SEXUAL REVOLUTION: CREATING NATION SEX 1

The Sexual Revolution: Created a Nation Obsessed with Sex

Niyah Knight

Brooklyn College

Author Note

PSYC 1000: Introduction to Psychology, section EC1A, taught by Professor Jack Giamanco

MA, MS
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Abstract

This paper will explore the physiological phenomena during sex and if it holds to be proven

about all creatures. Sigmund Freud (Freud) invented psychosexual development, which

believe that from birth humans experience sexual energy going through five stages in their life.

This theory could have inspired the two researchers between the late 1950s and early 1960s,

William H. Masters and his partner, Virginia E. Johnson (Masters and Johnson). Masters and

Johnson deeply investigated the physiological changes a male and female experience during

sex and how long does each change last. With all the data they collected, Masters and Johnson

formulated the Human Sexual Response that records the stages of sex that humans do

countless times. After, Masters and Johnson released their outstanding book that discuss the

stages of sex, they faced many oppositions. One person who opposed them, was Shere Hite

(Hite). Hite counterattack Masters and Johnson work with her book, The Hite Report.

Keywords: Psychosexuality, Human Sexual Response, William Masters, Virginia

Johnson, Shere Hite, Sigmund Freud

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The Sexual Revolution: Created a Nation Obsessed with Sex

For a very long time in American history, sex was considered a taboo subject to discuss

with people, even with your significant other. Sex could be defined as the joining of the sperm

and egg. However in this context, sex is not just a means for a female to get pregnant, but a way

for both parties to get pleasured. Sex was an uncharted territory in people's lives. Until, William

Masters and Virginia Johnson seized the roles of Meriwether and Lewis and went on an

expedition on understanding the physiological changes humans undergo during sex and how long

it lasts. Sigmund Freud indirectly helped Masters and Johnson start the sexual revolution in their

era that would still affect people and their sex lives to this day. Despite of all the data Masters

and Johnson collected, some may believe there was are some faults in the information they wrote

about in their book, Human Sexual Response1. The following questions will answer the gray

areas in Masters and Johnson's work:

1. What is Psychosexuality and how does it impact Masters and Johnsons work?

2. Does Masters and Johnsons method work for all mammals?

3. Does Hites work highlight the flaws in the Human sexual response that actual prove that

this method need to be revised?

4. Can the Human Sexual Response model still work today and if so, how?

1
Human Sexual Response is a four phase model that contains, excitement, plateau, orgasmic,
resolution and refractory phase for men. The model explains the physiological changed the body
undergoes during sexual interactions. In addition, Masters and Johnson wrote a book in 1966.
called Human Sexual Response. The pertains to their model and explaining how the body
works when these physiological changes happens depending on age and sex.
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Therefore, Masters and Johnsons (1966) model will continue to benefit people understand the

physiological changes during sex because Masters and Johnson wrote clear cut deep explanation

of the four stage model in depth based on all ages and sexes in their book.

Antithesis

Some may believe there was are some faults in the information they wrote about in their

book, Human Sexual Response. One these critics of their works was Shere Hite. Hite wrote

The Hite Report.

Masters and Johnsons Research

Masters2 and Johnson3 (1966) was seen as sex pioneers , who were looking into people's

private lives. In Masters and Johnson's (1966) first book, Human Sexual Response, they

focused heavily on the physiological changes that happen during every phase in sex for both men

and women. In the Human Sexual Response, there are four phases. The first phase is

excitement phase, is when the body starts to prepare itself for sexual inetrcourse, such as the

nipple sgetting hard, the penis becoming erect, and so much more. Next, is the plateau phase, is

the sexual excitement continues to grow. This phase can be very brief, typically lasting only a

2
. Masters M.D, was born in 1915. Masters created a sex research laboratory in 1964
WilliamH
in St. Louis, Missouri. William MAsters was an gynecologist and obstetrician. MAsters along
with Johnson wrote their major book in 1966, :Human Sexual Response that contain their new
model.
3
Virginia E. johnson was born 1925. She has no experience in the medical field, divorced and a
mother of two. She was once Masters secretary, then became his partner in writing their book in
1966, Human Sexual Response.
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few seconds to a few minutes. Many people find that extending the length of the plateau period

can lead to more intense orgasms(SexInfo Online). Then it is the orgasmic stage, climactic yet

shortest phase of the sexual response cycle, typically lasting only several seconds (SexInfo

Online). In figure 2 it shows the breathing rate or as Masters and Johnson (1966) would say

hyperventilation during the plateau and orgasmic phase. What Masters said about

hyperventilation in the Human Sexual Response, is develops late in the plateau phase of the

female's sexual cycle, lasts through the entire orgasmic experience, and terminates early in the

resolution phase( Masters & Johnson's, 2003, p. 34).

Finally, it's the Resolution phase, it is when the body returns back to its normal state. As

an example, the penis will stop being erect in a male. In addition, to those phases, there is the

refractory period. The refractory period is when the males resolution phase. It is a length of

time during which a male cannot become more aroused from any kind of sexual stimulation. This

period can last from a few minutes to several days, depending on the males age, frequency of

sexual activity, and other things. Females do not experience a refractory period, and they are

capable of reaching orgasm again from any point during resolution(SexInfo Online).

In addition, orgasmic stages contain uterine contraction. Masters and Johnson said

patterns are repeated with each subjective orgasmic experience, varying in excursion

involving not only a target-organ but general ody reactions (pg.116).

Figure 2

Heart Rate during the Plateau and Orgasmic Phase

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Note. The heart rate during the plateau and orgasmic phase was adapted in Human Sexual

Response by William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson, 1966, pg. 35.

