Habituation and dishabituation of female sexual arousal

Abstract

Measures of subjective and physiological sexual arousal were taken within a session while women either viewed the same segment of erotic film on many occasions or employed the same sexual fantasy over a number of trials. For both film and fantasy there were significant reductions in subjective sexual arousal and average pulse amplitude during the course of repeated erotic stimulation. Subsequent presentation of novel erotic stimuli led to recovery in sexual arousal. Bases for habituation and dishabituation of female sexual arousal are discussed. © 1990.