Sex And Disgust: Women Are Less Turned-Off By Fear Than Loathing

A new study looks at the first biological measure of sexual arousal in women. Researchers found that women who experience disgust are more likely to feel turned-off when compared to experiencing feelings of fear. The study results are published in the journal PLOS One.

For the study, researchers investigated 76 heterosexual women between 18 and 42 years old. All women were required to insert a vaginal photoplethysmograph--a clear acrlyic tampon-shaped device that measures blood flow to the vagina as an indication of sexual arousal, according to Medical News Today. 

One group of women in the study was shown disgusting images before watching an erotic film, while the second group watched an erotic film and was then shown disgusting images. The third group was shown frightening images before watching an erotic film and the fourth watched an erotic film and was shown frightening images after.

Disgusting images included things like human corpses, feces and people vomiting. Images designed to elicit fear, on the other hand, included violent people, weapons, heights, tornadoes, dangerous animals and fire. And all of the erotic films used during post image sequencing were also intended to be sexually appealing to women and were produced and directed by women as well.

After viewing the films, the women were asked to report their own degree of disgust, arousal and/or fear. Findings revealed that women who were exposed to disgusting images before watching an erotic film were three times less likely to stay aroused than those who had seen frightening images before or when compared to control groups.

"Previous studies have found that men and women who are exposed to sexually explicit images report less disgust," said study author Diana Fleischman, PhD, an evolutionary psychologist at the UK's University of Portsmouth, specifically noting how men are less sensitive to disgust than women when it comes to sex. "However, our study is the first to measure blood flow to the genitals, which is necessary for sexual arousal, and how it interacts with disgust."

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