Sex: Altered State of Consciousness

Part II Katie Frehafer, Josh Kirsch, Bryan Waldberg, Dan Hoag

Attraction

Global Attraction

Facial symmetry and the golden ratio • Most people have come to believe that bilateral symmetry is a universal determinant of health and therefore of beauty. • A person of either gender who is considered as attractive in various cultures has been found to have facial symmetry based on the golden ratio of 1:1.618

Common views of the Brian

Male • tall (dominance and superiority over average population) • muscular physique (strength and power the ability to protect)

vs Female

• • • .7 Waist-hip ratio fertility) (as a sign of Low body mass index BMI ( sign of heath and fitness) large breasts (reproductive fitness)

Women find men attractive that have the ability to protection and provide Men find women attractive who have the ability to carry on the man’s gene, and legacy

Physical attraction seems to have a biological basis. This occurs do to evolution and the humans drive for existence and progeny.

•

Pheromones

A

pheromone

is any chemical or set of chemicals produced by a living organism that transmits a message to other members of the same species.

• Pheromone-induced responses are mediated primarily by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) • Androstadienone is currently the best candidate that has been found for human pheromones. • synchronization of menstrual cycles may also be due to pheromones • There may be male pheromones that increase the sexual attractiveness of men to women

Behavioral Affects

• Attractions seems to cause individuals to act and react in a different manner in social surroundings • eltoprazine seems to have an affects on social attraction • Both physical and sexual attraction alongside the possibility of pheromones the body goes through changes that are different then the normal state

Sex: Altered State of Consciousness Part II

Katie Frehafer, Josh Kirsch, Bryan Waldberg, Dan Hoag Cogs 175 June 5, 2006

Human Sexual Response Cycle

• 1 st Phase: Excitement • 2 nd Phase: Plateau • 3 rd Phase: Orgasmic • 4 th Phase: Resolution

1: Excitement Phase

• Result of erotic physical and mental stimulation – Kissing – Petting – Visual stimulation

Both Male and Female

• Increased heart rate • Increased rate of respiration • Rise in blood pressure • Nipple erection • Vasocongestion of skin • Increased muscle tone (myotonia) (voluntary and involuntary)

Males (Phase 1)

• Penis becomes partially erect (increase in length and diameter) • Testicles drawn upwards toward perineum • Scrotum tenses and thickens

Females (Phase 1)

• Engorgement of vaginal walls & inner lips • Vaginal lubrication commences • Breasts increase in size • Inner 2/3 of vagina lengthens & expands (tenting effect) usually 7-10 cm • Clitoris becomes tumescent (swells) (similarly to the penis)

2: Plateau Phase

• Prior to orgasm • Further increase in circulation & heart rate – Arteries dilate, causing vasocongestion – Engorgement further restricts veins, preventing blood from leaving • Increase in sexual pleasure with increased stimulation • Further increase in muscle tension • Involuntary vocalizations may occur

Males (Phase 2)

• Erection becomes more stable, man becomes less prone to distraction • Internal urethral sphincter contracts • Seminal secretions begin • Testes rise closer to body and swell

Females (Phase 2)

• Areola and labia increase in size • Clitoris withdraws beneath clitoral hood • Vaginal lubrication increases • Further vasocongestion • Pubococcygeus muscle contracts, tightening the vaginal opening • “Orgasmic Platform” created

3: Orgasmic Phase

• Conclusion of plateau & release of sexual tension • Involuntary vocalizations • Euphoric sensation • Amygdala shuts down • HR up to 160-180 beats per minute • Respiration up to 40 breaths per minute • General loss of voluntary muscle/motor control

Males (Phase 3)

• Contractions begin from base of testes through epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, urethra, & penis • 2-5 ml of semen released over 3-10 secs – Volume varies greatly depending on period of abstinence and degree of sustained arousal – 3-4 ejaculatory contractions (0.8-sec intervals) then 2-4 slower contractions of anal sphincter

Females (Phase 3)

• Uterine, vaginal, and pelvic muscles all rhythmically contract • Strong muscle contractions in outer 1/3 of vagina – 1 st contraction: 2-4 seconds – Later contractions: 3-15 seconds – Occurring at 0.8 second intervals • Slight expansion of inner 2/3 of vagina

OH GOD

4: Resolution Phase

• Body returns to pre-excitement phase • Muscles relax, blood pressure drops • Males experience refractory period following ejaculation during which nerves can no longer respond to stimulation • Females may experience refractory period or may return to Plateau Phase and experience multiple orgasms upon further stimulation • Perceived tiredness due to endorphin release causing relaxation & drowsiness

This is what happens:

Sexual Abnormalities

Masochism “Pleasure in Pain”

Masochism

-Pleasure in pain, the pursuit of suffering.

-Willing submission to: -cruelty -humiliation -forms of enslavement -physical abuse -psychological abuse.

-Bondage

Bondage

Humiliation

Causes

• Unconscious motivation • Sexual and aggressive instincts • Narcissism • Guilt repression • Freud and the Oedipus complex • Unconscious need for punishment • Appeasement of the superego • Neurosis or society

Overactive Sex Drive Abnormalities

Hypersexuality

The need for frequent genital stimulation that doesn’t result in sexual satisfaction.

• Causes: – Can be a symptom of bipolar disease.

• Occurs during the manic phase • Sex turns into an obsession – Can also be caused by Kulver-Bucy syndrome – Also can be cause by lesions to the amygdala

Sexual Addiction

•One who is considered an addict with respect to sexual actions.

Pauly Shore •Causes: May occur as a coping mechanism to deal with other emotional problems .

However: not classified as a mental disorder. Some people are skeptical as to if it actually even exists

Sexual addiction cont.

• Biological addiction – The need for the neurochemical release that occurs during sex.

• Psychological addiction – Caused by the need to escape from a mental state.

– Can be a replacement for drug abuse.

Thoughts

• Abnormal thought process • Sex addicts normal consciousness is composed of constant sexual thoughts.

• Hypersexual people normally have a brain defect

Conclusion

• Sex is an altered state due to – Neurochemical changes – Hormonal activations – Changes in brain activation – Biological state changes – Social Behavior and interactions.

Refferences

Glick, R. A. Meyers, D.I. (1988) Masochism, Current Psychoanalytic Perspectives Pgs 2-10,61,81. Hillsdale, New Jersey. The Analytic Press.

Karlson, P., Lüscher, M. (1959). Pheromones: a new term for a class of biologically active substances. Nature 183 , 55-56.

Fink, B. & Penton-Voak, I.S. (2002). Evolutionary Psychology of Facial Attractiveness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(5). 154-158. Berliner, D.L., Monti-Bloch, L., Jennings-White, C. and Diaz-Sanchez, V. (1996) The functionality of the human vomeronasal organ (VNO): evidence for steroid receptors. J. Steroid Bioch. Mol. Biol. 58, 259-265.

References cont.

Allgeier, ER, Allgeier, AR. Sexual Interactions, 5th Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, New York. 2000. Meston, Cindy et. al. “The Neurobiology of Sexual Function” Arch Gen Psychiatry, Vol. 57. American Medical Association. Nov 2000. Wikipedia: Human sexual response cycle. www.wikipedia.com. Accessed June 2, 2006.

Wikipedia: Orgasm. www.wikipedia.com. Accessed June 2, 2006.

Carol Groneman,

Nymphomania: A History,

(London: Fusion Press, 2001) Wikipedia: Nymphomania http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphomania Accessed June 2, 2006