Women's Cognitive and Emotional Appraisal of Sex Pictures: The Predictive Role of Age, Exposure Time, and Sexual Beliefs. Issue 5 (1st July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carvalho, Joana; Ferreira, Liliana; Rico, Rita; Bártolo, Ana; Santos, Isabel M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of sex & marital therapy. Volume 48:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 489
• Page End: 501
• Publication Date: 2022-07-01
• Subjects: Sexual disorders -- Periodicals; Sexual deviation -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Marital psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Marriage; Sex Disorders; 616.8583005
• DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2021.2009076
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0092-623X

Abstract

Abstract: This study researched how age predicts women's cognitive and emotional appraisal of sex pictures. One hundred and fifty five women were exposed to romantic, sexually moderate and sexually explicit pictures. Women reported on the emotional valence, subjective sexual arousal, and level of sexual content attributed to the pictures; women's sexual beliefs were further evaluated. Findings revealed that age predicted increased pleasantness to sexually moderate and explicit pictures, as well as higher subjective sexual arousal to all type of pictures. Some predictions were moderated by sexual beliefs and exposure time, pointing the role of contextual factors in women's appraisal of erotica.