Knowra Sexual response cycle Sexual response cycle The sexual response cycle is a model of bodily changes associated with sexual arousal and activity. Its stages describe common patterns, not a universal sequence or requirement.
Sexual arousal : A state of heightened sexual interest and physiological readiness that can arise from physical, psychological, or social cues. It initiates or accompanies the bodily changes described by the cycle.
William H. Masters : An American gynecologist who studied human sexual physiology with Virginia E. Johnson. His laboratory observations helped establish the cycle’s original framework.
Desire–arousal model : A model that treats sexual desire and physiological arousal as related experiences that may influence each other. It questions whether desire must precede arousal as a separate first stage.
Sex therapy : A form of psychotherapy addressing concerns about sexual function, intimacy, and relationships. Therapists have used cycle stages to organize assessment and treatment.
Vasocongestion : The accumulation of blood in tissues, producing swelling and increased sensitivity in response to stimulation. This vascular change contributes to genital responses during arousal.
Virginia E. Johnson : An American researcher who collaborated with William H. Masters on studies of human sexual response. Her research partnership was central to the model’s development.
Basson model of female sexual response : A model describing some women’s sexual response as circular, context-dependent, and not necessarily initiated by spontaneous desire. It replaces a required linear progression with a more contextual pattern.
Sexual health : A state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. The cycle offers one physiological perspective within a broader account of sexual well-being.
Plateau phase : A period of sustained high sexual arousal that may precede orgasm in stage-based models. It names the intensified phase between initial arousal and orgasm.
Human Sexual Response : A 1966 book by William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson reporting laboratory research on sexual physiology. This book introduced the four-stage model to a broad audience.
Show all 21