Abstract
Three experiments assessing sexual arousal to erotic stimulation at several phases within the menstrual cycle are reported. Cross-sectional as well as longitudinal comparisons indicated that the subjective sexual arousal elicited during fantasy depicting specific themes was stable across the menstrual cycle. Measures of physiological sexual arousal recorded during film episodes and during fantasy demonstrated only minor variation over the course of the cycle. In addition, processes that are known to mediate sexual arousal (such as mood state, recent sexual experience, vividness of imagery during fantasy, distaste experienced during erotic stimulation) remained constant across the cycle. Results from the three experiments provide no support for the claim that female sexual response varies systematically across the menstrual cycle.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antill, J. K., and Russell, G. (1980). A preliminary comparison of two forms of the Bem Sex Role Inventory.Aust. Psychol. 15: 427–435.
Benedek, T., and Rubenstein, B. (1939). The correlations between ovarian activity and psychodynamic processes. I. The ovulative phase.Psychosom. Med. 1: 245–270.
Benedek, T., and Rubenstein, B. (1939). The correlations between ovarian activity and psychodynamic processes. I. The ovulative phase.Psychosom. Med. 1: 245–270.
Bentler, P. M. (1968). Heterosexual behavior assessment. 1. Females.Behav. Res. Ther. 6: 27–30.
Gold, A. R., and Adams, D. B. (1981). Motivational factors affecting fluctuations of female sexual activity at menstruation.Psychol. Women Quart. 5: 670–680.
Harvey, S. M. (1987). Female sexual behavior: Fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.J. Psychosom. Res. 31: 101–110.
Hatch, J. P. (1979). Vaginal photoplethysmography: Methodological considerations.Arch. Sex. Behav. 8: 357–374.
Heiman, J. R. (1977). A psychophysiological exploration of sexual arousal patterns in females and males.Psychophysiology 14: 266–274.
Hertz, D. G., and Jensen, M. R. (1975). Menstrual dreams and psychodynamics: Emotional conflict and manifest dream content in menstruating women.Br. J. Med. Psychol. 48: 175–183.
Hoon, P. W. (1979). The assessment of sexual arousal in women. In Herson, M., Eisler, R. M., and Miller, P. M. (eds.),Progress in Behavior Modification, Vol. 7, Academic Press, New York, pp. 1–61.
Hoon, P. W., Bruce, K., and Kinchloe, B. (1982). Does the menstrual cycle play a role in sexual arousal?Psychophysiology 19: 21–26.
Hoon, P. W., Murphy, W. D., Laughter, J. S., and Abel, G. E. (1984). Infrared vaginal photoplethysmography: Construction, calibration, and sources of artifact.Behav. Assess. 6: 141–152.
Julien, E., and Over, R. (1988). Male sexual arousal across five modes of erotic stimulation.Arch. Sex. Behav. 17: 131–143.
Mansfield, P. K., Hood, K. E., and Henderson, J. (1989). Women and their husbands: Mood and arousal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle and days of the week.Psychosom. Med. 51: 66–80.
Matteo, S., and Rissman, E. F. (1984). Increased sexual behavior during the midcycle portion of the human menstrual cycle.Horm. Behav. 18: 249–255.
Meuwissen, I. (1990). Fantasy-induced sexual arousal across the menstrual cycle. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
Meuwissen, I., and Over, R. (1991). Multidimensionality of the content of female sexual fantasy.Behav. Res. Ther. 29: 179–189.
Morrell, M. J., Dixen, J. M., Carter, S., and Davidson, J. M. (1984). The influence of age and cycling status on sexual arousability in women.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 148: 66–71.
Rosen, R. C., and Beck, J. G. (1988).Patterns of Sexual Arousal: Psychophysiological Processes and Clinical Applications, Guilford, New York.
Schreiner-Engel, P. (1979). Female sexual arousability: Its relation to gonadal hormones and the menstrual cycle. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, New York University.
Schreiner-Engel, P., Schiavi, R. C., Smith, H., and White, D. (1981). Sexual arousability and the menstrual cycle.Psychosom. Med. 43: 199–214.
Shultz, K. J., and Koulack, D. (1980). Dream affect and the menstrual cycle.J. Nerv. Mental Diseases 168: 436–438.
Stevens, D. P., and Truss, C. V. (1985). Stability and change in adult personality over 12 and 20 years.Dev. Psychol. 21: 568–584.
Warner, P., and Bancroft, J. (1988). Mood, sexuality, oral contraceptives and the menstrual cycle.J. Psychosom. Med. 32: 417–427.
Wincze, J. P., Venditti, E., Barlow, D., and Mavissakalian, M. (1980). The effects of a subjective monitoring task in the physiological measure of genital response to erotic stimulation.Arch. Sex. Behav. 9: 533–545.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meuwissen, I., Over, R. Sexual arousal across phases of the human menstrual cycle. Arch Sex Behav 21, 101–119 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542588
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542588