Physiological and Subjective Sexual Arousal in Self-Identified Asexual Women

摘要: Asexuality can be defined as a lifelong lack of sexual attraction. Empirical research on asexuality reveals significantly lower self-reported desire and arousal rates activity; however, the speculation that there may also an impaired psychophysiological response has never been tested. The aim this study was to compare genital (vaginal pulse amplitude; VPA) subjective in asexual non-asexual women. Thirty-eight women between ages 19 55 years (10 heterosexual, 10 bisexual, 11 homosexual, 7 asexual) viewed neutral erotic audiovisual stimuli while VPA affect were measured. There no significant group differences increased film groups. Asexuals showed less positive affect, sensuality-sexual attraction, autonomic compared other groups; negative or anxiety. Genital-subjective concordance for non-significant three groups, suggesting higher levels interoceptive awareness among asexuals. Taken together, findings suggest normal physiological capacity challenge view should characterized dysfunction.