Altered states of consciousness are related to higher sexual responsiveness.
R. Costa, J. Pestaña, D. Costa, M. Wittmann
Consciousness and Cognition May 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.03.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 116 |
| Population | Subjects reporting on sexual experiences |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Key findings | Greater body awareness and lesser time and space awareness are associated with higher sexual responsiveness, especially for women's vaginal intercourse orgasms. |
Abstract
Altered states of consciousness lead to profound changes in the sense of self, time and space. We assessed how these changes were related to sexual responsiveness during sex. 116 subjects reported (a) intensity of awareness concerning body, space and time, and (b) satisfaction, desire, arousal, and orgasm occurrence. We differentiated vaginal intercourse orgasm from noncoital orgasm. Female vaginal intercourse orgasm was further differentiated as with or without concurrent clitoral masturbation. Overall, sexual responsiveness was related to greater body awareness and lesser time and space awareness. Satisfaction, desire, and arousal were especially associated with less time awareness in women. Female orgasms during vaginal intercourse were related to greater body awareness and lesser time awareness, but noncoital orgasms were unrelated. Our findings provide empirical support for the hypotheses that altered states of consciousness with attentional absorption are strongly related to sexual responsiveness in women, and to a lesser extent in men.