Sexual arousal
"Turn on" redirects here. For the very shortlived late 1960s TV series, see Turn-On.Sexual arousal is the process and state of an animal being ready for
sexual activity.
Unlike most other animals,
human beings of both sexes are potentially capable of sexual arousal throughout the year, therefore, there is no human
mating season. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are colloquially known as
turn-ons. Turn-ons may be physical, mental, or
sexual fetish in nature. Given the right stimulation, sexual arousal in humans will typically end in an
orgasm, but may be pursued for its own sake, even in the absence of an orgasm.
Causes of human sexual arousal
See also: Sexual attractionIncludes, but is not limited to:* Natural feelings of desire
* The
physical attractiveness,
eye contact,
smell,
warmth, and
touch of a (potential)
sexual partner* Sexual
foreplay* Erotic
thoughts,
fantasies or
dreams
* Presence of
fetished objects
*
Pornography*
Erotica*
Sex in advertising*
Masturbation*
Sexual roleplaying*
Voyeurism*
Exhibitionism, particularly being
flashed an otherwise
taboo part of the body, such as the
breasts,
buttocks or
genitalia â€" arousal in this case most often happens when a
woman flashes a person or group of people of the opposite (or, in the case of
lesbian viewers, sometimes the same)
sex. Evidence of the popular extent of this arousal is evident in the popularity in
Western society of the
Girls Gone Wild enterprise and similar products.
*
TeledildonicsSigns of possible human sexual arousal
*
Female sexual arousal:**Increase in
breast size
**
Vaginal lubrication**Vasocongestion of the
vaginal walls
**
Clitoral tumescence and
erection**More visible
venous patterns across the breasts
**Elevation of the
uterus and stretching of the
vagina**Change in shape, color and size of the
labia majora and
labia minora*
Male sexual arousal:**
Penile tumescence and
erection (usually the most prominent and reliable sign of sexual arousal in males; however,
adolescent males experience frequent 'non-sexual' erections stemming from their high level of
testosterone.)
**Retraction and tightening of the
foreskin if present, often exposing the
glans penis if not normally exposed (
though this is not always the case)
**Emission of
pre-ejaculatory fluid**Swelling of the
testes**Ascension of the
testes**Tensing and thickening of the
scrotum*
In either sex:**Increase in
breathing rate**Increase in
blood pressure**Increase in muscle tone (
myotonia)
**Increase in heart rate (
tachycardia)
**
Vasocongestion of the
skin ("
sex flush")
**Slight or extreme dilation of the
pupils (though especially so with females)
**
Erection of the
nipples (especially upon direct stimulation)
Human sexual response cycle
During the
1950s and
1960s,
William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson conducted many important studies within the field of
human sexuality. In
1966, the two released a book,
Human Sexual Response, detailing four stages of physiological changes in humans during sexual stimulation. These phases, in order of their occurrence, are excitement, plateau, orgasmic, and resolution.
See human sexual response cycle.
Genital procedures and sexual arousal
Scientific data shows that
male circumcision may cause neurological changes in the human
brain, which is suggested to lower sexual excitability (Mackey, 1997), due to decreased sensitivity (as a result of
keratinization of the surface of the
glans penis). This is contested [
1] Another study suggested that arousal of a circumcised male's female partner is also impacted. [
2].
It is not completely understood how other animals relate sexually, but current research studies suggest that animals, like humans, enjoy sexual relations. This is especially noted in
dogs,
dolphins, and
bonobos.
*
Sexual attraction*
Sexual desire*
Sexual frustration*
Sexual arousal disorder*
Persistent sexual arousal syndrome*
Impotence*
Frigidity*
Human sexuality*
Kinsey report*
Sexual orientation*
Hypersexuality*
sexual intercourse
