of penile circumference change and self-reported sexual arousal. In Study 1, a target BAC of .10% (vs. .00%) attenuated peak circumference change from a neutral baseline but did not affect mean change, latency to arousal onset (a 5% increase in circumference from baseline), latency to peak achieved arousal, or subjective arousal, which correlated moderately with physiological indices. In Study 2, instructions to maximize (vs. suppress) arousal increased peak and mean circumference change and interacted with a target BAC of .08% (vs. .00%) to influence latency to arousal onset. Sober men instructed to maximize showed a shorter latency to arousal onset than did those instructed to suppress arousal; however, intoxicated men did not show a differential pattern. Moreover, compared with intoxicated counterparts, sober men instructed to maximize arousal showed a marginally shorter latency to arousal onset. Overall, alcohol and arousal instructions had small but discernible effects. Findings highlight the importance of contextual factors in alcohol's impact on erectile functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)