This study utilized procedures representative of published research on human sexual behavior as a means of establishing a direct approach (via a postexperimental questionnaire) to generalizing about ethical standards for this area of investigation. The 40 males and 40 females who volunteered (as part of their introductory psychology requirement) to participate anonymously in this investigation completed a questionnaire about past sexual experiences and a personality measure of sexual attitudes, read an erotic story and rated their arousal to the story, were observed in a waiting room that contained sexually explicit magazines, responded to double‐entendre words, and were tested for retention of information on reproductive biology. Subjects were then provided with a detailed, personally oriented debriefing session. The postexperimental questionnaire, which was completed following the debriefing, indicated that subjects viewed their participation as constructive and void of negative aftereffects.