Figure 3

Uterine Contraction

Note. The intensity of the uterine contractions in a orgasm developed in Human Sexual

Response by William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson, 1966, pg. 117.

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Psychosexuality

Sigmund Freud4 (Freud) invented psychoanalysis5, in the school of thought, psychosexuality

stems from it. Psychosexuality6 has five stages, which are oral, anal, phallic, latent and genital.

These stages show the progression of sexuality over the years. In oral, is from ages 0 to 1, it

deals with this eating, swallowing, sucking. Anal is from ages 1 to 3 years old and the libido

now becomes focused on the anus and the child derives great pleasure from defecating. The

child is now fully aware that they are a person in their own right and that their wishes can bring

them into conflict with the demands of the outside world (i.e. their ego has developed)(McLeod,

2008). Third is phallic, from ages 3 to 6 years old and the child finds pleasure into

masturbaation from directly the gentilia. Fourth, the latent stage is between the ages, 5 to puberty

and the libido is dormant. Freud thought that most sexual impulses are repressed during the

latent stage and sexual energy can be sublimated towards school work, hobbies and friendships

(McLeod, 2008). Finally it is, genital is from puberty to adulthood. Genital is a time of

adolescent sexual experimentation, the successful resolution of which is settling down in a loving

one-to-one relationship with another person in our 20's. Sexual instinct is directed to

heterosexual pleasure, rather than self pleasure like during the phallic stage. (McLeod, 2008).

Freud allow to have a layout for Masters and Johnson to follow that expanded specifically on

genitalia stage. These stage gives people a sense of how sexual pleasure and arousal occur.

4
reud created the school of thought called, Psychoanalysis (modernly called
SigmundF
psychodynamic).
5
Psychoanalysis is a therapy and theory that was aimed at helping people with mental disorders
and nervous breakdowns by understanding their unconsciousness mind and how it repress and
express certain urges.
6
Psychosexuality is believed that from birth humans experience sexual energy going through
five stages in their life.
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Animals and the human sexual response. In the empirical article, "What Can Animal

Models Tell Us About Human Sexual Response?" was done by James G Pfaus, Tod E. Kippin,

Genaro Coria-Avila (2003) explains the Human Sexual Response done by sex researchers,

William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The question the focus on was what can animal models

tell us about human sexual response and the hypothesis they focus on to examine how it causes

desire and how sexual stimulation. Neuroendocrinologist study animals, while clinicians focus

on humans and on this type of field, rarely worked together. However, it makes sense that they

work together on this topic because human copulatory systems matches animals. Most

researchers, explained that the human sexual behavior was learned and based on experience,

while animals are based on hormones actions. Pfaus, Kippin and Coriua-Avila (2003) did their

work in a laboratory and chose to use rats.

Pfaus, Kippin and Coriua-Avila (2003) used dopamine antagonist and apomorphine.

Dopamine antagonist is a drug that blocks dopamine receptors by receptor of the antagonist and

apomorphine is a white crystalline compound used as an emetic. The article stated " sexual

responding required us to study how well they fit across... then animals could be used as models

to study aspects of human sexual behavior..."(Pfaus, Kippin, & Coriua-Avila, 2003). Every

organisms share the same sexual behavior, therefore the procedure used is to be able to respond a

hormonal and neurochemical changes that signal our own sexual desire and arousal. Then, the

rest requires a complete complex mixture of instinct, learning, and feedback with a neural

organization that allows us to interact with external incentives. The stimuli were predicting
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potential partners can be found, distinguishing the external cues and the behavior. In addition,

rats were used throughout the research. Rats have the most simplest throughput that is high.

Figure 4

Note. The paradigms or examples of the rodent males on the Human Sexual Response is

developed from "What Can Animal Models Tell Us About Human Sexual Response?" by James

G Pfaus, Tod E. Kippin, Genaro Coria-Avila, 2003.

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"Throughput is the ability to have experiment conducted relatively and quickly" (Pfaus et

al,,2003). Most field studies use small animals because it allows examination of the neural and

hormonal control of sexual behavior. Rats are also used because they resemble humans in many

analogous and homologous ways and certain tissues and neuroendocrine systems are similar. The

results of this field study is based on figure 4. Figure 4 represent what the female and male

rodents went through during their sexual intercourse and what did they benefit from, and how the

physiological changes for each sex. The dopamine antagonist and apomorphine induces

erection, while haloperidol, which is a synthetic antidepressant drug that reduces sexual desire

and arousal. Other results were, animals have certain aspects of sexual behavior that are

homologous and analogous to our own that are controlled by similar neurochemicals and

hormonal systems. Female rats like to have control the initiation and rate the sexual contact,

while male rats strengthened over time with experience. Males are excited by females that want

some form of engagement and try to collect small sexual contact. In conclusion, this research it

explains in greater details the Human Sexual Response formed by Masters and Johnson.

Synthesis: Sexual Model

Conclusion

... a faltering step at best, but at least a first step toward an open-door policy. The door

of investigative objectivity must not be closed again( Masters & Johnson, 1966, vii).
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References

Hite, S. (1976). The Hite report: A nationwide study on female sexuality. New York:

Macmillan.

Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1966). Human sexual response. Boston: Little, Brown

and Company.

McLeod, S. (2008). Psychosexual Stages. Retrieved December 12, 2016, from

http://www.simplypsychology.org/psychosexual.html

Pfaus, J. G., Kippin, T. E., & Coria-Avila, G. (2003). What Can Animal Models Tell Us

About Human Sexual Response? What Can Animal Models Tell Us About Human Sexual

Response?, 1-63.

The Sexual Response Cycle | SexInfo Online. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2016, from

http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/sexual-response-cycle