Sexual arousal

Sexual arousal is the process and state of an animal being ready for sexual intercourse.

Human sexual arousal
Unlike most other animals, human beings of both sexes are potentialy capable of sexual arousal throughout the year, and there is therefore no human mating season. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are commonly known as turn-ons. Given the right stimulation, sexual arousal in humans will typically end in an orgasm, but may be pursued for its own sake, even in the absence of an orgasm.

Causes of human sexual arousal

 * See also: Sexual attraction

Includes, but is not limited to:
 * The physical attractiveness, eye contact, smell, warmth, and touch of a (potential) sexual partner
 * Feeling sexy, desired
 * Sexual foreplay
 * Erotic thoughts, fantasies or dreams
 * Presence of fetished objects
 * Pornography
 * Erotica
 * Sex in advertising
 * Masturbation
 * Sexual roleplaying
 * Voyeurism
 * Exhibitionism, particularly being flashed an otherwise taboo part of the body, such as the breasts, buttocks or genitalia — arousal in this case most often happens when a woman flashes a person or group of people of the opposite (or, in the case of lesbian viewers, sometimes the same) sex. Evidence of the popular extent of this arousal is evident in the popularity in Western society of the Girls Gone Wild enterprise and similar products.

Signs of possible human sexual arousal

 * Among both genders
 * Increase in breathing rate
 * Increase in blood pressure
 * Increase in muscle tone (myotonia)
 * Increase in heart rate (tachycardia)
 * Vasocongestion of the skin ("sex flush")
 * Slight or extreme dilation of the pupils (though especially so with females)
 * Erection of the nipples (especially upon direct stimulation)
 * Female sexual arousal:
 * Increase in breast size
 * Vaginal lubrication
 * Vasocongestion of the vaginal walls
 * Clitoral tumescence and erection
 * More visible venous patterns across the breasts
 * Elevation of the uterus and stretching of the vagina
 * Change in shape, color and size of the labia majora and labia minora
 * Male sexual arousal
 * Penile tumescence and erection
 * Retraction and tightening of the foreskin if present, often exposing the glans penis if not normally exposed
 * Emission of pre-ejaculatory fluid
 * Ascension of the testes
 * Tensing and thickening of the scrotum

Human sexual response cycle
During the 1950s and 1960s, William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson conducted many important studies within the field of human sexuality. In 1966, the two released a book, Human Sexual Response, detailing four stages of physiological changes in humans during sexual stimulation, based on their own sexual experiences. These phases, in order of their occurrence, are excitement, plateau, orgasmic, and resolution.

See human sexual response cycle.

Genital procedures and sexual arousal
Scientific data shows that male circumcision may cause neurological changes in the human brain, which is suggested to lower sexual excitability (Mackey, 1997).This is contested. Another study suggested that arousal of a man's female partner is also impacted. 

Sexual arousal in other animals
It is not completely understood how other animals relate sexually, but current research studies suggest that animals, like humans, enjoy sexual relations. This is especially noted in dogs, dolphins, and bonobos.

Related topics

 * Sexual attraction
 * Sexual desire
 * Sexual arousal disorder
 * Impotence
 * Frigidity
 * Human sexuality
 * Kinsey report
 * Sexual orientation
 * Hypersexuality

Sexuelle Erregung Seksuaalne erutus Excitación Lytinis susijaudinimas Seksuele opwinding 性的興奮 Seksuell opphisselse Сексуальное возбуждение Sexuell upphetsning 性刺激