Sexual Emotions Research Articles

Queering the Seventeenth Century: Historicism, Queer Theory, and Early Modern Literature

This article explores the continuing prevalence of historicism and queer theory in seventeenth-century literature. While some scholars have announced the demise of new historicism and queer theory and others have challenged these critical perspectives’ methodologies and assumptions, scholarship on the history of sexuality published within the past ten years demonstrates the continuing importance of historicist and queer theories on seventeenth-century literary criticism. Queer historicists, also called alteritists, constructivists, or differentialists, argue that the seventeenth century's constructions of same-sex sexual practices, desires, and emotions are fundamentally different from those of the present day. Challenges to this position maintain that early modern representations of same-sex eroticism share some continuity with those of today. Through an examination of scholarship on female same-sex erotics, passionate male friendship, constructions of ‘sodomy’ as a legal and social category, the exiling of homoeroticism from the center of government to the margins of society, and depictions of same-sex desire in the theater during the seventeenth century, this piece concludes that queer historicism remains a dominant voice in early modern studies.

An evolutionary interpretation of the significance of physical pain experienced by human females: Defloration and childbirth pains

The phenomena surrounding the pains commonly related to both first coitus and delivery have been addressed rather poorly in previous work, as regards their evolutionary aspects, during the investigation of human sexuality and reproductive behavior. In particular, the function of the hymen and the significance of defloration are largely misunderstood. The present paper aims to analyse the meaning of these two female physical pains in an evolutionary context. Accordingly, childbirth and defloration pains are hypothesized to manifest an adaptation designed to increase inclusive fitness in human evolutionary history. Clearly, the significance of pain as a message is essentially emotional. Indeed, the intense sexual emotions that may precede and/or follow the pain, the breaking and bleeding of the hymen during the first complete sexual act may generate distinctive strong feelings on/from each side of the newly formed couple. As to labor pain, both the shared intimacy with the mother and the emotional background during confinement may create mutual solicitude among the protagonists (i.e. midwifes, father, mother). Such feelings or attitudes may subsequently turn out to be beneficial to all of them, and more particularly to the newborn. As a general consequence, it appears that the two physical pains under consideration may have behavioral implications, in the sense that they contribute to increasing the stability of the connection between partners and thus, indirectly, to the welfare or even the survival (especially in former times) of the newborn child.

The Experience of Sexual Emotions

Abstract In this article we propose an emotion perspective on the study of sexual experience. First we discuss the contents of experience, which are based on three sources of information: the environment or situation being appraised, autonomic response, and both readiness for and feedback from behavioral response. Then we describe a working memory model to help explain how the experience of sexual emotions is constructed. Finally, we illustrate the application of an emotion perspective through discussion of gender differences in the processing of sexual information and through psychophysiological studies on sexual response.

Manga goes global

OTOMO Katsuhiro''s Akira was published in Japan from 1982 to 1993. When translated into French (1991-1995), the eleven volumes serie was given an unusual first-class treatment -complete with colors and hard-cover. Its French publisher targeted well-educated high-income urbanites at a time when manga were still considered cheap stuff for children or semi-illiterate teenagers. The fact is that Akira is in a class of its own. It stands out as a highly sophisticated cultural object far away from the standard manga''s violence and sex routine. It became a cult-serie in France, although this fortress of the ecole franco-belge is a very difficult market for foreign comics. It also succeeded in the US -which is hardly an easy market either. Akira the movie enjoyed worldwide success. Akira''s echo in the West -like Doraemon''s success throughout Asia -epitomizes the fact that contemporary manga is the vehicle of a which appeals to audiences all around the world. This makes it a major element of Japan''s soft power and a worthy subject for academic research. The aesthetical and ethical standards of manga are worlds apart from those of American mainstream comics (Disney and superheroes) and the ecole franco-belge. They are deeply rooted into what Saya SHIRAISHI calls the Original Experience and the Original Picture -A-bombed Japan of 1945. Since this experience was unique, the first mangas were not so much for export. Akira transcends the Original Experience by combining it with the postmodern sensibility. Space, time, narrative logics, meanings and values systems are methodically de-constructed -until the way to the future is left wide open to the optimistic energy of the youngsters with no signpost at all. Akira is an empty structure for every reader to fill with his or her own experiences, dreams and desires. This is quite the opposite of Disney''s way to reach audience -but nevertheless an efficient one. Furthermore, OTOMO broke with both the Japanese-ness and fantazy typical of many mangas by enriching Akira with the real-life experiences common to teenagers from all over the world. This is especially noticeable in the subtle manner in which sexual emotions are depicted. OTOMO also globalized Akira by using innumerable images and cliches drawn form Western culture. His work is an amazing cultural melting-pot -complete with Buddhism, Big-Bang theory revisited and a main character who mixes the bad boy next door with Jesus-Christ, Frankenstein, Superman, Lord of the Flies, 2001 Space Odyssey and much more... Last but not least, OTOMO made the best of the movies-like narrative technique of the manga, which removes the language barrier. He pushed this technique to a point where almost no printed words are necessary and the reader is drawn into an interactive relationship with the book, as if he or she plays a videogame. Thus, even the Japanese version of Akira is almost readily accessible to any foreigner. OTOMO built upon both the Original Experience''s heritage and the narrative technique peculiar to mangas to produce a cultural object deliberately intended for the world market. Thus, Akira is a striking example of successfull globalization. But it remains to be seen if it carries any meanings or ideology which might be an original contribution to the global culture of the next century.

