HABITUATION OF FEMALE SEXUAL AROUSAL TO SLIDES AND FILM

The habituation of genital and subjective sexual arousal in women was assessed. In a first experiment 32 women were randomly assigned to eit her a constant stimulus condition in which subjects were exposed to th e same erotic slide on repented trials within one session, or to a var ied stimuli condition in which subjects were exposed to various erotic slides. A second experiment assessed habituation of sexual responses of 42 women to erotic film excerpts. In both experiments repented erot ic stimulation was followed by a novel el otic stimulus to study the e ffect of novel stimulation to a sequence of uniform stimulation. In th e first experiment a floor effect was found in response to the first t hree trials that prevented a valid interpretation of responding on sub sequent trials. We conclude that slides yield too little sexual arousa l in female subjects. In the second experiment only a slight decline i n genital responding was observed. Women sustained considerable levels of genital arousal even after 21 trials of uniform stimulation. Facia l EMG was used as a physiological marker of emotional experience. Zygo matic activity decreased over trials, suggesting decreasing positive a ffect as a result of uniform stimulation. Results are discussed in the context of selective attention, characteristics of the habituation st imulus and novelty.