Feelings of Disgust and Disgust-Induced Avoidance Weaken following Induced Sexual Arousal in Women

Sexual arousal interplays with disgust and disgust eliciting properties among women, and this relationship goes beyond subjective report by creating effect on the actual approach to disgusting stimuli. Hence, explaining how we still manage to engage in pleasurable sexual activity. The study also suggests that low sexual arousal might be a key feature in the maintenance of particular sexual dysfunctions.

Sex and disgust are fundamental, evolutionary instincts that often seem paradoxical. Stimuli involved in sexual encounters, like saliva, sweat, semen, and body odors, often strongly evoke disgust. These elements, typically considered unappealing or repulsive, are integral to sexual experiences and can trigger significant disgust responses. This paradox raises questions on how people enjoy pleasurable sex despite inherent disgust towards bodily substances involved. The interplay between these instinctual responses reveals a complex psychological dynamic where sexual arousal can sometimes override or diminish feelings of disgust. Understanding this relationship is crucial for exploring how humans navigate and reconcile these seemingly contradictory impulses, offering insights into the nature of sexual pleasure and the ways in which we manage and integrate different sensory experiences.

Sexual Arousal Reduces Disgust: Insights from Behavioral Reactions

In a University of Groningen study, researchers randomly assigned 90 healthy women to one of three groups: sexual arousal, non-sexual positive arousal, or neutral control. The researchers used film tapes to elicit the relevant mood states. Subsequently, participants completed 16 tasks with sex-related and non-sex stimuli, measuring how sexual arousal affected disgust and avoidance behavior.

In a study, those aroused by sex rated sex-related stimuli as significantly less repulsive than other participants. This finding suggests that inducing sexual arousal can alter perceptions, making previously aversive stimuli seem less offensive. This effect reveals how sexual arousal influences emotional responses, offering insights into reactions to typically unpleasant stimuli.

A similar tendency was observed for non-sexual stimuli. Sexual engagement may temporarily lessen aversive properties of stimuli or reduce hesitation, making them more approachable.