Conscious Regulation of Sexual Arousal in Men

Abstract

The goals of this study were to examine the effectiveness of emotional reappraisal in regulating male sexual arousal and to investigate a set of variables theoretically linked to sexual arousal regulation success. Participants first completed a series of online sexuality questionnaires. Subsequently, they were assessed for their success in regulating sexual arousal in the laboratory. Results showed that the ability to regulate emotion may cross emotional domains; those men best able to regulate sexual arousal were also the most skilled at regulating their level of amusement to humorous stimuli. Participants, on average, were somewhat able to regulate their physiological and cognitive sexual arousal, although there was a wide range of regulation success. Whereas some men were very adept at regulating their sexual arousal, others became more sexually aroused while trying to regulate. Age, sexual experience, and sexual compulsivity were unrelated to sexual arousal regulation. Conversely, sexual excitation, inhibition, and desire correlated with sexual arousal regulation success. Increased sexual excitation and desire were associated with poorer regulatory performance, whereas a propensity for sexual inhibition due to fear of performance consequences was related to regulatory success.

Notes

Note. SCS = Sexual Compulsivity Scale; SES = Sexual Excitation Scale; SIS2 = Sexual Inhibition Scale, due to fear of performance consequences; SDI–2 = Sexual Desire Inventory–2; DSD = dyadic sexual desire; DSFI = Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory.

Note. EE–PB = erotic experience–penile plethysmograph (PPG) peak-base millimeters circumference change; ER–PB = erotic regulate–PPG peak-base millimeters circumference change; EE–SRMA = erotic experience–self-reported maximum arousal; ER–SRSA = erotic regulate–self-reported maximum arousal; EE–SRME = erotic experience–self-reported maximum erection; ER–SRME = erotic regulate–self-reported maximum erection; HE–SRA = humourous experience–self-reported amusement; HR–SRA = humourous regulate–self-reported amusement.

Note. SAI–PB = sexual arousal regulation success index–penile plethysmograph peak-base; SAI–SRMA = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum arousal; SAI–SRME = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum erection; AMI–SRA = amusement regulation success index–self-reported amusement.

Note. EE–PB = erotic experience penile plethysmograph (PPG) peak-base millimeters circumference change; EE–SRMA = erotic experience–self-reported maximum arousal; EE–SRME = erotic experience–self-reported maximum erection.

*p < .001.

Note. ER–PB = erotic regulate–penile plethysmograph (PPG) peak-base millimeters circumference change; ER–SRMA = erotic regulate–self-reported maximum arousal; ER–SRME = erotic regulate–self-reported maximum erection.

p < .001.

Note. SAI–PB = sexual arousal regulation success index–penile plethysmograph peak-base; SAI–SRMA = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum arousal; SAI–SRME = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum erection; AMI–SRA = amusement regulation success index–self-reported amusement.

Note. SAI–PB = sexual arousal regulation success index–penile plethysmograph peak-base; SAI–SRMA = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum arousal; SAI–SRME = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum erection; AMI–SRA = amusement regulation success index–self-reported amusement; DSFI–SE = Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory–Sexual Experiences subtest; DSFI–SE60 = Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory–Sexual Experiences past 60 days; SDI–2 = Sexual Desire Inventory–2; DSD = dyadic sexual desire; SES = Sexual Excitation Scale; SIS2 = Sexual Inhibition Scale, due to fear of performance consequences; SCS = Sexual Compulsivity Scale.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. SAI–PB = sexual arousal regulation success index–penile plethysmograph peak-base; SAI–SRMA = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum arousal; SAI–SRME = sexual arousal regulation success index–self-reported maximum erection; SCS = Sexual Compulsivity Scale.

^a Zero-order correlation coefficients.

^b Partial correlation coefficients controlling for the effects of sexual desire and sexual excitation.