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Psychosomatic Medicine 33:341-352 (1971)
© 1971 American Psychosomatic Society

Physiologic Differentiation of Sexual Arousal and Anxiety

NILES BERNICK PhD1, ARTHUR KLING MD2, and GENE BOROWITZ MD3

1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.; Present address: NIMH Clinical Research Center, Lexington, Ky 40507
2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Present address: Rutgers Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08903
3 Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Present address: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill 60690

Niles Bernick, PhD, Chief, Psychophysiology Unit, NIMH, Clinical Research Center, Lecstown Pike, Lexington, Ky 40507

In an attempt to specify physiologically the emotional states of sexual arousal and anxiety occurring independently and/or simultaneously, male subjects were shown two erotic movies (one heterosexual and one male homosexual) and a suspense movie, while pupil size, heart rate and plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels were recorded. The data indicated that pupil dilation may be used to discriminate between sexual arousal and more generalized arousal states. In most cases, sexual arousal and anxiety were not evidenced in the same individual at the same time. There were some suggestive data that sexual arousal sensitizes an individual to the specific type of stimulus which elicited the arousal. Further study of these phenomena was proposed.

Submitted on October 23, 1970
Revised on December 28, 1970






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