Absorbed states play different roles in female and male sexual response: Hypotheses for testing

Abstract

The absorbed state-sexual arousal-orgasm pathway hypotheses assert that absorbed states of consciousness accompanying sexual arousal (sometimes called altered states of consciousness or sexual trance) play important roles in sexual response not previously recognized. Absorbed states are an obligatory pathway to high physiological sexual arousal and to orgasm in many, perhaps all, females. The role of absorbed states in males is facilitation of arousal and orgasm, with enhancement of pleasure and subjective quality of the experience. But the absorbed states pathway is not an obligatory feature of arousal and orgasm in most males. These hypotheses are empirically testable; absorbed states have objectively measurable defining characteristics as well as subjective dimensions presenting greater but not intractable methodological difficulties. Inclusion of a cognitive psychology of absorbed states can bring us closer to a more adequate and integrated psychobiological understanding of sexual response in both women and men.