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Pictorial Cues and Sexual Desire: An Experimental Approach

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The cognitive processing of sexual and non-sexual pictorial stimuli was examined to see whether picture rating and recognition tasks have potential utility as a means of assessing levels of sexual desire. Previous research has revealed slower responding to sexual compared to neutral semantic cues in persons with lower self-reported sexual desire. The present study investigated whether sexual pictorial cues evoked a similarly slower responding in people reporting low sexual desire compared to other individuals. A total of 136 participants completed two self-report measures of sexual desire (the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire and the Sexual Desire Inventory) before carrying out tasks involving affective ratings and recognition memory for pictorial stimuli. Participants were classified into relatively low, average, and higher groups on the basis of their scores on the desire measures. The stimuli were selected from the International Affective Picture System, and the tasks included (1) rating the valence, arousal, and sense of dominance or control for each picture, (2) recognition of previously seen images, and (3) a second rating of pictures viewed earlier. Level of sexual desire did not influence responding in the male participants. Female participants with lower sexual desire rated sexual images less pleasant and less arousing than the other participants, and completed picture recognition tasks more quickly. Sexual desire levels significantly influenced the interest ratings women gave to sexual pictures. We also found sexual content induced delays. These delays were not significantly different among desire groups. The variation in responding linked to levels of sexual desire in women suggests that more investigation of this methodology in a clinically diagnosed population might contribute to an understanding of low desire, and help design interventions addressing distress due to lack of sexual desire.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This article describes one aspect of the first author's doctoral dissertation, which was supervised by the second author. The authors thank Rob Bakker for writing the program used for the study and express their gratitude to the reviewers whose constructive comments assisted in the revision of the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Helen M. Conaglen Ph.D.

  2. School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Ian M. Evans Ph.D.

  3. The Psychology Centre, P.O. Box 4423, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Helen M. Conaglen Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Helen M. Conaglen Ph.D.
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  2. Ian M. Evans Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen M. Conaglen Ph.D..

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

International Affective Picture System slides used in protocol were as follows:

High valence sexual slides.

  • First selection: 4510, Male nude; 4532, Man; 4535, Biceps; 4603, Couple; 4607, Couple; 4640, Couple; 4652, Couple; 4659, Couple; 4660, Couple; 4680, Nudes.

  • Second selection: 4533, Man; 4599, Couple; 4608, Couple; 4610, Couple; 4641, Couple; 4651, Couple; 4664, Couple; 4690, Nudes; 4700, Couple.

High valence non-sexual slides.

  • First selection: 1999, Disney; 4150, Skater; 5260, Water falls; 5480, Fireworks; 8034, 8180, Cliff divers; 8190, Skiers; 8370, Rafting; 8500, Gold.

  • Second selection: 1463, Kittens; 1710, Puppies; 5450, Space shuttle; 5470, Astronaut; 5700, Mountains; 7410, M & Ms; 8080, Sailing; 8120, Tennis player; 8170, Sail boat; 8501.

Neutral slides.

  • First selection: 2840, Chess; 7002, Towel; 7050, Hair dryer; 7233, Plate; 7235, Chair.

  • Second selection: 5510, Mushroom; 6150, Outlet; 7009, Mug; 7034, Hammer; 7035, Mug; 9070, Boy.

Low valence slides.

  • First selection: 3000, Mutilation; 3053, Burn victim; 3060, Mangled face; 3080, Mangled face; 3120, Body; 9040, Child.

  • Second selection: 3102, Burn victim; 3130, Body; 3170, Baby with tumor; 3350, Infant; 9410, Soldier; 9570, Dog.

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Conaglen, H.M., Evans, I.M. Pictorial Cues and Sexual Desire: An Experimental Approach. Arch Sex Behav 35, 197–212 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-005-9000-8

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