Extraversion, sexual experience, and sexual emotions

Sex differences in motivation and emotional reactions to casual sex suggest that the links to extraversion, constraint, impulsivity-sensation seeking, and sexual behavior differ for men and women. Because both testosterone and dominance, and dominance and number of sex partners appear to correlate in men but not in women, it is plausible that testosterone is involved in the creation and maintenance of these sex differences in linkage among the behavioral subsystems involved in sexuality and extraversion.

The violent character of sexual‐eroticism in cross‐cultural comparison

Details a cross‐cultural study to expose the extent to which public concern regulates sexual‐eroticism and withdraws it from public attention; identifies a propensity towards the ideal of sexual constraint within US society, reflected by a high degree of regulation and criminalization of sexuality ‐ ranging from strict policies on sexual‐harassment to the restriction of explicit images, even for sex education purposes. Compares with the more liberal attitudes exhibited in Germany. Develops an empirical model to establish cultural differences in attitudes to sexual issues; confirms that Germans are less likely to stigmatize sexual eroticism than their American contemporaries. Concludes that Germans exhibit emotions that typify sexual emancipation, compared with the sexually constrained emotions of Americans; suggests a link between the repression of sexual emotions and violence in society.

Dominance, sexual activity, and sexual emotions

Men's interest in sex partners' status traits and commitment (investment thoughts) declines with number of sex partners and permissiveness of attitudes; women's investment thoughts do not seem to decline. Testosterone, dominance, sexual attractiveness, and number of sex partners are correlated in men but not in women. It is plausible that these sex differences are part of sexually dimorphic feedback systems. This type of feedback is consistent with both reciprocal and basal models of testosterone.

Partial Complex Epileptic Seizures with Ictal Urogenital Manifestation in a Child

Ictal sexual manifestations, like somatosensory genital phenomena, sexual emotions or sexual automatisms during a partial complex seizure, are very rare. So far the literature has above all described cases in adulthood. We report on a 6-year-old boy with partial complex epileptic seizures which led to confusion, oral and genital automatisms and the urge to urinate. During one epileptic seizure with these urogenital manifestations the EEG showed an epileptic rhythmic discharge over the left temporal region.

Précis ofThe evolution of human sexuality

AbstractPatterns in the data on human sexuality support the hypothesis that the bases of sexual emotions are products of natural selection. Most generally, the universal existence of laws, rules, and gossip about sex, the pervasive interest in other people's sex lives, the widespread seeking of privacy for sexual intercourse, and the secrecy that normally permeates sexual conduct imply a history of reproductive competition. More specifically, the typical differences between men and women in sexual feelings can be explained most parsimoniously as resulting from the extraordinarily different reproductive opportunities and constraints males and females normally encountered during the course of evolutionary history. Men are more likely than women to desire multiple mates; to desire a variety of sexual partners; to experience sexual jealousy of a spouse irrespective of specific circumstances; to be sexually aroused by the sight of a member of the other sex; to experience an autonomous desire for sexual intercourse; and to evaluate sexual desirability primarily on the bases of physical appearance and youth.The evolutionary causes of human sexuality have been obscured by attempts to find harmony in natural creative processes and human social life and to view sex differences as complementary. The human female's capacity for orgasm and the loss of estrus, for example, have been persistently interpreted as marriage-maintaining adaptations. Available evidence is more consistent with the view that few sex differences in sexuality are complementary, that many aspects of sexuality undermine marriage, and that sexuality is less a unifying than a divisive force in human affairs.

REVIVALS, SEX AND HOLY GHOST

Attempts to provide a psychogenetic understanding of religious experience. The analysis is based on observations of a pastor with his audience in New England. It is suggested that religious ecstasy is akin to sexual emotions. The experience of religion of a sane normal person is inhibited by the persistence of the consciousness of the demands of the ordinary environment. The varieties of physical manifestations of revival excitement are explainable by varying degrees of sexual repression, sensitiveness, or shame, and the resultant varying degrees of intensity in the excitement. Discusses the factors operative in checking extravagant manifestations of impulsive tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

Revivals, sex and holy ghost.

Attempts to provide a psychogenetic understanding of religious experience. The analysis is based on observations of a pastor with his audience in New England. It is suggested that religious ecstasy is akin to sexual emotions. The experience of religion of a sane normal person is inhibited by the persistence of the consciousness of the demands of the ordinary environment. The varieties of physical manifestations of revival excitement are explainable by varying degrees of sexual repression, sensitiveness, or shame, and the resultant varying degrees of intensity in the excitement. Discusses the factors operative in checking extravagant manifestations of impulsive tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)