Sexual Pleasure Matters - and How to Define and Assess It Too. A Conceptual Framework of Sexual Pleasure and the Sexual Response.

Werner, Marlene; Borgmann, Michèle; Laan, Ellen (2023). Sexual Pleasure Matters - and How to Define and Assess It Too. A Conceptual Framework of Sexual Pleasure and the Sexual Response. International journal of sexual health, 35(3), pp. 313-340. Taylor & Francis 10.1080/19317611.2023.2212663

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OBJECTIVE

Sexual pleasure is central to current understandings of sexual function, health, and wellbeing. In this article, we suggest that we lack a sufficiently specific, yet encompassing, definition of sexual pleasure and that we therefore lack comprehensive assessments of sexual pleasure. We introduce a definition of sexual pleasure and position it centrally in an adapted framework of the sexual response. In the framework, we include a taxonomy of rewards which can be retrieved from sex and thereby aim to capture the multifaceted nature of sexual pleasure.

METHODS/RESULTS

Through narrative review, we arrive at the definition, framework, and taxonomy by integrating theories of sexual motivation and response with the literature on sexual pleasure and basic rewards. We position this literature within theories of affect and personality which allows us to differentiate between the experience of and the tendency to experience sexual pleasure (i.e., state versus trait sexual pleasure). We discuss how this conceptualization of sexual pleasure could be reflected in self-report assessments to quantitatively assess sexual pleasure.

CONCLUSIONS

The framework may aid to understand the role of the diverse facets of sexual pleasure in sexual function, health, and wellbeing and contribute to giving sexual pleasure the center position it deserves in sex research and therapy.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Psychological and Behavioral Health

UniBE Contributor:

Borgmann, Michèle

Subjects:

100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1931-762X

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Language:

English

Submitter:

Pubmed Import

Date Deposited:

11 Apr 2024 15:21

Last Modified:

11 Apr 2024 15:31

Publisher DOI:

10.1080/19317611.2023.2212663

PubMed ID:

38595929

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Sexual pleasure psychometrics sexual response state and trait taxonomy

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/195851

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/195851

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